He at first said it was no use of trying, as he knew how weak we were and that we would only be scattered abroad.

Should a relief party be sent out to look for us, they will find us here in our camp; but if you wish to try all right.  You are more than trying to save me.  I never came across a man so brave as you are.  Still I may feel better in the morning, and I will not carry anything.  Now I see that you were right when we left the canoe.  You wanted to leave everything and go out light.

If you get to the flour, you must take most of the flour and Wallace will bring the rest.  As we will be staying in one place we will not require as much as you will, because if you fail on the way, it will mean sure death to us too.  And if you happen to come on some trappers, just send them with grub, and don’t come up yourself as you will be too weak.  Or if you get to Northwest River, Mr. M’Kenzie will find men to send, and you will stay there.  If I should starve and you get out, Mr. M’Kenzie will help you in all you need, and will keep you there this winter.  By the first boat you will go to New York, and my diary don’t give to anyone but to Mrs. Hubbard.  Tell her how things happened, and that I don’t suffer now as I did at first, only so very, very weak, and I think starvation is an easy death to die.

“I wish you could only see my father and mother, or my sister, so as to tell them about our trip.  I wish I could tell them how good you were to me.  But you must go to Mrs. Hubbard.

“I am sorry, boys.  It is my work the reason why you are out here.  If I did not come out here you would have been at your home and having all that you need and would not meet death so soon.”

I told him not to be troubled by that.  “If we didn’t want to come we could have stayed at home.  So don’t put the blame on yourself.”

He also told Wallace if he got out to write the story for Mrs. Hubbard.

Mr. Hubbard was very sleepy.  So we did not sit up so long as we have done before.  Mr. Wallace read three chapters to us.  Mr. Hubbard chose thirteenth chapter First Corinthians, and I the seventeenth chapter St. John’s Gospel, and Mr. Wallace fourteenth chapter St. John.  Mr. Hubbard fell asleep when Mr. Wallace was nearly through reading the second chapter, that is, the seventeenth chapter.  Mr. Hubbard slept good all night, and hardly ever moved till morning, when I wakened him and gave him a cup of hot tea and some bone broth.  I also slept good all night and didn’t hardly wake up till just before daylight.  Mr. Wallace kept on a fire all night and wrote a farewell letter to his sisters.

Sunday morning, October 18th, I got up and boiled those bones again, putting in just a little of the pea meal in the broth, and also tea we had for breakfast.  We had yet a half pound of the pea meal that we had carried for some time.