and, suiting the action to the resolve, he shifted his course to bear
down upon the stranger.

The hunter instinctively attributes importance to every sign, sound,
or action that is not in harmony with the usual routine of his world,
and by actual investigation he must needs satisfy himself of its
meaning. This is not idle curiosity, but an instinct born of necessity
and life-long training, and it was this instinct that prompted Ungava
Bob's action in turning from his direct course homeward.

"'Tis no Injun," he presently said, as with a nearer approach he
observed the stroke. "'Tis too long an' slow a paddle-stroke."

This puzzled him, for he knew well every white settler of the Bay
within a hundred miles of his home, and he knew, too, that only some
extraordinary mission could have called one of them abroad so late in
the evening, and particularly upon the course this canoe was taking at
a season of the year when all were employed upon their fishing
grounds.

Gradually he drew down upon the canoe, until at length he could make
out its lines, and observed that it was not a birch bark, the only
sort of canoe in use in the Bay by either Indians or white natives.
The canoeist, too, was a stranger in the region. Of this he had no
doubt, though he could not see his features.

He was well within hailing distance, though it was evident the
stranger in the canoe had not yet discovered his approach, when a
black cloud passed over the face of the moon, plunging the sea into
darkness, and when the moon again lighted the waters canoe and
canoeist had vanished as by magic.

Like a flash, realising what had happened, Bob seized a coil of rope,
made one end fast to the stern of his boat, grasped the coil in his
right hand, and, tense and expectant, scanned the sea for the
reappearance of the unfortunate stranger.

Presently he discovered the submerged canoe directly ahead, and an
instant later saw Shad rise to the surface, strike out for it, and
catch and cling to the gunwale.

Bob poised himself for the effort, and as he scudded past, measuring
the distance to a nicety, deftly cast the line directly across the
canoe and within the reach of Shad's hand, shouting as he did so:

"Make un fast!"

Without looking for the result, he sprang forward, lowered sail,
shipped the oars, pulled the boat about, and Shad, who had caught the
rope, had scarcely time to thrust it under a thwart and secure it
before Bob, drawing alongsid