t her. Beauty was
equal to the emergency; she leaped up, allowed the pan to pass under
her, fled shrieking through the window, and took refuge on the top of
the house.

"I'm glad you missed her, Vic," said Ian, in a slightly reproachful
tone; "she's an old friend of the family, and a harmless thing."

"Miss Trim would not agree with you in your opinion of her," returned
Victor, with a laugh; "but I'm also glad I missed her. It was a sudden
impulse that I couldn't resist, and you know a fellow is scarcely
accountable for his impulses."

"True; not for his impulses, but he is very accountable for actions
resulting from impulse. If you had killed Beauty I should have had an
irresistible impulse to pitch you over the window. If I were to do so
in such circumstances would you hold me unaccountable?"

"I'm not sure," said Victor, with a grim smile. "But we'll change the
subject; I don't like argument when I'm likely to get the worst of it.
It's plain that you can do no good here, I therefore propose that we
return to Willow Creek, take the small boat, and go up to the Mountain
to see father, taking Tony and Petawanaquat along with us."

Ian shook his head with an expression of sadness that surprised his
friend.

"No, Vic, no; my work with you in search of your brother is done, my
father's home now claims my chief care. You are wrong in saying I can
do no good here; look round at the wreck and mess. There is much to be
done. Now I tell you what I'll do. I'll remain here all day and all
night too. You will return home and send me the little punt, if it can
be spared, for I shall have to row to the outhouses a good deal, and
round the house too. As you see, nothing can be done without a craft of
some sort. Send Peegwish with it, without Wildcat, she would only be in
the way."

Victor tried to induce his friend to change his mind, but Ian was
immoveable. He therefore returned to Willow Creek in the canoe, and
sent Peegwish back with the punt--a tub-like little boat, with two small
oars or sculls.

Left alone, Ian Macdonald leaned on the sill of a window in the gable of
the house, from which he could see the house at Willow Creek, and sighed
deeply. "So then," he thought, "all my hopes are blighted; my air
castles are knocked down, my bear-hunting has been in vain; Elsie is
engaged to Louis Lambert!"

There was no bitterness in his heart now, only a feeling of profound
loneliness. As he raised himself wi