posed, and work up once more.
Nothing mattered much, now.

Resolved to have another immediate interview with Fitzpatrick,
Donald got slowly to his feet, and began to retrace his steps to
the camp. He had not gone a dozen yards when a sharp voice called
out, "Halt!"

McTavish swung around, and found himself looking into the muzzle
of a rifle that projected from behind a tree-trunk.

But he had no sooner turned than a joyful cry rang out, and a man
appeared running toward him. A moment later, he recognized Peter
Rainy. Glad beyond words to see a friendly face, Donald put his
arms about the faithful old Indian, and clung to him desperately,
as a frightened child clings to its mother.

"Master, master, what is it?" cried Peter, amazed and frightened.

But the young man did not reply for a while. Then, he sat down with
his comrade of many trails.

"Tell me what happened to you, first, and then I'll give you the
queerest half-hour you ever had," he said.

And Rainy told his story: The night Maria struck down Donald, she
did as much for Peter, but with a different purpose. No sooner had
he been rendered helpless than he had been bound to one of the
sledges. Then, both dog-trains had been harnessed, and a midnight
march begun. Where they had gone, for days Rainy did not know, and
his companions did not enlighten him. At last, one morning when it
was snowing heavily, the Indians did a characteristic thing. They
tied him securely to a tree with ropes, the ends of which were in
the campfire. A little powder was sprinkled here and there to aid
the flames that slowly crawled toward the captive. Beside him they
put a rifle and some ammunition, along with a small pack of
provisions; but they took both dog-trains. The idea was that, when
the ropes had been eaten away by fire the falling snow would have
covered the tracks of the flying pair, so that Rainy could not
pursue them.

What with the fear of bob-cats and panthers, the Indian had passed
a harrowing half-day, and, as soon as loosed, he started straight
for Sturgeon Lake. The reason Maria had traveled around with him
so long, Peter explained, was that they wanted to be sure of
McTavish's death before the old trapper should be released, and
could start in search of his master.

When the narrative of danger and duplicity was finished, Donald
took hold of Peter's arm.

"How long were you with my father?" he asked.

"From the time he came to York factory until he was m