ecision, but also for the lightning-like rapidity
of his aim.

The Indians, albeit themselves pretty fair marksmen, were deeply
impressed with this evidence of skill, and it went far to strengthen the
influence which our chief's manly proportions and genial countenance had
already begun to exercise.

"That's a good beginning, Lumley," said I, "for it not only impresses
our new friends favourably, but provides excellent fresh meat for
supper."

"Yonder comes better meat for supper," he replied, pointing towards a
neighbouring height, where we could see the forms of two men
approaching, with the carcase of a deer between them.

It was Donald Bane and James Dougall who had been thus successful.
These sons of the Scottish Highlands, being ardent sportsmen as well as
good marksmen, had been appointed to the post of hunters to our party,
and were frequently sent ashore to procure fresh meat.

"The country is swarmin' wi' game, Muster Lumley," said Bane, as they
came up, and flung down the deer. "Not only teer an' rabbits, but tucks
an' geese, an' all sorts o' pirds. Moreover, Tougall, she got into a
bog after wan o' the peasts, an' I thought I wass goin' to lose him
altogither. `Shames Tougall,' says I, `don't you go anither step till I
come to you, or you're a lost man,' but Shames went on--he was always an
obstinate loon--"

"Dat is true," remarked Salamander.

"Hold yer noise!" said Bane. "Well, sur, Tougall went on, an' sure
enough the very next step down he went up to the neck--"

"No, Tonald," interrupted Dougall, "it wass not up to the neck; it wass
only to the waist. The nixt after that it wass up to the neck, but
_then_ I wass soomin'."

"Ye would hey bin soomin' yet, Shames, if I had not pulled ye oot," said
his friend.

"Oo ay, Tonald Pane. That iss true, but--"

"Well, Dougall," interrupted Lumley at this point, "it will be better to
dry your garments than discuss the question just now. We will encamp
here, so go to work, boys."

There was no need for more. During our long journey into these far-off
wilds each man had fallen into his allotted place and work, and the
force of habit had made us so like machines that I think if we had
suddenly become a party of somnambulists we would have gone through the
same actions each evening on landing.

Accordingly, Lumley and I gathered small branches and rekindled the
Indians' fire, which had by that time almost gone out. Marcelle Dumont
being prof