suspicious shoulders
upon him.

That Ambrose should take the part of his known enemy, John Gaviller,
seemed to their simple minds to smack of double-dealing.

The roof of the burning shack fell in, sending a lovely eruption of
sparks to the black sky. At the same moment as if by a signal one of
the savages brandished his gun aloft and broke into a passionate
denunciation.

Once more Ambrose heard the name of Gaviller. Instantly the crowd was
in an uproar again. Cries of angry approval answered the speaker from
every throat. The man was beside himself. He waved his gun in the
direction of the river.

Ambrose waited to hear no more. He saw what was coming. Black horror
faced him. He ran to the river, straining every nerve. He heard them
behind him. Then it was that he so bitterly reproached himself for
having left the york boat within reach.

Leaping down the bank, he put his back under the bow and struggled to
push it off. He would gladly have sacrificed it. It was too heavy for
him to budge. Tole Grampierre and Greer reached his side.

"Quick!" cried Ambrose breathlessly. "Set her adrift!"

But at that moment the whole tribe came pouring over the bank like a
flood. Ambrose and the breed sprang into the bow of the boat in an
endeavor to hold it against them. Old Simon presently joined them.

"Back! Back!" cried Ambrose. "For God's sake listen to me, men! Go
to your lodges and talk until morning. The truth will be clear in the
daylight! The police are coming. They will give you justice.

"Justice is on your side now. If you break the white man's law he will
wipe you out! Where is your leader? He knows the truth of what I say.
Watusk is not here! He won't risk his neck!"

It had about as much effect as a trickle of water upon a conflagration.
They made no attempt to dislodge Ambrose from in front, but swarmed
into the water on either side, and putting their backs under the boat,
lifted her off the stones. Scrambling over the sides, they shouldered
Ambrose and the breed ashore from behind.

Ambrose shouted to the breeds: "Go home and stay there all night. You
must not be mixed up in this."

"What will you do?" cried Simon.

The york boat was already floating off, the crew running out the
sweeps. Ambrose, without answering, ran into the water and clambered
aboard. In the confusion and the dark the Indians could not tell if he
were white or red.

He made himself inconspicuous in