work. But men knew La Certe's character, and refused him.
One after another he tried his friends. Then he tried them again. Then
he tried comparative strangers. He could not try his enemies, for,
strange to say, he had none. Then he went over them all again.

At last, by indomitable perseverance, he managed to wear out the
patience of one of his friends, who believed in the restoration of the
incorrigible, and he found himself fully equipped to take the field with
his hard-working comrades.

It may be remarked here that the buffalo runners generally went on the
credit system, trusting to a successful hunt to pay off their debts, and
leave them supplied with food for the winter. But, then, most of these
men were in earnest, and meant to pay off their debts loyally. Whereas
La Certe--good, humorous, easy-going man--had not the slightest
intention of paying his debts at all!

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

TREACHERY IN THE AIR.

At this time the half-breeds of the colony of Red River formed a small
party compared with the numbers to which they multiplied in after years,
and the band of hunters who annually went to the plains to chase the
buffalo was proportionally small. Nevertheless, they were numerous
enough to constitute a formidable band, capable of holding their own,
when united, against any band of wandering Indians who might feel
disposed to attack them. They were a brave, hardy race of men, but of
course there were some black sheep among them like La Certe.

About sixty or a hundred miles from the Settlement, the party, under
command of Antoine Dechamp, found the buffalo, and preparations were at
once made to attack them. It was dusk, however, when the herds were
discovered, so that the hunt had to be postponed to the following day.

A small clump of bushes afforded wood enough for camp-fires. The carts
were ranged in a circle with the trains outward. Sentries were posted;
the horses were secured; the kettles put on; pipes lighted; and noise,
laughter, song and story, mingled with the shrill voices of children,
were heard far on into the night.

Among the children, if we may venture so to class them, were Archie and
Billie Sinclair--though we suspect that Archie would have claimed, and
with some reason, to be classed with the men. They belonged to the
camp-fire, which formed a centre to the party composed of Dan and Peter,
Fergus, Dechamp, and Fred Jenkins the sailor. The latter, who it was
thought h