for
I think that your friend is past helping himself--or nearly." Then
Mackintosh faced the muskeg, and called loudly.

"Hullo! Bob! Can you hear me?"

Very slowly the eyelids were seen to open, the head moved slightly.

"Can you hold out for a bit longer? Can you get a coat under your arms
if I send it to you?" were the next questions.

The boy did not answer at once. He seemed dazed, and the man repeated
his questions.

Then came the answer, spoken weakly and with an apparent great effort.

"I'll try. But--come--quickly----" And the eyes half closed again.

"That's right. Hold on for a wee bit, and we'll have you oot o' that
mess in a jiffy!"

Without pausing to explain his intentions, Mackintosh then quickly
stripped off his leather hunting-jacket, emptied the pockets of all that
could weight it, and called Bannock to his side.

"See, Bannock," he said, "I'm going to tie a sleeve to your collar--like
this. Now you must go over there. Do you see? Right over there where
someone needs your help."

He pointed towards Bob as he spoke, and the intelligent collie looked
straight in the direction indicated. He had often had game pointed out
to him in the same way, so quickly understood what was wanted of him.

"Off you go!" his master then commanded. "Off you go--quick--quick!"

The dog needed no second bidding. He sprang forward at once towards the
hapless boy, dragging the coat with him.

"Bannock's coming!" shouted Mackintosh. "When he's there, grip the coat
and lean on it. He'll no' move when I bid him stay."

"All right," came the faint reply.

The ground that was so treacherous to the heavy boots of the incautious
hunter could play no similar tricks with the light tread of the collie,
and in a few seconds he had reached the goal.

"Lie down!" the great voice rang out, and the animal immediately
crouched close to the boy, who had just strength enough left to lay hold
of the jacket in such a way that it formed a slight support of a
temporary nature, to check further sinking for the time.

But how to draw the boy from the slough? That was the next problem.

Alf turned questioningly to the Scotsman.

"Get to work and break off as many branches as you can," was the reply
to the look. "Haggis, you've got your tomahawk? Well, cut down a lot o'
these straight poplars. I'll give a hand to the laddie."

It was not long before the sharp axe had laid prone a number of young
poplars and partly lopped them,