?"

The sleepy-looking stranger gazed drowsily at him a moment and then made
answer:

"I'm just smoking the last bit I've got. I was going to ax you for some,
being you had such a great affection for me."

CHAPTER L.

RESCUED.

The miner having made his reply, turned on his heel, still smoking his
pipe, and coolly walked away, while Tim O'Rooney gazed after him in
amazement. The boys were amused spectators of the scene, and Elwood now
called out.

"Come, Tim, don't wait! We shall meet somebody else before long; and as
you have just had a good smoking spell, you can certainly wait a while."

"Yes," added Howard, "no good can come of waiting; so jump in and let's
be off."

The Irishman obeyed like a child which hardly understood what was
required of it, and taking his seat said never a word.

"Let me alternate with you for a while," said Howard to his cousin, "you
have worked quite a while with the paddle."

"I am not tired, but if you are eager to try your skill I won't object."

The boys changed places, and while Howard gave his exclusive attention
to the management of the canoe, Elwood devoid himself to consoling Tim
O'Rooney in the most serio-comic manner.

"Bear up a little longer, my good fellow. There's plenty of tobacco in
the country, and there must be some that is waiting expressly for you."

"Where bees the same?"

"Of course we are to find that out; and I haven't the least doubt but
the way will appear."

"Elwood," sighed Tim, "'spose by towken of the severe suffering that
meself is undergoing I should lose me intellect----"

"I don't think there's any danger."

"And why not?" demanded the Irishman, in assumed fierceness.

"For the good reason that you haven't any to lose."

Tim bowed his head in graceful acknowledgment.

"But suppose I does run mad for all that?"

"I can easily dispose of you?"

"Afther what shtyle?"

"A madman is always a dangerous person in the community, and the moment
I see any signs of your malady all I have to do is to shoot you through
the head."

"Do yez obsarve any signs at presint?"

"You needn't ask the question, for the moment it breaks out the report
of the gun and the crash of the bullet will give you a hint of the
trouble."

Tim laughed.

"Yez are a bright child, as me mother used to obsarve whin I'd wash me
face in her buttermilk and smiled through the windy at her. If ye
continues to grow in your intellect yez may come to be a man