Brothers of Peril

llage on the River of Three Fires. For days several war-parties from the South had been stealing through the country, raiding the lesser villages, and b

est, and he had fired on her out of fear that she had discovered him and would war

among the alders at the edge of the clearing, could see the unguarded people moving about their red fires. There was a scent of cooking deer-meat in the chill air. The chief of the attacking party lay on

ont, and on three sides brooded the crowding trees. When he awoke, the sun had set, and the river, a curved mirror for the western sky, was red as fire-or blood. Down-stream, about two hundred yards distant, a sombre bluff thrust its rocky breast into the water. The boy gazed at this, and his eyes widened with dismay. Then they narrowed with hate. Out

ght be dead and the forest empty. Thought of the hundred fighting men moving steadily upon the unguarded homes of his people, with no more warning than the sound of a swamp-bird's flight, was like a nightmare. But presently the courage that had helped him slay the wolf came to him, and he thought of the glory to be won by saving the threatened village. He did not strengthen his heart to the task for sake of his mother's life and the lives of his playmates; but because the warriors would call him a hero. Keeping just within the edge of the woods, he moved up-stream as speedily as he might without making an

rface. Then he swam, without noise of splashing, and landed at the foot of the meadow like a great beaver. He crawled into the red circle of one of the fires, and told his news to the braves gathered around. Men slipped from fi

n the open a half-score warriors bent their bows. Among the twisted stems of the alders they pulled and strangled, like beasts of prey. Back in the spruces they slew w

fought with a long, flint knife,-the work of the old arrow-maker. But this was splintered in his hand by the murderous stroke of a war-club. He wrenched a spear from the clutch of a dying brave. A leaping figure went down before his unexpected lunge. It rol

ampment was cleared, and saved from destruction; and those of the invaders who remained beside the trampled fires had ceased to menace. Along the bl

h the lust of fighting still aflame in their eyes. Some strode arrogantly. Some crawled, as Wolf Slayer had. Some staggered to

, returning to the disordered camp, found Wolf Slayer. With a glad, high shout of triumph, he lifted the boy in his arms and carried him home. The mother met them

f the dark trail," whispered the mother. "See, our f

the father. "The fighters of the camp will have great need of you when we turn from our sleep

h!" cried

, turned the feet of his

s," he murmured, "and the hunting-

ogance left him. It seemed that the days of suffering had but hardened his already hard heart. Lad though he wa