and by all
odds the finest fur I ever put my eyes on. It will bring $1,500 anyway,
and maybe $2,000. I never thought to lay my hands on the likes of it."
He turned and looked at Sparrer with an expression almost of awe. "Tell
me, laddie, what is the charm ye carry?" said he.

Sparrer laughed. "Oi didn't even have a rabbit's foot," he confessed.
"Sure, an' it was just the luck av the Oirish."

"Right, me son! Hurray for the Irish!" cried Pat. Then with an abrupt
change he once more became the leader. "Alec, go through the clothes of
our misguided friends and see that they have no cartridges in their
pockets." This Alec did, despite the protests of Big Pierre. When he was
sure that he had secured all of these, thus rendering the guns useless,
he set both prisoners free, at Pat's order, and they were commanded to
pack up their stuff and get ready to hit the trail. This they did
sullenly enough, for they felt that they were under guard, as indeed
they were. Their packs were soon ready, for besides their blankets, a
few cooking utensils and grub, they had little enough. The latter
included part of the ill-gotten deer meat.

When they were about ready to start Big Pierre made one last plea for
cartridges, at least for himself. But Pat was obdurate and told them
that they were lucky to be allowed to take their guns. When all was
ready for the trail their knives were returned to them, and the
Frenchman's axe was given him. The Indian's axe Pat retained.

"Ye may loike ut as a bit av a souvenir av the lump on yer head," he
murmured in an aside to Sparrer, though his real reason was that he
feared what might happen should the two outlaws be equally armed when it
came to the quarrel which he felt sure was brewing between them.

They were given a final warning to get wholly out of the country and
never show their faces there again on pain of having the charges of
poaching and theft brought against them. The big Frenchman was
manifestly glad enough to get off so lightly, but there was an ugly
gleam in the black eyes of his companion. Sparrer had laid the fox on
the snow and drawn a few steps away from it the better to watch
proceedings. As the outlaws started to hit the trail to the north, the
redskin in the lead, the latter suddenly sprang toward the fox, at the
same instant snatching his knife from his belt.

Sudden as was his move Sparrer was too quick for him. He thrust forward
a foot that tripped the Indian and sent him