ed Gibault, who, although the last in the line of
tracksmen, was sharp-eared, and overheard the conversation.

"Don't talk, Gibault," interposed Big Waller, "you need all the wind in
your little carcass, I guess, to enable ye to steam ahead."

"Oui, mon dear ami, you is right--I do ver' much require all mine
steam--mine spirits--for to push such a heavy, useless hulk as you
before me."

"Here's a steep bit, lads; mind your eye, Hawkswing," said Bounce, as
the Indian who led the party began to ascend a steep part of the bank,
where the footing was not secure, owing to the loose gravelly nature of
the soil.

As they advanced, the path along the bank became narrower, and the cliff
itself so precipitous that it seemed as if a jerk on the line would drag
the men off and send them rolling down into the flood below, in the
midst of which the canoe was buffeting its way through the hissing foam.

Bertram, who was unused to such a position of comparative danger, and
whose head was not capable of standing the sight of a precipice
descending from his very feet into a roaring stream, began to feel
giddy, and would have given the world to return; but he felt ashamed to
confess his weakness, and endeavoured, by gazing earnestly into the bank
at his side, to steady himself, hoping that the nature of the track
would improve as they advanced. Instead of this being the case, it
became worse at every step, and the trackers were at length obliged to
proceed cautiously along a ledge of rock that barely afforded them
foothold. Bertram now felt an almost irresistible desire to turn his
head to the left and glance at the river below; yet he knew that if he
should do so, he would become utterly unable to advance another yard.
While engaged in this struggle it suddenly occurred to him that it was
impossible now to turn, no matter how nervous he should become, as the
path was too narrow to permit one of the party to pass another! He
became deadly pale, and his heart sank at the thought. Little did the
hardy trappers think, as they plodded silently along, that such an
agonising conflict was going on in the breast of one of their number! A
slight groan escaped him in spite of his utmost efforts to restrain
himself. Bounce looked back in surprise.

"Hey! wot's to do, sir?"

"No matter; lead on--I will follow," said Bertram sternly between his
clenched teeth.

"Hallo! up there," shouted Redhand, who was at that moment, along with
Marc