from the crowd. There was a moment's pause, and then Macavoy,
whose blood ran high, stood forth again. The Trader came to him.

"Must this go on?" he said; "haven't you had your fill of it?"

Had he touched Macavoy with a word of humour the matter might have ended
there; but now the giant spoke loud, so all could hear.

"Had me fill av it, Trader, me angel? I'm only gittin' the taste av it.
An' ye'll plaze bring on yer men--four it was--for the feed av Irish
pemmican."

The Trader turned and swore at Pierre, who smiled enigmatically. Soon
after, two of the best fighters of the Company's men stood forth.
Macavoy shook his head. "Four, I said, an' four I'll have, or I'll ate
the heads aff these."

Shamed, the Trader sent forth two more. All on an instant the four made
a rush on the giant; and there was a stiff minute after, in which it was
not clear that he was happy. Blows rattled on him, and one or two he
got on the head, just as he tossed a man spinning senseless across
the grass, which sent him staggering backwards for a moment, sick and
stunned.

Pierre called over to him swiftly: "Remember Malahide!"

This acted on him like a charm. There never was seen such a shattered
bundle of men as came out from his hands a few minutes later. As for
himself, he had but a rag or two on him, but stood unmindful of his
state, and the fever of battle untameable on him. The women drew away.

"Now, me babes o' the wood," he shouted, "that sit at the feet av the
finest Injin woman in the North,--though she's no frind o' mine--and
aren't fit to kiss her moccasin, come an wid you, till I have me fun wid
your spines."

But a shout went up, and the crowd pointed. There were the five
half-breeds running away across the plains.

The game was over.

"Here's some clothes, man; for Heaven's sake put them on," said the
Trader.

Then the giant became conscious of his condition, and like a timid girl
he hurried into the clothing.

The crowd would have carried him on their shoulders, but he would have
none of it.

"I've only wan frind here," he said, "an' it's Pierre, an' to his shanty
I go an' no other."

"Come, mon ami," said Pierre, "for to-morrow we travel far."

"And what for that?" said Macavoy.

Pierre whispered in his ear: "To make you a king, my lovely bully."

THE FILIBUSTER

Pierre had determined to establish a kingdom, not for gain, but for
conquest's sake. But because he knew that the thing would pall, h