CHAP. I. TOM'S CHOICE II. FINDING FRIENDS III. ON THE PLAINS IV. LEAPING HORSE V. IN DANGER VI. UNITED VII. CHASED VIII. IN SAFETY IX. A BAD TIME X. AN AVALANCHE XI. WINTER XII. THE SNOW FORT XIII. A FRESH START XIV. AN INDIAN ATTACK XV. THE COLORADO XVI. AFLOAT IN CANOES XVII. THE GRAND CANONXVIII. BACK TO DENVER XIX. A FORTUNECHAPTER ITOM'S CHOICE"I can be of no use here, Carry. What am I good for? Why, I could notearn money enough to pay for my own food, even if we knew anyone whowould help me to get a clerkship. I am too young for it yet. I wouldrather go before the mast than take a place in a shop. I am too youngeven to enlist. I know just about as much as other boys at school, and Icertainly have no talent anyway, as far as I can see at present. I cansail a boat, and I won the swimming prize a month ago, and the sergeantwho gives us lessons in single-stick and boxing says that he considersme his best pupil with the gloves, but all these things put togetherwould not bring me in sixpence a week. I don't want to go away, andnothing would induce me to do so if I could be of the slightest use toyou here. But can I be of any use? What is there for me to look forwardto if I stay? I am sure that you would be always worrying over me if Idid get some sort of situation that you would know father and motherwould not have liked to see me in, and would seem to offer no chance forthe future, whereas if I went out there it would not matter what I did,and anything I earned I could send home to you."The speaker was a lad of sixteen. He and his sister, who was two yearshis senior, were both dressed in deep mourning, and were sitting on abench near Southsea Castle looking across to Spithead, and the Isle ofWight stretching away behind. They had three days before followed theirmother to the grave, and laid her beside their father, a lieutenant ofthe navy, who had died two years before. This was the first time theyhad left the house, where remained their four sisters--Janet, who camebetween Carry and Tom; Blanche, who was fourteen; Lucie, twelve; andHarriet, eight. Tom had proposed the walk."Come out for some fresh air, Carry," he had said. "You have been shutup for a month. Let us two go together;" and Carry had understood thathe wanted a talk alone with her. There was need, indeed, that theyshould look the future in the face. Since Lieutenant Wade's death theirmeans had been very straitened. Their mother had received a smallpension as his widow, and on this, eked out by drafts reluctantly drawnupon the thousand pounds she had brought him on her marriage, which hadbeen left untouched during his lifetime, they had lived since his death.Two hundred pounds had been drawn from their little capital, and thebalance was all that now remained. It had long been arranged that Carryand Janet should go out as governesses as soon as they each reached theage of eighteen, but it was now clear that Carry must remain at home incharge of the young ones.