We started off
as soon as we could. It cleared up in the afternoon, and only
drifting and freezing very hard, was getting colder and colder
towards evening. Mr. Wallace I knew was near his finish; but I
would not say or ask him about it. I thought I would scare him,
and he would scare me too if he told me he could not go any
further. I was getting so very, very weak myself.
The sun was getting low and I could yet walk lots faster than
Wallace, and had to stand and wait for him very often, though I
could hardly walk myself. I thought this was my last day that I
could walk. If I don't come to the flour this evening I fear I
will not be able to walk in the morning; and if I get to where the
flour is, and the mice or some animal has carried it off it will
surely mean death. And besides I wanted to know very, very much if
the flour was there.
Just near dusk, Mr. Wallace was so much behind I thought I would
tell him to follow my trail and he could come along behind, and I
would try and get to the flour before dark. I stayed and waited
till he came near.
He asked me, "How far yet to the flour?"
"About 2 miles," I said.
"Well I think you had better go along and not wait for me any more.
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