Chapter 120

They were not looking for a body. They searched likely areas where a man in distress would look for shelter during a storm. They looked for caves in the hillside, smoke in the air, tracks in the snow, and deadfalls where downed trees could offer some protection from the elements. By Friday afternoon, they were tired and discouraged, but in agreement that they would not end their search until they found Mitchell. Neither brother wanted to return home from this mission they had undertaken empty handed. It was far easier to face the weather than the women waiting for and depending on them.

The storm had finally dissipated, and the sun was breaking out when Jason suddenly stopped in his tracks. He sniffed the air and then called to his brother.

"I smell smoke. The wind is coming from the east, so let's head that way, and hurry."

So it was that the Hunter brothers came upon Mitchell's little cavern in the rocks. They feared he was dead when they first crawled into the shelter. The fire