"I've heard from Tim's Place two or three times this winter," said Levi, "an' neither Pete nor old McGuire has been seen or heard on since early last fall. Pete got thar all safe, but vowed revenge on McGuire, as Martin and I found, when we went out. He stayed round a week or so, I heard later, and then started for his cabin on the Fox Hole, 'n' since then hain't never been seen or heard of by nobody. Tim an' Mike went over to his cabin 'long in the winter, but no signs of him was found, or even of his bein' thar since snow came. McGuire also seems to hev dropped out o' business and ain't been heard on since in the summer. We've expected him all winter at the lumber camp, but he didn't show up." "We've seen him," put in Old Cy, flashing a smile at Ray, "leastwise I callated 'twas him, though I never let on to that effect. He was trappin' over beyond a big swamp last fall, 'n' he paid us a visit, stole a half-dozen o' our catches 'n' left his trade-mark on our canoe." And then Old Cy told the story of their adventure, omitting, however, any reference to the supposed cave. "It's curis what has become o' him," Levi said, when the tale was told, "and our camp crowd all believe that thar's been foul play, with Pete at the bottom on't. Nobody's shed any tears, though, an' I'm thinkin' the woods is well rid o' him. He's been a terror to everybody long enough." Much more of this backwoods gossip and change of experience filled in the evening, and next morning Old Cy gave Ray a word of caution. "I kept whist 'bout our findin' what we callated was a cave," he said, "an' I want you to. This matter o' McGuire and the half-breed ain't blowed over yit, an' we don't want to git mixed up in it. Ez fer the cave, if we 'lowed we found one, the folks at Tim's Place 'ud go huntin' fer it, sure, 'n' I've my reasons for not wantin' they should go. So mum's the word to Levi 'bout it." Levi's arrival, however, changed their plans, for he at once offered to convoy Ray out of the woods, thus relieving Old Cy, and three days later these two, with well-laden canoes, started on the out-going journey. It was not without incident, for when the main stream was reached, it was dotted with floating logs and the red-shirted drivers with the bateaux and spike shoes were in evidence. A monster jam was met at the first rapid, the bags of gum nuts, bundles of firs, and canoes had to be carried around it, and when Tim's Place was reached, a score of the good-natured woodsmen were in possession. Levi discreetly avoided all questions as to what Tim knew of Chip, her father, or the half-breed. Ray's lips were also sealed, and so both escaped much questioning. Here, also, they learned what both had guessed--that McGuire and Pete had either left the wilderness or had perished that winter. Where and how, if such was the case, no one seemed to know or care, and a close observer would have said that every one at Tim's Place hoped that these two outlaws had met their fate.