is eyes; and lying there, wounded almost unto death, his tail
thumped the ground in recognition. And then, to the amazement of all
who beheld, Challoner was down upon his knees beside him, and his arms
were about him, and Miki's lacerated tongue was reaching for his hands,
his face, his clothes.

"Miki--Miki--Miki!"

Durant's hand fell heavily upon Challoner's shoulder.

It was like the touch of a red-hot iron to Challoner. In a flash he was
on his feet, facing him.

"He's mine," Challoner cried, trying to hold back his passion. "He's
mine you--you devil!"

And then, powerless to hold back his desire for vengeance, his clenched
fist swung like a rock to Durant's heavy jaw, and the Frenchman went to
the ground. For a moment Challoner stood over him, but he did not move.
Fiercely he turned upon Grouse Piet and the crowd. Miki was cringing at
his feet again. Pointing to him, Challoner cried loudly, so all could
hear.

"He's my dog. Where this beast got him I don't know. But he's mine.
Look for yourselves! See--see him lick my hand. Would he do that for
HIM? And look at that ear. There's no other ear in all the north cut
like that. I lost him almost a year ago, but I'd know him among ten
thousand by that ear. By God!--if I had known--"

He elbowed his way through the breeds and Indians, leading Miki by the
rope Durant had slipped over the dog's head. He went to MacDonnell, and
told him what had happened. He told of the preceding spring, and of the
accident in which Miki and the bear cub were lost from his canoe and
swept over the waterfall. After registering his claim against whatever
Durant might have to say he went to the shack in which he was staying
at Fort 0' God.

An hour later Challoner sat with Miki's big head between his two hands,
and talked to him. He had bathed and dressed his wounds, and Miki could
see. His eyes were on his master's face, and his hard tail thumped the
floor. Both were oblivious of the sounds of the revellers outside; the
cries of men, the shouting of boys, the laughter of women, and the
incessant barking of dogs. In Challoner's eyes there was a soft glow.

"Miki, old boy, you haven't forgotten a thing--not a dam' thing, have
you? You were nothing but an onery-legged pup then, but you didn't
forget! Remember what I told you, that I was going to take you and the
cub down to the Girl? Do you remember? The Girl I said was an angel,
and 'd love you to death, and all that? Well, I'm glad s