gin to sniff the fragrance as only wretched
beings may who have long been strangers to the delicious decoction.

Evidently they had been told by the three Indians how the boys had
treated them to a cup of the beverage, and they made bold to hover about
in the hope that history would repeat itself.

Nor were they disappointed.

Cuthbert was too shrewd a general to miss so good an opportunity to make
many friends out of these rough spirits; so, after the campers had
enjoyed their cup apiece and eaten some supper, Cuthbert deliberately
filled the aluminum receptacle, added condensed milk, with sugar, and
then gravely presented it to the fellow whom he judged was the boss of
the outfit, a big, raw-boned French-Canadian _voyageur_, with a beard
like a pirate.

His eyes almost danced with delight, and he allowed the aromatic
compound to gurgle down his capacious throat slowly, while he held back
his head to gaze upward toward the first stars that had appeared in the
blue arch overhead.

Twice he stopped and looked at his companions with a smirk, unable to
refrain from tantalizing them; and it was ludicrous to see the way in
which they scowled and shook their heads ominously--had it been any one
but this strapping leader he might have found himself in trouble very
soon.

However, in good time they one and all had a chance to taste and enjoy
the results of Cuthbert's brewing; and he realized that his act had been
a masterstroke so far as making friends of the gathering was
concerned--the insidious coffee bean had proven more mighty than an army
in changing the current of their thoughts.

And yet Cuthbert, who saw everything, could not help but notice that not
one of these men of the post said anything to Owen, though all of them,
from time to time, cast curious glances his way, as though he might be a
puzzle they could not solve.

CHAPTER XVI.

A LITTLE WITCH.

After that the post loungers had the good sense to leave our young
friends alone, though when they sauntered away most of them either
thanked Cuthbert in a courteous French manner for his little treat, or
else waved a hand to him, with a broad grin that stood for the same
thing in the rough ways of their class.

Still, Owen asked no questions concerning what they had seen and heard
when at the office of the old factor; it looked as though he were
determined to exhibit not a sign of curiosity, no matter how much he
would like to hear all.

So Cuth