ndum
of three hundred dollars for their joint credit, Rolf felt himself a
person of no little importance. As he was stepping out of the store, the
trader said, "Ye didn't run across Jack Hoag agin, did ye?"

"Did we? Hmph!" and Rolf told briefly of their experience with that
creature.

"Just like him, just like him; served him right; he was a dirty cuss.
But, say; don't you be led into taking your fur out Lyons Falls way.
They're a mean lot in there, and it stands to reason I can give you
better prices, being a hundred miles nearer New York."

And that lesson was not forgotten. The nearer New York the better the
price; seventy-five dollars at Lyons Falls; one hundred and twenty-five
dollars at Warren's; two hundred dollars at New York. Rolf pondered long
and the idea was one which grew and bore fruit.

Chapter 51. Back at Van Trumper's

"Nibowaka"--Quonab always said "Nibowaka" when he was impressed with
Rolf's astuteness--"What about the canoe and stuff?"

"I think we better leave all here. Callan will lend us a canoe." So they
shouldered the guns, Rolf clung to his, and tramped across the portage,
reaching Callan's in less than two hours.

"Why, certainly you can have the canoe, but come in and eat first," was
the kindly backwoods greeting. However, Rolf was keen to push on; they
launched the canoe at once and speedily were flashing their paddles on
the lake.

The place looked sweetly familiar as they drew near. The crops in the
fields were fair; the crop of chickens at the barn was good; and the
crop of children about the door was excellent.

"Mein Hemel! mein Hemel!" shouted fat old Hendrik, as they walked up
to the stable door. In a minute he was wringing their hands and smiling
into great red, white, and blue smiles. "Coom in, coom in, lad. Hi,
Marta, here be Rolf and Quonab. Mein Hemel! mein Hemel! what am I now so
happy."

"Where's Annette?" asked Rolf.

"Ach, poor Annette, she fever have a little; not mooch, some," and he
led over to a corner where on a low cot lay Annette, thin, pale, and
listless.

She smiled faintly, in response, when Rolf stooped and kissed her.

"Why, Annette, I came back to see you. I want to take you over to
Warren's store, so you can pick out that dress. See, I brought you my
first marten and I made this box for you; you must thank Skookum for the
quills on it."

"Poor chile; she bin sick all spring," and Marta used a bunch of sedge
to drive away the flies and mos