"Whichever you like; he answers to either, or neither, as the case may
be. He's best known as Stalker in these parts, though Buxley is his
real name."

"Well, then," resumed Drake, "there's strong likelihood o' him prowlin'
about here, and comin' across the tracks o' young Brixton; so, as I said
before, he must be looked after, and I'll take upon myself to do it."

"Well, I'll jine ye," said Paul, "for of course ye'll have to make up a
party."

"Not at all," returned the trapper, with decision. "I'll do it best
alone; leastwise I'll take only little Tolly Trevor an' Leapin' Buck
with me, for they're both smart an' safe lads, and are burnin' keen to
learn somethin' o' woodcraft."

In accordance with this determination, Mahoghany Drake, Leaping Buck,
and little Trevor set off next day and followed Tom Brixton's trail into
the mountains. It was a broad trail and very perceptible, at least to
an Indian or a trapper, for Tom had a natural swagger, which he could
not shake off, even in the hour of his humiliation, and, besides, he had
never been an adept at treading the western wilderness with the care
which the red man finds needful in order to escape from, or baffle, his
foes.

"'Tis as well marked, a'most" said Drake, pausing to survey the trail,
"as if he'd bin draggin' a toboggan behind him."

"Yet a settlement man wouldn't see much of it," remarked little Trevor;
"eh! Buckie?"

The Indian boy nodded gravely. He emulated his father in this respect,
and would have been ashamed to have given way to childish levity on what
he was pleased to consider the war-path, but he had enough of the
humorous in his nature to render the struggle to keep grave in Tolly's
presence a pretty severe one. Not that Tolly aimed at being either
witty or funny, but he had a peculiarly droll expression of face, which
added much point to whatever he said.

"Ho!" exclaimed the trapper, after they had gone a little farther;
"here's a trail that even a settlement man could hardly fail to see.
There's bin fifty men or more. D'ye see it Tolly?"

"See it? I should think so. D'you suppose I carry my eyes in my
pocket?"

"Come now, lad," said Drake, turning to Leaping Buck, "you want to walk
in your father's tracks, no doubt. Read me this trail if ye can."

The boy stepped forward with an air of dignity that Drake regarded as
sublime and Tolly thought ludicrous, but the latter was too fond of his
red friend to allow his feelings to