the smoke, and from the
sounds in the cabin it was clear that the occupant was in difficulties.

Presently Sparrer called attention to smoke pouring up at the front end
of the cabin. The door had been set ajar to let out the smoke. Almost
immediately there was a shot from the thicket where Pat was hiding,
followed by a second shot, and then the bang of the door as it was once
more shut. But it did not remain closed long. No human being could long
survive in such an atmosphere as now prevailed in the little cabin. This
time the door was flung wide open and in the midst of the cloud of smoke
that poured out the Indian staggered forth, gasping and choking.

Pat at once stepped from hiding, covering the outlaw with his rifle. But
for this there was no real need. Until he should get some pure air into
his lungs he was quite helpless. He threw himself down in the snow and
gasped weakly. A sorrier looking spectacle could hardly be imagined. His
eyes were inflamed, blood-red. His face and clothing were smeared with
soot and ashes. One cheek was bleeding from a wound, made, as it
afterward appeared, by a splinter torn off from the door-frame by one of
Pat's bullets. Alec wasted no time in securing the prisoner's hands
behind him and then deftly searched him for hidden weapons, finding
nothing but a knife. That reminded him of the knife Pierre had tossed at
his feet when he was captured at the spring, and he sent Sparrer to get
it.

As soon as the capture was made the three boys had rushed forward,
forgetting that they were under orders to remain at their posts until
signaled. Somewhat sternly but with a twinkle in his eyes that belied
the severity of his voice Pat now reminded them of this and ordered
Upton back to clear the boughs from the top of the chimney. By this time
the sweater had burned through and the whole mass had dropped into the
fireplace, where it continued to burn, the smoke rolling out of the open
door in a dense cloud. With the removal of the boughs from the top of
the chimney a draft was reestablished and the smoke sought its natural
outlet. It was some time, however, before the interior of the cabin
could be examined with any comfort, and Pat took advantage of this to
quiz the Indian.

So far as results were obtained he might as well have talked to a wooden
post. The redskin stolidly refused to answer questions. When confronted
with Sparrer he denied ever having seen him before, much to that young
man's