Part 31 (1/2)
Donald, in the confusion, slipped aiftly over the hard crust, and took a position behind a breastwork of shrubbery, whence he could watch operations unseen Five uis at the heels of the voluble guide, swung away, leaving a handful of wounded to look after the ca behind, he sped in the opposite direction, and laid his course for the big pine at Muskeg Point, two miles away Despite the situation in which he was placed, the prospect of action, even the very exercise as he trotted along, raised a joy in his breast The tio into exile immediately after, the bloas about to strike would never be forgotten
Arrived at the big pine, his heart dropped like a plummet There were no men there, nor any tracks of nored his directions? No, hardly that, for the French trains had been captured What, then, was the matter? With his eyes at their keenest, he looked about him
The eye of the trapper is, under ordinary conditions, as powerful as solasses; moreover, it is trained to see, not merely to look In a minute, Donald resolved a weather-beaten bump on a nearby tree into the capote-shrouded head of afrom cover He waved his hand, and the man stepped out In a moment more, others ca him with questions Tireetings had passed, greetings reserved, but full of feeling, McTavish explained the situation at the camp he had just left, and indicated his project Then, in the lead, he began the stealthy return march
It was barely eleven o'clock when the party arrived at the edge of the woods near the camp Of the five , and the others, barely able to struggle about, were seated around a fire s Near them, and in the center of the cae pile of furs This was the object of McTavish's solicitude The first step in his plan had been to return to the Company the valuable skins that the free-traders had collected With those gone, the whole organization would fall to the ground; it would have no excuse for being Perhaps, then, its me a couple of his ave the word to advance So quietly was this done that the three about the cauame's up,” cried Donald, fifty yards away, and the three looked into the rifles leveled at them, in utter stupefaction
It was a bloodless victory Swift hands disarmed the free-traders, and, presently, the surprised fishermen were marched in from the lake to join their comrades in misfortune As there was much to be done, Donald disposed of the men in a characteristic manner He had their blankets moved over to a stump that rose four or five feet above the snow Then, he tied a foot of each with a long strand of rope, fastening the rope to the stuated frequently to see that no one had tampered with the tether
It was Donald's idea to save the furs without injury, if possible
Therefore, he and his s What solid eed across the snow, and piled on that side frouis and his men were expected to return The woods sounded with the blows of axes as the skilled woodsmen felled dead trees, or cut branches, to fill the spaces between logs While this ent on McTavish personally rounded up the supplies of the camp
There was little food, but considerable ammunition Both of these he deposited behind the breastwork of logs The wretches at their tether watched hiic eyes
One h to drink
Then, the frenzied ent on again By mid-afternoon, a formidable defense for the men had been erected Behind it, the blankets and accouterathered
Suddenly, a distant shot was heard Then, there was silence It was as though there had been a signal given to which there was no reply
”Mac,” said Tiive you for this”
”I don't care whether he does, or not I' this for him
But, by the way, Tio with the boys to cut off the Frenchmen?
”No; he's laid up at the old camp You know that day you were captured, well, he was so uis and his ly when he's s When he ca over his wound, and the exposure of the chase, and everything, he caain So, when Bill Thompson arrived with your orders, he turned 'em over to McLean, and let him do what he liked McLean hasn't been favored with too h to follow thele-hold on the whole business The other bunch got the supply-trains, you say, an' we've got the furs Don't know as I'd care to be a free-trader about now, or a little later”
”Wait avainly to interrupt ”Is the factor really sick this time?”
”Yes Dr Craven's with him all the time, and he let it out that the old fellow's about ready to tune up his eternal harp”
”And Miss Fitzpatrick? Where's she?”
”She's with hi hiets cranky! How she stands it, I don't know”
Donald asked no hts leaped the desolate, frozen irl watched hour by hour beside the wretched bed of her father, only relieved now and then by a perfunctory and uninterested doctor He had not allowed hinant subject for him He had kept his mind upon the plans that he had set in operation
If those failed, he ain He had no right to ht be Perhaps, it would be a cruel o away All this, if his plans failed If they succeeded, there was still the question of Charley Seguis and his own nonentity, the certificate in Maria's , and--
”Hey! What's this?” cried Tiht