, and this God the law don't take into account went with me, and
we found the skunk alone. First I licked him until he was almost dead.
Then, sticking a knife into him about half an inch, I made him write
a note saying he was called south suddenly, and authorizing me to take
charge in his absence. Then I chained him in a dugout in a place
where nobody would find him. And I took charge. Pied-Bot, I sure did!
Everybody was on the trap-lines, and I wasn't bothered much by callers.
And I fed and clothed my tribe for eight straight weeks, fed 'em until
they grew fat, Boy--and Yellow Bird's eyes were bright as stars again.
Then I brought Roach--that was his name--back to his empty post, and I
lectured him, an' gave him another licking--and left."

McKay rose to his feet. The first stars were peeping out of the
velvety darkness of the sky, and Peter heard his master draw in a deep
breath--the breath of a man whose lungs rejoice in the glory of life.

After a moment he said,

"And the Royal Mounted have been after me ever since that winter, Peter.
And the harder they've chased me the more I've given them reason to
chase me. I half killed Beaudin, the Government mail-runner, because
he insulted another man's wife when that man--my friend--was away. Then
Beaudin, seeing his chance, robbed the mail himself, and the crime was
laid to me. Well, I got even, and stuck up a mail-sledge myself--but I
guess there was a good reason for it. I've done a lot of things since
then, but I've done it all with my naked fists, and I've never put
a bullet or a knife into a man except Roach the Free Trader. And the
funniest thing of the whole business, Pied-Bot, is this--I didn't kill
Jed Hawkins. Some day mebby I'll tell you about what happened on the
trail, the thing which you and Nada didn't see. But now--"

For a moment he stood very still, and Peter sensed the sudden thrill
that was going through the man as he stood there in darkness. And then,
suddenly, Jolly Roger bent over him.

"Peter, there's three women we'll love as long as we live," he
whispered. "There's my mother, and she is dead. There's Nada back there,
and we'll never see her again--" His voice choked for an instant. "And
then--there's Yellow Bird--" he added. "It's five years since I fed the
tribe. Mebby they've had more kids! Boy, let's go and see!"

CHAPTER X

North and west, in the direction of Yellow Bird's people, went Jolly
Roger and Peter after that night. They