I'll soon be ready to give you something to eat. A cup or
two of hot coffee will set you all right again."

Archie's ducking and his long walk in his wet clothes had chilled him
completely through, and he was very willing to comply with his
cousin's suggestion, and he drew up as close as possible to the fire.

When Frank had finished skinning the squirrels, he stuck them up
before the fire, on spits, to roast. The trout he served in the same
manner; and, raking out a few live coals from the fire, he placed the
coffee-pot upon them, when the work of getting breakfast began in
earnest.

In the course of half an hour the impatience of the hungry hunters
(whose appetites had been sharpened by the savory smell of the cooking
viands) was relieved by Frank's welcome invitation--

"Now, boys, you may help yourselves."

And they _did_ help themselves most bountifully.

Archie kept his place by the fire, and a plate filled with bread and
butter, and roasted squirrel and trout, and a cup of coffee, were
passed over to him; and, supporting himself on one elbow, he did them
ample justice.

The dogs were well supplied with what remained of the breakfast; and,
after washing the dishes in the clear water of the brook, and placing
them carefully away for future use, the boys seated themselves around
the fire, and Harry exclaimed, as he settled himself back into a
comfortable position,

"Give us a story, Frank."

"Well," answered Frank, after thinking a few moments, "I remember one
that, I think, will interest you. You will probably remember, Archie,
that, during the last visit we made at Uncle Joe's, we met his brother
Dick, who has passed forty years of his life among the Rocky
Mountains. You will remember, also, that he and I went mink-trapping,
and camped out all night, and during the evening he related to me some
of his adventures, and wound up with the following story of his
'chum,' Bill Lawson. I will try to give it, as nearly as possible, in
his own words.

CHAPTER XIV.

Bill Lawson's Revenge.

"This Bill Larson," said Dick, knocking the ashes from his pipe, "was
_some_ in his day. I have told you about his trappin' qualities--that
there was only one man in the county that could lay over him any, an'
that was ole Bob Kelly. But Bill had some strange ways about him,
sometimes, that I could not understand, an' the way he acted a'most
made me think he was crazy. Sometimes you couldn't find a more jolly
felle