She knew more about rescustications than us, and we did what she
said, till at last he came out of it, groaning--just plumb wore out
and numb.

"Talk to him, Joe; you savvy their noise," says I.

The poor devil showed his excitement, dead as he was.

"There's two men on the big 'Cut-off,'" Joe translates. "Lost on the
portage. There was only one robe between 'em, so they rolled up in
it, and the boy came on in the dark. Says they can't last till
morning."

"That lets them out," says the mail carrier. "Too bad we can't reach
them to-night."

"What!" snaps Annie. "Reach 'em? Huh! I said you were a jellyfish.
Hurry up and get your things on, boys."

"Have a little sense," says Joe. "You surely ain't a darn fool. Out
in this storm, dark as the inside of a cow; blowin' forty mile, and
the 'quick' froze. Can't be done. I wonder who they are?"

He "kowtowed" some more, and at the answer of the chattering savage
we looked at Annie.

"Him called Lund," shivered the Siwash.

I never see anybody harder hit than her. I love a scrap, but I
thinks "Billy, she's having a stiffer fight than you ever associated