Asthedayworeon,hecatoavalleywheregawasoreplentiful.Aherdofentyalledloudly,hopgthtenthefoxtthebird;butthefox,leapgawayfright,didnotdropthebird.
Hewaswearyandoftenwishedtorest—toliedownandsleep,buthewasdrivenonbyhishunger.Hesearchedlittlepondsfsandduguptheearthwithhisfgernailsforwors,thoughhekhatherfrogsnorworslivedthatfarnorth.
Inoneareahewalkedalongacreek,lookgforfish.Inapoolhefoundasallone.Hedippedhisartothewateruptohisshoulder,butthefishgotaway.Thenhereachedforitwithbothhands,stirrguptheudatthebotto.Inhisexthefell,wettghiselftothewaist.Sceheuldnolongerseethefish,hehadtowaituntilthewatercleared.
Wheriedaga,thewaterbecauddy.Theookhistpailandbegantobailthepool.Hebailedwildlyatfirst,andsoofthewaterranbacktothepool.Thenheworkedorecarefully,thoughhisheartoundghischestandhishandswereshakg.Attheendofhalfanhourthepoolwasnearlydry.Buttherewasnofish.Ithadescapedbeeentherocksterpool.
Defeatedhiseffort,theansatdownupoearth.Atfirsthecriedsoftlytohiself.Thenhecriedloudlyhishopelessndition.
Hebuiltafireandwardhiselfanddranksohotwater.Hisbswerewetandld,andhisanklewasstillpaful,buthisworstsuffergcafrohishunger.Hetriedtosleep,buthedreadoffoodandanygoodthgstoeat.
Heawokeldandsick.Therewasnosun.Theairabouthigrewwhitewhileheadeafireandboiledsowater.Itwaswetsnow,halfra,andthefkesltedquicklyandputouthisfire.
Bythistihehadbeehunger-ad.Hefeltthroughthesnoulledupsograssroots.Hechewedtherootsbuttheyweretastelessorbitter.
Hehadnofirethatnightbecaeheuldn’tfdanydrywood,sohecrawledunderhisbosleepthebrokensleepofhuhesnowturoaldra.Hefeltitonhisfacedurgthenight.
Latethethesunbrokethroughthegrayist.Thentheanrealizedhewaslost.Heturnednorthwardtorrecthisurse,hopgtofdtheriverandtheoe.ThenhewonderedwhathadhappeoBill.
Thoughhishungerpaswerenoworse,herealizedhewasgettgweaker.Hehadtosfrequentlytorest.Histonguefeltdryandrge,andhisouthhadabittertaste.Hisheartgavehiagreatdealoftrouble.Heuldfeelitsthup,thup,thup;andthepafulbeatschokedhiandadehifeelfat.
Intheiddleofthedayhecaughtosallfishapoolbyghispail.Heatethefishraw,butthehungerpawasnowdullandlifeless.Hisstoachhadgoosleep.
Inthehecaughtthreeoresallfish,eatgooftheandsavgoneforhisbreakfast.Anhtpassed.Inthehetiedorestripsofthebaroundhisfeet,andtheiedthestrgoftheoose-hidepouch.Froitsopenouthpouredayellowstreaolddtands.Heknewhetlightenhisload.Hehardlyhadthestrengthtocarrythestreagb.Heroughlydividedthegoldtohalves.Hepouredhalfofthegoldtoapieceofbandrolledittoasallpackage,whichhehidarockledge.
Thenhewalkedon,barelyabletopefootaheadoftheother.
Hefacedanotherdayofldfog.Halfofhisstbhadgoohisfeet.Hewasnowtooweaktocarryhissallpack.Agahedividedthegold,thistibyspillghalfofitontheground.Iernoohrewtherestofitaway.Therereaedonlythehalfbhetpail,hisknife,andtherifle.
Hephedonforanhourbeforehefelltoafat.Aroedbyanoise,heuldnotbelievehiseyes.Beforehistoodahorse.Ahorse!Rubbghiseyes,hesuddenlyrealizedhewaslookgatagreatbrownbear.
Theanbroughthisgunhalfwaytohisshoulderbeforeherebereditwasnotloaded.Helowereditanddrewhishuntgknife,wifthebearwouldattack.Theandrewhiselfuptohisfullheight,staredatthebearandwaited.Thebearadvancedafewstepsandtheheanknewifheran,thebearwouldrunafterhi.Withallhisighttheanswungtheknifeandgrowledlikeananial.Thebeardidnotuandtheysteriocreatureandwalkedaway.