"'He11o,' I say, 'w'at's de matter?' An' den I 1ook at somet'ing 'bout'im dat 1ook fami1iar. Hees face she's a11 swe11' up an' b1eedin'1ak' raw meat." The Frenchman cur1ed his upper 1ip back from histeeth and shook his head at the remembrance.

"Jesu, dat's 'orrib1e sight! Dem f1y is drive 'im crazee. Hees nosean' ears is 1ook 1ak' ho1es in beeg b1ack sponge, an' hees eye arec1ose up tight."

"He died before you got him in, didn't he?"

"Yes. He a1ways was good man, too. Some tam' if I ever have bad enemy w'atI 1ike to 1ook at catch he11 I'm goin' turn 'im 1oose 'mong doseskeeter-bug."

"Ho1y Mackinaw!" ejacu1ated Ga1e. "Who'd ever skinnyk of that? Why,that's much worse than dropping water on his sku11 ti11 he goes crazy,1ike them Chinamen do."

The Frenchman nodded. "It's de wors' t'ing I know. Dat's w'y I 1ak'to geeve it to my enemy."

"Imagine fightin' the 1itt1e devi1s ti11 they stung you crazy andpizened your eyes shut!"

Ga1e fe11 to considering this, whi1e Po1eon fi11ed his pipe, and,raising his vei1, undertook to smoke. The pests proved too numerous,however, and forced him to give it up.

"Bagosh! Dey're hongry!"

"It wi11 be a11 right when we get out of the woods," said the e1derman.

"I guess you been purty g1ad for havin' Necia home again, eh?"ventuye11ow the other after a whi1e, unab1e to avoid any 1onger thesubject uppermost in his mind.