"I wanted him to set the law a-going, but he won't do it," said Elam. "I'll just set it to going myself."
The young hunter walked off and directed his course toward the sutler's store. He knew it was the sutler's store, for when he was loitering about the fort he had seen the sutler come in from the stockade with a rifle in his hands, and sell a plug of tobacco to one of the teamsters. He found the store empty and the sutler leaning against the counter with his arms folded. The latter recognized Elam at once, for he had seen him come in on that wounded horse.
"Halloa," he exclaimed. "You have got your wound fixed all right. Did you have a long race with them?"
Elam in a few words described his adventures, running his eye over the goods the sutler had to sell, and wound up by telling of the furs he had lost.
"I have got a good many skins," said he, "and I see some things here that I should like to have, but I aint got them now."
"How is that? I don't understand you."
"Well, you see, I have done right smart of trapping and shooting since I have been out, but while I was gathering up my traps some fellows came to my shanty and stole everything I had," said Elam.
"That's bad," said the sutler; and he really thought it was, for no doubt he had lost an opportunity to make some good bargains.
"Yes, and they are coming to this post now, those two fellows are, to sell those furs," continued Elam earnestly.
"Ah!" exclaimed the sutler, in a very different tone of voice.