iction
to the people. Their very presence in an Indian village is a source of
terror and fear. They never hunt or fish themselves as long as they can
frighten other people into being blackmailed by them.

The coming of these men very much excited Sam and Alec, who had heard
such extraordinary things about them. Some firmly believe that they are
in league with the devil, and, by his direct assistance, are able to
perform all the wonderful things, of which they boast. Others, however,
believe that they are rank impostors. The boys, who had heard so many
conflicting things about these conjurers, tried to coax Mr Ross to get
them to show off some of their pretended power.

For a time Mr Ross, who considered them only as clever scoundrels or
unmitigated humbugs, objected, as he did not wish to seem in any way to
encourage them. However, one day as they, from Mr Ross's reluctance to
put them to the test, became exceedingly boastful of their powers to do
such wonderful things it was decided to give them an opportunity.

"What do you say you can do?" asked Frank of old Tapastanum.

"Do," he replied, "I can so conjure that you cannot hit me with a
bullet, or tie me so that I cannot spring up loose; and fire will not
burn me, or water drown me."

"All right," said Frank, "one thing at a time. We will try the first,
and see if we cannot hit you with a bullet."

"What you give?" was the request of the old fellow.

"O, indeed, that is what you are after; well, what do you want?"

At first his demands were very unreasonable, but after some dickering it
was decided that if he stood the ordeal he was to get an agreed amount
of flour, tea, sugar, and tobacco. It was also settled that the ordeal
should come off the next day. The conjurer said that he would spend the
night with his medicine drum and sacred medicine bag, to call back his
familiar spirit, who might be away hunting. The boys discussed very
much the coming contest, and, of course, were profoundly interested.
They had learned much since their coming into the country about these
strange, wild, fearsome people, and this with what they had read in
other days filled them with great curiosity to see what would be the
outcome.

With Mr Ross and the family the matter was well talked over, and it was
determined--as Mr Ross considered the conjurer who was to go through
the ordeal an unmitigated fraud--that he should be taught a lesson that
he and his cronies would n