replied Big Waller,
laughing heartily. "Did ye iver hear such a roarer, comrades?"

"Have you licked 'em out an' out?" continued the incredulous March, "Ay,
out an' out, an' no mistake," replied Bounce, dismounting.

"Well, that _is_ lucky," said March; "for my friend Dick I found was
not--"

"Ah! we not have need him," interrupted Gibault, wiping the perspiration
from his forehead, "de Wild Man of de West hims come, an'--oh! you
should see what hims have bin do!"

"The Wild Man again!" exclaimed March in dismay--"an' me absent!"

Gibault nodded and laughed.

At that moment an exclamation from Redhand attracted the attention of
the whole party. He was kneeling beside Macgregor, who had dismounted
and lain down.

"I believe they've done for me," said the fur trader faintly. "That
arrow must have gone deeper than I thought."

"You'd better let me see the wound, sir," said Redhand; "your shirt is
covered with blood."

"No, no," said the wounded man savagely; "let me rest--see, I'm better
now. You will find a flask in the bag at my saddle-bow. Bring it
here."

"I know that Dick--the hunter--is a good hand at doctoring," said March.
"What a pity he is not here! We might carry you there, sir."

"Carry me," laughed the fur trader fiercely; "no, I'll never be carried
till I'm carried to my grave. How far off is his place? Where stays
he?"

"Four miles from this. I'll take you if you can ride," said March.

"Ay, that I can, bravely," cried the trader, who, having taken a deep
draught of spirits, seemed to be imbued with new life. "Come, young
sir, mount."

The trappers endeavoured to dissuade the violent man from the attempt,
but he could not be controlled; so March, hastily observing that he
would see him safe to the hunter's abode and return without delay,
mounted his horse and rode away, followed by the wounded man.

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.

THE WOUNDED FUR TRADER.

When they reached the entrance to the cavern, March and his companion
dismounted; but the latter was so weak from loss of blood that he
stumbled at the foot of the track, and fell to the earth insensible.

March ran hastily in for assistance, and was not a little surprised to
find Dick sitting alone by the side of the fire, and so absorbed in the
perusal of a little book that he had not noticed his entrance--a very
singular and unaccountable piece of absence of mind in one so well
trained in the watchful ways of the backwoods.