und, but eventually he
would head on straight again. It was late that night that Joe saw far
ahead a welcome light. This spurred him on and for about half a mile he
almost ran. This spurt soon died down and left him so weak that he could
hardly move along. Once or twice he fell but he kept on and was soon
within hailing distance of the light. He tried to cry out but no sounds
came from his exhausted lips. At last, when at the very end of his
physical resources, he came to the door and knocked He heard a rustle
within, but even before the door was open, he had fallen down in a
faint. When he opened his eyes, he was in the cabin of his good friend
Antoine Gagnon, who was bathing his head and feet with hot water and
gently urging some hot liquid down his throat. Already Howling Wolf was
seated by the fire and telling the good wife, Gagnon, what a brave man
Joe had been and how he had saved his life. When he lifted his head, the
whole family crowded around and praised him for his wonderful endurance.
Joe stated that he had to spend a week in that house before he was
strong enough to walk. Howling Wolf's leg got all right and Joe was soon
as strong as ever.

"Three weeks after his almost fatal trip, he was off to the north again
with another Indian and a week or more later returned with the pelts
that had been bought almost with his life's blood. 'But,' concluded Joe,
'I would give all the pelts I get in one-two-yessair, three wintaire, if
I not kill my dear dog, Marie, I love so well.'"

"Joe must have been some hardy youth twenty years ago," said Mr.
Waterman. "I can assure you that everything he told you was true and
probably even worse than he depicted it."

Pud and Bill were greatly impressed with Joe's story and sat a long time
staring into the fire. Pud, however, soon realized his own troubles, for
he exclaimed,

"Gee, boys, I'm sleepy. I'm going to turn in."

"I guess you had better, boys. You know, late hours are not on the
camper's schedule," said Mr. Anderson.

Ten minutes later, not a sound could have been heard except the distant
calling of a loon or the low roaring of the river as it rushed along its
rocky bed.

CHAPTER XI

A RESCUE IN THE RAPIDS

The same thought seemed to awaken every one the next morning. All were
out early but they found Jack making the fire. He stated that they were
going to have some very fine biscuits that morning and so he was up
early. No one thought of him in conne