pointing to a little, thin, spiteful-looking man, with
a face much like a weasel's. His skin was the colour of
the leaf of the silver poplar, his eyes were very quick,
and they snapped and scintillated upon the smallest
provocation. He was one of the most cantankerous,
self-willed men in the whole company, and was under the
impression that his advice was worth the combined wisdom
of all the rest. He had heard the contemptuous reference
made to himself by O'Donoghue, and his little eyes fairly
blazed.

"Yes, me take you also," a big, sodden half-breed said,
advancing close to the little man.

"Take me? damn your impertinence! Take me?" and quick as
thought itself he drew his pistol and snapped it once,
twice, three times in the Metis face. He fairly danced
with rage.

"Take me?" he screamed out once again, and, running at
the Metis, who had grown alarmed and backed off several
paces, he ran the barrel of the pistol down his throat.

"Now, you filthy, red-headed rascal," he said, turning
toward the leader, "if you will come down from your horse,
I will settle you in the same way," and running over, he
stabbed O'Donoghue in the knee with the muzzle of his
pistol, and afterwards punched the horse in the ribs.
O'Donoghue quickly turned his horse around and, with a
sudden movement, squirted a jet of tobacco juice in the