"A question sure to be asked, and therefore one I may as well put: Any special reason for changing a commercial life for an agricultural one?" "N—o; except that I was not getting on as well as I should have liked, and so determined to make an entire change." Puffey noticed that this last answer was not given quite so promptly as the replies to his other questions had been, from which fact he was not slow to draw his own conclusions. It suited his purpose to induce the belief in Fellows’ mind, that the mounted police presented a good opening for the employment of his abilities; but that it was an opinion likely to find support in official quarters, should application be made for an appointment, was a matter of no moment to him whatever. Quitting the track, by which the small towns along the line of the railway were usually reached, he started to return by a cross-cut over the open prairie with which he was familiar, in the hope that by so doing he might possibly come across farm-hands from whom something further could be learned. He had not proceeded far, before he saw three men seated beneath the shade of a sheltering clump of trees bordering a small stream not above three to four feet deep, and therefore easily fordable. The spot selected was a small hollow, thickly covered with that short crisp variety of grass known as "buffalo grass," on which they were now resting after partaking of the usual midday meal. Riding up to where they were seated, he saluted them with— "Good-day, comrades! Do you remember me?" "No fear, Puffey, after once seen." "You were with us at the capture of Red Dick, I think?" "Two of us were." "Ah, I have just been over and seen Fellows, to thank him, and all who were with him, for the excellent help rendered to the police on that occasion." "What will be done with the prisoner?" "That will be decided at Quebec." "Have they sent him there?" "Yes." "Then he has not much chance left." "Well, we shall see." "You say you saw Fellows?" the men inquired. "Yes; he’s a smart chap, and I have been trying to persuade him to join our force." "What next? Is he inclined to do it?" "I can’t say yet. He has promised to think the matter over, which is all I could expect at first." "And I hope it will end there; he’s too good a pal to lose." "Do you know much about him then? Has he been here long?" "Not many months, but he is good company, plenty to talk about, and inclined to be sociable." "Does he bear a good character?" "We know nothing about him before he came here, but we have never heard a word against him since he has been amongst us." Evidently there was nothing to be gained by pursuing this conversation, so shortly after he wished them "Good day," and rode off. On the whole, he felt satisfied with the result of his inquiries. He had not added much that was new, but what he had heard tended to confirm that which was already known.