er the man's eyelids, and felt his wrist.
"No," he said, "he'll come round all right in the fresh air. It's the
smoke more than the gas."

Horace came out at that moment, dragging Mitchell's limp body. The
red-bearded ruffian was alive, but unconscious; the boys placed him on
the snow beside his companion. Then all four of them rushed into the
cabin together, and succeeded in getting out the remaining two French
Canadians.

"Now the dogs! We must get them out!" cried Peter. That was not hard
to do, for the animals were lying close to the door.

The strong draft from the door to the chimney had by this time cleared
the atmosphere a good deal, and the boys saw that the fire was burning
chiefly among the couches of balsam boughs. The spirit lamp must have
scorched through the cord by which it hung, and dropped into a heap of
dry twigs.

The boys had no means of putting the fire out; the immediate need was
to rescue the provisions. They rushed in again, and each dragged out
an armful of supplies. They took a breath of fresh air, and then
hastened in again. Fred was reaching for a slab of bacon, when
suddenly something exploded almost under his hand.

He jumped back, almost fancying he had been shot at. _Crack! crack!
bang!_ went several other reports in quick succession, and this time he
realized what it must be.

"Run! The ammunition's going off!" he shouted, and rushed for the
open; as he ran, however, he caught up the piece of bacon.

Some of the rifle cartridges were exploding, one by one, and then two
or three together, and suddenly, with a tremendous bang, a whole box
seemed to go off.

Then the firing ceased, and after a short interval, the boys set to
work again to get out more provisions. The cabin was stifling now from
powder smoke, but they got what they could lay their hands on--a bag of
flour, a quantity of canned stuff, a kettle, a rifle; soon a great heap
of rescued supplies lay on the snow outside.

The flames, unable to ignite the solid logs of the cabin, were now
dying; evidently they would soon burn themselves out.

Mitchell at this moment gave signs of returning life. He opened his
eyes, stirred, and began to cough violently. They placed him in a more
comfortable position, and at the same time took the precaution of tying
his wrists and ankles securely with strips of deer-hide. The man
seemed dazed; he looked at the boys in amazement, and did not utter a
word.

Two of the Fr