"Don't squeeze my arm like that, Baylay," he said, hastily; "you may not mean to hurt but all the same you do. Tell me, is Kinney tongue-tied, so that he can't say a word?"
"That's what he is, mister; but the dearest little cub as ever was born!
Does you mean to tell me ye seen him?" cried Baylay.
"Kinney's safe and sound, Baylay, and I guess that's the best news you ever had," Phil hastened to say, for he saw that the man was suffering tortures in his hopes and fears.
With that the giant gave a sigh that must have welled up from his heart.
"Is he here with ye, mister?" he managed to ask, tremulously.
"He's sound asleep in our shack here," said Phil; "we ran on him in the woods. He had gone out hunting, with his little popgun. When he found himself lost and getting very cold the brave little chap tried the best he knew how to start a fire, but the deep snow kept him from finding the right sort of kindling. He had given up when we ran across him, attracted by his moaning. But we came up just in time."
"Take me to him, mister, _please_ take me to him. I can't believe it 'less I see him, and 'less I feel him. I sure thought he was gone away from us forever. And my heart is ahungerin' for Kinney. We got other kids, but there be only one Kinney!"
Phil could not resist. He knew the big logger would have rushed into the shack anyway, even if he had declined to wake the others up.
"Wait here, and I'll fetch the boy," he said.
First he threw on some more wood, so that the fire would start afresh.
Then, entering he bent over each of his comrades, saying:
"Wake up, and come out; he's here!"
As Lub started to crawl from under his blanket Phil reached over and picking up the now wideawake little lad he said close to his ear:
"Daddy's come for you, Kinney; he's outside here waiting to hug you!"
They all came tumbling out in a bunch, eager to witness the meeting between their little ward and his terrible father.
When Lub saw the man fiercely hugging the little mite, with the child's arms pressed around his neck, he stood there staring, and Phil heard him say to himself wonderingly:
"And they call that big-hearted man the _Terrible_ Baylay, do they?
Well, I guess after all he's only a bluff, and just the same as any other fellow. Why, honest to goodness I do believe there are real tears rolling down his cheeks right now."
But Phil knew it was the power of love making this giant as a child.
"You must stay the rest of the night with us," he told the giant, "and in the morning some of us will go with you to your cabin. We want to meet the mother of the boy, because we've got something to propose that will be a blessing to you and to Kinney."
At first Baylay wanted to carry the good news to the mother. But Phil told him he must consider the boy.
Then Baylay thought of going alone to take the joyful tidings to the grieving heart in that lonely cabin; but he lacked the nerve to tear himself away from the little chap whose arms were about his big neck and whose kisses were pressing on his bearded cheek.
Consequently he finally agreed to remain, and since sleep would doubtless refuse to come to any of them during the balance of that eventful night they sat there by the fire and talked.
Phil believed he knew of a plan whereby a certain cherished scheme of his own could be put through, with Baylay as the manager of the farm on which Phil meant to try and breed the valuable silver black foxes, with their pelts worth fortunes.
He even mentioned this to the former guide, trapper, and logger, and discovering that Baylay was fully posted as to every detail, Phil made a proposition to him, which was joyfully accepted.
When morning came Lub had plenty of assistance in getting a hurried breakfast, and that finished they prepared to start forth.
However, in due time the whole party managed to reach the isolated cabin where Anson Baylay lived.
When they saw little Kinney safe in the arms of his mother, who was almost wild with joy, it was noticeable how each of the boys found it necessary to turn aside and wink violently as they pretended to be looking at something which had suddenly attracted their attention.
As they sat at the homely table in that cabin and the face of the poacher's happy wife beamed with smiles, Phil gently took up the other subject.
When those parents learned that there was a strong possibility of an operation giving their afflicted child the blessed power of speech; and that these splendid boys offered to stand all the expense, taking Kinney and his mother with them to Montreal for the occasion, they could not find words to express the deep gratitude that filled their hearts.
So it was settled, and when the time came for the Mountain Boys to depart the Baylay family would go with them to civilization, where Anson could keep in touch with his new employer from time to time. Then the mother and Kinney would accompany Phil and his chums as far as Montreal.
Phil managed to get his striking picture of a great bull moose; and Ethan on his part shot the monster later on, so that he could have the horns as a trophy of his skill.
They no longer saw Mr. James Bodman and his party, as the Saguenay River country had become too unpleasant for them.
Finally Tammis McNab came with his sledge and ponies. It was crowding matters to take them all, but he landed them safely at the town, where they could be transported to the St. Lawrence.
In due time the boys arrived in Montreal with Mrs. Baylay and Kinney. A famous surgeon told them there would be no difficulty whatever in performing a successful operation; and that inside of a few months no one would ever know the child had had any difficulty in enunciating.
"Well," said Lub, when with his three chums he made himself comfortable in the Pullman car at the Montreal station, and were about to enter upon the last lap of the homeward journey; "I kind of think this has been the most remarkable of all our trips. And I wonder where the next one will take us."
"Nobody can say just now," laughed Phil. "Our vacation is near an end, and we'll soon be hard at work again; but no matter where the Mountain Boys go they know how to take care of themselves."
In this happy mood, then, did Phil and his chums go back to their homes in Brewster, satisfied that they had a glorious time during their snow-shoe trip to the wilds of Canada, and not regretting for a single minute they had undertaken the long journey.
It was to be expected that the Mountain Boys would enjoy other outings of a similar character; and the author only hopes it will be his pleasing duty to chronicle their doings for the benefit of the many young friends who have followed their fortunes through the pages of this and the preceding books of the series.
THE END