how of your prowess after blazing away right and left for
two weeks!"

"No, I don't forget it, lad," returned his father, "it is because of
these sad truths that I have now determined to give it up and send you
with the boat for supplies to Jenkins Creek. Of course Ian cannot send
to us, having no boat, and Rooney or the Indian would take too long a
time to scramble through the tangled woods of this rugged part of the
coast, besides which, all they could carry on their backs would not last
more than a few days, and as long as Ian does not hear from us he will
naturally think that all is going on well. It will take you six days to
go and come, but, what with the little that remains of our fresh meat
and a chance partridge or two, we shall be able to keep Roderick going
till you return. He's getting stronger now, and as for Flo and me, we
can get along famously with salt pork and biscuit for so short a time."

"But why should I not go rather to the Cliff Fort?" asked Kenneth. "The
store there is a public one, and our buying food from the fur-traders
will lay us under no obligation to Mr Redding, whom, excuse me, I think
you have judged too hastily."

"It matters not how I have judged him," retorted McLeod sternly. "There
is no occasion to go near him at all. As I have said--"

He stopped abruptly, for at that moment an Indian was seen approaching.

He was a powerfully-built fellow, with a handsome figure and face,
though the latter was very dark, and he walked with a stoop and an
awkward slouching gait. He wore his long black hair in straight elfin
locks; those in front having been cut across the forehead just above the
eyebrows, as being the simplest method of clearing the way for vision.
He was clad in a very dirty soiled hunting-shirt and leggings of
leather, with moccasins of the same, and carried a long gun on his
shoulder. McLeod also observed, with much satisfaction, that several
partridges hung by their necks from the belt which encircled his waist.

Of course the meeting that ensued was conducted in pantomime, with a few
useless remarks in English from Kenneth, who appeared to entertain an
idea which is not uncommon among sailors, namely, that a man who knows
nothing whatever of the language is more likely to understand bad than
good English! "Where you come from?" he asked, after shaking hands with
the Indian and giving him the salutation, "watchee?" (what cheer),
which he understood, and returned