the travellers were in the midst of this, and ere yet their
tongues were fairly loosened, a loud unearthly shout rang with appalling
reverberations among the surrounding cliffs, causing the entire party to
start up and rush for their arms. Again the cry was heard.

"Ah! bad skran to ye, Losh!--Hould on, Moses, ye fat villain. Lave me
wan mouthful, jist wan, to kape me from givin' up the ghost intirely."

A shout of laughter greeted the advent of Bryan's voice, but it was
nothing to the peals that burst forth on the appearance of that
individual in _propria persona_. To say that he was totally dishevelled
would convey but half the truth. Besides being covered and clotted with
mud, he was saturated with water from head to foot, his clothes rent in
a most distressing manner, and his features quite undistinguishable.

"Why, Bryan, what ails you? Where have you been?" inquired Stanley, in
a tone of sympathy.

"Bin, is it? Sorra wan o' me knows where I've bin. It's mysilf is glad
to be sartin I'm here, anyhow."

"I'm glad you're certain of it," said Frank, "for if it were not for the
sound of your voice, I should doubt it."

"Ah monsieur," said La Roche, "make your mind easy on dat. No von but
Bryan ever regard de kettle dat way."

"Taizy voo, ye petit varmint," said Bryan, approaching the said kettle,
and smiling rapturously through the mud that encrusted his face on
beholding its contents. Without waiting to change his garments the
hungry blacksmith began supper, having first, however, directed
attention to the bag which he had brought in. From this bag La Roche
now extracted about a dozen trout, some of which were of great size--
especially one, whose bulk exceeded that of the large salmon.

"There's plinty more where thim comed from," said Bryan, through a
mouthful of venison; "but I'll tell ye ov it afther supper."

"Ah, true! don't let us interrupt him just now," said Stanley. "In the
meantime, Francois, since you seem to be about done, tell us what you
have seen, and let us hear what you have to say of the country."

Francois having lighted his pipe, cleared his throat and began:--

"Well, monsieur, after we had paddled a short bit beyond the point below
the last rapid in Caniapuscaw River, we shoved the canoe ashore, and
landed Prince and Massan, who set off to look for game, leavin'
Augustus, Ma-istequan, and me to paddle up the river as well as we
could. But we soon found that three men in a b