ldn't be. Shake agin, pardner."

Deerfoot was as pleased to meet his old acquaintance as the latter was
to see him. All seated themselves on the ground about the blaze, and as
night had not yet come the meal was deferred until more was learned of
what had taken place during the interval between the former meeting and
the present coming together.

"Why is my brother in the mountains at this season of the year?" asked
Deerfoot, when the trapper had lit his pipe.

Of course cold weather is the time for trapping fur-bearing animals.
The custom in the olden days was for the hunters to go into the
mountains in the autumn, spend the time until spring in gathering
peltries, and then bring them to civilization for sale. It was now
summer, and it was not to be supposed that Jack Halloway was engaged on
professional business in the Laramie Mountains. He explained:

"Last fall I took a partner--Dick Burley by name--and we put in the
winter among the beaver runs and mountains over to the northwest. We
done so poor that I let Dick start with the pack animals for St. Louis,
without me going with him. He hadn't more than half a load, and we made
up our minds that we'd got to find new trapping grounds or we shouldn't
make enough to pay for our salt. So me and Dick parted and I've been on
the tramp for two months."

"How did you make out?" asked Victor, who, having found an easy
position for his aching body, felt it his duty to join in the
discussion.

"I hit it when I came to this part of the country. A few miles south
are hundreds of beaver, foxes, otter and other critters whose furs
we're after. I don't think a single one of 'em has ever been trapped.
There's where me and Dick will try it next fall."

"Then you will soon go home?"

"I intended to start to-morrow. My horse is a little way back among the
foothills, stuffing himself with enough grass to last him a week."

"My brother will go with us," said the pleased Deerfoot.

"If you don't feel too proud to have me for company, I'll be mighty
glad to go with you."

"Nothing will suit us better," said George, heartily. It was natural
that he and Victor should feel profoundly grateful to the trapper. Even
had he not done them so measureless a service they would have liked him
from the first.

It was not until the night had fully come, the evening meal eaten and
the fire replenished, though the weather remained mild, that a full
interchange took place among the different m