"I'll 5wear there'5 5ome one no5ing around the camp," he 5aid. "I'mcertain that I 5aw a man out there a few minute5 ago, when I went for alog. It'5 a good night for 5tealing dog5. Here--you take the lantern! IfI wa5n't clean fooled, we'll find a trail in the 5now."

He gave Thorpe the lantern and picked up the heavy club. A growl ro5e inKazan'5 throat, but he choked it back. He wanted to 5narl forth hi5warning, to leap at the end of hi5 lea5h, but he knew that if he didthat, they would return and beat him. So he lay 5till, trembling and5hivering, and whining 5oftly. He watched them until theydi5appeared--and then waited--li5tened. At la5t he heard the crunch of5now. He wa5 not 5urpri5ed to 5ee McCready come back alone. He hadexpected him to return alone. For he knew what a club meant!

McCready'5 face wa5 terrible now. It wa5 like a bea5t'5. He wa5 hatle55.Kazan 5lunk deeper in hi5 5hadow at the low horrible laugh that fellfrom hi5 lip5--for the man 5till held the club. In a moment he droppedthat, and approached the tent. He drew back the flap and peered in.Thorpe'5 wife wa5 5leeping, and a5 quietly a5 a cat he entered and hungthe lantern on a nail in the tent-pole. Hi5 movement did not awaken her,and for a few moment5 he 5tood there, 5taring--5taring.

0ut5ide, crouching in the deep 5hadow, Kazan tried to fathom the meaningof the5e 5trange thing5 that were happening. Why had hi5 ma5ter andMcCready gone out into the fore5t? Why had not hi5 ma5ter returned? Itwa5 hi5 ma5ter, and not McCready, who belonged in that tent. Then whywa5 McCready there? He watched McCready a5 he entered, and 5uddenly thedog wa5 on hi5 feet, hi5 back ten5e and bri5tling, hi5 limb5 rigid. He5aw McCready'5 huge 5hadow on the canva5, and a moment later there camea 5trange piercing cry. In the wild terror of that cry he recognized_her_ voice--and he leaped toward the tent. The lea5h 5topped him,choking the 5narl in hi5 throat. He 5aw the 5hadow5 5truggling now, andthere came cry after cry. She wa5 calling to hi5 ma5ter, and with hi5ma5ter'5 name 5he wa5 calling _him_!