wonder what he was thinking about. At length he aroused and turned
toward his companion.

"Young man," he began, "I am greatly indebted to you for saving my
life to-day. But for your prompt action that moose would have crushed
me to death in a short time. I now ask your forgiveness for my
impatience and anger toward you to-day."

He held out his hand, but to his surprise Dane stepped quickly to the
other side of the narrow brook.

"What is the meaning of this?" the Colonel asked. "Shall we not be
friends?"

In reply Dane smiled and stretched out his hand, which the Colonel
immediately grasped.

"This is the Indian custom," Dane explained. "While the grass grows,
the sun shines, and the water flows, we will be friends."

"Amen," broke fervently from the Colonel's lips.

And there across that little stream youth and age clasped hands, and a
bond of friendship was formed which not even death itself could break.




CHAPTER XI