The Gold Hunters / A Story of Life and Adventure in the Hudson Bay Wilds

n the blankets, from which he had partly raised himself, fainting and weak. The last that he heard was Minnetaki's warning voice, and then he felt something cool upon his face. It seemed a

y eyes glaring at him. The glare fascinated Roderick. He had seen it in Mukoki's eyes before, when the Indian believed that injury had come to those he loved; and when the white boy saw it now, bent upon himself, he knew that he, too, had become mor

lo,

eaming, and where he had crouched a moment before there came Wabigoon, smiling down upon Rod in his own bursting hap

the white boy heard Mu

ga. Very much dam'-

feverish and the water gave him new strength. He turned his face to Minnetaki, and she smiled at him. Then he saw that the dead outlaw had

gerously hurt. Mukoki has dressed your wound, and you will be better soon." Wabigoon, com

he cried softly, gripp

bless

ing the next quarter of an hour Minnetaki prepared some coffee and

me all about your adventures during the winter. Wabi has told me just enough about your battles with the Indians and ab

could!" exclaimed Rod

etaki-coax

some harm is going to befall me. That's why they sent me from Wabinosh House just before you boys returned. You see the Indians were more hostile than ever, and they thought

etaki might be allowed to accompany them. But Wabi stanchly refused even to consider the proposition, and Mu

he confided to Rod, "but she die up th

he did not, and the

Mukoki had searched in the chasm and along the mountains for signs of the outlaw Indian's band, but their search had revealed nothing to arouse their fears. As mysterious and unaccountable as the fact seemed, there was no doubt that the old cabin was a retreat known only to Woonga himself, and as the four sat in the warm glow of the

ll the Indian back on

ght of the terrible scene that

but a short distance after the sledges separated when Woonga, who was ahead of me, turned about and shot

how he used the bear'

taki. "He told me that the dogs would go on to Kenegami House, and that if pursuers foll

ed deep down

," he said. "No

on Minnetaki's trail,"

ret of the lost gold, after you had g

lost

hemselves close about the fire there fell a strange silence among them. The lost gold. Rod gazed across at Wabigoon, whose bronzed face was half hid in the dancing shadows, and then at Mukoki, whose wrinkled visage shone like dull copper as he stared like some watchfu

ld cabin thickened, and the faces became more and more like ghostly shadows, until they reminded Rod of his first vision of the a

This is the map he

ry of the Wolf Hunters, until the late hours of night had changed into the first of morning. Twice did Minnetaki insist on having repeated to her the story of Rod's wild adventure in the mysterious chasm, and when he came to the terrors of that black night

ng back in the s

pring," r

for his mother instead of going for her himself. Time would be saved, he argued. Th

o home first, even if I have to arrange for a special sl

s eyes saw the first signs of it when they bade him good night. For fever had laid its hand on the white youth, the fever that foreshadows death unless a surgeon is near, the fever o

ing he seemed to awaken from a terrible dream, in which he was constantly burning and roasting, and when he opened his eyes he knew for the first time that it was Minnetaki who sat close beside him, and that it was her hand that was gently stroking his forehead.

or him. Rod had never seen her look quite so pretty, o

n you were so sick, and we thought you might die, I wrote to your mother and we sent the letter down by a special sledge. And-and

oice in a series of war-whoops which quickly brought Wabi in, on

and again. "Minnetaki, you're a

the other's wild rejoicing, and their antics startled half the house of Kenegami. Mukoki share

time. "That means we start on our hunt fo

-" began

happy but me-and I'm glad for Rod's sake, and I want to kno

ce, and Rod and Wabigoon became

id Wabi. "But-w

roke the

shine!" he exclaim

-heem