ting a little," said Macgregor. "Unharness your dogs and come
inside. It's a cold day for the trail."

"You bet!" said one of the French, and they made no difficulty about
accepting the invitation. They rapidly unhitched the dogs, which had
sat down, snarling and snapping in their traces; then they unpacked the
sledge and carried the dunnage inside the cabin.

They were a wild-looking set. The French Canadians were probably
woodsmen, shanty-men or hunters, apparently good-natured and jovial,
but rough and uncivilized. The Anglo-Saxon, who seemed to be their
leader, was more repellent, and when he took off his _capote_, he
revealed a countenance of savage brutality, with small eyes, a cruel
mouth, and a protuberant jaw, framed in masses of bricky red hair and
beard.

"I don't much like the looks of this crowd!" Maurice whispered in
Macgregor's ear.

"Rough lot, but they'll be away in the morning," answered Peter.

In the North it is obligatory to be hospitable, and the boys prepared
to feed and entertain the party as if they were the most welcome
guests. At the usual time they prepared supper. The four newcomers
ate enormously. During the meal the red-bearded man explained that his
name was Mitchell, that he was "going north with these breeds," as he
rather vaguely put it, and that they had run somewhat short of
provisions.

Luckily, they had food for the dogs; one of the "breeds" presently
produced six frozen whitefish and carried them outside, where he gave
one to each dog with much dexterity. The fish were bolted in a
twinkling, and the unhappy brutes began to look for a sheltered spot
where they could sleep through the sub-Arctic night.

After supper the French, stuffed to repletion, lay back and engaged in
an animated conversation in a dialect that seemed to be a mixture of
French, English, and Ojibwa. They laughed uproariously, and seemed
thoroughly happy. But Mitchell said little, and continually examined
the interior of the hut with keen, restless eyes.

The next morning the visitors showed no anxiety to be off. They fed
the dogs, lounged about, smoked, and stayed until dinner time. After
dinner Mitchell announced that the dogs were tired, and would have to
rest that day.

It is very unusual to take a day off the trail for the sake of the
dogs, but the boys made no objection, although secretly much annoyed.
The presence of the strangers inspired them all with uneasiness.
Besides, they cou