ccasin.

"Look at the infarnal thing!" exclaimed the trapper, in disgust.
"Who'd a thort there'd 've been any of the warmints about, whin we
took sich pains with our fire. Why the chap didn't send a piece of
cold lead into each of our bread-baskets is more nor I can tell. It
would've sarved us both right."

"P'raps thim tracks there was made fornenst the night, and that it's
ourselves that was not here first."

"Don't yer s'pose I know all about _that_?" demanded the trapper,
savagely. "Them tracks was made not more'n three or four hours ago."

As he spoke. Tim turned and followed it a rod or two, and then, as he
came back, said:

"If I had the time I'd foller it; but it goes just t'other way from
what I want to go. I think like 'nough it leads to the village that
you want to find; so if yer'd like one of 'em to introduce yer to the
rest on 'em, drive ahead and make his acquaintance. Maybe he kin tell
yer something about the gal."

Teddy determined to follow the trail by all means. He partook of the
morning meal with the trapper, exchanged a pleasant farewell, and
then the two parted never to meet again.

The footprints were distinct and easily followed. Teddy advanced with
long, loping strides, at a gait considerably more rapid than his usual
one. He indulged in curious reveries as he followed it, fancying it to
be an unfriendly Indian with whom a desperate collision must
inevitably take place, or some friendly member of the tribe, of whom
the trapper had told him, that would prove a boon companion to him.
All at once he reached a small, marshy tract, where the trail was much
more palpable; and it was here that he either saw or fancied the toes
of the footprints turned _outward_, thus demonstrating that, instead
of an Indian, he was following a white man.

The Hibernian's heart throbbed at the thought that he was upon the
track of the strange hunter, with all probability of overtaking him.
It caused his heart to throb violently to reflect how close he was
upon the critical moment. Drawing a deep breath and closing his lips
tightly, he pressed on ready for the conflict.

The trail continued as distinct as ever, and the pursuit suffered no
interruption until it entered a deep swamp into which Teddy hesitated
to enter, its appearance was so dark and forbidding. As he gazed into
its gloomy depths, he was almost certain that he had discovered the
_home_ of the hunter. That at that moment the criminal was within i