or Joe had no patience with the belief popular among
Labradormen that ghosts of men who have been drowned or killed return
to haunt the scene of their death. "There's no such thing as a ghost."

"What's that now?" Jamie held up his hand for silence, and spoke in a
subdued voice.

Out of the darkness came the rhythmic dipping of a paddle. They all
heard it now. Doctor Joe arose, and closely followed by the boys,
stepped down beyond the fire glow. In dim outline they could see the
silhouette of a canoe containing the lone figure of a man paddling
with the short, quick stroke of the Indian.

"'Tis the ghost of Long John!" breathed Jamie. "'Tis sure he!"

CHAPTER IV

SHOT FROM BEHIND

The canoe was coming directly toward them. In a moment it touched the
shore, and as its occupant stepped lightly out the boys with one
accord exclaimed:

"Injun Jake! 'Tis Injun Jake!"

And so it proved. The greeting he received was hearty enough to leave
no doubt in his mind that he was a welcome visitor. Perhaps it was the
heartier because of the relief the boys experienced in the discovery
that the lone canoeman was not, after all, the wraith of Long John,
but was their friend Indian Jake in flesh and blood.

When his packs had been removed, Indian Jake lifted his canoe from the
water, turned it upon its side and followed the boys to the fire,
where Doctor Joe awaited him.

"Just in time!" welcomed Doctor Joe, as he shook Indian Jake's hand.
"We've finished eating, but there's plenty of stew in the kettle.
Andy, pour Jake some tea."

Indian Jake, grunting his thanks, silently picked up David's empty
plate and heaped it with stew and dumpling from the kettle without the
ceremony of waiting to be served.

He was a tall, lithe, muscular half-breed, with small, restless,
hawk-like eyes and a beaked nose that was not unlike the beak of a
hawk. He had the copper-hued skin and straight black hair of the
Indian, but otherwise his features might have been those of a white
man. Indian Jake had been the trapping companion of David and Andy the
previous winter, and, as previously stated, was this year to be Thomas
Angus's trapping partner on the fur trails.

The boys were vastly fond of Indian Jake, and Thomas and Doctor Joe
shared their confidence, but the Bay folk generally looked upon him
with distrust and suspicion. Several years before, he had come to the
Bay a penniless stranger. He soon earned the reputation of being one