his feet; but a blindness came, and the next knowledge he
had was of brandy being poured slowly between his teeth, and of a voice
coming through endless distances: "A fighter, a born fighter," it said.
"The pluck of Lucifer--good boy!"

Then the voice left those humming spaces of infinity, and said: "Tilt
him this way a little, Big Moccasin. There, press firmly, so. Now the
band steady--together--tighter--now the withes--a little higher up--cut
them here." There was a slight pause, and then: "There, that's as good
as an army surgeon could do it. He'll be as sound as a bell in two
weeks. Eh, well, how do you feel now? Better? That's right! Like to be
on your feet, would you? Wait. Here, a sup of this. There you are....
Well?"

"Well," said the young man, faintly, "he was a beauty."

Malbrouck looked at him a moment, thoughtfully, and then said: "Yes, he
was a beauty."

"I want a dozen more like him, and then I shall be able to drop 'em as
neat as, you do."

"H'm! the order is large. I'm afraid we shall have to fill it at some
other time;" and Malbrouck smiled a little grimly.

"What! only one moose to take back to the Height of Land, to--"
something in the eye of the other stopped him.

"To? Yes, to"? and now the eye had a suggestion of humour.

"To show I'm not a tenderfoot."

"Yes, to show you're not a tenderfoot. I fancy that will be hardly
necessary. Oh, you will be up, eh? Well!"

"Well, I'm a tottering imbecile. What's the matter with my legs?--my
prophetic soul, it hurts! Oh, I see; that's where the old warrior's hoof
caught me sideways. Now, I'll tell you what, I'm going to have another
moose to take back to Marigold Lake."

"Oh?"

"Yes. I'm going to take back a young, live moose."

"A significant ambition. For what?--a sacrifice to the gods you have
offended in your classic existence?"

"Both. A peace-offering, and a sacrifice to--a goddess."

"Young man," said the other, the light of a smile playing on his lips,
"'Prosperity be thy page!' Big Moccasin, what of this young live moose?"

The Indian shook his head doubtfully.

"But I tell you I shall have that live moose, if I have to stay here to
see it grow."

And Malbrouck liked his pluck, and wished him good luck. And the good
luck came. They travelled back slowly to the Height of Land, making a
circuit. For a week they saw no more moose; but meanwhile Gregory's hurt
quickly healed. They had now left only eight days in which to get back