mily watching the leaping fire, a canoe
came down the river, in the stern of which sat a man whose easy
grace proclaimed long practice in the canoeman's art. As his eyes
fell upon the fire, he paused in his paddling, and with two or
three swift flips he turned his canoe toward the bank, and landing,
pulled it up on the shore.

He was a young man of middle height, stoutly built, and with
a strong, good-natured face.

"Good evening," he said in a cheery voice, "camped for the night?"

"Yes, camped for the night," replied French.

"I have a tent up stream a little way. I should be glad to have
you camp with me. It is going to be a little chilly."

"Oh, we're all right, aren't we, Kalman?" said French.

The boy turned and gave him a quick look of perfect satisfaction.
"First rate! You bet!"

"The dew is going to be heavy, though," said the stranger,
"and it will be cold before the night is over. I have not much
to offer you, only shelter, but I'd like awfully to have you come.
A visitor is a rare thing here."

"Well," said French, "since you put it that way we'll go,
and I am sure it is very decent of you."

"Not at all. The favour will be to me. My name is Brown."

"And mine is French, Jack French throughout this country,
as perhaps you have heard."

"I have been here only a few days, and have heard very little,"
said Brown.

"And this," continued French, "is Kalman Kalmar, a friend of
mine from Winnipeg, and more remotely from Russia, but now a
good Canadian."

Brown gave each a strong cordial grasp of his hand.

"You can't think," he said, "how glad I am to see you."

"Is there a trail?" asked French.

"Yes, a trail of a sort. Follow the winding of the river and you
will come to my camp at the next bend. You can't miss it. I'll go
up in the canoe and come down to meet you."

"Don't trouble," said French; "we know our way about this country."

Following a faint trail for a quarter of a mile through the bluffs,
they came upon an open space on the river bank similar to the one
they had left, in the midst of which stood Brown's tent. That tent
was a wonder to behold, not only to Kalman, but also to French, who
had a large experience in tents of various kinds. Ten by twelve,
and with a four-foot wall, every inch was in use. The ground which
made the floor was covered with fresh, sweet-smelling swamp hay;
in one corner was a bed, neat as a soldier's; in the opposite corner
a series of cupboards made ou