“Grumbler and discontented one,” he said, “have your long legs grown weak at the knees because you are asked to carry a few pennyweights on your back?”—­the breed was resting his several hundred pounds pack upon a rock—­“Bah! it is nothing compared to the load of things you will have to carry and answer for when you have to appear before the Great Court, when the bolt has been drawn and you are launched into space through the prison trap-door, and your toes go jumpety-jumpety-jump.  Blockhead!”

“Parbleu, M’sieur Pepin, mais eet ees mooch dead would be more better than this, I tink it! Helas! how my heart eet does go for to break!  I would for to rest, Pepin, my ver’ dear frient.”

“Then rest, weak-kneed one, and be sure afterwards to come on.  It is good I did leave the good mother with the Croisettes down the river! Au revoir, pudding-head!”

Pepin held Antoine by the neck while he surveyed the slumbering forms of Little Running Crop-eared Dog and Black Bull Pup.

“Mais, they are beautiful children of the tepees,” he murmured.  “It would be easy to kill, but that would not be of the commandments.  ’He who lives by the sword shall perish by the sword.’  No; no man’s blood shall stain the hands of Pepin Quesnelle.  Ah! now I have it.  So!”

If the dwarf drew the line at killing, he was still as full of mischief as a human being could well be.  He had an impish turn of mind, and hastened to gratify the same.  He took the two rifles and at once proceeded to draw the charges, then with a smartness and lightness of touch that was surprising, he possessed himself of their sheath-knives.  He placed Antoine on its haunches between them, and threatened him with dire vengeance if he moved.  He himself clambered on to a rock over their heads, at the same time not forgetting to take a few stones in his pockets.  His eyes gleamed and rolled in his head, and he chuckled in a truly alarming fashion.  Then he dropped a stone on to the pit of Black Bull Pup’s stomach, and the other on to the head of the Crop-eared one.  Antoine watched the proceedings with much interest.

Black Bull Pup sat up and was about to remonstrate angrily with his comrade for having roused him so unceremoniously, when the latter also raised himself full of the same matter.

Their eyes fairly started from their heads and they were nearly paralysed with horror when they beheld a huge bear sitting within a few feet of them.  It must be a very ogre of a bear when it could sit there so calmly waiting for them to awake before beginning operations.  Pepin, unseen on the rock above them, fairly doubled himself up with delight.  But they were both Indians who had borne themselves with credit in former encounters with bears, so, snatching up their rifles, they both fired at Antoine at the same moment with a touching and supreme disregard to the other’s proximity.  Antoine seemed interested.  There were two flashes in the pan, and two hearts sank simultaneously.  They searched for their knives in vain.  Antoine appeared amused and looked encouragement.  It was a very nightmare to the two warriors.  Then, from the rock over their heads, they heard a deep bass voice of such volume that it sounded like half-a-dozen ordinary voices rolled into one.