ast as ye know how, or I'll have ye jugged," and all
the pent-up hate of his hateful nature frothed out in words insulting
and unprintable.

"Talks like a white man," said Quonab coldly. Rolf was speechless.
To toil so devotedly, and to have such filthy, humiliating words for
thanks! He wondered if even his Uncle Mike would have shown so vile a
spirit.

Hoag gave free rein to his tongue, and found in his pal, Bill Hawkins,
one with ready ears to hear his tale of woe. The wretch began to feel
himself frightfully ill-used. So, fired at last by the evermore lurid
story of his wrongs, the "partner" brought the magistrate, so they could
swear out a warrant, arrest the two "outlaws," and especially secure the
bundle of "Hoag's furs" in the canoe.

Old Silas Sylvanne, the mill-owner and pioneer of the place, was also
its magistrate. He was tall, thin, blacklooking, a sort of Abe Lincoln
in type, physically, and in some sort, mentally. He heard the harrowing
tale of terrible crime, robbery, and torture, inflicted on poor harmless
Hoag by these two ghouls in human shape; he listened, at first shocked,
but little by little amused.

"You don't get no warrant till I hear from the other side," he said.
Roff and Quonab came at call. The old pioneer sized up the two, as they
stood, then, addressing Rolf, said:

"Air you an Injun?" "No, sir." "Air you half-breed?" "No, sir." "Well,
let's hear about this business," and he turned his piercing eyes full on
the lad's face.

Rolf told the simple, straight story of their acquaintance with Hoag,
from the first day at Warren's to their arrival at the Falls. There is
never any doubt about the truth of a true story, if it be long enough,
and this true story, presented in its nakedness to the shrewd and kindly
old hunter, trader, mill-owner and magistrate, could have only one
effect.

"Sonny," he said, slowly and kindly, "I know that ye have told me the
truth. I believe every word of it. We all know that Hoag is the meanest
cuss and biggest liar on the river. He's a nuisance, and always was.
He only promised to give ye the canoe and the rifle, and since he don't
want to, we can't help it. About the trouble in the woods, you got two
witnesses to his one, and ye got the furs and the traps; it's just as
well ye left the other furs behind, or ye might have had to divide 'em;
so keep them and call the hull thing square. We'll find ye a canoe to
get out of this gay metropolis, and as to Hoag,