! Con--convulsions, dat is it. Anyhow it vould injure his
digestiveness."

"Ha! ha! yes, so it would," cried Victor, tossing off a can of cold
water like a very toper. "Well, boys, I'm off to sleep, my
digestiveness being uninjured as yet. Good-night."

"What! without a pipe, Vic?"

"Come, now, don't chaff. To tell you the truth, Ian, I've been acting
your part lately. I've been preaching a sermon to myself, the text of
which was given to me by Herr Winklemann the night before we left the
buffalo-runners, and I've been considerably impressed by my own
preaching. Anyhow, I mean to take my own advice--good-night, again."

Ian returned "good-night" with a smile, and, lying down beside him,
gazed long and thoughtfully through the trees overhead at the twinkling,
tranquil stars. Michel Rollin continued to smoke and meditate for
another hour. Then he shook the ashes out of his pipe, heaped fresh
logs on the declining fire, and followed his comrades to the land of
Nod.

CHAPTER TEN.

FATE OF THE BUFFALO-HUNTERS.

In vain did the pursuers search after the lost Tony. Finding it
impossible to rediscover the trail, they made for the nearest post of
the fur-traders, from whom they heard of an Indian who had passed that
way in the direction of the Rocky Mountains, but the traders had taken
no special notice of the boy, and could tell nothing about him. They
willingly, however, supplied the pursuers with provisions on credit, for
they knew Victor's father well by repute, and allowed them to join a
party who were about to ascend the Saskatchewan river.

On being further questioned, one of the traders did remember that the
hair of the boy seemed to him unusually brown and curly for that of a
redskin, but his reminiscences were somewhat vague. Still, on the
strength of them, Victor and Ian resolved to continue the chase, and
Rollin agreed to follow. Thus the summer and autumn passed away.

Meanwhile a terrible disaster had befallen the buffalo-hunters of the
Red River.

We have said that after disposing of the proceeds of the spring hunt in
the settlement, and thus securing additional supplies, it is the custom
of the hunters to return to the plains for the fall or autumn hunt,
which is usually expected to furnish the means of subsistence during the
long and severe winter. But this hunt is not always a success, and when
it is a partial failure the gay, improvident, harum-scarum half-breeds
have a sad time