ves about the fire, Late Carscallen getting the
coldest corner. Each man drew his tobacco from his pocket, and, cutting
it, waited for Hume to speak. His eyes were debating as they rested on
the four. Then he took out Mrs. Lepage's letter, and, with the group
looking at him, he read it aloud. When it was finished, Cloud-in-the-Sky
gave a guttural assent, and Gaspe Toujours, looking at Jeff Hyde, said:
"It is cold in the Barren Grounds. We shall need much tabac." These men
could read without difficulty Hume's reason for summoning them. To Gaspe
Toujours' remark Jeff Hyde nodded affirmatively, and then all looked
at Late Carscallen. He opened his heavy jaws once or twice with an
animal-like sound, and then he said, in a general kind of way:

"To the Barren Grounds. But who leads?"

Hume was writing on a slip of paper, and he did not reply. The faces of
three of them showed just a shade of anxiety. They guessed who it would
be, but they were not sure. Cloud-in-the-Sky, however, grunted at them,
and raised the bowl of his pipe towards the subfactor. The anxiety then
seemed to disappear.

For ten minutes more they sat so, all silent. Then Hume rose, handed
the slip of paper to Sergeant Gosse, and said: "Attend to that at once,
Gosse. Examine the food and blankets closely."

The five were left alone.

Then Hume spoke: "Jeff Hyde, Gaspe Toujours, Late Carscallen, and
Cloud-in-the-Sky, this man, alive or dead, is between here and the
Barren Grounds. He must be found--for his wife's sake."

He handed Jeff Hyde her letter. Jeff rubbed his fingers before he
touched the delicate and perfumed missive. Its delicacy seemed to
bewilder him. He said: in a rough but kindly way: "Hope to die if
I don't," and passed it on to Gaspe Toujours, who did not find it
necessary to speak. His comrade had answered for him. Late Carscallen
held it inquisitively for a moment, and then his jaws opened and shut as
if he were about to speak. But before he did so Hume said: "It is a long
journey and a hard one. Those who go may never come back. But this man
was working for his country, and he has got a wife--a good wife." He
held up the letter. "Late Carscallen wants to know who will lead you.
Can't you trust me? I will give you a leader that you will follow to the
Barren Grounds. To-morrow you will know who he is. Are you satisfied?
Will you do it?"

The four rose, and Cloud-in-the-Sky nodded approvingly many times. Hume
held out his hand. Each m