rden on his back, as far
as I can make out in the uncertain light."

"Did any of the men go out alone?" inquired Mrs Stanley.

"No; but I suppose that this one must have separated from his comrade.--
Hallo! who goes there?"

The man tossed the bundle from his shoulders, and hastening forward
revealed the flushed countenance of Frank Morton.

"What! Frank! why, man, you seem to have had a hard day of it, if I may
judge by your looks."

"Not so hard but that a good supper will put its effects to flight,"
replied Frank, as he rested his gun against a rock and seated himself on
the keg from which Stanley had risen. "The fact is, I have slain a
noble buck, and being desirous that the men should have as much of it as
possible, I loaded myself rather heavily. The ground, too, is horribly
bad; but pray send Gaspard for the bundle. I should have been here
sooner but for the time required to dissect the animal."

"Where is Bryan, Frank?" inquired Mrs Stanley. "You went away
together."

"Bryan! I know not. He and I parted in the mountains some hours ago;
and as he failed to keep his appointment with me, I concluded that he
must have become foot-sore and returned to camp."

"He has not returned," said Stanley; "but I have no fear for the honest
blacksmith. He's too old a nor'wester to lose himself, and he's too
tough to kill. But come, Frank, let us to our tent. I see that La
Roche has already prepared our salmon for the kettle, and so--"

"Salmon!" interrupted Frank.

"Ay, lad, salmon! a twenty-five pounder too! But come, change your
foot-gear, and then we shall have our supper, in the course of which we
shall exchange news."

As they proceeded towards the camp the voices of some of the men were
heard in the distance; it was now too dark to see them. In a few
minutes Francois, followed by Augustus and Ma-istequan, strode into the
circle of light around the fire, and laying aside their guns proceeded
to light their pipes, while they replied to the questions of Frank and
Stanley.

"You do not come empty-handed," remarked the latter, as Francois and his
comrades threw down several fat ducks and a few grouse, which, after the
fashion of hunters, they had carried pendent by the necks from their
belts.

"We only shot a few, monsieur," replied Francois, "to put in the kettle
for supper. We might have loaded a canoe had we chosen."

"That is well," said Stanley; "but the kettle is full already, and
supper p