Indian's band, but their search had revealed nothing to arouse their
fears. As mysterious and unaccountable as the fact seemed, there
was no doubt that the old cabin was a retreat known only to Woonga
himself, and as the four sat in the warm glow of the fire, eating and
drinking, the whole adventure was gone over again and again until
there seemed no part of it left in doubt. Minnetaki described her
capture and explained the slowness of their flight after the massacre.
Woonga was ill and had refused to move far from the scene of the
slaughter until he had fully regained his strength.

"But why did Woonga kill the Indian back on the trail?" asked Rod.

Minnetaki shuddered as she thought of the terrible scene that had been
enacted before her eyes.

"I heard them quarreling," she said, "but I couldn't understand. I
know that it was about me. We had gone but a short distance after the
sledges separated when Woonga, who was ahead of me, turned about and
shot the other in the breast. It was terrible! And then he drove on as
coolly as though nothing had happened."

"I'm curious to know how he used the bear's feet," exclaimed Rod.

"They were huge pads into which he slipped his feet, moccasins and
all," explained Minnetaki. "He told me that the dogs would go on to
Kenegami House, and that if pursuers followed us they would follow the
sledge trail and never give a thought to the bear tracks."

Mukoki chuckled deep down in his throat.