d again Marks held it up for
inspection.

"I'll give you five hundred and fifty in trade for that, and you can
come to my shop at White Bear Run and trade it out any time you like."

"No, I'll not sell un," and there was no doubt that this was Toby's
final and decisive decision.

"All right!" and Marks returned the pelt to Toby. "You have an otter
there you didn't show me. How about that?"

Toby passed the otter pelt over to Marks, who examined it critically,
and finally suggested:

"I'll give you fifty-five dollars in cash for it."

That was a good price. Toby was aware that the best price for otters at
the Hudson's Bay Company's shop was fifty dollars in trade, and he could
see no reason for refusing to sell it to Marks.

"You can have he," he accepted.

"Glad I can buy something," Marks grinned, counting out the money and
handing it to Toby.

"Aye," said Toby, accepting the bills and counting them, "and I'm glad I
can sell that un to you, sir."

"Dream pleasant dreams, and let them be about the silver fox," Marks
smiled his sinister smile. "If you dream right, you'll dream you took me
up on my offer."

"I'll not be dreamin' that, sir, whatever. Good night, and I hopes
you'll rest well," and closing the fur chest, Toby joined Charley, who
was already asleep.

Marks made no further mention of the silver fox the following morning.
Directly breakfast was eaten he packed his sledge, harnessed his dogs,
and drove away, and was soon lost in the distance.

It was after sundown that evening, when Toby and Charley had just fed
the dogs, and were about to return to the cabin, when suddenly there
appeared out of the silent forest a party of six Indians, each hauling a
heavily laden flat sled, or toboggan.

Charley was the first to see them as they emerged in single file from
the shadow of the trees into the clearing--tall, swarthy creatures, with
straight, coarse black hair reaching to their shoulders, and held in
place by red or blue bands of cloth tied around the forehead. They wore
hooded buckskin coats, decorated with painted designs. Two of the
Indians had the hoods of their coats drawn over their heads, showing
them to be of caribou skin with the hairy side out, and with pieces of
skin sewn on each side of the hood to represent ears, and which served
to lend a savage aspect to the wearer. Some of them wore buckskin
leggings, while others wore leggings of bright red cloth reaching from
their buckskin mocc