Joe and Bjorn made their way over to the old Indian Village, just down from Mile 49. Here they rested the horses. After a lunch of bannock and dried meat, complements of their trapper friend, the men walked their horses over to the Tote Road bridge, crossed over the flooded Fraser River, followed the main road for half a mile, and then, turned onto a narrow trail that led uphill to Hie-Has-Sun Lake.
By the lakeshore they tethered the horses and set out on foot up the mountain side, following a fast-flowing creek. Soon they were standing beside a narrow opening in a rock face. This was the entrance to the cave. "I'll go first, Joe," said Bjorn, as he squeezed through the narrow opening in the ground and maneuvered his body down to the slopping floor of the cavern. Joe followed and after a short distance they came to the spot where Trapper Sandy had hidden Joe's Winchester. The men retrieved the gun and returned to the surface.
The view from the cave entrance was spectacular. As Joe and Bjorn rested on a rocky ledge, they could see the lake below, the sprawling waters of the Fraser River near the salmon spawning grounds, a majestic mountain range in the distance and a hint of smoke coming from the general area of Mile 49. Tte Jaune Cache was too far off for the men to spot. They knew it was there, just beyond the tree-line, or, at least what remained of the place.
Tte Jaune had been Joe's home for almost a year. The town site had all but vanished as a result of the fast moving and rising river water. Joe too, would soon begin his own vanishing act.
The two men returned to the lake and then started back towards town with the horses. Just outside of Mile 49 they stopped. "You know," said Bjorn, "if you don't find work down at Thompson Crossing, you could travel east. I've heard there's new jobs opening up in Alberta.
"Thanks for helping me out, Bjorn. You're the best."
Joe said goodbye to his friend and turned off onto the trail that led towards Starvation Flats (Jackman Flats). Bjorn rode away in the direction of Mile 53.
Joe was determined to reach Cranberry Lake (Valemount) before nightfall. After leaving the Grand Trunk Pacific mainline far behind him, he picked up the pace. The pack-horse followed on a long rope. Soon he would pass the homestead road-house close to where his big adventure began.
The next episode - DEADMAN'S BOOTS - The Caribou Joe saga comes to an end, or is it just the beginning.
