MacDonald averted his face, rose and walked down towards the lake sh.o.r.e, and the others respected his evident desire to be alone and did not follow.

"Out after Lupo single-handed," whispered Frank. "And the desperado surrounded by all his men, too."

Farnum nodded.

"That means nothing to the Mounted," said he.

CHAPTER VIII.-FIRST BLOOD.

So tired were all members of the party after their unexpected exertions of moving camp and trekking on, coming at the end of a day filled with fatiguing labor, that now a haven had been reached and they had relaxed from their tension, they were ready to go to sleep at once. First, however, preparations had to be made not only to keep guard but to keep watch also for d.i.c.k and Art. Although the latter did not know definitely, of course, where they were encamped, yet it would not be difficult for them to follow the trail at least to the sh.o.r.e of the lake.

"Look here," said MacDonald, returning to join the conference, "I'm not near as tired as the rest of you. I'll keep watch for your friends for a couple of hours while the rest of you get some sleep."

"All right," said Farnum, gratefully, "that is, if you promise to wake me at the end of two hours. I can use a little sleep right now."

"Turn in, then," said MacDonald. "These spruces give you enough shade.

And, anyway, I guess you don't need much inducement to go to sleep."

"I could sleep right out in the open sun with my face turned up to the sky," said big Bob, yawning. "Well, nighty night, folks."

Nothing occurred during MacDonald's watch, and at the end of the two-hour period he awakened Farnum, in keeping with the agreement.

"Thought some of letting you sleep on," he said. "But, to tell you the truth, I been travelin' hard myself, and need a little sleep, too."

"Right," said Farnum. "I'd have been peeved if you hadn't waked me."

Several hours later, Farnum keeping lonely vigil among the bushes by the lake sh.o.r.e, descried a canoe shoot out of the mouth of the stream down which they, too, had come and swing into the lake. At first, as only the bow of the canoe appeared, he was startled, believing Lupo's Indians already were on the trail. But a moment later, with relief and yet surprise to see them there, he made out the two figures in the boat as those of d.i.c.k and Art.

The pair rested on their paddles a moment, scanning the sh.o.r.e and also, Farnum noted, apparently casting anxious glances behind them. He was too far away, however, to see whether that were really the case. Farnum realized that, with the skin kayak belonging to MacDonald now drawn safely out of sight among the bushes, beside their own canoes, d.i.c.k and Art would not have the same indications pointing to the island that had he on arrival. Therefore, he stepped from the bushes and was just about to set his cupped hand to his mouth and call when the unexpected occurred.

d.i.c.k and Art already had dipped their paddles into the water again and were making a wide swing with the evident intention of bringing the canoe parallel to the sh.o.r.e but some distance out, when Farnum's startled eyes beheld another canoe arrive at the mouth of the stream behind them.

Action was as quick as thought. d.i.c.k and Art evidently had managed to obtain one of Lupo's canoes and were being closely pursued. How closely, moreover, apparently they did not know. He must warn them, not only of his presence and of help close at hand, but also of the danger behind them. The course they were taking would bear them away from the island and, unless changed at once, would make it possible for Lupo to cut them off from their friends.

Although he had left his rifle at camp, as he stumbled out with sleep filling his eyes and dulling his brain, Farnum had his automatic swinging in the holster at his belt. Whipping it out, he shot three times in rapid succession.

At the sound, d.i.c.k and Art stared towards the island where Farnum, stepping into the open, was vigorously waving his hat to attract their attention. Lupo's men also set up a shout, as they churned the water racing to cut off their quarry.

"What is it?" cried Frank, first of the aroused camp to gain Farnum's side.

Then his glance took in the situation.

"Look here, those fellows might pick off Art and d.i.c.k before they can gain safety, even if they don't succeed in cutting them off," he said.

"Let's get our rifles, fellows, and open fire. A long shot, but they're coming closer."

"Anyway, it will make them draw in their horns," said Farnum. "Tell you what, you boys run and get the rifles, and Mr. Hampton and I will launch one of our canoes. We'll go out to help d.i.c.k and Art, if those fellows keep closing in on them."

The three boys sped away, nothing loath, but when they returned they found Farnum's plan unnecessary. As the two canoes had swept along, d.i.c.k, who was in the stern, suddenly had thrown down his paddle, and taken up his rifle, while Art had swung the canoe about with one dexterous stroke. d.i.c.k immediately had opened fire, and Art had followed suit.

The boys heard the shots as they ran down towards the sh.o.r.e. When they reached the sand they found Lupo's men already had faced about and were hurrying towards the mainland. One of their number evidently was. .h.i.t.

"Main good shootin' at long range a' so quick after paddlin'," commented MacDonald appreciatively.

Content with having beaten off their enemies, the two desisted, resumed their paddles and soon were within hailing distance. Greetings and congratulations were exchanged, and d.i.c.k and Art ran their canoe on sh.o.r.e. As soon as the first hubbub of exclamations died away, Mr.

Hampton led the way to the camp. MacDonald put the coffee pot on the fire and between draughts of the strong, hot liquid d.i.c.k told their story.

After leaving the previous camp, they had gone back to where they seen Lupo break camp and start on the back trail. The meaning of this move, they had discussed. It seemed to them folly to believe Lupo was relinquishing the chase. They believed he would suspect Mr. Hampton and Farnum would spy on him, and was merely trying to throw them off guard by creating the impression that he was abandoning the chase. Therefore, they had gone warily, convinced that at the end of a short withdrawal Lupo would call a halt and prepare to 'bout face.

This suspicion proved correct. Some two miles farther on they discerned the four canoes of the half-breed halted alongsh.o.r.e while Lupo harangued their occupants.

"We wanted to listen powerful bad to what he was a-sayin'," explained d.i.c.k. "But we couldn't get close enough. There wasn't much cover near 'em and we had to lay hid where the trees was thickest, quite a ways off. Art and I lay there, a-strainin' our ears but without any luck when suddenly somethin' happens. Most of 'em was on sh.o.r.e, listenin' to Lupo but in one canoe was one man a-huntin' around like he'd lost somethin'.

"What it was we never did know. But suddenly, this fellow shoves off with a shout to Lupo. Lupo answers like he was agreein'. So then this fellow comes a-paddlin' down stream like mad. As he goes by where we're a-layin' low, Art whispers to me: 'This is where Lupo turns his gang around. That's sure. Best thing we can do is to beat it back an' warn our crowd. An' my legs is tired. I'd like to let my arms work for me.

Let's go.'

"I nods, and without any more words we backed out and started down stream after that canoe. The fellow is goin' like mad, which means he ain't intendin' to go far. He's lost somethin' or other and thinks it may be floatin' on the water or, maybe is layin' on sh.o.r.e where he touched. Anyway, that's what we thought. We never did get to know. For after we'd made a bend in the stream and put some distance between Lupo and us, we decided it was no use runnin' any farther.

"'Here goes,' said Art. And he let fly over the Indian's head. That fellow didn't wait for more. He just jumped out of the canoe an' started swimmin' for the other sh.o.r.e. So then Art give me his rifle an' he swims out and brings in the canoe. Last we seen of that Indian he was streaking it back on the other bank. I got in and-well, here we are."

MacDonald, who had listened in silence, suddenly interrupted:

"How many men has Lupo got with him?"

"A dozen."

MacDonald looked at Mr. Hampton.

"You know why I want him," he said. "For murder. And then there's this raid on you. There are eight of us, includin' these husky young fellows of yours. Will you help me capture him an' his gang?"

Mr. Hampton looked thoughtful.

"But, MacDonald, what would you do with them? We can't turn aside from our own object long? We couldn't help you guard them. And you couldn't get twelve or thirteen men back to your Post single-handed, especially if any of them are wounded."

MacDonald's face fell.

"Guess you're right," he said. "But when I think o' that skunk-murderin'

the best pal a man ever had-well, I see red, that's all." His head sank to his clenched hands and he sat on a fallen tree, staring moodily at the ground between his feet.

"Certainly is a problem, Mr. Hampton," said Farnum, slowly. "If we don't do something, Lupo will continue to hang to our trail as we proceed, a constant danger."

"I know," said Mr. Hampton. "Let me think."

He, too, sat silent, staring meditatively at the ground.