Brothers of Peril

had their lodges was choked with battering ice-pans and crippled bergs. Many of the tribesmen came to the salt water to kill the seals. Soft

John Trowley, was an ignorant, hard-headed, and hard-fisted old mariner of the roughest type; but, by the laws of those waters, he was Admiral of Wigwam Harbour for that season. It was not long before every harbour had its admiral,-in every case the master of the first vessel to drop anchor there. The shores were portioned off in strips, so that each ship might have a place

ds of smoke into the air. He said that to do so added to the profundity of his thoughts. And all winter he had gone without a puff. He produced a mink skin from his lodge and exchanged it for one of the coveted sticks of tobacco. Black Feather also traded, giving skins of mink, fox, and beaver for a piece of cloth, a dozen beads, and a knife. But Ouenwa stood aside and watched the strangers. One of them he recognized as the great captain who shouted and swore at the captains of the other ships, and pointed out to them places where they might anchor their ships-for it was none other tha

stepped over to t

only such words of English as Montaw had taught him, and he feared that they would prove entirely inadequate for the pu

whispered, scarc

p?" inquired Ma

wa, with a wave of

y. The young Beothic bent a keen glance up

cked the Englishman by the coat. "C

chery of these people. What menace might not lurk in the gloom of the round, fur-scented lodge? But he did not lack courage; and, before the other had time to notice the hesitation, he stepped within. The flap of rawhide fell

d a torch of rolled bark to the fire until it flared smoky red, and then lifted it high. The light of it flooded the sombre place, showing up the couches o

e said. "Take Ouenwa En

from the eastern bays, and, though they had been well treated, and made pets of in England, their people had ceased to trade with the visitors, and all their friendship had turned to treachery and hostility

of the West had just completed. Then, by signs and a few words, he told Ouenwa that he was going northward in the little craft, to explore the coast, and that he would be back with the fleet before the birch leaves were yellow. Ouenwa begged to be taken on the expedition and afterward across the seas. He offered his canoe-load of beaver skins. He tried to

arlier in the night, without disturbing the slumbers of either his guardian or Pot Friend. Age had dulled their ears and thickened their sleep. He paddled noiselessly. Sounds of roistering came to his ears, muffled by

ping oaths. Then curiosity overcame his fear. He slid his long canoe under the stem of the Heart of the West. A cheering glow of candle-light yellowed the fog above him. He stood up and found that his head w

r his feelings, he could understand only a word or two of that conversation. He saw Kingswell and the master of the ship seated opposite one another at a small table. Upon the table sto

hip?" he bawled. "Tell me th

n Trowley," replied Kingswell, with a ring o

, pale eyes fairly bulged from his face. "An' no dirty redskin sails in ship o' mine unless as a

ingswell. "I'll carry fifty of these peo

, my fine gentleman,"

ng back his right hand as if to strike the great,

s master, would ye?" shouted Trowley. He lurched forward,

wise into the cabin. The rounded point of the blade caught Trow