whose delight it
was to pick fights and to beat his opponents into unconsciousness with
his fists. And of how the mighty Petrie whose ill fame had spread the
length of the three rivers, joined the brigade once at Fort McMurry and
of how the boisterous Rene became the bright and shining mark of his
attentions, and of the fight that sent Rene to the brush before he was
"licked," after which Rene stood the taunts and insults of "The Grizzly
of the Athabasca" for many days like the craven he was, before the eyes
of all men, until one day Petrie used words that brought insult upon the
mother of Rene--who was also the mother of Victor. Rene paid them no
heed but Victor rose from his place beside the fire and slowly removed
his mackinaw and his torn felt hat and, walking over to Petrie, demanded
that he retract the words. "The Grizzly of the Athabasca" eyed him in
astonishment, for Victor had been a figure in the brigade so
insignificant as to have entirely escaped his attention. The ramping one
threw out his huge chest and roared with laughter. "See!" he taunted,
"the weasel defies the bear!" And with that he reached out and with his
thumb and forefinger grasped Victor by the nose and jerked him roughly
toward him.

The next instant the air rushed from his throat in a grunt of agonized
surprise for the violent jerk on his nose seemed to release steel
springs in Victor's body and before Petrie could release his grip both
of Victor's fists and the heel of one shoe had been driven with all the
force of mighty muscles directly into the bully's stomach. The
unexpected onslaught staggered the huge bully, and then began the fight
that ridded the rivers of Gaspard Petrie. In and out flashed the lighter
man, landing a blow here and a kick there--round and round, and in and
out. "The Grizzly of the Athabasca" roared with rage, and struck mighty
blows that, had they landed, would have annihilated his opponent on the
spot but they did not land. Victor seemed tireless and his blows rained
faster and faster as his opponent's defence became slower and slower. At
last, from sheer exhaustion, the heavy arms could no longer guard the
writhing face and instantly Victor began to rain blow after blow upon
eyes and nose and mouth until a few minutes later "The Grizzly of the
Athabasca" collapsed entirely, and whimpering and puling, he retracted
his words, and then amid the frenzied jeers of the rivermen, he made up
his pack and slunk away into th