her savage nature
told her his death must be avenged.

At the end of a mile or so she left the trail and turned sharply to
the northward, winding her way deftly through moisture-laden
underbrush which scarcely seemed to lessen her pace. Presently she
broke out upon the shores of a lake and behind some willow bushes
uncovered a small birch-bark canoe, which she had carefully concealed
there on her journey to the river tilt.

Turning the canoe over her head, with the middle thwart resting upon
her shoulders, she took a southwesterly direction until the old
portage trail was again encountered, and resuming the trail she at
length came upon the first lake of the chain through which the portage
route passed.

The storm had ceased, and the stars were breaking through the clouds
as Manikawan launched her canoe. It was a long, narrow lake, and
paddling its length she had no difficulty in locating the place where
the stream entered; and not far away a blazed tree, now plainly
visible in the light of the rising moon, told her where the trail led
out.

Here, as she stepped ashore, she discovered the first of the series of
tilts which Bob and Shad had built, and, immediately pushing aside the
flimsy bark door, entered the tilt and struck a match. Its flare
disclosed a half-burned candle on a shelf near the door, and lighting
it she held it aloft for a survey of the interior of the tilt.

On the bunk at the side were two or three bags evidently containing
clothing and other supplies, while on the bunk in the rear were some
odds and ends of clothing, a folded tent, a coil of rope, doubtless
used by the young adventurers as a tracking line, to assist them in
hauling their canoe up the swift stream which connected the lake with
the river below, and a rifle in a sealskin case.

On beholding this last object, Manikawan gave a low exclamation of
pleasure. Taking a chip from the floor she bent the candle over it,
permitting some of the hot grease to flow upon it, and setting the
candle firmly in the grease placed the improvised candlestick upon the
tent stove.

Then, reaching for the rifle, she drew it from the case and examined
it critically. The magazine proved to be fully charged. Returning the
rifle to its case, she now examined the other contents of the tilt,
and presently came upon a quantity of cartridges in one of the bags.

Several of these she appropriated, and dropping them into a leathern
pouch at her belt, restored