t the experienced eye of the old Indian saw evidences of
their industry very close at hand. Of course the intense cold had again
frozen up the water where from it the ice had been cut and thrown out.
This newly formed ice, of course, firmly held up the row of strong
stakes which with so much trouble and care the men had driven so solidly
in the ground. Drawing his hunting axe from his belt, Memotas struck
the projecting ends of the stakes a few smart blows, just sufficient to
loosen them from the new ice. Then said Memotas to the boys:

"Try and see which of you is strong enough to pull any of them up."

Eagerly they each seized hold of one, and, expecting that the other end
was still securely stuck in the mud, they pulled with such vigour that
the three of them nearly fell over on their backs. To their
astonishment they found by the appearance of the short sticks in their
hands that the beavers had cut them off just below the ice.

After some further interesting investigation they returned to the camp,
for very naturally they were all anxious to get some word from the
hunters and the dogs. Fortunately they had not long to wait, for very
soon after their return the expected ones dashed into their midst. On
their sleds they had three dead wolverines. The dogs had returned
panting and tired. They were all in good shape, except Bruce and
another one of Alec's train. These, in battle with the wolverines, had
each received a couple of severe flesh wounds, but they seemed to think
nothing of them, and in a short time they completely healed up.
Everybody was, of course, anxious to hear their story, and so one of the
hunters was asked to be the spokesman for the whole, and here is about
what he said:

"You all know how we started. You boys set your dogs on the tracks, and
away they went and we after, as fast as we could follow. The dogs could
travel much faster than we could, and so it was not long before they
were out of hearing. The wolverines must have got a good start, as it
was a long time before we found any trace of them. But we pushed on as
fast as it was possible for us to do in the darkness. Sometimes the
northern lights shone out, and then we made very much better time. By
and by we came to a half-eaten beaver that had been dropped by one of
the thieves. This told us that the dogs must be driving them very
close, for a wolverine will make a big fight, before he will give up
what he has secured. St