was a striking and picturesque, though perhaps not an agreeable,
sight to witness the party that night, in the ruddy light of the
camp-fire, with sleeves rolled to the shoulders, and bloody knives in
hands, operating on the carcase of the deer, and it was several hours
past their usual supper-time before they felt themselves at liberty to
sit down on a bed of spruce-fir branches and enjoy the luxury of rest
and food.

Next day, while proceeding slowly through the woods, chatting merrily
over the incidents of the previous day, a sudden silence fell upon them;
for out of the thick shrubbery there stalked a tall, noble-looking man
of middle age. He was dressed in the garb of a hunter. Long yellow
curls hung on his shoulders, and a heavy beard and moustache of the same
colour concealed the lower part of a bronzed and handsome countenance.
His bright blue eyes seemed to sparkle with good humour as he gazed
inquiringly, yet sadly, at the astonished faces of the three travellers.

CHAPTER NINE.

THEIR NEW ACQUAINTANCE BECOMES INTERESTED AND PRACTICAL.

The tall stranger who had thus suddenly presented himself bore so strong
a resemblance to the vikings of old that Paul Burns, who was familiar
with tales and legends about the ancient sea-rovers, felt stealing over
him at the first glance a sensation somewhat akin to awe, for it seemed
as if one of the sea-kings had actually risen from his grave to visit
them.

This feeling was succeeded, however, by one of intense surprise when the
stranger addressed them in the English tongue.

"I thought, years ago," he said, "that I had seen the last of white
faces!"

It immediately occurred to Oliver Trench that, as their faces were by
that time deeply embrowned by the sun, the stranger must be in a
bantering mood, but neither he nor his companions replied. They were
too much astonished to speak or even move, and waited for more.

"This is not a land where the men whose ruling ideas seem to be war and
gold are likely to find what they want," continued the stranger,
somewhat sternly. "Whence come ye? Are you alone, or only the
advance-guard of the bloodthirsty race?"

There was something so commanding as well as courtly in the tone and
bearing of this extraordinary man, that Paul half involuntarily removed
his cap as he replied:

"Forgive me, sir, if astonishment at your sudden appearance has made me
appear rude. Will you sit down beside us and share our meal, while I