, Scruff."

The dog crouched, and watched the visitor as he sat down on a box, took
out his pipe, and lit it.

"Thought I'd give you a look in as I didn't feel worky. How's things
going?"

"We were coming to warn you," said Dallas; and he related what had
passed.

"Them?" said Norton, springing up and putting out his pipe; "I was in
hopes they were hanged. Well, I'll be off; this means a serious matter
for them. We shall have to get up a hunt and stop this. Will you
join?"

"Of course," said the young men in a breath.

"Then good-bye; only mind this--if you hear firing come and help."

"Yes; and you'll do the same?"

"Trust me," said the man shortly, and he shook hands and hurried away.

The next four days passed anxiously enough, and they heard no more of
Norton and his friends. The first two nights watch was kept, the
occupants of the hut taking turn and turn of three hours. But this
duty, somewhat in accordance with the proverb of familiarity breeding
contempt, was deputed to Scruff, who, however, was more contemptuous
than either of his masters; for he kept the watch carefully curled-up
with his tail across his eyes, in the spot where the warmest glow from
the fire struck.

The fifth day passed without any news being heard from the other
scattered claim-holders, and it was thought possible, though hardly
likely, that Tregelly might return.

The night came on intensely black, with intervals of perfect stillness,
followed by puffs of icy wind, which were charged with tiny sharp
spicules of ice, which made the face tingle at the slightest exposure to
its influence.

"He will not be here to-night," said Dallas, after looking out; "there's
a storm brewing, and it is too dark to travel, so we may as well give
him up."

"We had better sit up a few hours. He may come."

So, instead of creeping into their sleeping-bags after they had banked
up the fire and made all snug, they sat talking, till warmth and
weariness combined to make them drowsy, and they lay down, to fall
asleep directly.

In an hour or two the blazing fire had given place to a heap of wood
ashes, over which, as the rising wind swept round the place, what seemed
to be a faint phosphorescent light played for a few moments and then
died out.

Scruff was curled-up so tightly that he looked fixed, and he seemed
blind and deaf to everything, till towards the middle of the night a
watcher, had there been one, would have seen that there