ored his directions? No, hardly that, for the French
trains had been captured. What, then, was the matter? With his eyes
at their keenest, he looked about him.

The eye of the trapper is, under ordinary conditions, as powerful
as some field-glasses; moreover, it is trained to see, not merely
to look. In a minute, Donald resolved a weather-beaten bump on a
nearby tree into the capote-shrouded head of a man who was peering
from cover. He waved his hand, and the man stepped out. In a moment
more, others came forth, ten in all, and surrounded him, plying
him with questions. Timmins was there, and Buxton, and old Bill
Thompson. When the greetings had passed, greetings reserved, but
full of feeling, McTavish explained the situation at the camp he
had just left, and indicated his project. Then, in the lead, he
began the stealthy return march.

It was barely eleven o'clock when the party arrived at the edge of
the woods near the camp. Of the five men that had been left, two
were away fishing, and the others, barely able to struggle about,
were seated around a fire smoking. Near them, and in the center of
the camp, well protected by old blankets, was the huge pile of
furs. This was the object of McTavish's solicitude. The first step
in his plan had been to return to the Company the valuable skins
that the free-traders had collected. With those gone, the whole
organization would fall to the ground; it would have no excuse
for being. Perhaps, then, its members would come back into the
Company's roll!

Detailing a couple of his men to capture the unsuspecting anglers,
Donald gave the word to advance. So quietly was this done that
the three about the camp-fire, deep in some argument, did not notice
their approach.

"Well, boys, the game's up," cried Donald, fifty yards away, and
the three looked into the rifles leveled at them, in utter
stupefaction.

It was a bloodless victory. Swift hands disarmed the free-traders,
and, presently, the surprised fishermen were marched in from the
lake to join their comrades in misfortune. As there was much to be
done, Donald disposed of the men in a characteristic manner. He
had their blankets moved over to a stump that rose four or five
feet above the snow. Then, he tied a foot of each with a long strand
of rope, fastening the rope to the stump. A man investigated
frequently to see that no one had tampered with the tether.

It was Donald's idea to save the furs without injury, if possible