Connie Morgan in the Fur Country

atch of scrub from which the shape had emerged. What was in that dark patch of brush? Why had the wolves burst from it in terror? Why had the great leader stayed until the snapping of the limb had f

at the long slash that extended from the bottom of the flank upward almost to the backbone-a slash as clean as if executed with a sharp knife, and through which the animal's entrai

ground. Stooping he examined it closely and found to his surprise that it was the opening of a shelter tent or wikiup. Dropping upon his hands and knees he peered inside. In the darkness he could make out nothing. Throwing off his mittens, he lighted a match, and as the tiny flame threw its feeble light upon the interior he made out at the farther side a gruesome looking mound of blankets. The match burned his finger tips and the miserable shelter was once more plunged in blackness. Involuntarily Connie shuddere

or had died so recently that his body had not had time to freeze! Recovering himself instantly, Connie ran his hand beneath the blanket. Yes, he was alive-there was heat there-not much-but enough body-warmth to show that he still lived. Scooping up a kettle of snow the boy set it upon the fire and, as it melted, without uncovering the man, he fell to beating him with his fists, to stimulate the lagging circulation. Heating the frying pan he thrust it into the canvas bag and slipped it under the blankets and went on with his beating. When the water began to boil, he withdrew the bag and threw the tea into the kettle. Then he removed the outer blanket and succeeded in rolling the unconscious form nearer to the fire. When he uncovered the face he saw that the man was an Indian-a young buck of twenty

encouraged the b

: "Yes-kloshe wa

r name-kaht

e smiled: "Nika nem 'Merican Joe." And having imparted the information, pl

here, 'Merican Joe, you talk English-she

es

er across the ridge. Plenty grub. I go get grub. Y

w the knife from his belt. For there, standing close beside the fire, his head and huge shoulders thr

hands and face with his long red tongue. Connie sat fascinated at the sight, as the Indian tugged playfully at the pointed ears and buried his hand in the long shimmering hair of the enormous ruff. Then the great brute settled down close aga

y. "Skookum tillicum." Leloo rose, stalked to the boy, deliber

gerly. "Where did you get him?

heem een de worl'. Leloo you frien', now. You

wood on the fire, he slipped from the scrub. As he did so, there was a scattering of tawny sha

the scrub, eyed him for a moment, and turning

bag of pilot bread, and several pounds of pemmican, and not until the last vestige of food was consumed, did 'Merican Joe even pause. Then he licked his fingers and asked for more. Connie told him that in the morning they would break camp and hit for Ten Bow. Also

d how did you come to be out of grub?" asked Connie, when

skokwim. A'm liv' on Kuskokwim-be'n gon' t'ree year. I'm los' m

Kuskokwim without any g

ankets an' kettle on de front

et the dog-or wolf-o

r-" again he paused a

he big mo

es

big river-th

le an' shoot heem, an' w'en de shot mak' de beeg noise, out com' anudder wan. She aint' so beeg-an' she ain' white lak de beeg wolf. She ron an' smell de dead wolf. She look on us. She look on our sled dogs. She com' close. Den she run off agin. An' she mak' all de tam de leetle whine. She ain' no wolf-she dog! Bye-m-bye she ron back in igloo. Ol' Sen-nick him say dat bad medicine-but me, I ain' care 'bout de Innuit medicine, an' I

hite man?"

t roun' an' he ain' lef' no grub. Him starve an' freeze, an' hees dogs is all dead but wan, an' she mate oop wit' de beeg white wo

s he lay quiet upon the edge of the blanket. He had heard of the great white wolves that inhabit the drear lone lands that lie b

aid, "but he's only half dog,

-dog, but de wolf an' de dog ain' separat', lak de front legs, an' de hin' legs. De wolf an' de dog is mix', lak de

his tent and started the hair roots to prickling along his scalp, and no hint of the dog in the silent slashes with which he had resented the crowding of the pack. And yet a few moments later he had defended his helpless master from that same wol

Leloo well

in heem to hont de caribou-de moose-de deer. I show you som' tam. He kin fight-kill any dog-any wolf

east of the Mackenzie; i

see no

ing ove

n yo

s I can get an

goin'

ong! Will

oe, she dead-she starve-she froze-you com' 'long, mak'

d chance to prospect over t

ain' know. But, on de barrens is Injuns. W'en I com' way from de Innuit, I fin' um. Dey got plent' fur

ing with the Indi

skin 'em-dey cheat 'e

's Bay Company!

. De Injun got to mush mebbe-so mor' as hondre mile-two hondre. Spose de free tr

n for the trading outfit. We can take along some traps, though, and if there isn't

ut of the low door.

about the

long wit' you. You pay me wages w'at you want. I good man-me. You wait-I sh

and, and Connie shook it-and

ll Leloo?" a

shook his

undred

nie and Leloo. Going to the sled, 'Merican Joe picked up a loop of babiche line and threw it

cried

ng you-I g

Let me

v' me my life-I giv' you Leloo. Me-'Merican Joe good man.

sted upon the superb lines of the great silver brute, his heart thrilled with t