Three Boys in the Wild North Land

By Egerton Ryerson Young________________________________________________________________________

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THREE BOYS IN THE WILD NORTH LAND

BY EGERTON RYERSON YOUNG

CHAPTER ONE. 

WELCOME TO SAGASTA-WEEKEE--MR. ROSS, THEIR HOST--THE THREE BOYS--FRANK, ALEC, SAM--THE "PRINCE ARTHUR"--THE VOYAGE--THE ESQUIMAUX--ARRIVAL ATYORK FACTORY. 

"Welcome to this Wild North Land! welcome to our happy home in the Landof the North Wind! Welcome, thrice welcome, all and each one of you!"

Thus excitedly and rapidly did Mr Ross address a trio of sunburnt, happy boys, who, with all the assurance of a joyous welcome, had burstin upon him in his comfortable, well-built home, or "hunting lodge, " ashe preferred to call it, on the banks of the Nelson River. This cozybut isolated home was situated some hundreds of miles up in the interiorof the country from York Factory, on the Hudson Bay. 

Mr Ross had named his house "Sa-gas-ta-wee-kee, " a beautiful Indianword which literally means a house full of sunshine. Mr Ross had spentmany years as an official in the Hudson Bay Company's service, as hadhis father before him. A few years before this, being possessed ofabundance of means, he had retired from active work in the great fur-trading company. He had tried to settle down in an older, civilisedland, but had found it impossible to content himself away from thoseregions where he had spent the best years of his life. His wife andfamily were of the same mind, and so, after some years of travel invarious lands, they returned to this northern country where they hadspent so many happy years. 

Every year or so Mr Ross with some members of his family was in thehabit of visiting what he loved to call the mother country. So full washis life of varied and startling adventures, that he was often asked togive addresses on some of the fascinating experiences, through which hehad passed. 

Among the crowds who listened to him with intense interest, as he gave aseries of addresses in one of the great historic schools in the homeland, were the three boys who are to be the heroes of this book. Although they were from different families and nationalities, yet theywere congenial spirits, and were equally filled with the love of sportand spirit of exciting adventure. 

For such boys Mr Ross's addresses about the Indians, the wild animals, and the excitements of the hunt had the greatest fascination. With MrRoss they had become personally acquainted, and had induced him to visittheir different towns, where he lectured, and to be the guest at theirhomes, where his delightful stories had charmed every member of theirhouseholds. 

In some way or other they had persuaded their parents to consent totheir spending a year or so in the wilds of the northern part of thegreat Dominion of Canada under the guidance of Mr Ross, who mostimportunately pleaded for this arrangement on behalf of the boys. As itwas impossible for them to return with Mr Ross on account of theirstudies, several months passed away ere it was possible for them tobegin their journey; so he had returned alone to his home, and had madeall preparations for entertaining them as members of his household foran indefinite period. 

Letters had been sent on in advance notifying Mr Ross of the probabletime of the arrival of the boys. But, as often happened in that wildcountry, where there was no postal service, the letters never arrived, and so the first intimation Mr Ross had of the coming of the boys wastheir bursting in upon him. Abrupt as was their coming, of course theywere welcome. In all new lands there is an open-hearted hospitalitythat is very delightful, and this was emphatically so in the vast lonelyregion of the Hudson Bay Territory, where the white men in those dayswere so few and so widely scattered apart from each other. 

And now that they are snugly ensconced in the home of their good friendMr Ross and his hospitable family, ere we begin to describe their manysports and adventures let us find out something about our heroes, andhave them describe some of the exciting incidents of the long trip whichthey had already made on their journey to this Wild North Land. 

Frank, the eldest of the three, was the son of a Liverpool banker. Hisfriends had vainly tried to divert his mind from wild adventure andexciting sports, and persuade him to settle down to steady routineoffice work. Failing in this, they had listened to Mr Ross's pleadingson his behalf, and had commented to let him have the year in the WildNorth Land, hoping that its trials and hardships would effectually curehim of his love of adventure and cause him to cheerfully settle down athis father's business. 

Alec was from Scotland, a genuine son of "the mountain and the flood. "While a good student when at school, yet, when at home on his holidays, his highest joy had ever been under the guidance of the faithful oldgillie to follow on the trail of the mountain deer. For a wider fieldthan that offered by his native Highlands he had been so longing thathis friends yielded to his importunities, and so now here he is with hiscomrades, full of eager anticipations. 

Sam was from what his mother used to call "dear, dirty Dublin. " He wasfull of life and fun; a jolly Irish boy of the finest type. Storms andprivations might at times depress the spirits of the others; but Sam, true to his nationality, never lost his spirits or his good nature. Sorapid had been his progress in his studies that he had pushed himselfbeyond his years, and so even his tutors had joined in his request thathe should have the year off, which, spent in the invigorating air andhealthful adventures in the Wild North Land, would doubtless be ablessing to both mind and body:

In the good ship _Prince Arthur_, of the Hudson Bay Company, our threeyoung adventurers set sail in the month of May from the London docks. They met with no adventures worth recording until after they had leftthe Orkney Islands, where they had called for their last consignment ofsupplies and the latest mails. Here they also shipped some hardy Orkneymen and Highlanders, who were going out in the employment of the HudsonBay Company. 

The _Prince Arthur_ was a stanch sailing vessel, built especially forthe Hudson Bay Company's trade. She was employed in carrying out tothat country the outfit of goods required in the great fur trade. Herreturn cargoes were the valuable furs obtained in barter from theIndians. Her port was York Factory, on the western side of the HudsonBay. Here her cargo was discharged and carried by scores of inlandboats and canoes to the various trading posts in the different parts ofthat great country, which is larger than the whole continent of Europe. 

So remote were some of those posts from the seaboard, and so difficultand slow were the methods of transporting the goods, that several yearspassed ere the fur secured from them reached the London markets, towhich they were all consigned and where they were carried each year inthe company's ships. 

Although the _Prince Arthur_ was far from being a first-class passengership, yet she was a good, seaworthy vessel, with plenty of room for thefew passengers who travelled by her each year. These were principallygentlemen of the Hudson Bay Company's service and their friends, ormissionaries going out or returning home. 

Letters from influential friends secured for our three boys theconsiderate attention of the captain and the ship's officers, and theirown bright ways won the friendship of all the sailors on board. On thewhole they had a glorious passage. Some fogs at times perplexed them, and a few enormous icebergs were so near that careful tacking wasrequired, to prevent accidents. The boys were filled with admiration atthese great mountains of ice; some of them seemed like great islands, while others more closely resembled glorious cathedrals built in marbleand emerald. At times, as the western sun shone upon them, they seemedto take on in parts every colour of the rainbow. With intense interestwere they watched as they slowly drifted beyond the southern horizon. 

One of the most exciting incidents of the journey was a battle between agreat whale and a couple of swordfish. The unwieldy monster seemed tobe no match for his nimble antagonists. His sole weapon seemed to behis enormous tail; but vain were his efforts to strike his quickerenemies. As far as could be judged from the deck of the ship, theswordfish were masters of the situation, and the blood-stained watersseemed to indicate that the battle would soon be over. 

In the southern part of Davis Strait they encountered great fields offloating ice, on which were many herds of seals. The captain had theship hove to and three boats lowered. In each one he permitted one ofthe boys to go with the sailors on this seal-hunting expedition. Theseals, which are so very active in water, where they can swim with suchgrace and rapidity, are very helpless on land or ice, and so largenumbers were killed by the sailors. While the boys were excited withthe sport, they could not but feel sorry for the poor, helplesscreatures as they looked at them out of their great eyes that seemedalmost human. Some hundreds of skins were secured, much to the delightof the captain and crew, as the profit coming to them from their salewould be no inconsiderable item. 

At the mouth of Hudson Strait the captain again had the ship hove to fora day or so to trade with a number of Esquimaux, who had come in theircurious canoes, called kayaks, from along the coasts of Labrador. Theirinsatiable curiosity and peculiar fur clothing very much interested theboys. These Esquimaux were shrewd hands at a bargain, but theirprincipal desire seemed to be to obtain implements of iron in exchangefor their furs. They cared nothing for flour, rice, tea, coffee, orsugar. They knew no other food than meat and oil, and so craved noother things than those that could be utilised in improving theirweapons. Guns were unknown among them, but they were very skillful inthe use of the harpoon and the spear. When they are able to secure ironfrom the white man they make their harpoon heads, spears, and knives outof this metal, but when unable to secure it they manufacture theirweapons out of the horns of the reindeer or the tusks of the walrus ornarwhal. 

They had among their other furs some splendid bear skins, and the boyswere very much interested in hearing them tell through an interpreterhow they, with their rude weapons, aided by their clever dogs, had beenable to kill these fierce animals. All were very much delighted whentold by these friendly Esquimaux how that with two well-trained dogsnipping at the hind legs of a great bear they could keep him turninground and round from one to the other and thus get him so wild andexcited that in his efforts to catch hold of the nimble animals, whichwere able to keep out of his grasp, he did not notice the arrival of thehunters, who were able to approach so closely that they could easilykill him. 

The ship crossed the great Hudson Bay, which is about six hundred milesin width, without any mishap, and safely dropped anchor in what theHudson Bay officers call "the six fathom hole, " some distance out fromthe rude primitive wharf. The signal gun was fired, and soon a brigadeof boats came out, and the work of unloading the cargo began. 

Our boys, eager as they were to land, were sorry after all to leavetheir snug berths in the good ship, where they had had some verydelightful times during the thirty days that had elapsed since they hadleft the docks in old England. 

A few gifts were bestowed among their particular sailor friends, andthen, with the "God bless you" from all; they entered a small boat rowedby Indians, and were soon on the land that skirts this great inland sea. Great indeed was the change which they saw between the populous citiesof the home land and this quiet, lonely region upon whose shores theyhad now landed. 

Here the only inhabitants were the fur traders, with their employees, and the dignified, stoical Indians. The only signs of habitations werethe few civilised dwellings, called in courtesy the fort, where dweltand traded the officers and their families and servants of the greatfur-trading company, and not very far off was the Indian village of thenatives, where the most conspicuous buildings were the church andparsonage of the missionary, who had been marvellously successful inplanting the cross in these northern regions, and in winning from adegrading superstition, to the blessings of Christianity, some hundredsof these red men, whose consistent lives showed the genuineness of thework wrought among them. 

This great region, stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific, farnorth of the fertile prairie region where millions will yet find happyand prosperous homes, has well been called "The Wild North Land. " TheIndians call it Keewatin, "The Land of the North Wind. "

It has not many attractions for the farmer or merchantman, but it is thecongenial home of the red man. On its innumerable lakes and broadrivers he glides along during the few bright summer months in his lightcanoe. Every waterfall or cataract has associated with it some legendor tradition. Its dense forests are the haunts of the bear and wolf, ofthe moose and reindeer, and many other valuable animals, in theexcitement of hunting which he finds his chief delight. 

To this land had come our three lads for sport and adventure, and weshall see how fully all their expectations were realised. 

Three Boys in the Wild North Land--Egerton Ryerson Young

CHAPTER TWO. 

HUDSON BAY COMPANY--FRANK'S CANOE MISHAP--DUCK SHOOTING--CLEVER KOONA--GOOSE HUNTING--QUEER BATTLES. 

As our boys had come out to this great country for wild adventure andexciting sport, they were rather pleased than otherwise at the contrastit thus presented in comparison with the lands they had left behind. The fact was, they were simply delighted with the absence of themultitude, to whom they had been so accustomed, and were at once filledwith high expectations. Sam's explanation seemed to be the sentiment ofthem all when he exclaimed, "Sure if there are so few people in thecountry, there will be the more bears and wolves for us all to kill!"

The work of unloading the ship was necessarily slow, and so some dayswould elapse ere a brigade of boats could be prepared to take the firstcargo to Fort Garry, on the Red River. The boys had been most cordiallywelcomed by Mr McTavish, the principal officer in charge at the fort, and by him they were all entertained most hospitably at his home. 

Mr McTavish was an old sportsman himself, as nearly all the Hudson BayCompany's officials are; and so, as soon as the boys had made theacquaintance, as they call it, of their land legs; after the heaving androlling of the vessel, he had an old clever Indian hunter clean up someguns and take the boys out in the birch canoe on their first wildhunting expedition. This first excursion was not to be a veryformidable one; it was only a canoe trip several miles up the coast, toa place where the wild ducks and geese were numerous. Like all whitepeople, on their first introduction to the birch canoe, they thought ita frail, cranky boat, and were quite disgusted with it, and some of thetricks it played upon them, on some of their first attempts to manageit. For example, Frank, who prided himself on his ability in pulling anoar, and in managing the ordinary small skiffs or punts on his nativewaters, seeing the light, buoyant canoe at the side of the littlelaunch, boldly sprang into it, as he would into an ordinary boat of itssize in the Mersey. 

To his utter amazement, and the amusement of the others he suddenlyfound himself overbalanced and struggling in the waves on the otherside. Fortunately, the water was not more than four feet deep, and he, being a good swimmer, was soon up and at once gave chase for the canoe, which had now floated out several yards from the shore. In this he wasencouraged by the laughter and shouts of his comrades and others, who, seeing that no harm had come to him from his sudden spill out of thelight boat, were eager to observe how he would ultimately succeed. 

Quickly did he catch up to the boat; but, instead of listening to theIndian, who, in broken English, tried to tell him to get in over the endof the canoe, he seized it by the side, and there attempted to climb in. Vain were his efforts. Very skillful indeed is the Indian who can inthis manner get into a birch-bark canoe, and of course it is out of thequestion to expect an inexperienced white person to accomplish the feat. So light is the canoe, that, when thus seized hold of, it yields to theslightest pull, and often causes the person who thus takes hold of it totumble over ignominiously in the water. 

Poor Frank was disgusted but not conquered, and so, amid the laughter ofthose on shore, he now listened to the advice and direction of the wiseold Indian, who was the only one in the company who had not even smiledat the boy's mishap. At the Indian's advice he again caught hold of thecanoe, but this time by the end, and carefully bearing his weight uponit he was at length enabled to work himself into it. Cautiouslybalancing himself, and seizing a paddle that happened to have beenfastened in it, he paddled himself ashore amid the cheers of theonlookers. 

"Well done, Frank!" said the old Indian. 

He had done what some take months to accomplish. He had conquered thecanoe in his first attempt, and never after in his many adventures washe afraid of that bonny craft, in which he spent many happy hours, andin the paddling of which, he became the equal of many a clever Indian. 

Of course, there was some delay in the departure of the hunting party, as Frank had to return to his quarters at the Post and get on a dry suitof clothing. This is, however, an operation that does not take a boyfull of eager excitement long to accomplish, and so it was not manyminutes ere the party set off on their promised excursion. 

The Indian decided that they should first go where the ducks werenumerous, and to interest these young English lads they adopted a methodof hunting them that was most novel and successful. Indeed, it is avery rare method which was here successfully tried, on account of thedifficulty of getting a dog so trained as to correctly act his part. But this old native, whose name was Ooseemeemou, had by great patienceand kindness so drilled his clever dog that he acted his part withextraordinary cleverness and tact. He called the little fellow Koona, which is the Cree for "snow, " and was very appropriate, as the animalwas of the purest white. 

Taking the dog into the canoe with them, and giving all necessarydirections, they soon were gliding along the coast of the great bay. Numerous flocks of ducks flew over their heads; and far away in thedistance the water seemed almost alive with the numbers of them on thedancing, sparkling waves. This latter sight seemed to be what the oldhunter was looking for, and so the canoe was quickly paddled ashore andcarried up on the beach. There he carefully guided the party along. They had to cautiously creep behind some low, dense willow bushes thatgrew on the shore, with only a broad fringe of white sand between themand the waters. 

Each boy, with his gun and ammunition, was now assigned his post behinda clump of bushes and given his final instructions. They were full ofexcitement and curiosity, and wondered how it was going to be possiblefor them to reach with ordinary guns the ducks, which were carelesslyswimming in multitudes some hundreds of yards out from the shore. Butthey had not long to wait or conjecture. When the old Indian had seenthat all were in their right places he gave a low whistle, which wasmore like the call of a sea bird than a human voice. So natural was itto a bird call that no bird around was startled by it; but the well-trained Koona, who had been left by the boat, fully knew its meaning, and now began his sagacious work. Like a little white arctic fox hewas, and like one be began his antics on the shore. He frisked anddanced around along the sand playing all sorts of antics. He walked onhis hind feet, turned somersaults in quick succession, and acted asthough possessed with perpetual motion, but not one yelp or bark or anysound did he utter. 

A stranger would have imagined that his appearance and actions wouldhave driven all the ducks that were near enough to the shore to observehim and his antics farther out to sea. But just the reverse happened. A spirit of curiosity seemed to possess those nearest the shore, and asthey began to swim in closer and closer, their movements influencedthose farther out, until hundreds of splendid ducks were soon swimmingnearer and nearer the sandy beach, on which the cunning dog kept up hisunceasing and varied movements. At first he had kept at some distancefrom the sands, back of which grew the clumps of willows behind whichthe hunters were hidden; but when he saw that his manoeuvres hadattracted the ducks near the shore, he gradually worked down the sandybeach until he had them fairly opposite the muzzles of the guns. 

A low bird cry from his master was the signal for his change of tactics, and with loud, yelping, fox-like barking he sprang into the waves. 

The ducks, thus suddenly alarmed, instantly rose up in hundreds, and thesimultaneous reports of the guns rang out, and between thirty and fortyducks, dead and wounded, fell back into the waters. Our hunters, boththe Indian and the three boys, sprang from their hiding places, and withKoona's aid secured their splendid bag of game. This was rare sport forthe boys, and gave them so much delight that old Ooseemeemou decided topostpone the goose hunt until the next day, and give the boys anotheropportunity of seeing the sagacity of Koona, the clever little dog thathad contributed so much to the success of the expedition. 

They returned to their places, and were told to keep as much hidden aspossible, as the ducks, now alarmed by the reports of the guns, and thedeath and wounding of so many of their numbers, would be shy andexcited; and would keep flying around for some time ere they would againalight. Koona in the meantime had curled himself up like a ball ofwhite wool, and was also quite hidden from the sight of the flyingducks. 

In about half an hour the ducks began to alight again in the water. They were very alert and watchful, and seemed resolved not to be againso easily caught napping. But ducks are silly things and are easilydeceived, or have very short memories. Anyway it was the case withthese. When a goodly number of them were again seen swimming about, apeculiar sound like the cry of a sea gull was heard, and soon Koona wasobserved moving very cautiously out to a little point on the sandybeach, just in front of the clump of bushes behind which his master washidden. Here he curled himself up into a little white bundle andremained perfectly still. Soon after the boys were startled by thesounds of the loud quacking of ducks over the very place where Koona layso still and quiet. At first they were very much surprised at this, asnot a duck was now seen flying in that direction. A little closerinvestigation showed them that the quacking sounds were all proceedingfrom the mouth of the old Indian, who, like many of his people, was ableto imitate so perfectly the cries and calls of the birds and beasts ofthe lakes and forests that at times even the most experienced arecompletely deceived. In addition, this Indian was also a ventriloquist, and was able to so correctly throw his voice that the quacking of theducks seems to be from the spot where the dog, now so motionless, waslying. The old Indian afterward explained that the calls were of ducksthat had found something of interest, and were invitations for otherducks to come and see, and when he had induced some of the ducks to takeup the call they would go on repeating it until so many others took itup, and all would then be anxious to see what the fuss was all about. 

"Ducks, " added the old man, "are like people, sometimes curious to seewhen there is not much after all to look at. "

So, because of the calls to come and look, the flocks kept flying orswimming nearer and nearer, and all there was to see was only a ball ofsomething very white and still. Not an hour before they were curious tosee the antics of a lively little white dog; now they were curious tosee him apparently motionless and dead. 

By carefully peering through the dense bushes, the boys, with gunsloaded, were able to see the dog quivering with suppressed excitement, as the many quackings of the ducks told him of the success of his ruse. However, he was so well-trained that he would not move until the welcomesignal was given him, and then with a bound and a bark he was up, andagain, as the startled ducks rose up, the reports of all the guns rangout, and nearly as many more fine ducks fell before the simultaneousdischarge. This was capital sport for the boys. Koona's sagacity, andthorough training, in being thus able to bring the ducks within range ofthe guns, first by his comical antics, and then by his perfect quiet, very much delighted them. Their only annoyance was that when theywanted to pat and fondle him he resented their familiarity, and growledat them most decidedly. Indian dogs do not as a rule take to whitepeople at first, but kindness soon wins them, and they often become fastfriends. 

The canoe was again launched, and the hunters proceeded a couple ofmiles farther and had some more capital shooting. Very proud and happywere they with this, their first day of duck shooting, and often didthey in after days have much to say of the marvellous cleverness of thespotless Koona. 

As the brigades were not yet ready to leave for the interior with thesupplies for the trading posts, Mr McTavish readily consented toanother excursion, quietly observing that the return of a few such well-loaded canoes would add materially to the fort's supply of food. 

This second excursion was to be to a more distant place, where were somefavourite feeding grounds of wild geese. They are very fond of ajointed quill-like grass, and when once they have found where theirfavourite food grows, there they resort in great numbers, and unlessvery persistently hunted will keep in the neighbourhood until they haveabout eaten it all. 

As the distance was so great, it was decided to make an all day trip ofit, and so two canoes were requisitioned with two experienced Indians ineach, one of whom, of course, was Ooseemeemou. To him the boys hadbecome very much attached, and, as he had some knowledge of English, they were able to get a good deal of reliable information from him. Some food and kettles were taken along with them, and old Ooseemeemouput in the bottom of each canoe a good-sized oilcloth and a couple ofblankets, saying, as he did so, "Fine weather to-day, may not be so verylong. "

Frank and Alec were given good places in one of the canoes, and Sam wasplaced in charge of the other two Indians. Each boy was furnished withtwo guns and plenty of ammunition. Being eager to get to the huntinggrounds, they each selected a paddle, and were found to be notunskillful in the use of them, even in birch canoes, after a few lessonsfrom their Indian attendants. 

With the best wishes of all who were not too busy to come down to thelaunch to see them off, they started on their excursion under theskillful, steady strokes of the Indians. Aided by the boys, they wereable to make about seven miles an hour, and so in about three hours theyreached their destination. The splendid exercise and the bracing airgave them all good appetites, and so they pulled up in a secluded littlebay, where was to be found some dry wood. Here a fire was kindled, thekettles were filled with water and boiled, and soon a good, substantialmeal of the delicacies of the country were spread before them. What thebill of fare was we know not, except that the principal part consistedof some of the ducks shot on the previous excursion. The dinner thusprepared and eaten on the rocks was much enjoyed by the boys; but theywere kept in a perpetual state of excitement by the numerous cries ofthe wild geese that could be distinctly heard as well as seen, as theykept flying in great lines or triangles to and from their feedinggrounds. 

As this was a favourite resort for the Indian hunters, all preparationshad been made for the goose hunting. Large nest-like piles of dry haywith reeds and rushes had been gathered in certain favourite places. Ineach of these a hollow had been formed in the centre like a bird's nest, large enough for two persons to cozily ensconce themselves, so low downas only to be observed by the geese when flying directly overhead. After dinner four of these big nest-like affairs were freshened up withsome bundles of dry old grass, which was cut in an old disused beavermeadow. 

A number of old decoys, made to look like geese when feeding, werearranged in the right position, which always varies according to thedirection of the wind. Then Ooseemeemou, taking Frank with him, gaveAlec and Sam each in charge of a clever Indian hunting companion. OneIndian, whose name was Oostaseemou, had a nest to himself. Thusassorted, our party took possession of their four nests and awaiteddevelopments. The boys were greatly amused at the queer little whitecotton caps which each one had to put on. Everything in the shape ofcolour had to be carefully hidden. Geese are not easily alarmed byanything white, and will come quite near to persons thus dressed. 

While now waiting for the arrival of the game, the boys were eachinstructed how to act in case the geese should come within range. Theygenerally fly down with the wind and arise facing it. Since the decoysare so arranged in the goose grass that the geese in coming down to jointhose already there must, in availing themselves of the wind to helpthem to alight, come within range of the nests in which are hidden thehunters. Then, when the firing of the guns alarm them, and those unhurtrise to escape, they have to so use the wind to help them that theyagain come within range, and thus receive a second volley. When thesecond volley is fired the dead and wounded are quickly secured by thehunters, who jump out of the nests and make chase after them. There islots of fun and some danger of ugly blows, for an old wounded goosesometimes makes a good fight. 

Fortunately for our young hunters, a good stiff breeze was blowing whenthey took their places in these queer nests, and, with their two gunsapiece in position, patiently waited the arrival of the geese. Severalflocks had been seen in the distance, and their strange cries were heardon every side. While the men were on the move getting things ready, ofcourse none of the wary birds came within range. However, now that allwas quiet in the vicinity of the choicest feeding grounds, a few oldout-guards which appeared cautiously flying over, seemed to havereported that nothing was to be seen but some patches of snow in thenests. The Indians say that the geese mistake them, when dressed inwhite, for lumps of snow. Soon after a great flock was seen coming withthe wind from the south directly toward them. 

Old Ooseemeemou began to imitate the call of the geese, and throwing hisvoice so that it seemed from the decoys, it appeared as if they in thegoose grass were saying, "Honk: Honk: Honk:" which the Indians say isthe goose language for "Food, food, food. "

Ooseemeemou knew well how to imitate them, and so the great flockunderstood it as the call from some of their fortunate companions, anddown they came with the wind passing in close range on the left-handside of the hunters. Bang: bang: bang! rang out the guns of the threeboys and of the four Indians, and five or six great geese tumbled to theground, some of them dead and others badly wounded. The startled, frightened, surviving geese, that thought they were going to have such afeast among their fellows, had only time to turn round and strive toescape by rising up against the wind on the opposite sides of those drynests. This was what the clever Indians knew they would do, and so, asthey came within range, struggling against the wind, each hunter, whiteand Indian, now used his second gun, and nearly as many more plump geesedropped to the ground dead and wounded. 

Now the fun began. There was a hasty springing out of the nests, andevery man and boy dashed off for his goose. The Indians were wary andexperienced, and so knew how to act; but our enthusiastic boys, in theexcitement of securing their first wild goose, recklessly rushed in tothe attack. 

Alec was the first to come to grief. The old gander that he waspursuing had a broken wing, but as his legs were all right he led him alively chase of several hundred yards. Then, seeing that he was beingovertaken, he stopped suddenly and, turning the well wing toward theboy, awaited his coming. Alec, seeing him thus standing with one winghanging broken to the ground, anticipated nothing but an easy capture, and so he thoughtlessly attempted to throw himself on the bird andquickly capture him in his arms. 

Poor fellow, when picked up he could hardly tell what had happened, onlythat it seemed to him he had been pounded with sledge hammers and hadseen some thousands of stars. 

What had really happened was this: the instant Alec sprang forward andstooped to seize his game the goose with his unwounded wing had hit himsuch a blow on the head as to quite stun him, and this had been followedby several other blows in rapid succession. Fortunately old Ooseemeemouwas not far off. He rushed to Alec's rescue and speedily dispatched thegoose, and thus delivered the boy from the humiliating position of beingbadly whipped by a wounded goose. Poor fellow, he carried in the blackand blue marks on his body the effects of the fierce blows which hadbeen rained upon him. 

Frank had conquered his without any mishap; but Sam, in reaching out toseize hold of the one he was chasing, had received such a blow from awing on his elbow that he fairly howled with the pain, and was not ableto fire another shot during the rest of the day's sport. It was news tothe boys when the Indians told them that an old goose with one blow ofhis wing has been known to kill a large fox or to break the leg of aman. So the boys, while delighted with the success of their first goosehunt, ever after had a much greater respect for the poor despised goosethan before. 

With the veering of the wind the decoys were changed so as to bring thegeese down in the right direction in range of the guns, and sportcontinued until evening. Then, after a hasty supper on the rocks in theglorious gloaming that exists for many hours in those high latitudes inthe summer months, the canoes were loaded, and three very tired buthappy boys who wanted to paddle went to sleep in the canoes long ere thehospitable home of their host was reached. 

The Indians are the kindest men in the world with whom to travel. Hardly knowing how it happened, the boys were carefully helped to theirquarters in the fort. Here their bruises were bathed, their supperseaten, their prayers said, and then there was the long nine hours'dreamless sleep, "Tired nature's sweet restorer, balmy sleep. "

When next morning the boys were discussing the, to them, gloriousadventures of the two preceding days, it was agreed among them that theaccidents and honours were about even--that while Alec and Sam had hadtheir laugh at Frank for his misadventure with the canoe, the tableswere completely turned on them in the incidents of the goose hunt. 

Three Boys in the Wild North Land--by Egerton Ryerson Young

CHAPTER THREE. 

WRITING JOURNALS--FUR-LADEN BRIGADES--VALUABLE FURS--HUNTINGPREPARATIONS--BIG TOM, THE FAMOUS GUIDE--THE START--FIRST CAMP ON THEROCKS. 

Soon after breakfast and a glorious plunge bath in the cold waters ofHudson Bay, the lads were informed by Mr McTavish that the ship's cargowas now about unloaded, and that just as soon as the brigades, with thelast winter's catch of furs, which were looked for every hour, shouldarrive she would with the first favourable wind begin the returnjourney. He suggested that instead of hunting that day they shoulddevote its hours to writing letters to their friends far away, as monthswould elapse ere another opportunity would be theirs. Of course thiskind suggestion was most gratefully accepted, and in an unused office inone of the buildings Frank, Alec, and Sam were soon busily engaged inthis very interesting work. 

Before leaving home they had been furnished with regulation journals, and had been offered substantial rewards if they would write somethingin their books every day. Readily had they promised; but, alas! whenthe Atlantic storms had for some days assailed them their goodresolutions, stimulated by the promised rewards, failed most signally. During the first few days after starting they had so much to writeabout, and had so filled up the pages, that they all regretted thattheir books were not larger, or that they had not three or four pagesfor each day. This, however, had all changed. The pages were now toolarge, and it was a burden to write even a few sentences. 

We need not stop here to give any detailed accounts of these letters;suffice it to say they were just such as any of the bright, happy, boyish readers of these pages would have written under similarcircumstances to their loved mothers and friends far away. It wasnoticed that while they were full of fun and laughter while writing totheir school chums and other young friends, yet when they came to thewriting of the letters to their mothers there was a quiet time amongthem, and some tears dropped on the pages, and some throats had lumps inthem. All right, boys; we think not the less but much the more of you, because of the love and affection for your mothers, between whom and younow rolls the wide Atlantic. Months will elapse ere letters from homewill reach you, or you will have the opportunity of writing again; andso now, while you have the chance, send loving letters to the preciousmothers, whose love excels all other earthly love. Frank, Alec, and Samall have, as you have, good mothers. They never gave bad advice, butalways the best counsel. They never led the boys astray, but everstimulated to a noble life. They always loved and were ever moreanxious to forgive and forget than the boys were to be forgiven. 

Great was the noise and excitement at the fort next morning, and veryearly were the boys astir to see what was the cause. The long-expectedbrigades of boats had arrived with the cargoes of furs. As they wereall sorted in well-packed bales, weighing each about eighty or ninetypounds, the work of transferring them to the ship did not take verylong. One boat in running some wild and dangerous rapids had beensubmerged and nearly lost, with all its crew, who escaped only becausethey could swim like otters. The cargo of furs had all gone under thewaves ere rescued, and so it was necessary to open all the bales of fur, with which the boat had been loaded, and dry them in the bright sun asquickly as possible. This work very much interested the boys, and, asthe assortment of furs was a varied one, they had their firstopportunity of seeing what rich and valuable furs this wild countrycould produce. 

There were no less than six varieties of foxes, the most valuable beingthe black and silver ones. Then there were cross foxes, blue foxes, aswell as white and red ones. The rich otters and splendid black beaversvery much interested them, and especially the prime bear and wolf skins. And as they looked at them and many other kinds their mouths fairlywatered at the prospect of during the few months being engaged in theexciting sport of capturing the comrades of these in their nativeforests. 

Yes, they would succeed in some instances, as our book will tell; butnow as they looked at these splendid skins lying so quiet and still theylittle imagined the dangers and hardships which would be theirs ere thefierce bears and savage wolves they were to assail would render up theirsplendid robes. 

Very much interested also were they in the hardy voyageurs, or trip men, who constituted these brigades. Dark and swarthy they were, withbeardless faces, and long black hair that rested on their shoulders. From remote and different regions had they come. Here were brigadesfrom the Assiniboine, Red River, Cumberland, and the Saskatchewanregion. Many of the boatmen were of the Metis--half-French and Indian;and they spoke a language that was a mixture of both, with some Englishintermixed that was not always the most polite. 

From the mighty Saskatchewan had come down that great river for athousand miles, and then onward for several hundred more, brigades thathad, in addition to the furs and robes of that land, large supplies ofdried meat and tallow, and many bags of the famous food called pemmican, obtained from the great herds of buffalo that still, in those days, likethe cattle on a thousand hills, thundered through the land and grazed onits rich pasturage and drank from its beautiful streams. The men ofthese Saskatchewan brigades were warriors who had often been in conflictwith hostile tribes, and could tell exciting stories of scalpingparties, and the fierce conflict for their lives when beleaguered bysome relentless foes. Some of them bore on face or scalp the marks ofthe wounds received in close tomahawk encounter, and, for the gift of apocketknife or gaudy handkerchief from our eager boys, rehearsed withall due enlargement the story of the fierce encounter with superiornumbers of their bitterest enemies, how they had so gloriouslytriumphed, but had not come off unscathed, as these great scars didtestify. 

Thus excited and interested did the boys wander from one encampment ofthese brigades to another. The word had early gone out from the chieffactor, Mr McTavish, that these boys were his special friends, and assuch were to be treated with consideration by all. This was quitesufficient to insure them a welcome everywhere, and so they acquired agood deal of general information, as they became acquainted with peoplefrom places, of which they had heard but little, and from others of someregions until then to them unknown. 

In addition to those already referred to, there were brigades from Lac-la-Puie, the Lake of the Woods, Cumberland House, Athabasca, and SwanRiver, and other places many hundreds of miles away. 

As each brigade arrived it formed its own encampment separate from theothers. Here the fires of dry logs were built on the ground, and themeals prepared and eaten. When the day's work was over, the mengathered around the fire's bright glow and smoked their pipes, laughedand chatted, and then, each wrapping himself in a single blanket, theylay down on the ground to sleep, with no roof above them but the stars. 

As the goods brought from England in large bulk had to be made up intobundles, called in the language of the country "pieces, " each weighingfrom eighty to one hundred pounds, that could be easily carried aroundthe portages by the Indians, several days must elapse ere the returntrip would be begun. Very interesting were these days to the boys, asfrom camp fire to camp fire they wandered, making friends everywherewith the Indians by their hearty, manly ways. 

At first the wildest and fiercest looking fellows most attracted them;those wild warriors who could tell of scalping parties and horse-stealing adventures among the warlike tribes of the great plains. Aftera while, however, they found themselves most interested in the brigadesthat could travel fastest, that had the record of making the fastesttrip in the shortest time. What at first was a surprise to them wasthat the brigades that held these best records were the Christian ones, who took time to say their prayers morning and evening and always restedon the Sabbath. This proved that these hard-working men, who rested oneday in seven, could do and did better and faster work than those whoknew no Sabbath, but pushed on from day to day without rest. Man as aworking animal needs the day of rest, and with one off in seven will, ashas been here and in other places proved, do better work in theremaining six than the one who takes no day of rest. 

Soon after the arrival of the brigades with the furs, which wereestimated as being worth in London over three hundred thousand pounds, they were all safely stowed away in the vessel, and a favourable windspringing up from the south-west, the anchor was lifted, the sailshoisted, and the good ship _Prince Arthur_ started on her return voyageto the old land. The boys waved their handkerchiefs and shouted theirfarewells until the vessel was far out on the dancing waves like a thingof life and beauty. 

To Big Tom, of the Norway House Brigade, had been intrusted theresponsibility of safely taking the boys up from York Factory to theresidence of Mr Ross. His Indian name was Mamanowatum, which means, "Obe joyful, " but he had long been called Big Tom on account of hisgigantic size. 

Ample resources had been sent with the boys to pay for all theirrequirements. Mr McTavish had an experienced clerk look after theiroutfit and select for them everything needed, not only for the journey, but for their requirements during the year of their stay in the country. So they were here furnished with what was called the yearly supplies, as York Factory is the best place, keeping as it does large reservesupplies for all the interior trading posts. The English boots werediscarded for moccasins; fringed leggings manufactured out of well-tanned skins and various other articles of apparel more suitable to thewild country were obtained. 

Two good Hudson Bay blankets were purchased for each boy, and, as theyhad come to rough it, it was thought best to give them no tent, but eachone had in his outfit a large piece of oiled canvas in case of a fiercerainstorm assailing them. They were given the usual rations of food, with tea and sugar for so many days, and each lad was furnished with acopper kettle, a tin cup, a tin plate, a knife, fork, and spoon. Asluxuries they furnished themselves with towels, soap, brush, and comb. In addition to these supplies for this first trip there were sent up allthat would be needed during the long months that they were to spend inthe country. The boys were specially anxious that the supply ofammunition should be most liberal. 

For weapons they each had a good double-barrelled breech-loading gun--then just beginning to come into use--which had been carefully selectedfor them ere they left home. In addition they each had a first-classsheath knife with hilt, good for close hand-to-hand encounter withanimals, and also useful in skinning the game when killed or in cuttingkindling wood for a fire. A first-class knife is an indispensablerequisite for a hunter in the North-west. Indeed, there is a saying inthat country, "Give an Indian a knife and a string, and he will make hisliving and his way anywhere. "

A brigade in the Hudson Bay service consisted of from four to twentyboats; each boat was supposed to carry from eighty to a hundred piecesof goods or bales of fur in addition to the supplies for the men. Theywere made out of spruce or balsam, and were like large skiffs, sharp atboth ends. 

They were manned by nine men. The man in charge was called thesteersman; standing in the sharp angle of the stern, he steered the boateither by a rudder or a long oar, which he handled with great skill. The other eight men rowed the boat along with great oars, in the use ofwhich they were very clever. Each boat was provided with a small mastand a large square sail. When there was no favourable wind the mast wasunstepped and lashed on the outside of the boat under the rowlocks. Often for days together only the oars were used. This was specially thecase in river routes. However, in the great lakes whenever there wasany possibility of sailing the mast was stepped, the sail hoisted, andthe weary toilers at the oars had a welcome rest; and often did theyneed it, for the work was most slavish and exhausting. 

In each brigade there was a boss who had control of all the boats. Hegave the word when to start in the morning and when to camp at night. His word was absolute in all matters of dispute. He had the privilegeof selecting the best boat in the brigade, and was supposed to always beat the front when dangerous rapids had to be run, or death in any formhad to be faced; in storm or hurricane his boat had to be the first toface the trying ordeal, and his hand to be on the helm. Only the well-tried old steersman of many years' experience could hope to reach tothis position, and when once it was obtained unceasing vigilance was theprice paid for the retention of the post. One mistake in running therapids, or a single neglect to detect the coming of the storm in time toget to shore and the furs securely covered over with the heavytarpaulins, with which each boat was supplied, was quite sufficient tocause him to lose the much coveted position. About the only libertytaken with him was, if possible, when the boats were crossing a greatlake, with each big sail set, to try if possible by superior managementof the boat to get to the distant shore ahead of him. 

The start was made about three o'clock in the afternoon, as is thegeneral custom of these brigades of boats; the idea being only to go afew miles for the first day and thus find out if everything is inthorough working order, and that nothing has been forgotten. 

The camp was made on the bank of the river where dry wood was abundant, and where there was some sheltered cove or harbour in which the boatscould safely be secured in case of violent storms coming up in thenight, which was not an infrequent occurrence. 

Big Tom appointed one of the Indian oarsmen to look after the boys. Hisduties were to cook their meals and select for their beds as smooth andsoft a place as was possible to find on the granite rocks; or, if ithappened to be in a soft and swampy place where the boats stopped forthe night, he was expected to forage round and find some dry old grassin the used-up beaver meadows, or to cut down some balsam boughs onwhich the oilcloth would be spread, and then their blanket beds would bemade. These boughs of the balsam or spruce, when broken up, make acapital bed. The boys, after a few nights' experiment with variouskinds of beds, became so much attached to those made of the spruce orbalsam that, unless very weary with some exciting sport during the day, they generally took upon themselves the work of securing them at eachnight's camping place. 

Tables were considered unnecessary luxuries. The dishes were arrangedon a smooth rock if one was to be found. The food was served up by theIndian attendant, and the three boys and Big Tom sat down and enjoyedthe plain but hearty meal. It is generally the custom for the commodoreof the brigade to take his meals with any travellers he may have incharge. When they have dined, the Indian servant or attendant then sitsdown and has his meal. After supper the Indians who have more quicklyprepared and eaten their suppers, as they waste but little time indetails, gather round the splendid camp fire, and for an hour or soengage in pleasant chat; and while having their evening smoke they showto each other their various purchases secured at York Factory. At thispost they are allowed to take up in goods half of their wages for theirservices, and carry them along with them in their boats. 

After a final visit was made by the different steersmen to their boatsto see that everything was snug and tight, and a consultation with BigTom as to the likelihood or not of a storm coming up, they all gatheredround the camp fire for evening prayers. Big Tom took charge of theevening service. He first read from his Indian Testament, translatedinto his own language and printed in the clear, beautiful syllabiccharacters invented by one of the early missionaries. After theScriptures were read Martin Papanekis, a sweet singer, led the companyin singing in their own language a beautiful translation of the "EveningHymn. " When this was sung they all reverently bowed while Big Tomoffered up an appropriate prayer. 

Very sweetly sounded the voices of these Christian Indians as here amidnature's solitudes arose from their lips and hearts the voice of prayerand praise. The effect on the boys was not only startling but helpful. In their minds there had been associated very little of genuineChristianity with the Indians, but just the reverse. They expected tomeet them with tomahawks and scalping knives, but not with Bibles andhymn books; they expected to hear war-whoops, but not the voice ofChristian song and earnest prayer. 

As the boys lay that night in their blanket beds on the rocks they couldnot but talk of the evening prayers, and perhaps that simple butimpressive service did more to bring vividly and helpfully before themthe memories of their happy Christian homes far away than anything elsethat had occurred since they left them. 

Three Boys in the Wild North Land--by Egerton Ryerson Young

CHAPTER FOUR. 

THE EARLY CALL--THE PICTURESQUE ROUTE--THE TOILSOME PORTAGES--RIVALBRIGADES--FIRST BEAR--ALEC'S SUCCESSFUL SHOT. 

So excited were the boys with their strange romantic surroundings thatthe first night they lay down in their beds, thus prepared not far fromthe camp fire on the rocks, they could hardly sleep. It was indeed anew experience to be able to look up and see the stars shining in theheavens above them. Then, when they looked around, on one side they sawthe Indians reclining there in picturesque attitudes, smoking theirpipes and engaged in quiet talk. When they turned and looked on theother side there was the dense dark forest peopled in their youngimaginations with all sorts of creatures, from the fierce wolf andsavage bear to the noisy "whisky jack, " a pert, saucy bird, about thesize and colour of a turtle dove, that haunts the camp fires and withany amount of assurance helps himself to pemmican and other articles offood, if a bag is left open or the provisions exposed to his keen eye. Still sounding in their ears were his strange, querulous notes, formingnot half so sweet a lullaby as the music of the waves that beat andbroke a few yards from where they lay. 

But "tired nature's sweet restorer, balmy sleep, " came after a time, andin dreamless slumber soon were they wrapped, nor did they stir untilearly next morning. They were aroused by the musical voice of Big Tom, from which rang out the boatman's well-known call:

"Leve, Leve, Leve!"

This is not Indian, but French, and has been taken by the Indians fromthe early French voyageurs, who long years before this used to traversemany parts of these wild regions to trade with the Indians. Quite anumber of names still remain in the country as relics of these hardyearly French explorers. 

This ringing call met with a prompt response from all. No one dared toremain for another nap. At once all was hurry and activity. The fireswere quickly rekindled, copper tea-kettles were speedily filled andboiled, a hasty breakfast eaten, prayers offered, and then "All aboard!"is the cry of Big Tom. The kettles, blankets, and all the other thingsused are hastily stowed away, and the journey is resumed. 

If the wind is fair the sail is hoisted and merrily they travel on. Ifnot, the heavy oars were brought out, and as they rose and fell inunison the boats were propelled on at the rate of about six miles anhour. Three or four times a day did they go ashore, boil the kettles, and have a meal, for the air of that land is bracing and the appetitesare always good. 

The route used for so many years by the Hudson Bay Company to transporttheir goods into the interior from York Factory is utterly unfit fornavigation, as we understand that word, as the rivers are full of wild, dangerous rapids and falls. Some of these rapids can be run at alltimes during the summer, others only when the water is high. Many ofthem are utterly impassable at any time. The result is that numerousportages have to be made. As the making of a portage was exceedinglyinteresting to our boys, we will here describe one. 

The boats were rowed up against the current as far as possible and thenheaded for the shore. Here at the landing place they were brought inclose to the rocks and every piece of cargo was taken out. These pieceswere put on the men's shoulders, one piece being fastened at both sidesby a carrying strap, which in the middle is drawn across the forehead. Then, using the first piece thus fastened, one or two more pieces arepiled upon it and the Indian starts with this heavy load along the roughand rocky trail to the end of the portage. This end is the place beyondthe rapids where safe navigation again commences. In quick successionthe men are thus loaded until all the cargoes are thus transported fromone side to the other. 

The boys were very eager to help. So they quickly loaded themselveswith their guns and blankets, and, striking out into the trail alongwhich they saw the Indians were hurrying, they bravely endeavoured tokeep those in sight who had started just before them. To their greatsurprise they found this to be an utter impossibility. The swinging jogtrot of an Indian does not seem to be a very rapid pace, but the whiteman unaccustomed to it finds out very quickly that it takes longpractice for him to equal it. At first the boys thought that it wasbecause they had loaded themselves too heavily, and so they quitewillingly took a rest on the way; dropping their blankets and guns, andsitting down on a rock beside the trail, they watched with admirationthe Indians in single file speeding along with their heavy loads. Manyof these men can carry on each trip three pieces, that is a load of fromtwo hundred and forty to three hundred pounds. 

As Ayetum, the Indian who had charge of the white boys' cookingarrangements, was passing them as they sat there in the portage he said, in broken English:

"White boys leave guns and blankets, Ayetum come for them soon. "

This was quite agreeable to the tired lads, and so they started upagain, Frank saying as they did so:

"Now we will show them that we can keep up to them. " Gallantly theystruck out, but to a white boy running over an Indian trail where rocksand fallen trees and various other obstructions abound is a verydifferent thing from a smooth road in a civilised land. For a time theydid well, but when hurrying along on a narrow ledge of rock an unnoticedcreeping root tripped up and sent Sam flying over the side of a steepplace, where he went floundering down twenty or thirty feet among thebracken and underbrush. Fortunately he was not much hurt, but he neededthe assistance of two Indians to get him up again. 

Thus rapidly passed the days as the brigade hurried on. Not an hour waswasted. It was necessary to move on as quickly as possible, as nottwenty-four hours would elapse ere the next brigade would be dispatchedfrom York Factory, and not only would it be a great disgrace to beovertaken, but the rivalry and strife of the boats' crews in theportages, in their efforts to see which could get their cargoes overfirst, would be most intense; and sometimes there is bad blood andquarrelling, especially if the brigades happen to be of rival tribes. 

Hence it was ever the plan of the great company that employed them allto keep them at least a day or two apart on these adventurous andexciting journeys. To Big Tom and his men had been given the post ofhonour, and it was well-known that such was his skill as a leader, andso well was he backed up by his well-trained, stalwart men, that unlesssome great accident happened, no brigade following would have any chanceof catching up to him ere his journey was finished. 

One day when passing through a lakelike expanse of the river they saw alarge black bear swimming as fast as he could directly ahead of them. At length a cry was raised, "A bear! a bear!" The men bent to theiroars and there was an exciting chase. 

Fortunately for the pursuers, it was a wide open space and the bear wasfar out from land. Even in these heavy boats the men can row fasterthan a bear can swim. Knowing well the habits of the bear, the men'sfirst efforts were to cut him off from the mainland, and thus oblige himto swim for one of the many islands which could be seen on ahead. Ifthey could succeed in this, of course he would have a poor chance, asthe boats would speedily surround him there. Bears know that they arenot safe on islands when hunted, and so cunningly endeavour to keep fromthem; or, if so unfortunate as to be obliged to take refuge on one whenclosely pursued, they do not seem able to keep quiet and try to liehidden and unseen, but just as soon as possible they make the attempt toreach the mainland, and there hide themselves away from their pursuersin the dense forest or underbrush. This peculiarity of the bear iswell-known to the Indian hunters; so in this case the first object ofthe men, as they would hardly be able to get near enough to this bigfellow to shoot him in the water, was to head him off from the mainlandand thus force him on an island. In this they succeeded, as theyanticipated. 

Frank, Alec, and Sam were, of course, intensely excited as the chaseadvanced. In their Zoological Gardens they had often seen and watchedvarious species of bears. There, however, they were in captivity andcould do no harm. Here, however, away ahead of them like a greatNewfoundland dog, was this big, fierce fellow, wild and free, making therace of his life, to escape from his relentless pursuers. 

At first he struck out for the mainland, and made the most desperateefforts to reach the shore; but when at length he saw one of the boatssurely crawling along so that it would soon be between him and the pointof land toward which he was swimming, he accepted the situation andstruck off for a large island that seemed to be densely covered withtrees and underbrush. 

Nearer and nearer came the boats, propelled so vigorously by themuscular, excited men, whose great oars rose and fell with all theprecision of clockwork, as they saw they were sure of gaining on theirprey. 

As Big Tom's boat was at the front, he said to the excited boys, whocould hardly restrain themselves:

"You boys want to shoot him?"

Of course they did. What boy under similar circumstances would not havegiven almost anything for a shot at a bear in a position like this?

So the guns were quickly loaded, and under Tom's direction the boys weregiven a position one after another in the stern of the boat. Grandlydid the men row so as to bring the bear within range ere the islandshould be reached. When the bear was about two hundred feet from shoreTom, who had had some difficulty in restraining the boys from firing, now ordered the men to cease rowing, and, as had been arranged with theboys, he gave the word to Sam to fire. Quickly rang out the report ofhis gun. 

"Did you hit him?" said Big Tom. 

"I think I did, " was Sam's odd reply; "for see, he is swimming fasterthan he did before I fired. "

This quaint answer was met by shouts of laughter from all who understoodits comical meaning. 

"Now, Frank, it is your turn, " said Big Tom. 

Carefully aiming for his head--and really there was not much of it to beseen, for a bear swims low in the water--Frank fired, and a howl and avigorous shaking of the head told that he had been hit somewhere, butnot enough to stop his progress. The boat, under the momentum it hadreceived from the oars, was still moving on about as fast as the bearwas able to swim. 

"Now, Alec, " said Big Tom, as the lad took his position in the stern ofthe boat, "when he tries to run through the shallow water near thoserocks, your turn comes. Hit him behind the shoulder, good youngScotchman. "

At the kindly mention of his nationality the blood of Alec suddenlyrose, and he felt his hand grip that gun and his eye strangely brighten, and he resolved if possible he would make the shot of his life. Steadying himself, he waited until the bear was exactly in the place andposition mentioned by the experienced old hunter, who stood just behindhim. Then he fired. As the report rang out there was also heard a dullthud, that told that somewhere the fierce brute had been struck, but toAlec's mortification he gave some desperate bounds and finally reachedthe shore. There among the rocks he suddenly dropped as in a heap. Afew seconds after, some of the Indians jumped overboard and cautiouslywaded toward him through the shallow water. Their caution, however, wasaltogether unnecessary. Alec's bullet had done its work, and the bearwas stone dead. The Indians found, when cutting up the body, that theball had gone completely through him. The wonder was that the greatbrute had been able to move at all after being so struck. The bearshave an immense amount of vitality, as hunters who shoot them often findout to their own cost. So here was the first bear killed; Alec was thehero of the hour. While modestly he received the congratulations, henaturally felt very proud over the accuracy of the shot that had broughtdown a great black bear. 

Speedily did some of the Indian hunters get out their knives and beginskinning the great animal. While doing this they made a discovery thatvery much pleased Frank, and that was that his bullet had gone cleanthrough the ear of the bear, and had thus caused his howls and the angryshakings of his head which had been observed by all after Frank hadfired. As a bear's ear is very small, Frank's shot was an exceedinglygood one, when we take into consideration that he fired from a movingboat at such a small object as the bear's head. 

"First blood, anyway, for Frank, " said Alec. 

So it had turned out to be, although Alec's had been the shot that hadbrought down the game. 

The beautiful black robe and the meat were soon carried by the stalwartmen to the boats, and the journey was resumed. That evening at the campfire all had abundance of bear's meat for their supper. It was verymuch enjoyed by all, as the meat of these animals is good, tastingsomething like young pork, with a gamey flavour. 

Three Boys in the Wild North Land--by Egerton Ryerson Young

CHAPTER FIVE. 

ROBINSON'S PORTAGE--GUNPOWDER TRANSPORTATION--HOLE IN THE KEG--THEFRIGHTFUL EXPLOSION--ENSCONCED AT HEADQUARTERS--DELIGHTFUL HOME IN THEWILDERNESS--STURGEON FISHING--INVOLUNTARY PLUNGES. 

At Robinson's Portage there occurred a startling accident of a mostunique character. It caused much consternation both among the boys andthe Indians. 

In one of the boats, which was most carefully guarded, were quite anumber of barrels of gunpowder for the different trading posts. Largequantities of this dangerous material are required for the Indians allover the country. The company is very particular in its transportation, and only the most experienced men are allowed to have charge of thepowder boat. 

When the brigade reached Robinson's Portage, which is a long one, somemen who had charge of the powder carefully rolled or dragged the barrelsacross the portage, which has over its whole length a fairly good forestroad. The rest of the men, with their carrying straps, conveyed, asusual, the many "pieces, " and piled them close to the landing stage. Three boatloads of supplies, as well as the cargo of gunpowder, had beentaken across and piled up ready for reshipment. Before bringing overthe other cargoes and dragging the great boats, which were as usual tobe dragged overland by the united strength of all the men, it wasresolved to have dinner at the end of the portage where they had landed, and then go on with their work. Wood was gathered and a fire waskindled and dinner was prepared. 

While the men were dining it was noticed that the fire had increased, and had at length reached in the dry grass the place where the powderkegs had been placed when they had been taken out of the boats, and fromwhich spot they had been carried to the other end of the portage. Soonthe Indians and boys were interested in seeing a fuselike running offire spluttering and flashing on the trail. On and on along the road itsped, until at length it disappeared over the hill leading to the otherend of the portage, where the barrels of powder and bales of goods werenow piled. For a moment or two the men continued their dinners; thensuddenly there was a report so loud and so deafening that those who werestanding were nearly thrown to the ground, and all were so shaken thatit seemed as though a small earthquake had occurred. 

In an instant the cause was well surmised, and away they hurried asrapidly as possible to the other end of the portage. A strange sight, indeed, met their gaze. Some of the trees were badly shattered, and theparts of those left standing, instead of being covered with greenfoliage, were well decorated with coloured calicoes and ribbons, tattered blankets, men's clothing, and many other things. The wellpiled up bundles and pieces had disappeared, and the contents seemed tobe anywhere within the radius of half a mile. A large quantity had beenblown out into the river, and had gone floating down the stream. 

Where stood the piles of powder kegs was an excavation in the ground, but, alas! no powder was left. All had gone to cause that greatexplosion that had borne such a near approach to an earthquake. Ofcourse, Big Tom and his men were a humiliated lot, as there is a greatdeal of ambition among these hardy boatmen to deliver their cargoes inas good condition to the Hudson Bay Company's officials as possible. But here was a disaster. Three boatloads of supplies, as well as acargo of gunpowder, were simply annihilated, or nearly so. 

Quickly did they set to work to secure what was in the water, but it wasof little value. Some of the most adventurous climbed the high treesand managed to pull off a few of the garments there securely lodged, butmuch was beyond their reach, and for several years the articlesfluttered in the winds of winter and of summer, and vividly reminded allwho passed over that portage of that singular disaster. 

And how had it come about?

This was easily found out. One of the powder barrels had a littleunnoticed hole in it, and from this had silted out a tiny little streamof powder all along the whole length of the portage. When the fire waskindled at the other end, where the dinner was cooked, it touched thebeginning of this strangely laid fuse, which in running along had sointerested those who had seen it at the beginning, but who had had noidea of there being any danger in it or of the damage it would inflictupon the supplies. 

"Well, " said Big Tom, in his quiet way, "I am sorry for John Company tolose so much property; but he is rich, and it will not hurt him. I amglad we did not do as is our general way--come over here and have ourdinner near our loads. If we had done so perhaps some of our arms orlegs might be now hanging up there in the branches where those redcalicoes and other things are. "

So, while all regretted the great misfortune, they were very thankfulthat there had been no loss of life or anybody even wounded. With awill they set to work, and soon the other cargoes were carried over, andthen the boats were dragged across by the united crews. Soon were theylaunched and loaded, some with only half cargoes on account of thedisaster, and then the journey was resumed. 

How Big Tom explained the story of the explosion to the Hudson Bayofficials, and what were their answers, we know not; suffice to say, BigTom was very glum for some time after, and was not anxious to have manyquestions put to him in reference to the interview. 

To the residence of Mr Ross the boys were escorted by a party of HudsonBay clerks, after they had dined at Norway House. All their outfits, which fortunately, like their owners, had escaped the explosion, werebrought over a few hours later by some of the servants of the company. 

Of the hearty welcome which the boys received from Mr Ross and hisfamily at Sagasta-weekee we have already made mention. 

During the evening the chief factor and some of the other officials ofthe fort, who had had advices of the coming of our three younggentlemen, Frank, Alec, and Sam, came over to meet them. They mostcordially welcomed them to the country, stating at the same time thatthey had received, by way of Montreal and Fort Garry, advance letters inreference to them, and would gladly carry out the instructions received, and do all they could to make the year's sojourn in the country aspleasant and interesting as possible. 

This was good news to the boys, and was especially welcome to Mr Ross, who, now that he was no longer actively in the employ of the company, was a little nervous about the reception which would be accorded tothese young hunters, who in this way had come into the country. 

Strange as it may now appear, yet it is a well-known fact that personscoming into these territories were not welcome unless they came on theinvitation and kept themselves completely under the company's directionand guidance. However, the old despotic rules were being relaxed, andespecially was it so in the case of our boys, as thoughtful friends athome, who had influence with the London directors, had so arrangedmatters that everything was most favourable for their having adelightful time. That they had it these pages will surely testify. 

As we have stated, very cordially were they received and welcomed by MrRoss, whose home was on the mighty Nelson River, a few miles away fromNorway House Fort. This great establishment of the Hudson Bay Companywas for a great many years the great distributing centre for thesupplies sent out from England to the many smaller posts throughout thecountry. The houses were very substantially built of hewn logs, boardedover and painted white. They occupied the four sides of a hollowsquare, room only being left for two or three massive gateways. Theinterior was kept during the summer months beautifully green, and wasthe favourite resort of officials, employees, and servants, and whiteand Indian visitors. 

The relations between Mr Ross and the officials from this largeestablishment were most cordial, and visits were frequentlyinterchanged. 

The house which Mr Ross had built was as good as the material of thecountry afforded. The walls were of squared logs, the intersticesbetween them being made as nearly frost-tight as possible. The outsideswere well boarded, and so was the interior. As there is no limestone inthat part of the country, the partitions dividing the rooms were allmade of timber. 

In the fall of the year, ere the ground freezes up, the house was bankedup to the lower edges of the windows. Double sashes were placed inevery window. As there is no coal in that part of the country, wood isused altogether in its place. Great iron stoves are used, in whichroaring fires are kept burning incessantly from October until May. Inthis genuine native house the three boys were cordially welcomed, andsoon felt themselves to be as members of the delightful family. 

Shortly after their arrival, of course, there were many conversations asto the various excursions that could be made, and the different huntingexpeditions that would be possible. While they expected to have somegood times hunting the bears, beavers, wolves, reindeer, and otheranimals that were within easy reaching distance of their presentheadquarters, they were also ambitious enough to hope that they wouldhave time to reach the haunts of the buffalo on the great westernprairies, the musk ox in the far north, and even the grizzly bear in themountain ravines. 

In the meantime they had much to interest and amuse themselves with instudying the habits and customs of the Indians, who were constantlycoming to see Mr Ross, whom they found to be a universal favourite, andthe wise counsellor and adviser of all when in trouble or perplexity. With the twelve or fifteen splendid dogs which were owned by their hostthey soon became fast friends, and with them they had many a run, eitherin the forests or along the shores of the great water stretches thatwere near. Each boy soon had his favourite dog, and naturally did allhe could to develop his intelligence and bring out all of his latentsagacity. While in a measure they succeeded in this, they also found, in some instances, that in some dogs downright mischief and trickerycould be about as easily developed as the more noble qualities. 

The canoes, of course, were tackled, and after a few laughable upsetsthey all soon became experts in the use of them, and had many a glorioustrip and many an exciting adventure. Often did they go in the companyof Mr Ross and with some experienced Indians to the place stillretaining the name of the Old Fort, although the buildings weredestroyed long ago. There the accumulated waters of some scores ofrivers that pour into Lake Winnipeg rush out in one great volume to formthe mighty Nelson River. 

Here in this picturesque region, rich in Indian legends, and the resortof various kinds of game, and a favourite spot for the fishermen, manyhappy days were spent by our young friends in fishing and hunting. Then, when wearied with the varied sport, delightful hours were passedaway, as, gathered round the bright, blazing camp fires, they listenedto various reminiscences of the past as given by white or Indian. 

These excursions often lasted for a number of days at a time. Theparty, which often consisted of from eight to a dozen persons, carriedwith them in their canoes not only their guns and ammunition, but theirkettles and supplies and blankets. When the day's hunting was ended thesupper was cooked at a fire made on the rocks, the principal item ofwhich was supposed to be some of the game shot or fish caught. 

As the boys' dexterity in the use of the canoes increased, they becamemore adventurous in their excursions, and one day they struck out, ofcourse in company with experienced Indians, from the Old Fort and wentas far as to the mouth of the great Saskatchewan River. The long tripacross the north-west end of Lake Winnipeg was most exhilarating. Theboys up to that time had no idea that birch canoes could ride in safetysuch enormous waves, or be propelled along continuously with suchrapidity. 

They camped on the shores of the great river, near the foot of therapids, which are the only ones to be found in it for a thousand miles. Here they pitched their camp and lay down to sleep. The music of therapids was a pleasant lullaby that soothed them into refreshing slumber. 

Early the next morning they were visited by a number of friendlyIndians, who informed them that the sturgeon were very numerous in theriver at the foot of the rapids, and that excellent sport could be hadin killing some of them. 

While the usual method of capturing the sturgeon is with large gillnets, a more exciting way is by spearing them at the foot of the rapids, where at times they gather in large numbers, or by shooting them as theyspring into the air. To spear a large sturgeon from a birch canoe, andnot get an upset, is a difficult matter. For a time the Indians alonedid the spearing; but after the boys had watched them at it theyimagined that it was not such a very difficult matter after all, and soasked to be allowed to try for themselves. The Indians at firsthesitated, as they well knew how really difficult it was, and thoughtthat the boys had better keep at the safer sport of trying to shootthose that sprang, porpoise-like, out of the water. This itselfafforded great amusement, and, while exciting, was not very successful, as it is extremely difficult to strike a sturgeon in this way, so rapidare its movements. 

The boys had been fairly successful, and as the great fish, which werefrom five to eight feet long, when shot, floated down the rapid currentsome old Indian men and women, on the lookout in their canoes, were madethe richer and happier by being allowed to take possession of thevaluable fish as they came along. This was the thought ever in theminds of the boys, that, whenever possible, no matter what they caughtin the waters or shot in the forests, or elsewhere, if they could notuse it all themselves, to have it reach some old or feeble Indians, whowould be thankful for the gifts thus bestowed. This conduct on the partof the boys was most commendable, and everywhere secured them the goodwill of the Indians, who are never jealous of those who, visiting theirlands for, sport and adventure, do not merely kill the animals for thelove of killing, but are also desirous that somebody may be benefited byhaving for their use the fish or animals thus slaughtered. 

As the boys were still anxious for an opportunity of trying their skillin spearing, they at length induced the Indians to let them make theattempt, even if they should not be very successful. 

To be ready for any emergency, the cautious Indians arranged theircanoes so that if any accident should occur to these adventurous boysthey could prevent anything more serious than a good ducking takingplace. In this method of capturing the sturgeon, the one using thespear takes his position in the front of the canoe, while the other mennoiselessly paddle the boat against the current to the spot wheresturgeon are seen to be quietly resting or rooting in the gravellybottom of the shallow places in the current. 

Alec was the first to make the attempt at this new and rather uncertainsport. In a good canoe manned by a couple of skilled Indians, he tookhis position in the bow of the canoe, and with a good strong fishingspear in his hands he steadied himself carefully in the cranky boat, while the men silently paddled him to a spot where the occasionalappearance of part of a sturgeon above the water betrayed its presence. The sun shining gloriously made the day delightful, but its verybrightness was the cause of Alec's discomfiture. 

Nothing more quickly disturbs sturgeon than a sudden shadow thrown onthe water. Alec, not knowing this, was being quietly paddled againstthe current, thus facing toward the west. As it was now about noon, thebright sun was on his left. In this position he ought only to haveattempted to spear the fish on the left side of his canoe, where hewould have thrown no shadow. Ignorant of this, as soon as he observed alarge sturgeon not far ahead of him he quietly indicated by signs to thecanoemen which way he wished them to paddle, so as to bring him closeenough to spear the fish. The men from their positions not being ableto see the sturgeon paddled as directed, and soon Alec was brought closeenough to make the attempt. The sturgeon seemed to be an enormous one, and so Alec, knowing that only a most desperate lunge would enable himto drive the spear through the thick hide of the fish, which was justnow a little before him on the right, made the attempt with all thestrength that he could possibly muster. 

But, alas, how different from what was expected! As Alec threw himselfforward to plunge the sharp spear into the body of the fish, he foundthat it met with no firmer substance than the water, and so, instead ofthe spear being buried in the body of the fish, the momentum of hisgreat effort threw him out of the boat, and down he went head first intothe river. Fortunately the water was not deep, and as the other canoeswere not far behind he was soon pulled into one of them, a bitfrightened, but none the worse for his involuntary plunge. 

Nothing daunted, Sam was the next to volunteer to try his skill, and onbeing informed that Alec's trouble was that he had raised his arm withthe spear so as to cast a shadow which had frightened the fish, heresolved not to make a similar mistake. Taking his position as directedin the front of the canoe, his men paddled him where he would be able tostrike his fish without casting his shadow. Soon the appearance of thefins of a great sturgeon were seen, and noiselessly the Indians paddledSam's canoe close up to it. He was resolved if possible to succeedwhere Alec had signally failed. When close enough to the large fish, which seemed to be utterly unconscious of the canoe's presence, Sam, taking the spear in both hands, plunged it well and true into the bodyof the great sturgeon, that up to that instant seemed to have been soundasleep. However, there was a great awakening when it felt that spearthrust. Giving a great spring, so strong and sudden that it seemed tofairly lift Sam, spear and all, out of the canoe, it started for thegreat lake. Sam let go of the spear when he found himself being draggedover the side of the boat, but the Indians afterward declared that hehung on for some time, and had a ride on the back of the great fish. 

Like Alec had been before him, he was quickly picked up and dragged intoanother canoe. 

The Indians imagined that now that two of the boys had come to grief thethird would not wish to attempt this risky sport. Those lads of ourswere not easily daunted, and so without any hesitancy Frank asked to beallowed to see what he could do. Frank had this advantage, that he hadobserved what had caused Alec and Sam to fail in their attempts. Arminghimself with a sharp spear, he took the position assigned to him, andwas paddled up to a place where the fish were numerous. The spear thathe had selected, instead of being one of the three-pronged variety, wasmore of a chisel shape, and exceedingly sharp. With this in his hands, he firmly braced himself in the narrow front of the canoe, while the nowintensely interested company watched his efforts. Even Sam and Alecrefused to leave until Frank had made his attempt. Some sturgeon wereobserved very near, but Frank, even in the excitement of the moment, wasnot to be diverted from his resolve, and so had the Indians paddle himon and on until they brought him close to an enormous fellow, lyingquiet and still on the gravelly bottom. 

With all his strength Frank struck him a blow, so quick and strong thatthe first intimation of danger to the fish was the sharp spear crashingthrough the strong bony scales, through flesh and vertebrae, into thespinal cord, just behind the head. So instantaneous was the death ofthe great sturgeon under this fatal stroke that there was not even theusual spasmodic spring. Like as a log might have lain there on thewater, so did the great fish. The only movement was, as is the casewith most large fish thus killed, he rolled over, and at once began tofloat away on the current. 

"Well done, Frank!" shouted the dripping boys, who had pluckily refusedto be taken ashore until Frank had made his attempt, in which he had sowell succeeded. The Indians were delighted and, in their way, quitedemonstrative, and for long after, at many a camp fire, the story ofthat strong, true, successful spear thrust had to be described and actedout. 

Thoroughly satisfied with these first adventures at sturgeon fishing, the party went ashore, and at a large camp fire Alec and Sam dried theirgarments as well as possible. Changes, of course, they had not on suchan excursion. However, they suffered but little inconvenience, and nobad results followed from their submersions. 

They spent another day or two at the mouth of the great SaskatchewanRiver, and in the canoes of some of the experienced Indians, who therereside, they several times ran the rapids. This was wild andexhilarating sport, and was vastly enjoyed by the boys. During thereturn trip nothing of very great importance occurred. They shot anumber of wild ducks from the canoes as they paddled along, and in duetime reached Sagasta-weekee tired and bronzed, and full of theadventures of their first outing from the home of their kind host. 

CHAPTER SIX. 

INDIAN IMPLEMENTS--CANOEING EXCURSION--GUNPOWDER VERSUS JACK FISH--LOONSHOOTING--SAM'S SUCCESSFUL SHOT. 

The Indians were originally very skillful in the manufacture of the fewessential articles that were absolutely necessary for their use. Thestyle and curves of their graceful canoes, although only made of thebark of the birch tree and strengthened by supple bands of cedar orbalsam, and made watertight by the gum of the pine or other resinoustrees, have never been improved in any boat builder's yard incivilisation. True, fancy canoes are being turned out for the pleasureand enjoyment of canoeists in safe waters, but whenever the experimenthas been tried of using these canoes in the dangerous rivers of theIndian country they are not found to be at all equal to thosemanufactured by the natives. In the manufacture of their paddles, andin the spring and lightness of their oars, they have never beensurpassed; and, while often imitated, many a skillful white artisan hashad to admit that after all his efforts there was a something ofcompleteness and exact fitness for the work required about the Indians'production that he felt was in some way lacking in his own handiwork. 

To the Indian women and clever old men were left the duties of makingthe canoes. Our boys were very much interested in watching them at thework of canoe building, but naturally annoyed at the spasmodic way inwhich they carried on their operations, as while perhaps for some daysthey would work incessantly from early dawn to dark, they would then layoff for days and do nothing but lounge around and smoke. 

As the weeks rolled on, and the boys became more and more acquaintedwith the natives, and acclimated and accustomed to the methods oftravel, a more ambitious trip for their pleasure was arranged by MrRoss. 

It was decided to go to the Old Fort, and after shooting and fishingthere in the vicinity of the place previously visited, then to push onto Spider Islands, and after a short stay in order to enjoy the beautiesof that romantic place, then to push on across the north-eastern part ofthe great Lake Winnipeg to Montreal Point, and there to hunt along thecoast as far south as Poplar Point, if the sport were good and thenecessary supplies of ammunition and other essentials held out. Theboys were wild with delight at the prospect, and were anxious to do allin their power to expedite the undertaking. 

The Indians of all these regions, in which our boys were hunting, do notnow give much prominence to the old picturesque style of dress, withwhich we have all been so familiar. Feathers and paints are with themnow quite out of date; still their coats, pants, leggings, and moccasinsare principally made of the beautifully tanned skins of the moose andreindeer, and handsomely ornamented with bead work, at which the Creewomen are most skillful. Of course Frank, Alec, and Sam were speedilyfitted out in the dress of the country, and were quite proud of theirappearance. They were also very anxious to have the natives give themIndian names, as is quite customary. The Indians, however, after somecouncilling, in which a large quantity of tobacco was smoked, decidedthat as the boys were to remain some time in the country they had betterwait for the development of some strong peculiarities in them, or untilsome great event occurred that would suggest some expressive name. While disappointed with this decision of the council, the boys had torest content. 

At first they found the use of the soft, pliable moccasin very strange, after the heavy boots of civilisation, and for a little while complainedof a soreness in the soles of their feet. These, however, soonhardened, and then they much preferred the soft Indian shoes to allothers. 

On the contemplated trip Mr Ross decided that, in addition to someyounger Indians, he would take with him two old, experienced men, whowere perhaps the most famous hunters of their tribe. One of these wasour old friend, Big Tom; the other was called Mustagan. He was almostas large as Big Tom, and had a wonderful record. We shall hear muchabout him as these pages advance, and will be delighted to have him withus in many an exciting hour. 

Three canoes were employed on this excursion. Mr Ross had Mustagan, another Indian, and one of the boys with him; while the other twocanoes, which were not quite so large as Mr Ross's, had in each twoIndians to paddle them, and one of the boys. So when the party startedit consisted of ten persons. Everyone was well supplied with guns andammunition. The guns used were the muzzle-loaders of the country, asafter some experiments with the breech-loaders there was found to be agood deal of difficulty in reference to the supplies of cartridges. Theusual camping outfit and supplies for a month's outing were taken alongwith them. 

While passing through Play Green Lake, they amused themselves one day bycatching some very large jack fish, or pike, in the usual way. It seemsvery surprising that the mere concussion of the air caused by the firingof blank charges of gunpowder could so stun or paralyse such enormousfish. 

As they journeyed on, a quiet "Hush!" from Mustagan caused them to looktoward the shore, and there, not far up from the sandy beach, were to beseen four beautiful young deer. As Mr Ross was anxious to get on, andnothing specially was to be gained by hunting these beautiful youngcreatures, they were not even disturbed or frightened. The boys watchedthem for some time, and were delighted with their graceful movements aslike young lambs they gambolled on the shore. Genuine sport is notbutchery of inoffensive creatures that cannot be utilised for thebenefit of parties shooting them. 

They had some rare sport in trying to shoot the great northern diver, called in this country the loon. It is a bird as large and heavy as thewild goose. Its feathers are so thick and close that they easily turnaside ordinary shot. Its bill is long and sharp, and with it in battlecan inflict a most ugly wound. The feathers on its breast are of snowywhiteness, while on the rest of the body they are of a dark brown colourapproaching to black flecked with white. Its peculiar legs are wide andthin; its webbed feet are so large that it can swim with amazingrapidity. On land it is a very awkward and ungainly bird, and canhardly move along; but in the water it is a thing of beauty, and as adiving bird it has, perhaps, no equal. It has a strange mournful cry, and seems to utter its melancholy notes more frequently before anapproaching storm than at any other time. The Indians, who are mostexcellent judges of the weather and quick to notice any change, havegreat confidence in the varied cries of the loon. It is a marvellousdiver, and is able to swim great distances under the water with amazingrapidity, only coming up, when pursued, for an instant, at longintervals to breathe. 

The loon is very hard to kill. A chance long-distance bullet or a shotin the eye does occasionally knock one over, but as a general thing theIndians, none too well supplied with ammunition, let them alone, as whenshot they are of but little worth. Their flesh is tough and tasteless, and the only thing at all prized is the beautiful skin, out of which theIndian women manufacture some very picturesque fire-bags. 

As several of these loons were seen swimming in Play Green Lake as ourparty paddled along, Mr Ross decided to give the boys a chance to showtheir skill and quickness in firing at them, although he hardly imaginedany of them would be struck. The sportsman who would strike them musthave an alert eye and quick aim to fire the instant they are up, as theyare down again so suddenly, only to reappear again some hundreds ofyards off in the most unexpected place. 

The three canoes were paddled to positions about a third of a mileapart, like as at the points of an equilateral triangle. In this largespace thus inclosed several loons were surrounded, and the work oftrying to shoot them began. Before beginning to fire, the boys had beenwarned never under any circumstance to pull a trigger if one of theother boats should be in line, no matter how distant. Bullets even froman ordinary shotgun will sometimes so bound over the waves as to go animmense distance, and very serious injuries have resulted. As has beenstated, it is almost impossible to kill a loon even when struck withordinary shot, so it was decided here to use either buckshot or bulletsas the hunters preferred. 

Part of the fun of loon hunting is in the absolute uncertainty as to thespot where the bird, after diving, will next show itself. It may appeara quarter of a mile away, or it may suddenly push up its bright head andlook at you out of its brilliant eyes not five yards from the side ofyour canoe. It has, when hunted, a certain dogged stubbornness againstleaving the vicinity it was in when first assailed, and will remain in asmall area, even of a large lake, although repeatedly fired at. 

Hardly had the canoe in which were Mr Ross and Frank with their twocanoemen taken its position, when a beautiful loon rose up about ahundred yards away, and not having been frightened, as no gun had as yetbeen fired, he sat there in all his beauty on the water watching them. 

"Fire at him, " said Mr Ross to Frank. 

No sooner said than done, and away sped the bullet well and true on itserrand, and fairly and squarely hit the water exactly where the bird hadbeen, but no bird was there. Quicker than could that bullet speedacross those hundred yards the bird had dived, and ere Frank couldrecover from his chagrin its brilliant eyes were looking at him from aspot not twenty yards away. The loon had been facing the canoe whenfired at, and in diving had come on in a straight line toward them, andnow here he was, so close to them and looking so intently that he seemedto say by his appearance, "I've come to see what all that noise wasabout. "

So sudden was his appearance that no one in the canoe was ready for him, and ere a gun could be pointed he was down again and, swimming directlyunder the boat, rose again on the other side, more than a hundred yardsaway. While this had been Frank's experience, the others had not beenidle. As was quite natural, there was a good deal of good-naturedrivalry among them, as to which canoe would come, the honour of killingthe first loon. Mustagan, who had charge of one of these canoes, was anold hand at this work, and, as he was a keen hunter, had caught thisspirit of rivalry that had arisen. He determined to put his longexperience with these birds against their cleverness, and it wasinteresting to watch the contest between him and them. For a time hisefforts met with complete failure, and the birds fairly outwitted him. 

Mustagan, however, was not discouraged, and he resolved on one moreeffort to succeed. He had learned from observation that the loon withits marvellously brilliant eye seemed to be able to see the flash of thegun, and so quick were its movements that it could dive ere the bulletsor other missiles reached it. Acting on this knowledge, he rigged up inthe canoe a kind of a barrier behind which Sam was seated, concealedfrom the sharp-sighted bird. For a time they were not able to get asuccessful shot, although a great deal of ammunition was expended. 

Alec, with Big Tom and his other Indian canoeman, was equallyunsuccessful. The loons themselves seemed to have entered into thespirit of the thing, and kept bobbing up here and there, at mostunexpected places, taking good care, however, that each time the bulletsstruck the spot where they were, they were somewhere else when itarrived. It was at first strange to the boys that the bullets did notfollow them in the water, but went bounding off and skipping over thesurface often for great distances. 

At length, when Mr Ross began to fear that the ammunition had sufferedenough, and the boys had had sufficient of this kind of shooting, which, after all, was a most capital drill at quick firing, and was about tostop the sport, Mustagan pleaded for time to try one more experiment. He had been watching the movements of a splendid loon, that had saucilyand successfully challenged the guns from each boat in succession forquite a time. Mustagan's quick eye noticed that the bird was not quiteso vigilant as he had been, and resolved that he could be shot, and thatSam should have that honour. Strange as it may seem to those who havenot had the fun of trying to shoot loons, these birds get to know thatthe hunters they are to watch are those who handle the guns. Knowingthis, Mustagan had Sam well load his gun with buckshot and slugs. Swinging the canoe so that Sam would be completely hid by the barrierprepared, he with his gun rose up in a conspicuous manner flourishinghis weapon, and thus kept the eyes of the bird on himself every time hearose. This went on for some minutes, until at length, as Mustagan didnot fire, although brandishing his gun about, the loon seemed to losehis caution, and remained up longer each time he came to the surface. 

This was what the wily old Indian was expecting, and so, speaking toSam, he told him to be on the watch and soon he would have a successfulshot. Sam, however, had to wait for quite a time, so erratic were theloon's movements, and in such unexpected places did he suddenly come up. However, success generally comes to those who have patience long enoughto wait, and so it was in this case. The fortunate opportunity came atlast, for there right in front of the canoe not fifty yards away rose upthat beautiful bird, and the same instant from the unseen gun and lad, behind that little barrier, rang out the report which followed the fatalmissiles that had done their work, for one of them had cut clean throughthe neck of the loon, severing the vertebrae, and there he lay in thewater with the snowy-white breast uppermost. 

A rousing cheer told of the successful shot, and at once when the birdwas secured the canoes were headed for the shore. There a dinner wasquickly prepared, and in glorious picnic style it was enjoyed by all. The loon was skinned by one of the Indian men, and subsequently wastanned in native fashion, and a beautiful fire-bag was made from it ofwhich in after years Sam was very proud. 

Three Boys in the Wild North Land, by Egerton R. Young

CHAPTER SEVEN. 

THE OLD FORT CAMP--SAM'S RACE WITH THE BEAR--INDIAN COMMENTS. 

As the day was now advancing, and they had already had so much sport, they decided not to try and reach the Old Fort on Lake Winnipeg, wherethe Nelson River begins, that evening. So they paddled their canoes tothe ashore and there formed a camp. While the older members of theparty remained at the fire, some of the younger and more eager ones tooktheir guns and went off to see what they could shoot. 

Frank succeeded in bringing down a great pelican that, with some others, had been gorging itself with gold-eyes, a beautiful kind of fish, similar in appearance to large herring, but with eyes so bright andgolden that the appropriateness of the name is at once evident to allthe first time they see it. Frank carried to the camp his great bird, but was disappointed when told that as an article of food it was aboutworthless. One of the Indians, however, pleased him when he said that avery beautiful ornamental bag could be made of the great sac that hungdown from its enormous bill. 

Alec was more successful, and returned soon after Frank with a number offine ducks, which he carried hanging around him with their heads crowdedunder his belt in real Indian fashion. 

The different Indians, who had also gone off hunting, returned one afteranother, and so when supper was ready at the camp fire about sunset allwere returned but Sam. 

Where was he? Who had seen him last?

These were the questions put, but no one seemed able to give anysatisfactory answer. 

As it was supposed he would return any minute, the supper, whichconsisted principally of the fish they had caught and game shot, waseaten and much enjoyed. 

Still no signs of Sam. Mr Ross began to feel uneasy, and now, as theshadows of the coming night were beginning to fall around them, hecalled Mustagan and some of the older Indians to him, and asked what hadbetter be done. Promptly they responded that he must be found ere thelast glimmering light faded away and the auroras began to dance and playin the northern sky. 

"Let us at once get on his trail, " said an old Indian, "and we will soonfind him. "

So the question was again anxiously asked who had last seen him. 

But there was little need for an answer, as Sam, pale, excited, andpanting for breath, suddenly dashed into their midst. 

"What is the matter?" said Mr Ross, while all the rest, with intenseinterest, waited for his answer. 

All poor Sam could say was, "The bear! the bear!" as he lay panting onthe ground. 

Mustagan, quick to read signs, was the first to see what had happened, and so, hastily catching up his gun, and crowding down the barrel abullet on the top of the buckshot, with which it was already loaded, heslipped out from the circle of light around the camp fire, in thedirection from which Sam had come. 

Not five minutes was he gone ere the report of his gun rang out. Withall the imperturbable nature of an Indian he returned, and when withineasy calling distance of the camp fire he asked for a couple of Indiansto join him. Quickly they glided away in the darkness. It was not fora long time, however, that they were required. Soon their voices wereheard asking that additional wood might be thrown upon the fire in orderthat they might have a better light. Why they needed it was soonevident, as they shortly afterward appeared dragging into the camp asplendid bear, the sight of which at first made Sam jump again, asthough he would continue the journey he had so abruptly ended when hehad dashed into their midst. 

When Sam had quieted down he told the story of his exciting adventure. 

Like the others, he had taken his gun and gone off to see what he couldshoot. As at first he did not meet with much success he pushed on andon until he reached a long stretch of sandy beach, on which he detectedthe fresh footprints of a bear. Putting a bullet into his gun, hebravely started off to get that bear. On and on he hurried, recklessand excited, until at length he saw the fine fellow, not two hundredyards away, sitting on a flat rock a little way out from the shore, busily engaged in capturing fish. 

Without any fear Sam pushed on until he was, as he thought, near enoughto kill the bear that was sitting on his haunches with his back towardhim, utterly unconscious of his presence. 

Raising his gun he fired. That he hit him he was sure, as he said hesaw the fur fly from a spot on his back. The instant the bear felt thewound he gave a roar of pain, and, turning around, without a moment'shesitation dashed into the water and came for Sam. 

"All at once, " said Sam in a most comical manner, "as I saw what a bigfellow he was and his resolve to try and cultivate a closeracquaintanceship, I thought I had had hunting enough, and would like togo home and see my mother. But, as this was impossible, I decided thatthe next best thing was to get back to the camp as soon as I could. SoI dropped my gun and started at a great rate. However it did not takethe bear long to get across that bit of water, and then on he came. 

"My! but he did run, and quickly did he gain upon me. Then I dropped mybrightly coloured beaded Indian cap, hoping that that would delay him. 

"But he only seemed to give it a sniff and a tear, and then on he came. Finding he was still gaining on me, I pulled off my leather coat anddropped it on the trail and hurried on. Glancing behind me, I noticedthat that seemed to make him suspicious for a time, as he carefullyexamined it. This delay was fortunate for me, but soon, to my alarm, Ifound he was once more coming on after me. 

"It was now getting dark, but fortunately I knew the way, and so dashedin upon you in the manner I did, just about used up. "

The recital of Sam's adventure and narrow escape very much excited Frankand Alec, and Mr Ross looked grave and anxious, and seemed to bethinking of what would have been felt and said in the home land if, during the first few weeks after the boys had arrived in the Wild NorthLand, one of them had been killed by a bear. 

The Indians smoked their pipes and listened in silence to Sam's story, which was translated for those who did not understand English. It wasevident by their clouded faces that they were not pleased. Theiractions said, even before they uttered a word:

"The young white brave should not have run away from a bear. Supposethat the bear had not been killed, and after chasing the white hunterinto the protection of the camp fire had escaped and gone and told theother bears of his success, what a rejoicing there would have been amongthe other bears! And how bold and saucy all the bears would have beenever after!"

Thus the Indians thought, for they have queer ideas about bears. Because of the handlike appearance of the paws of the bear they saythere is a good deal of the human in them. So they talk about them asholding councils and taking advice one from another. And when theyattack them, especially the Indians of these great Algonquin tribes, they always address them as Mr Bear, and apologise to them for beingunder the necessity of killing them. 

Thus these Indians at this camp fire were simply disgusted with Sam forrunning away from that black bear. 

So after a good smoke and much cogitation one of them, who was a paddlerin Sam's canoe, turned to him and said:

"You have a good knife?"

"Yes, " said Sam, and he drew the keen, sharp, double-edged weapon fromits sheath in his leather belt, and handed it to him to examine. 

The Indian took it, and, after carefully examining it, passed it on tothe other Indians, who all admired it. But it was noticed that in theirlow utterances among themselves there was much of sarcasm, and evencontempt, in some of their expressions. 

After some more smoking another Indian turned to Sam, and said:

"No tree along the trail where the bear chase you?"

"O yes, " said Sam, "plenty of them. But I was afraid to take timeenough to try and climb up into one of them. "

This answer, which Sam gave in all honesty, was too much for theIndians, and the look of disgust that passed over their faces was astudy. However, the one who had asked the question about the tree spokeup and said:

"No good climbing a tree. Bear better climber than any hunter. Treeonly good for you to fight bear at the bottom. Put back against tree. Black bear rise up and come to hug you to death. He then never bite ortear. Only hug. He try to squeeze the life out of you. So with goodknife, and your back against a tree, keep cool. Let bear come, and whenhe stand up on his hind legs and try to hug, you just give him your goodknife straight in the heart. Bear fall over dead. You not hurt at all. All needed, keep cool all the time. No brave white boy with good knifeand plenty trees must ever run away from black bear any more. "

Thus he went on in his broken English to Sam's mortification, and hefound that in using his good legs, that had often carried him in firstin many a race at school, he had gone down very much in the estimationof the Indians, who think it is simply foolishness, as well ascowardice, if armed with anything like a decent knife, to refuse to givebattle to a bear from the trunk of the nearest tree. Thus the boys weregetting points and learning lessons by experience in reference tohunting. 

Mr Ross did not chide the lad, but thought that it would have beenbetter if, when he discovered the fresh track of the bear, he hadimmediately returned to the camp for assistance. The fact is, Mr Rosswas very thankful that nothing worse had happened. 

Frank and Alec listened with intense interest to Sam's account of hisrace back to the camp with the bear at his heels, and both declared thatthey would have done likewise. Later on we will find that they wereable to successfully adopt the Indian methods, much to their delight. 

Three Boys in the Wild North Land--by Egerton Ryerson Young

CHAPTER EIGHT. 

PRESERVING MEAT--CUNNING PARTRIDGES--CELESTIAL PHENOMENON--THE FEARFULHURRICANE--CAUGHT IN THE STORM--DISASTER--THE MISCHIEVOUS WOLVERINE--ALEC'S SHOT. 

The sun was shining brightly next morning ere the musical "Koos-koos-kah" rang out, calling them from their slumbers. When the boys arosethey found the big bear already skinned, and some portions of his hams, cut as steaks, were being broiled, while his spareribs were skidded on acouple of sticks, and were being roasted a nice brown colour, in frontof the fire which burned so brightly on the rocks. The savoury odour ofthe cooking breakfast was welcome to the boys. 

A hasty plunge in the fresh water of the lake was a refreshing bath, andsoon they were ready for their morning meal. Indians, if they have thechance, are not bad cooks, especially when working for those whom theyrespect; and so here, under the eye of Mr Ross, whom they so loved, they did their best. With some of the supplies from home, added to thefish, duck, bear steaks, and spareribs, they had a breakfast of whichany hunters might be proud. The delicious bracing air, the wildromantic surroundings, the congenial friendship, the picturesque, attentive red men, gave to this meal on the rocks under the blue skysuch an exhilaration of spirits to the boys that they were fairly wildwith delight. 

Even Sam had forgotten in some degree his exciting race and fright inthe rare enjoyment of the hour. Soon after, preparations were begun forcontinuing the journey. The question was, what was to be done with allthe bear's meat, as there was too much to carry in their canoes, withthe other supplies considered more necessary. So the Indian plan ofpreserving meat fresh and sweet was adopted. A hole was dug in thefresh earth to a depth of three or four feet, and here the meat, wellwrapped up in the bear's skin, was deposited. Meat will keep fresh andgood in this way for many days. The hole was then carefully covered upand packed down by the Indians. Then on the top a large fire waskindled, and then allowed to burn itself out. This was done to destroythe scent and thus save the "cache" from being discovered by prowlingwolves and wolverines that would in all probability visit the camp notlong after the hunters had left. 

Nothing of much importance occurred during the trip to the Old Fort. Their favourite camping ground was reached in due time, and the boys hada couple of hours' duck and partridge shooting ere they sat down on therocks to dinner. Each had something to say, but Frank most amused theparty by a description of an old partridge that kept tumbling down aheadof him and acting in the queerest manner possible. In fact, so amusedwas he in the queer antics of the bird that he could not find it in hisheart to shoot her. When Mr Ross heard Frank's story he said he wasdelighted to hear that he had not tried to shoot that partridge, as itwas undoubtedly a mother bird with a brood of little ones not far off. Then he went on to tell not only of the cleverness he had oftenwitnessed in the old mother birds themselves, but also how cunningly thelittle ones acted when suddenly disturbed. They would apparently makethemselves invisible. Some would quickly disappear in little openingsor under leaves, others would cleverly catch up old brown leaves intheir mouths and suddenly turn over on their backs, and then lie stilland quiet thus hidden under the leaves. Mr Ross said he had seen themdo this so quickly that he could hardly believe his eyes until he wentand picked up the brown leaf and the little partridge that had socleverly hid itself out of sight, and not until the little bird was inhis hands did it show any sign of life. Then, indeed, it was wildenough. 

During the afternoon the sky became hazy and slightly overcast. Theboys were treated to one of the peculiar phenomena not unfrequently seenin those high latitudes. First, a great circle surrounded the sun, andat the east, west, and top and bottom in it were seen very vivid mocksuns. Shortly after another ring appeared inside this first one, andthen another one on the outside of all, and in each circle thereappeared four mock suns, clear, distinct, and startling. In all therewas the sun himself, in a beautiful halo in the centre, and around himwere visible no less than twelve mock suns. 

While this sight very much interested the boys, the older Indians weresomewhat troubled, and at once proposed to Mr Ross the removal of theircamp to a sheltered spot where some dense forests of balsam and sprucewould be a barrier against the coming storm, which they said was notmore than an hour off. Marvellously clever are these Indians in readingthese signs in the heavens, and very rarely do they make mistakes. 

To the boys there was not in these beautiful visions in the heavensanything that portended a storm, and they were somewhat disappointedwhen told that in all probability there would be but little hunting forperhaps some days. While this was not pleasant news, they willinglyfell to work and did their share in removing to the place appointed. They were very much interested to see how skillfully the Indians cutpoles, and, taking the oilcloths from the canoes, improvised awatertight roof over a "lean-to, " as they called it, against the stormthat they said would soon be on them from a certain point indicated. Large dry logs were cut and rolled into position to make a fire in thefront of this improvised tent, under which they would have to findshelter. Kettles, food, and blankets were brought up to this camp, andthen the canoes were carried to a sheltered spot and turned over andfastened down with heavy logs and stones. 

Very busily were the men employed, and yet more rapid were the changesthat were taking place in the heavens above and around them. One by onethe circles with the mock suns disappeared. Dark clouds began to ariseup in the north-west horizon, and rapidly they came up in the heavens. Vivid flashes of lightning were seen and the rumbling thunder was heardfrom the rapidly darkening clouds all around. The birds that had beensinging now seemed to fly off to dense coverts, and uttered onlyfrightened cries. A dense, stuffy sensation seemed to be in the air, and there for a few moments every sound was hushed, and a calm, the mostprofound and ominous, seemed to fall upon the whole face of nature. Nota blade of grass or a tall reed in the marshy places near the shore madethe slightest movement. Nature was absolutely still. It was the dead, weird quiet before the awful hurricane; the quietude of death before theelemental war. 

Only for a short time did it last, and to judge by the feverish hastewith which the Indians, under Mr Ross's stern orders, worked, it wasevident they knew the danger of this ominous calm, and what wouldspeedily follow. Large logs were piled up as a barrier behind theimprovised tent, while every rope available was used to tie down thepoles which held up the roof of canvas and oilcloth. Poles were lashedacross the top, and tied down with the fishing nets, which had to do assubstitutes for something better. Guns were well wrapped up in theoilcloth covers, and, with the axes, were placed at a distance from thecamp. 

"Get under cover, and hold on to something fixed and strong!" shoutedMustagan, who had been on the lookout, and saw that the storm was closeat hand. 

And it _was_ a storm! A strange greenish appearance came into thenorth-west sky, and then suddenly there was heard and seen the oncomingtornado. The clouds that during the calm had apparently becomemotionless in the heavens for a time suddenly became strangely brokenand twisted, and then, as though impelled by some irresistible impulse, started with a speed that seemed incredible on their wild career. Thereseemed to roll up before them the strange green colour in the sky, whichnow appeared like a great monster on the crest of the coming clouds. Blacker, denser, and darker, on they came. Far away the sound of thestorm could be heard, while now the forked lightnings and peals ofthunder were almost incessant. 

Crouching under the shelter was our party. Mr Ross and the three boyswere in the centre, while the stalwart Indians took the outsidepositions, each man with a grip of iron upon the poles and canvas. 

Very strange and very different were the sensations of the boys. "Thisis glorious!" said Alec, who had often, with his Highland friends, beencaught in storms amid the hills of his beloved Scotland. 

"Wait until it is over, " said the other boys, "and then we will tell youwhether it is `glorious' or not. "

"Hold on!" shouted Mr Ross. For, in almost an instant, a dark as likeas midnight was on them, broken only by a vivid flash of lightning, while the very ground seemed to shake under the awful thunder. Then thestorm in all its fury was upon them. How they escaped seemed a miracle. Great trees all around them were bent and twisted and broken, and wentdown in scores, until the air seemed full of the falling trunks andbranches. Large branches fell upon the frail roof under which they weresheltered, but fortunately, while some holes were made, none of themwere large enough to break through or injure them, and those that didfall on them were really a benefit, as they helped to hold down thecanvas over them. 

Fortunately these tornadoes are not of long duration. With a speed ofperhaps over a hundred miles an hour they sweep along with irresistiblepower in their wild career. 

Their fury is soon spent, and years may pass ere they occur again. As avery heavy fall of rain immediately followed this hurricane or tornado, our party were obliged to remain under their frail tent, which, in spiteof the fury of the winds, thanks to the strong arms of the Indians, skillfully directed by Mustagan, had been kept from being blown away. However, some of the larger branches that had fallen upon it had piercedthe roof in some places, and now, like out of a huge funnel, about agallon of water suddenly struck Alec on the back of the neck, and causedhim to change his position, while he fairly howled from the suddennessof the dousing. 

"Is that sousing `glorious, ' Alec?" asked Frank, who was doing his bestto dodge the little streams that through some other rents were trying toreach him. 

"Well, no, not exactly, " was Alec's answer;--"this beats anything I eversaw or heard of in the Highlands; and now that the worst is over I wouldnot have missed such a thing for a good deal. "

"What do you think of it, Sam?" said Frank. 

Sam had cuddled down between Mr Ross and Mustagan, and, at the adviceof the latter, had taken the precaution to double up a blanket like ashawl and throw it over his head and shoulders. Very little wet hadreached him, yet he had to confess that he had been terrified by thisstorm, which had excelled any dozen ever witnessed before in his life. 

"Think of it!" said, he; "faith, I have just been thinking which is theworst, being chased by a fierce old bear or frightened out of a year'sgrowth by a tornado. Next time, if I am to choose between the two, I'lltackle the bear. "

This answer caused a hearty laugh, and even the Indians, who hadremained so quiet, yet alert to watch for any change in the storm, smiled at it and exchanged significant glances, and said that the boywould yet redeem himself. 

After a time the rain ceased, the blue sky appeared, and the sun shoneout again. But what a change met their gaze as they came out from undertheir quickly improvised tent and wandered about! The beautiful forestsseemed about ruined. In one direction, like as though a great reaperhad gone through a splendid meadow, and cut clean to the ground a greatswath of grass, so had this cyclone gone through the forest. In thecentre of its path, not a tree had been left standing. Every one hadgone down before this irresistible force. Fortunately it had swerved alittle to the right as it passed by our friends, or they would not haveescaped so well. As it was, great trees had fallen all around, and itwas a providential escape that had been theirs, and for this they weremore than grateful as they saw by investigation more and more of thefury displayed by the effects of the tempest as it passed. The spotwhere the canoes had been hid away was, of course, one of the first towhich their steps were directed. A great tree had fallen across one ofthem, that had not been placed low enough in the hollow between therocks, and it was so crushed and broken as to be absolutely worthless. The others, however, had escaped, and were none the worse of the storm, although fallen trees were all around them. 

Blankets, supplies, and other things were overhauled, and everythingthat had caught the rain was soon drying in the warm sun, which was nowsmiling serenely upon them. The mock suns, or "sun dogs, " as they werecommonly called, all disappeared with the storm of which they seemed tohave been the harbinger. Beautiful as had been their appearance, theboys all agreed that if their coming was to be so speedily followed bysuch a storm they would gladly dispense with them in the future; nor didthey see them again until when, in the depth of winter, they showed upin their weird splendour and heralded forth a blizzard storm whichplayed its wild pranks upon the boys most thoroughly. But we must notanticipate. 

Mr Ross and the Indians quickly shifted the camp to a pleasant place. A fire was kindled and a hot meal was cooked and eaten, and then therewas a consultation as to the future. One canoe was destroyed; could thewhole party go in the other two, or had they better return to Sagasta-weekee? Mr Ross was anxious to hear whether the cyclone had done anydamage at home, although he had not much fear, for it had apparentlycome from another direction. However, it was eventually decided thatthree of the Indians should return home, and bring along with themanother canoe, as well as news from the home. They were also to call atthe camp to take home the bear's robe and meat, which had been cached inthe ground as we have described. Very soon were they ready to start, and, to the surprise of Mr Ross, Alec asked to be permitted to go withthem. This request was readily granted, and soon in one canoe, withtheir four paddles at work, they were speeding along at a great rate. 

They pushed on without stopping, until they began to round the point ofa narrow tongue of land, which would bring them into full view of theircamp, although it was still some hundreds of yards away. The instantthe point was turned and the distant camping place came into view theIndian in the front of the canoe suddenly ducked down his head andwhispered a sharp, quick "Hist!" and at once arrested the forwardmovement of the boat. Noiselessly and quickly was the canoe paddledback out of sight. 

"What is the matter?" said Alec, who was surprised by the suddenness ofthis quick retrograde movement and of the quiet, suppressed excitementof the Indians. 

"Wolverine!" was the only word he heard, which was whispered from oneIndian to the other. The utterance of this one word made Alec no wiseruntil one of the men, who understood a little English, said, "Wolverinefind the camp; smell the meat; dig him up; carry him away; we kill him. "

This was no easy matter, as the wolverine is, without exception, themost cunning animal in the woods. He far outstrips in this respect thefox or wolf or bear. What these Indians were going to do must be donequickly. The first thing was to see that their guns were well-loadedwith bullets. The next was to find out if his quick eyes had seen themwhen for the few seconds they must have been visible when they roundedthe point. The wind was in their favour, as it was blowing from him tothem. The oldest of the crew was appointed the leader, the rest were tofollow his directions. First of all he quietly went ashore, and, noiselessly crawling through the underbrush across the point, he wasable to see that the wolverine was still at work. It was evident thathe had not the slightest suspicion that his enemies, the hunters, werenear him. Returning to the canoe from this inspection, the leader gaveorders that they were to paddle back into the deep bay so that therewould be a possibility of their landing and getting in behind him, astheir old camp which he was robbing was close to the shore. 

Very noiselessly and yet rapidly did they hurry back, and then asquietly as possible they landed at a suitable spot. It was here decidedthat three of them, with their guns, should try and get into the rear ofthe camp, while Alec, who had not yet the ability to travel with thespeed and quietness here essential to success, was to take his placejust across the neck of land where, with his gun, he could command theshore if the wolverine, disturbed by those in the rear, should attemptto escape over the rocks in that direction. Before leaving, the leadersaid to Alec:

"Do not fire until you see the whites of his eyes, and then hit him, ifpossible, between them; or, if it is a side shot, strike him behind theforeshoulders. "

Alec was excited, but he soon conquered his nervousness, and prepared toplay his part as well as possible. His instructions were to wait for afew minutes ere he began to crawl to his assigned position. He thus hadan opportunity of witnessing the cleverness and alertness of the threeIndians starting on their critical work. Making a deep detour, theywere soon out of sight in the forest, without making as much noise asthe breaking of a single twig beneath their moccasined feet. More likephantoms they seemed, as so quietly they flitted away. When he thoughtit was time for him to move he began, Indian-like, to advance to hisassigned position, imitating as far as possible the movements he hadwitnessed in the Indians. To his great satisfaction, he reached thedesignated spot without any trouble. 

Carefully looking over the rocks and through some underbrush, he wasable to see, through a pocket telescope which he fortunately had withhim, the busy wolverine still at work. Very interesting it was to watchhim, even if it meant the destruction of all the meat. The wolverine isabout as large as a first-class retriever dog. His legs, though short, are exceedingly muscular, and he has quite a bushy tail. These animalsare very powerful, and in breaking into an Indian's "cache" can removelogs and stones much larger and heavier than one man can lift. They arevery destructive when they find a "cache" of this description. They notonly have an enormous capacity for devouring the meat cached by theIndians, but they will carry away, and cunningly hide, large quantities. Over the whole they emit an odour so pungent and so disagreeable, thatneither hungry Indians nor starving dogs will touch it. The Indianssimply detest the wolverine on account of its thievish propensities andits great cunning. There is always great rejoicing when one is killed. As Alec, through his telescope, watched the mischievous, busy animal hebecame very much interested in his movements. He was amazed at thestrength which enabled him to dig out from the ground a hindquarter ofthe bear and easily carry it away to another place, where he cunninglyhid it. His next effort, which much amused Alec, was to take the bear'sskin in his mouth and attempt to climb up into a tree that he might hideit among the branches. It was laughable to see the skin slipping underhis feet, and thus causing him to lose his grip, so that, with it, hefell heavily to the ground. Failure, however, was not in hisvocabulary. Again and again he seized the robe in his mouth, andendeavoured to carry the awkward thing up that tree. But, alas for him, his very determination proved his destruction. So absorbed had hebecome in his efforts to succeed that he was, for once in his life, caught off his guard. The three Indians had succeeded in getting behindhim, and had thus cut off his retreat into the forest. The firstconsciousness he had of his enemies was when three simultaneous shouts, from different parts of the forest behind him, told him of his danger. Cunning as he was, the Indians had clearly outwitted him. They knewthat the loud shouts from different parts at the same time was about theonly way by which he could be puzzled, and this plan they hadsuccessfully adopted. 

For an instant only he waited, and then, as rapidly as possible, hestarted along the only route that seemed open to him, which was the onefrom which no sound had come. This was the way that led him exactly inthe direction where Alec was waiting for him. This was what the Indianswere anticipating. Their hope was that Alec would make the successfulshot; then, even if he failed, so narrow was the tongue of land on whichthe wolverine was running that they felt that by spreading out they hadhim so securely hedged in that it would be impossible for him to escape. 

In the meantime Alec had been watching him through his glass, untilthere fell upon his ears the shouts of the Indians. When he saw theeffect upon the wolverine he was amused at the sudden change. Whilebusy robbing the "cache" he seemed the monarch of all he surveyed, byhis saucy appearance. Now he looked and acted as a craven coward, whoseone thought was in reference to his escape. Alec, watching him, saw himspring upon a fallen log, and for an instant look in differentdirections toward the deep forest. The prospect did not seem to satisfyhim, for, springing down, he at once began his journey directly towardwhere Alec was in hiding. When Alec saw this movement, he quickly putup his telescope, and, seizing his gun, prepared for his opportunity. It was fortunate that the distance over which the wolverine had totravel was considerable, as it enabled Alec to get his nerves steady andhis hands firm. When the wolverine had come about half the distance hiscunning suspiciousness seemed to return, and, fearing some danger ahead, he stopped and acted as though he would like to retrace his steps andtry some other plan. Fortunately for Alec, the wind was still blowingtoward him, and so the wolverine had not caught his scent. While thushalting and undecided about his movements he was startled by anothershout, which told him that his retreat was cut off, and so he quicklyresumed his journey. Knowing the cleverness of these animals, Alec hadtaken his position behind a rock, and there, with trigger drawn back, heawaited his oncoming. 

"Wait until you can see the white of his eyes, " had been hisinstructions, and faithfully did he obey. 

With his strange, slouching gait, along came the treacherous, cunningbrute until he reached a point where he stood fairly exposed on thelower one of some steplike rocks. With eye keen and nerve firm, Alecstepped out from behind his cover, and ere the animal could get over thestart of his sudden appearance the report of the gun rang out and thewolverine fell dead, struck by the bullet fairly and squarely betweenthe eyes. 

Alec's shout of triumph brought the Indians to him on the run, and they, in their quiet way, congratulated him on doing what but few whitehunters have ever done--he had had the honour of shooting one of thelargest wolverines that had been killed in the country for a long time. 

While one of the Indians hurried across the tongue of land for the canoeand paddles it around to the camp, the rest of the party dragged thedead wolverine back to the scene of his depredations. Here they had anopportunity of seeing the destructiveness of this animal. Every poundof meat had been removed from the "cache, " and so cunningly hid awaythat not one piece could be found except the one which Alec had seen himhide as he watched him through his telescope, and this piece was sopermeated by the offensive odour that it was worthless. Fortunately, the bearskin was none the worse for its overhauling. While waiting forthe coming of the canoe the men set to work and speedily skinned thewolverine. The fur is not very valuable, but, to encourage the Indiansto do all they can to destroy them, as they are so destructive onhunters' traps as well as supplies, the Hudson Bay Company always givesa good price for their pelts. 

A few hours' paddling brought them to Sagasta-weekee. Here they foundall well. Fortunately, the cyclone had passed some miles to the west ofthem, and so they had escaped its fury. Hunters, however, had come inwho had been exposed to its power, and had some exciting tales to tellof narrow escapes and strange adventures. 

Mrs Ross had become alarmed when, from some Indians, she had learnedthat the march of the cyclone, was in the direction, in which Mr Rossand his party had gone. She was pleased and delighted to welcome Alec, and to hear from him and the Indians the story of their deliverance andescape from accidents during the great storm. 

The skins of the bear and wolverine were opened out and much admired, and then handed over to some clever Indian women to carefully dress fortheir home-going. The story of Sam's race from the bear very muchamused them all. Nothing, however, so much delighted the Indian hunterswho gathered in as the destruction of that old wolverine. It seems thatsame fellow had haunted that region of country for some years, destroying traps, robbing fish scaffolds and meat "caches, " and playingwith all the steel traps that the cleverest hunters could set for him. Now, however, his reign was over, and here was his hide--and a big oneit was. Alec was the hero, and, although he modestly disclaimed all thehonour except the first-class shot, the Indians were very proud of him, and showed it in various expressive ways. 

Three Boys in the Wild North Land--by Egerton Ryerson Young

CHAPTER NINE. 

MONTREAL POINT--THE GOVERNOR AND THE IROQUOIS--THE HERD OF DEER--OMINOUSSOUNDS--PACKS OF WOLVES--THE FIERCE BATTLE--WELCOME REINFORCEMENTS--THEVICTORY--PLAYING "POSSUM". 

As Mr Ross was anxious to get news from Sagasta-weekee and hear how hisfamily and home had fared during the cyclone, Alec and the Indiansstarted on their return trip early the next morning, taking with them anew canoe to replace the one that had been destroyed by a falling tree. They tarried not on the way, except to shoot a few ducks that weredirectly in their route. The result was they arrived early in theforenoon at the Old Fort, and were glad to bring the good news that allwere well at Sagasta-weekee, and that the storm had passed by severalmiles away from them. 

Of course the story of the destruction of the cache by the wolverine, and then his being killed, had to be told, much to the delight of Frankand Sam, as well as to the satisfaction of the older members of theparty, who all rejoiced that at length that cunning fellow, that had solong been a terror and a nuisance, had been destroyed. 

As the storm had completely died away, and the weather seemed fine andsettled, it was decided to have an early dinner, then push on to SpiderIslands, and there camp for the night. The rearrangement of theiroutfit was soon completed and the journey commenced. 

Lake Winnipeg is nearly three hundred miles long, and about eighty widein its northern part. It is thus like a great inland sea. Great stormssweep over it at times with tremendous fury. It has many shallows andsunken rocks. 

The result is, it requires careful navigation for vessels that need anyconsiderable depth of water. 

There are some laughable stories afloat about the nervous, excitablecaptain of the first schooner, who carefully came up to the northern endof the lake from Manitoba and pushed on as far as Norway House. He hadsecured as a guide an old Hudson Bay voyageur, who had piloted many abrigade of boats from Fort Garry to York Factory, on the Hudson Bay. Ofcourse the small boats to which he was accustomed did not draw nearly asmany feet of water as this three-masted schooner. Still he imagined heknew where all the rocks and shoals were, and quickly accepted theoffered position as guide or pilot for the first schooner. 

In spite of his skill and care several times the vessel bumped against arock, much to the terror and alarm of the captain, but all thesatisfaction he could get out of the imperturbable old native was, asthey repeatedly struck them:

"Ah, captain, I told you there were many rocks, and there is another ofthem. "

Fortunately these rocks are very smooth, and as the vessel was movingalong very slowly, she was not at all injured by the merely touchingthem. When, however, she had, in passing over some sunken ones, nearlystranded on one or two, the peppery old captain could stand it nolonger, and so he shouted to the guide:

"Look here, old fellow, I'll not have my ship's bottom scratched anymore like this. "

All the answer he could get from the stolid man was:

"Um, bottom all right, only a few more rocks. "

And these few more rocks they managed to get over, much to the delightand amazement of the Indians, who had never seen such a large vesselbefore. 

With birch canoes, our friends had no such troubles among the rocks. Asthe wind was fair the clever Indians fastened two paddles and improviseda sail out of a blanket for each canoe, and they were able to sail alongat a great rate. But it requires careful steering, as the canoe is acranky vessel at the best, and only those thoroughly accustomed to themought to try to sail them. 

The trip across to the Spider Islands was safely accomplished. The boyswere pleased with their run, which was most exhilarating. Those whotravel on the water only in great ships miss much of the healthfulexcitement and delight that is the portion of those who are brave andadventurous enough to take some of these trips in the light canoes ofthe Indians. 

The boys were charmed with the few picturesque islands, and had a joyoustime of it, for the weather was most glorious. Yet, as there was nogame, except some passing ducks that lit at times in the littleindentations that served as harbours, it was decided to push on toMontreal Point, which is the first landing stage on the mainland on theeast side of Lake Winnipeg. The point derived its name from the factthat in the old days of long trips made by Sir George Simpson, in thebirch canoes manned by the famous Iroquois Indians, this was the firststopping place from Norway House on their return voyage to Montreal, some two thousand miles away. Marvellous are the stories told of theskill and endurance of those matchless crews of Indians. Sir GeorgeSimpson was a hard master, and pushed them to their very utmost. Nodallying along the road was allowed when he was on board. He would puthis hand over the side of the canoe into the water, and if with a swishthe water did not fly up perpendicularly before him he would reprove inlanguage that could not be misunderstood. 

Very strange does it now appear when we read of those days, or talk toold men who were participants in those events when the officials of thefur-trading company, from the despotic governor himself down to thelowest clerk, travelled over half the continent in birch canoes, mannedby Indians or half-breeds, looking after the interest of the greatestfur-trading company the world has ever seen. It is after all no wonderthat they worked in a hurry when the weather was favourable, as therewere times when storms swept over the lakes with such fury that, inspite of all their skill and anxiety to push on, they were detained fordays and days together. The wonder ever was that more lives were notlost in the daring recklessness that was often displayed. Acharacteristic story of Sir George Simpson, so long the energeticgovernor of the company, is still repeated at many a camp fire. 

It seems that on one of his return voyages to Montreal from Norway Househe was, if possible, more arbitrary and domineering than ever, andespecially seemed to single out for his spleen a big burly fellow, ahalf-French and half-Iroquois voyageur. This half-breed, who was makinghis first trip, stood all this abuse for time good-naturedly, and triedto do his best; but one day at one of the camping places, where SirGeorge had been unusually abusive and sarcastic, the big fellow turnedon him and gave him one of the handsomest thrashings a man everreceived. The rest of the canoemen pretended to be so horror-strickenthat they could not, or would not, interfere until the thrashing hadbeen well administered to the governor, and then they made a noisy showof delivering the tyrant out of the clutches of their enraged comrade. 

When the governor recovered his voice, and was able to get the better ofhis anger and indignation at the fact that he, the great Sir GeorgeSimpson, had been treated with such indignity by a miserable voyageur, he vented in not very polished French his threats upon his assailant. He said:

"Just wait until we reach Montreal, and I will soon clap this villaininto prison, and have him kept there until the flesh rots off hisbones. "

With this and other threats of what he would do, the governor worked offhis passion. The imperturbable canoeman, having obtained hissatisfaction in the thrashing administered, returned to his duties, andpaid no more attention to the threats of Sir George. What cared he? Itwould be many days ere Montreal was reached, and there were many rapidsto run and portages to cross, and so there was no need of worrying aboutwhat was distant. But the governor, although he had ceased to scold, became very glum and distant, and the voyageur began to think thatperhaps it would go badly with him and he would have to suffer for hisdoings. His fears were not allayed or lessened any by his chums, whoconjured up all sorts of dire calamities that would befall him, andinvented any amount of stories of pains and penalties that had beeninflicted on others who had dared to resent his tyrannies. 

Thus the days passed, and at length they reached Lachine, at the end ofthe Ottawa River, not very far from Montreal. Here the company had inthose days a large trading establishment. Shortly after they landed, and Sir George, who had been met by the officials of the company therestationed, went with them into the principal building and was in closeconsultation, while the feelings of the voyageur were not enviable. Aswas feared, the big men were not long in consultation ere his name wascalled in a loud, stern voice. There was nothing for him to do butobey, and so he marched up into the building and met the officials andSir George. 

To his surprise and astonishment Sir George reached out his hand andthere made a full apology for his hasty words and petulant temper, andstated that the thrashing he had received he had richly deserved, andthat it had done him good, as it had opened his eyes to see that he hadgrown tyrannical and overbearing and was expecting more thanpossibilities of the men. Then, to show the genuineness of his apology, he ordered the clerk to give to this man the best outfit of clothing andother handsome presents, and to charge the whole to his, Sir George's, private personal account. 

A couple of hours were quite sufficient to take the boys and Indiansacross the wide open expanse of lake that lay between Spider Island andMontreal Point on Lake Winnipeg. When drawing near the coast they werepleased to see some deer sporting on the shore. It is a peculiarity ofsome animals when on the edge of a lake, that while they are exceedinglyalert and watchful against surprises from the land, they seem to have noidea of danger from the water side. The result is, the experiencedIndians can, by cautious stalking, get quite near to them. 

This is true of some of the deer tribe, and here the boys had anillustration of it. These deer are called in that country by theIndians "wa-was-ka-sew. " They are very graceful in their movements andfull of play. The canoes were halted two or three hundred yards fromthe shore, and the movements of the small herd were watched with greatinterest by the boys. Then Mr Ross quietly passed the word that aneffort would be made to get a successful shot or two. As the guns thenused were not to be depended upon to accurately carry a bullet more thana hundred yards, it was decided to back up and make a long detour andland some hunters ahead of the deer in a clump of timber toward whichthey seemed to be moving. 

Noiselessly the paddles were plied, and when they were several hundredsof yards out they rapidly paddled on to the designated place, which wasperhaps half a mile ahead of the deer. As Alec had had such asuccessful time with the wolverine, it was decided that this was Frankand Sam's opportunity, so they, with one of the younger Indians fromeach boat, under the leadership of Mustagan, were cautiously landed, each one with his gun, knife, and hunting hatchet. Then the boats putout again from the shore to watch the progress of events. 

Not long were they kept waiting, for hardly had they reached a positionwhere they imagined their presence would not be observed before they sawthat the deer had become very much excited, and at first had all huddledclose together on the shore. Mr Ross and the rest at first thoughtthat they must have observed the canoes or had caught the scent of thosewho had landed. A moment's observation revealed that this was not thecase. The very position of the deer showed that the fears were causedby enemies behind them, and they had not long to wait ere they were atfirst heard and then seen. Faintly coming on the wind were heard theblood-curdling howls of a pack of wolves. 

To judge by the movements of the herd of deer it looked as though thebeautiful creatures seemed to think of defence. The bucks formed acompact line, with their antlered heads down toward the point, fromwhich the rapidly increasing howls were coming, while the does and youngdeer crowded in behind. Not long did they there remain. A louderchorus of horrid sounds reached them, which seemed to tell of theirtriumph at having struck the warm scent of their victims. Thesedreadful howlings were too much for the timid deer, and so with a rushthey were off with the speed of the wind, running directly toward thepoint where Mustagan had placed the two boys and the Indians. It wasvery fortunate for them that in this hour of peril they had the cool-headed and courageous Mustagan in command. 

He had been watching the deer from his hiding place and had observedtheir sudden fear and precipitate retreat. His long experience at oncecame to his help, and so, before his acute ear had caught the sound ofthe distant howlings of the wolves, he was certain of their coming. With a celerity most marvellous he gathered in the boys and Indians andquickly explained how matters stood, and told them that their bulletswould probably be required for other game than deer. 

Taking a hasty survey of the ground along which he was sure the deerwould fly, pursued by the wolves, he arranged his men, keeping the boyswith himself. 

His instructions were to let the deer go by unharmed by them; then, asthe wolves followed, for each to pick out one and fire. Then, ifattacked by the rest of the pack, they were to close in together andfight them with their axes and their knives. If, however, they were notattacked after they had fired, they were to again load their guns asquickly as possible. 

"Down to your places!" sternly spoke Mustagan. 

And hardly a moment passed ere the herd of deer flew by, some of them soclose to the hidden hunters that they could almost have touched themwith their guns. 

"Steady, boys!" were Mustagan's whispered words to the white lads, who, crouching down near him with their fingers on the triggers of theirguns, had caught his cool, brave spirit; and although the blood-curdlinghowls of the wolves were now distinctly heard they flinched not in thestrain of those trying moments. 

As Frank and Sam's guns were on this excursion only single-barrelled, while the rest were double-barrelled, Mustagan said:

"When first wolf reach that stone, Frank, kill him. Then Sam hit thenext one. Then I kill some. Then other Indians fire. Perhaps otherwolves run away. Perhaps not, so have axes handy. "

This advice was not neglected, for each axe, keen-edged and serviceable, was at the side of its owner. 

"Now here they come!" shouted Mustagan. 

Nothing can be more trying to brave hunters than was such a position asthis. The travellers in Russia and elsewhere who have been assailed bypacks of these fierce wolves, sending out their merciless, blood-curdling howlings, can appreciate the position of Frank and Sam. Yetthey were true as steel, and when the word was given by the old Indian, in whom they had such implicit confidence, the guns were raised, andwith nerves firm and strong they fired with unerring accuracy, and twogreat grey wolves fell dead, pierced through by the death-dealingbullets. 

Then Mustagan fired. He was too wise a hunter to waste a bullet on asingle wolf, if with it there was a possibility of killing two; and so, as the two leaders who had been a little in advance of the pack hadfallen, he fired at two who were running side by side. His bullet firstwent through the body of the one nearer to him and then broke the backof the second. 

In a second or two there rang out the reports of the other guns, and asmany more of the wolves lay dead or dying on the ground. Now was theuncertainty of the battle. Wolves are the most treacherous and erraticanimals to hunt. Sometimes they are the most arrant cowards, and willturn and run away at the slightest appearance of resistance or attack. At other times they will continue to advance against all odds. Theircourage and ferocity seem to increase with their numbers, and are ofcourse greatest when they are half-famished for food. Gaunt and half-starved those fierce ones seemed to be. And so, when the guns suddenlyrang out and numbers of them fell, the others were at first somewhatdisconcerted; but the hot scent of the deer was close, and the fact thattheir enemies were invisible made them determined not to yield at thisfirst alarm. 

With a rush the survivors, perhaps about twenty in number, dashed intothe thicket, into which the deer had disappeared, and from which theirenemies had fired upon them. Sudden as was this rush it was not quickerthan the movements of the hunters, who had closed in together, and withaxes in hand were ready for their wild, mad attack. Mustagan and histhree Indians were in front, while the two boys were placed a little inthe rear. 

As the pack came on some of them seemed disconcerted by the appearanceof the hunters, and especially by the loud shouts which, at Mustagan'sorders, they now made. All wild animals seem to have a dread of thehuman voice. And thus it was on this occasion. Some of the wolves werestartled and fell back, but numbers of them resolutely dashed on to theattack. Then it was axe against teeth, and one wolf after another felldead or badly wounded under the heavy, skillful blows. Frank and Sameach had the satisfaction of finishing off some of the wounded ones. 

But the conflict was a fierce one; and how it would have gone with themeventually is hard to say, but it was victoriously ended by a welcomearrival of additional forces. Mr Ross and the others in the canoe hadalso been watching the deer, and had seen their startled movements andsudden flight. This had caused them to use their paddles as vigourouslyas possible and make for the shore. Ere they reached it the howling ofthe wolves fell on their ears. Then they had seen the rapid flight ofthe herd, and soon after the wild rush of the wolves not far behindthem. So, as speedily as possible, Mr Ross and the party had landed inthe rear and had hurried on. 

The firing of the guns of Mustagan and his party plainly told them ofdanger, and also indicated the position of their friends. So theycautiously hurried along, and were in good time to pour, from the side, a volley into the wolves, that were now making a fierce attack on themen and boys. 

This second attack was too much for the wolves, and so with howls ofbaffled rage they turned to the east, and soon disappeared in theforest, to be seen no more. 

Many and sincere were the congratulations of all at their success anddeliverance. 

This was the largest pack of wolves that had been seen or heard of inthis part of the country for years. The great northern wolves do not, as a general thing, hunt in very large numbers, as do the smaller wolvesof the prairies or of the steppes of Russia, or as the brown wolf usedto do in the new settlements of Canada and in some parts of the UnitedStates. A pack of eight or ten of these big, fierce northern wolves wasconsidered by the Indians as many as generally hunted together; althoughsometimes, when a few got on the trail of a large moose or reindeer, that led them for a long time, they were apt to be joined by othersuntil they mustered quite a number. So Mustagan's idea was that anumber of small, separate packs had been on the trail--it may have beenfor days--of the different deer, which had at length gathered in thisherd. All they could do, of course, was thus to conjecture; but herewas the startling fact--they had encountered the largest pack of greatnorthern wolves seen in that land for years at least. 

There was still something to be done. While a number of dead wolves laywhere they were shot, others badly wounded were making desperate effortsto escape. These had to be killed, and while some were being dispatchedwith axes by the Indians, to the boys was given the pleasure of sendingthe deadly bullets into others, and thus quickly putting them out ofmisery. 

"Be careful, " said Mustagan, "as you move around among the apparentlydead ones. Wolves are most treacherous brutes, and sometimes badlywounded ones will feign to be dead when very far from it. By doing thisthey hope to escape the extra bullet or fatal blow of the axe that wouldquickly finish them. Then when the hunters are off their guard, ornight comes on, they hope to be able to skulk away. "

This cunning feigning of death when wounded or captured is not confinedto wolves. There are several other animals that often try to play"possum" in this manner. 

This warning advice of the old Indian did not come too soon, andfortunate indeed it was for one of the party. 

The skins of some fur-bearing animals are not considered _prime_ whenthey are killed in the summer months; the bitter cold of winter verymuch thickens and improves the fur. However, sometimes the bears andwolves are almost as good then as in the colder months, and bring nearlyas high a price in some foreign markets. As soon as the work of killingthe wounded ones was apparently over, Mr Ross began feeling the fur ofthem as they lay around, ere the Indians commenced the work of skinningthem. To the boys, who were closely following him, he explained thedifference between what they called in the fur trade a _prime_ skin andone of inferior value. After several had been tested in this way, andall signs of movements on the part of any of the wolves had ceased, theyhappened to come to one very large fellow, settled out flat on hisbelly, apparently stone dead. 

"Here is the finest one we have seen thus far, " said Mr Ross, as hestooped down and began pulling at his dark grey fur, while the boysstood around with their guns held by the barrels in their hands with thebutt resting on the ground. 

While listening to Mr Ross's explanations in reference to the differentgrades of skins, Sam's sharp eyes fancied they detected a slight quiverin the eyelids of the fierce brute, that was apparently unconscious ofthe thorough way in which Mr Ross was pulling his fur and testing it invarious places. Not wishing to be laughed at, Sam said nothing abouthis suspicions that life was still there, but he nevertheless, withoutattracting attention, so changed the position of his loaded gun that itwould not take him long to fire if necessity arose. And very soon theoccasion came. As Mr Ross moved around to the front of the animal hestooped down to feel the thickness of the fur that grows between theshort ears. No sooner had he done this than with the fury of a demonthe wolf sprang up at him, and made a desperate attempt to seize him bythe throat. 

Mr Ross was completely thrown off his guard, but fortunately as thebrute sprang at him he threw up his arm, and thus saved his throat. Butthe arm was pierced by the sharp teeth, that seemed to penetrate throughthe clothing and flesh to the very bone. However, that was his lastspring and his last bite, for before even Mustagan or anyone else couldseize a weapon the report of Sam's gun rang out, and the wolf fell, deadenough this time. Sam had put the muzzle within a yard of his side, andthe charge had fairly torn its way through him. 

So savage had been the attack, and so viciously had the wolf fastenedonto the arm of Mr Ross, that, when the brute fell over dead, the jawsremained set with the teeth in the flesh, and so Mr Ross fell or wasdragged to the ground by the weight of the animal. Mustagan and theothers had to use the handle of an axe to force open the jaws before thewounded arm could be released. 

"Well done, Sam, " was the chorus that rang out from all. After MrRoss's arm had been stripped, and some decoction of Indian herbs, whichwere quickly gathered, had been applied, Sam told of his suspicions whenthe eyelids quivered, and of his precaution in getting his gun ready. Of course it would have been better if he had mentioned it at the time, but he feared to be laughed at, and he said that he thought at the timethat perhaps the wolf's eyelids had the same habit as a snake's tail, ofmoving for some time after the animal is dead. 

The dead wolf was examined for other wounds, and found to be shotthrough the body, behind the ribs, where no vital organ had beentouched. This shot had given it a momentary paralysis, which had causedit to drop so flat upon the ground. The Indians' idea was that itrecovered itself while they were all around it, and so it cunningly laystill, hoping to get away when they left, but Mr Ross's handling wastoo much of an insult to be ignored, and so it suddenly sprang at him asdescribed. 

Of course this wounded arm must be promptly attended to more thoroughlythan it could be on this wild spot, and so every Indian was set to workto skin the wolves, and then the home trip began. 

Three Boys in the Wild North Land--by Egerton Ryerson Young

CHAPTER TEN. 

ROMANTIC COURTSHIP--THE HAPPY FAMILY--A CANOE PICNIC--MUSTAGAN--APROWLING BEAR--A WOMAN'S SHOT. 

When the full details of the battle with the wolves came out, and thefact of the prominent part that Sam had played in the rescue of MrRoss, his family were at first very much excited at his narrow escape, and then full of congratulations for Sam for his shrewdness, and thepromptitude with which he acted. 

We have as yet said but little about this interesting family, and so wewill use some of the time while Mr Ross is recovering from his woundsin giving a few details which we are sure will be most interesting, assome of them partake most decidedly of the romantic. 

Mr Ross, like many a Hudson Bay official, was rather late in life inchoosing his wife. His busy life in the service, where on eachpromotion he was removed from one post to another, made it almostimpossible to set up a home. When he decided to do so his plan was veryromantic. In those remote, lonely regions there are not many whitefamilies from which the young gentlemen in the service can select wives. The result is, many of them marry native women, or the daughters ofmixed marriages contracted by the older officials. These women makeexcellent wives and mothers, and, being ambitious to learn, they oftenbecome as clever and bright as their white sisters, to many of whom theyare superior in personal appearance. Into many a cozy home can theadventurous tourist go, and never would he dream that the stately, refined, cultured woman at the head of the home, honoured by her husbandand beloved by her children, if not of pure Indian blood, was at leastthe daughter or granddaughter of a pure Indian. 

Very romantic is the story of Mr Ross's love adventure, and here it isgiven for the first time. Long years before this, when Mr Ross wascomparatively a young man, he saw in one of the Indian villages a littledark-eyed native girl, who looked to him as beautiful as a poet's dream. Although she was only ten or twelve years old, and he approachingthirty, he fell desperately in love with her, and said she must yet behis wife. He knew her language, and soon found that the bright andbeautiful child was willing some time in the future to be his bride. 

So it was arranged that she should be sent to the old land to beeducated. Fortunately good Bishop Anderson was returning to England inconnection with his work in the Red River Settlement, going by theHudson Bay Company's ship. Wenonah was placed in charge of his familyon the voyage, and at the journey's end was sent to a first-classschool, called "The Nest. " Here at Mr Ross's expense she was kept forseveral years, until she was not only highly educated as a student, butloving, interested ladies taught her, in their kindness, the thingsessential for a good housekeeper to know. 

When she was about twenty years of age she returned to the Hudson Bayterritories, and was married by the missionary to Mr Ross, who had sowell-earned the skillful, loving wife she ever proved to be. Overtwenty years of wedded life had been theirs before Mr Ross retired fromthe service, and several more had passed ere our story opened. Two sonswere away from home as clerks in the company's service at some remotestations similar to those in which most of the officials had begun theirapprenticeship. 

At home were two bright girls about ten and eight years of age, and ayounger brother hardly six, whose name was Roderick. The names of thegirls were Minnehaha and Wenonah. A delightful home was theirs, even ifin a place so remote from civilisation. Mrs Ross had devoted much ofher time to the education of her children. The house was furnished witha splendid library, which Mr Ross himself had gathered with a greatdeal of care. For music, the piano and harp were their favouriteinstruments, and several members of the family were able to playexceedingly well. So well cultured were they that they would beconsidered a well-educated and intellectual family in any land. 

There was for a time some anxiety about the wounds which Mr Ross hadreceived when the wolf so savagely sprang at him. However, he was underthe careful treatment of Memotas, the Christian Indian doctor, whosefame was in all the land, not only for his marvellous skill, but for hisnoble, upright character. 

During the days of Mr Ross's recovery, when it was thought best for himto keep quiet, so that there might be the more rapid recovery, therewere no long excursions made by the boys. The fact was, they had beenso surfeited with excitement that they were quite contented to remain atSagasta-weekee and revel in its library, where they found many aninteresting volume. 

Of course this did not mean that they were not much out in the canoesand among the wigwams of the Indians, who were camped about on thevarious points within easy reaching distances. The natives were alwaysdelighted to see the boys, and utilised what little English theypossessed in order to impart to them as much information as possible. The visits to Big Tom and Mustagan were always a great pleasure. AsMustagan talked English they were not obliged to have an interpreter, and so enjoyed his company very much, and were always delighted whenthey could get him talking on his arctic adventures and narrow escapesin polar regions. He was a man with a marvellous history, as he hadbeen employed in no less than five arctic expeditions. He was with SirJohn Richardson and Dr Ray on their desperate expeditions, when they socourageously and persistently endeavoured to make the sullen Northreveal the story of the destruction of Sir John Franklin and his gallantcomrades. Some of his wonderful adventures we must have from his ownlips after a while. 

Although Mrs Ross was, as has been stated, such a refined and culturedwoman, still she had all her nation's love for the canoe and outdoorlife. The result was, many short excursions were undertaken by her andher children to various beautiful and picturesque spots within a fewmiles from home. 

On these excursions one or two faithful well-armed old Indians werealways taken, as it might happen that a fierce old bear or prowling wolfwould unexpectedly make his appearance. That this precaution wasnecessary was clearly proved by an adventure that had occurred some timebefore the arrival of the boys. Mrs Ross, accompanied by her threeyoungest children, had taken a large canoe, manned by a couple ofIndians, and had gone to spend the day at Playground Point, which wasever, as its name would imply, a favourite spot for old and young, Indians and whites. They had with them a large basket of supplies, andanticipated a very pleasant outing. They reached their destination ingood time, and in various ways were intensely enjoying their holiday. They had all wandered some distance from the spot where they had landed, and where the canoe had been drawn up on the beach by the Indians. These men, after seeing that everything was made right, and that therewere no signs of prowling wild beasts around, had, as Mrs Rosssuggested, taken their axes and penetrated some distance into theinterior of the forest, to see if they could find some large birchtrees, the bark of which would be suitable for a new canoe. 

After the young folks had amused themselves for time with their sportsthey began to think it was time for a raid upon the lunch basket, and soMrs Ross, who had been sitting on a rock reading, shut her book andaccompanied them back to the canoe, where they had left their supplies. An abrupt turn in the path brought them in plain sight of the canoe, which was about a hundred yards directly in front of them. There was asight at which they had to laugh, although there was a spice of dangermixed with it. Seated up in the canoe, with a large hamper in his lap, was a good-sized black bear deliberately helping himself to thecontents. Gravely would he lift up in his handlike paws to his mouththe sandwiches and cakes, and then he cleared out with greatsatisfaction a large bowl of jelly, spilling, however, a good deal of iton his face. 

Mrs Ross would have endeavoured to have noiselessly retreated back withthe children, but the sight of their dinner disappearing down the bear'sthroat was too much for them, and so ere the mother could check them, asimultaneous shout from them alarmed the bear and quickly brought hismeal to a close. The sudden shouting and the apparition of these peoplewere too much for him, and so, jamming what food he had at that instantin his paws in his mouth, he sprang out of the canoe into the water, andbegan swimming at a great rate toward a small island that was directlyout from the mainland. Seeing him thus retreating, and wishing to keephim at it, Mrs Ross and the children, with all the display and noisethey could make, rushed forward, and thus, if possible, caused him toredouble his efforts to get away. This was the wisest thing they couldhave done. A bear is quick to notice whether his presence causes alarmor not. A bold front will generally cause him to retreat, while on theother hand, if he sees any signs of cowardice, or thinks he can terrifyhis enemies and cause them to fly from him, he is not slow in being theaggressor and making the attempt. 

Mrs Ross, well knowing some of the characteristics of bears and theirhabits, was not to be taken off her guard, and so she was resolved to beprepared for every emergency. Her first precaution was to take out oneof the guns and load it well with ball. Then she explored the lunchbasket to find out the extent of the bear's raid upon it. To thechildren's sorrow they found that the best part of the contents, fromtheir standpoint, of the hamper was gone. The cakes and most of thejam, which in that country is such a luxury, being imported all the wayfrom England, were all gone. However, there were some packages of breadand butter and cold meats, and so they did not starve. 

But what about the bear? The island which he had now reached was notmore than a quarter of a mile away from them. No other one was near, and a frightened bear dislikes to be on an island. He seems to beconscious of the fact that he is at a disadvantage, and so he willendeavour to leave it for the mainland as quickly as possible. MrsRoss knew this, and so she felt, after she had thought it over, that, inall probability, very soon after the bear had reached the island, andobserved its limited area and lack of dense forests, in which he couldhide himself, he would take it into his head for his own personal safetyto quickly return to the mainland. With this knowledge of the bear'shabits, she resolved to be ready for him in case he made the attempt. The first thing she did, however, was to endeavour to recall the men whowere at work in the forest. This was done by taking the other gun fromthe boat and heavily loading it with powder. This when fired made avery loud report. Three times in quick succession did Mrs Ross thusheavily load the gun and fire. She well knew that if the men werewithin hearing the sounds of these three reports, when there were onlytwo guns, would indicate that something was wrong, and that it wasnecessary for them at once to return. 

But while the reports were heard by the men and caused them to start ontheir return at once, as was desired, they also startled the bear, andso alarmed and frightened him that he immediately sprang into the waterand began swimming for the mainland. 

The situation was exciting and decidedly interesting. Here on themainland was a lady and three young children. 

Their Indian protectors were a couple of miles or so away in the rear, and directly in front, swimming toward them, was a great black bear. When halfway across from the island he veered a little in order to reacha point of rock that projected out a little from the mainland not twohundred yards away from where were Mrs Ross and the children. Themajority of people would gladly have let the animal escape. Mrs Rossand her children, however, were not of this opinion. His skin wouldmake a beautiful robe, his flesh was good for food, and his fat was thesubstitute for lard in that land, and was therefore valuable. Then, worst of all, had he not eaten the cakes, and especially the jam? So, of course, mother must shoot him when he comes near the shore, if theIndians do not arrive in time. Thus thought the children, anyway. 

Mrs Ross first took the precaution to load both guns with bullets. Then launching the canoe, she had her children get into it, and givingthe older two their paddles, which, young as they were, they couldhandle like the Indian children, she gave them their orders. She wouldgo to that point toward which the bear was swimming, keeping herselfwell hid from his sight. When he was near to the shore she would fire;if she did not kill him with the two shots, or only badly wounded him, she would, after firing, hurry to a spot where they were to wait for herin the canoe, and then embarking with them they would all be safe on thewater, as they could paddle much faster than the bear could swim, evenif he should try to catch them. 

These were wise precautions in case things did not go as wereanticipated. Everything was soon arranged, and then Mrs Ross, takingthe guns, dropped back a little in the rear, and quietly and quicklyreached a good position behind a rock, not far from where it was nowevident the bear intended to land. Carefully arranging her weapons, shewaited until the animal was about fifty or sixty yards away, whenresting one of the guns on the rock, she took deliberate aim at the spotbetween the eyes and fired. 

No second ball was necessary, for suddenly the head went down and alifeless body rose and fell on the shining waves. The bear was stonedead, and all danger was at once over. 

A shout from the children caused her to look, and there she saw it wascaused by the arrival of the two Indians, who, almost breathless, had atthat moment come into view. 

As though it were a matter of everyday occurrence, Mrs Ross said to hermen as they reached her:

"Please carry the guns back to the landing place; tell the children tocome ashore; and then you two take the canoe and go and bring in thatdead bear. "

The anxiety that had been in the minds of these two Indians during thelast twenty minutes, while they had been running two or three miles, quickly left them, and there was a gleam of pride in their dark eyes tothink that this cool, brave woman, whose unerring shot had thus killedthe bear, was of their own race and tribe. 

Mrs Ross, although cultured and refined and the wife of a great whiteman, was always the loving friend of her own people, and did very muchfor their comfort and happiness. Here was something done by her thatwould, if possible, still more exalt her in their estimation; and sothis story, with various additions and startling situations added on, long was a favourite one in many a wigwam, and at many a camp fire. 

The bear was soon dragged ashore and skinned. It was then cut up andthe meat packed away in the canoe. And the children rejoiced that thatbear would never, never steal any more jam. 

CHAPTER ELEVEN. 

THE WONDERFUL STORY OF APETAK, THE GRATEFUL INDIAN, AND THE DESCRIPTIONOF THE TRIP TO AND VIEW OF THE SILVER CAVE, AS TOLD BY MR. ROSS ATSAGASTA-WEEKEE. 

"Tell us a true story to-night, " said little Roderick, the youngest inthe family and the pet of all, as he climbed up on his father's knee. 

"Yes, please, Mr Ross, " said Sam, "tell us that wonderful story yourfather told you about the old Indian and the silver cave. "

It was a capital night for a good story. The rain was pattering againstthe window panes, while the winds, fierce and wild, were howling aroundthe buildings, making it vastly more pleasant to be inside than out, even on a first-class hunting excursion. 

As Sam's request was re-echoed by all, Mr Ross cheerfully consented, and so, when they had gathered around him and taken their favouriteplaces, he began:

"My father was in the service of the Hudson Bay Company for many years. He began as a junior clerk and worked his way up until he became a chieffactor, which is the highest position next to that of the governor. During his long career in the service he was moved about a good dealfrom one post to another. The result was, he became acquainted withvarious parts of the country and with different tribes of Indians. 

"Many years ago, when he had been promoted to the charge of a fairlygood port, the incident I am about to tell you took place. As master incharge my father was, of course, as all Hudson Bay Company's officersare, very anxious to make large returns of fur each year. The dividendswere greatest when the sales were largest. 

"Father had perhaps a hundred hunters at his port, who all were more orless skillful and successful in this fur hunting. 

"There was one old Indian whom we will call Apetak, who was, by allodds, the most skillful hunter father had. Not only was he successfulin bringing the greatest quantity of furs to the port, but he was mostfortunate in being able to capture more of the valuable black and silverfoxes and other of the richest fur-bearing animals. His great successas a hunter thus made him very much of a favourite with my father. But, in addition, he had many very excellent qualities which made himrespected and trusted by all, both whites and Indians. 

"One winter, however, he nearly lost his life. Shortly after the icehad formed on one of the great lakes in his hunting grounds he shot atand wounded a great moose. The animal, mad with the pain of the wound, dashed out of the forest and made for the lake, on which was but acovering of thin ice. He was only able to run on it a few yards ere itbroke under him and let him through into the water. Apetak did not liketo lose the animal, as there was good meat enough on him to keep his potboiling for weeks; so he made a noose in a lasso and tried to get nearenough to throw it over the moose's head, and thus to burden him untilhe could get help to get the body out. 

"But unfortunately for him he ventured too far out on the poor ice andbroke in. He managed to get out, but the day was bitterly cold and hesuffered very much. A bad cold settled upon his lungs, and it seemed asthough he must die. When my father heard of this he sent his own dog-sled and plenty of blankets to Apetak's wigwam and brought him to thetrading post, and had him put into a warm, comfortable bed and wellcared for. He kept him there all winter, and it was not until springthat he was strong and well. He had thus lost that winter's hunt, as hehad not been able to set a trap or fire a gun. However, my father gavehim the necessary supplies in view of his past services, and for this hewas very grateful. 

"With the bright spring weather he regained his usual health and oncemore entered upon his work. But he could never forget my father'skindness, and was anxious in some way to show his gratitude. Moneythere was none then in the country, as everything in the way of tradewas done by barter. He could not give a present of the rich andvaluable furs, as he well knew father would not be allowed to accept ofthem, as the company had made a very strict law against anything of thekind. They demanded that all the furs should go into their sale shops, and not one of their officials, from the governor to the lowest clerk, dare accept as much as a beaver skin as a present from an Indian. 

"Thus was Apetak troubled because he had no way of showing hisgratitude. The spring passed away and the summer was about half gonewhen one evening Apetak, who had not been seen around the trading postfor some weeks, suddenly returned. 

"During the evening he asked for the privilege of having a few minutes'talk with my father. This, of course, was readily granted. To myfather's great surprise he had a strange request to make, and it wasthis: He wanted my father to allow him to blindfold his eyes, and inthat condition take him on a journey of several days' duration into themore remote wilderness. There would be travelling both by the canoe andwalking on land. Then at the right time he would uncover his eyes andshow him a sight that would please him very much indeed. 

"This was a very strange proposition, and for a time my fatherhesitated; but knowing so well the reliable character of Apetak, andhaving in his constitution a good deal of the spirit of adventure, he atlength consented. Apetak imposed some conditions upon him that werevery stringent. One was that he was under no circumstances to divulgeto anyone the fact that he was going away blindfolded. Another was thatwhen the journey was completed, and he was safely back at home, he wasnot to try and get there again. And the last was that for so many yearshe was never even to mention or refer to the matter to anyone, white orIndian. These seemed rather hard conditions, but as father's curiosityhad now been aroused he at length consented, and in a day or two he saidto his head clerk:--

"`I think I will go off on a bit of an excursion for a few days. '

"As these were of frequent occurrence, there was no stir or curiosityexcited. So, leaving orders as to the business for a few days, he andApetak started off with their guns, blankets, and the usual outfit in abirch canoe. When away from the post Apetak got out the mask, withwhich he blindfolded my father. It was a most thorough one, not a rayof light penetrating it. When it was fastened on Apetak said:--

"`It will be all right, and you will not be sorry for this trip. '

"Taking up his paddle again, Apetak really began the journey. At firsthe paddled the canoe round and round, until my father was completelybewildered and knew not the north from the south. Then on and on thestrong Indian paddled for hours. Of course he and my father talked toeach other, and they laughed and chatted away at a great rate. Theylanded at some portages, and Apetak helped father across, then he wentback for the canoe and supplies. Thus on they went for several days. At the camp fire long after the sun was down Apetak would remove themask that so blindfolded father, and leave it off until nearly daylight. But he never took it off until he had so confused him that, when hiseyes were uncovered he could not tell which way they had come. Early inthe afternoon of about the fourth day Apetak said:--

"`We are nearly at our journey's end. Soon I will show you what I havebrought you so far to see. '

"This was good news to my father, who had begun to feel this travellingso long with the close covering on his face very irksome. 

"Shortly after, Apetak stopped paddling, and, after helping my father toland, he lifted his canoe out of the water, and hid it carefully amongthe bushes. Then, placing a large bundle on his back, including his axeand gun, he started on a land journey of some miles. As my father wasled along, although he could see nothing, he knew by the rush of air, and the way they went up and down hill, that they were in a very brokencountry. 

"`Here is the place, ' said Apetak. `Now very soon I will uncover youreyes, but before I do it you must follow me into the earth. '

"Then he led my father into what seemed to be an opening on the side ofa great hill or mountain, and, entering first in, he told my father towalk close behind him and keep his hand on him so that he would not belost. Sometimes the opening was so low that they had to stoop down, andin other places they had to squeeze through between the rocks. After atime they stopped. 

"`Now, ' said Apetak, `I will take off the covering from your face, butyou will see nothing till I make a light. '

"So it was just as Apetak said. When the covering was removed from theeyes so dense was the darkness that my father saw no better than he didwith it on. 

"However, that great bundle on Apetak's back was composed of torches forthis place. And so when the Indian struck a light with his flint andsteel, and lit up some of these torches, they both could see very well. At first sight what my father saw was a great cave, like a large churchor cathedral, here in the hill or mountain. Strangely broken was it inplaces, and great columns, like stalactites, were very numerous. Therewere others that looked like filigree work. 

"Said Apetak: `Look at these great things that look like old leadbullets. '

"Said my father: `Sure enough, as my eyes became accustomed to theplace, lit up by these flaming torches, I discovered that a great dealthat I thought was native rock was really metal. At first I thought itwas lead, as so long exposed there it looked like old lead pipes. Butwhen I tried to scrape it with my knife I found it was too hard. ThenApetak used his axe, and managed to cut down a little for me, and toscrape or hack it in some other places, and, lo, it was pure silver. 

"`At this discovery, ' said my father, `I was amazed, for here, visibleto the eye, were thousands of pounds of silver. '

"We both continued to look around and examine it until we had burnt allbut the last torch. It seemed in some places as though the softer rockshad gradually dissolved and left the silver here just as we found it. In other parts it looked as though in some remote period intense fireshad melted it, and it had run down and then hardened in these strangeformations. Anyway there it was in vast quantities and in variousforms. 

"`How did you find it?' asked my father of Apetak. 

"His answer was: `I was hunting in this part of the country, and Icaught a fine silver fox by one hind leg in a trap. Just as I came uphe succeeded in cutting off his leg with his teeth and thus got away. I, of course, ran after him, when he suddenly disappeared in the mouthof this cave. As his skin was so valuable I hurried and got some birch-bark and balsam gum, and made a large torch, and tracked him by theblood from his leg into this place. My torch went out before I caughthim, and I was very much frightened for fear I would here die; but Imanaged to find the opening, and got out. Then I made plenty of torchesand came in again. I had to search quite a while before I found my foxand succeeded in killing him. Then I looked around to see what kind ofa place it was into which the fox had led me. For the first time I nowsaw all this metal. I first thought it was lead and would supply mewith bullets. I tried to cut it with my knife and could not succeed. Then I saw that it was good metal which you call silver, and I knew youwould be pleased to see it. So that is the reason that I have broughtyou here. '

"Soon after my father was again blindfolded and brought safely back tohis home. He was very much pleased with his wonderful adventure, andhonourably carried out his part of the agreement. He never in afteryears attempted to find the cave, nor did he even speak about it formany years. But it is there, nevertheless, and some day the world willbe startled by the story of its discovery, and of the richness of itshidden stores. "

With intense interest the boys, as well as the others present, listenedto this wonderful story. When it was concluded very many were theirquestions and comments. 

Then Sam, springing up on a chair, said:

"I move a hearty vote of thanks to Mr Ross for this splendid storyabout the cave, and when it is discovered may I be on hand!"

Alec seconded the motion and added:

"With great pleasure I second this motion, and may I be a good second, close at hand when Sam rediscovers the cave!"

Frank put the motion, and it was carried unanimously. 

Mr Ross gracefully responded, and as the fierce storms were stillraging without, and they listened to the howling of the winds, theirthoughts went out to those who were upon the stormy seas, and so theyheartily sang the beautiful hymn wherein is the expressive prayer:

 "O hear us when we cry to Thee For those in peril on the sea. "

Three Boys in the Wild North Land--by Egerton Ryerson Young

CHAPTER TWELVE. 

NOVEL FISHING--GUNS AND GAFF HOOKS--FRANK'S PLUNGE--LIGHT-HEARTED SAMAND HIS STORY--STRANGE BATTLE--PUGNACIOUS JACK FISH. 

The boys were quite fascinated by the wonderful story, which isundoubtedly true, of the silver cave. Their imaginations were fired, and they longed to start off to find those treasures of silver that inthat hidden cave somewhere in the foothills of the northern Rockies arestill hidden away from man's curious, greedy gaze. Uncertain as are thewhereabouts of Captain Kidd's long-sought-for treasures is the localityof the cave of silver. 

Long years ago Apetak, the old Indian, died and carried with him to thegrave the knowledge of its whereabouts, and old Mr Ross, honourable manthat he was, made no attempt to find it; neither did he state hisimpressions as to its locality beyond what is mentioned in his recitalof the story. But it shows how a good Providence has his treasures ofwealth for the generations to come. By and by, when it is needed, itwill be found and utilised, as will the vast resources of other mineralwealth which this great new country has in reserve when the supplies inolder lands begin to be exhausted. 

However, in a few short days the story of the silver cave was less andless talked about, and the lads with Indian attendants were more or lessbusily employed in various undertakings. 

Sam, who was an enthusiastic fly fisherman, was quite amazed anddisappointed on finding that there was so little of his favourite kindof fishing in this part of the country. However, although there was alack of success in that kind of fishing, there were many other methodsthat were very successful. One plan that very much interested them wasfishing with a net attached to the small end of a pole. This they usedin the water, in the same method in which they had been accustomed tocatch moths and butterflies, with their lighter and frailer nets. Theyfelt quite elated when a large whitefish or lively trout was brought upin the almost invisible net. 

One day Mr Ross organised a fishing excursion for them, and equippedthree canoes, with a couple of Indians in each to paddle them. Heplaced one boy in charge of each of the canoes, and sent them off inhigh spirits to see which canoe would return with the largest load offish. To the boys alone was to be left the work of securing the fish. The Indians were only to attend to the paddling, and as the men in thecanoe that succeeded in securing the greatest load were to receive, inaddition to their wages, a flannel shirt apiece they all keenly enteredinto the spirit of the expedition. 

All was needed in each boat for this kind of fishing was a good gun anda gaff hook with a long handle. The boys decided to go to Jack River, which takes its name from the number of jack fish that used to swarm inits waters. Not many hours' paddling brought them to their destination, and then the fun began. 

To start even they drew up side by side, and then at the given word awaythey all paddled toward a distant spot, where the Indians knew the fishwere likely to be found in large numbers. So evenly matched were thecanoemen that they were not far apart when they arrived at thedesignated locality. So they widened the space between their canoes, and noiselessly paddled up to where the disturbed waters, and many backand tail fins told of the presence of the gamey fish. 

For the first firing it was decided that it should be simultaneous, andthen after that it was each canoe for itself, and they were not to meettill they reached Mr Ross's launch. 

This method of fishing is very novel. The guns, heavily loaded withpowder, are fired as nearly over the fish as it is possible to be donefrom the canoe. The concussion of the air seems to so stun them thatthey stiffen out on their backs, and there lie apparently dead for aminute or so. The men hunting them, aware of this, the instant theyhave fired immediately set to work with their long-handled gaff hooks, and gather in as many as they can ere the fish return to consciousness, and those not captured instantly swim off. 

When all have been secured at that place as the result of that one heavydischarge of the gun, the canoe is paddled away to another spot where itis observed that the fish are plentiful near the surface and the processis repeated. So for this kind of fishing all that is necessary is thegun, with a plentiful supply of powder, and the gaff hook. A good dealof skill is required for the efficient management of the hook in seizingthe fish so that it can be successfully landed over the side of thecanoe. 

For a time the success of the boys was about equal, but they did notcapture after each shot anything like the number of fish that theirable-bodied, experienced Indians would have done. It is no easy matterto lift a twenty or thirty pound fish by a hook over the side of acanoe. The boat itself is so cranky, and the fish themselves aregenerally so full of life and fight, that there is a good deal of riskand excitement, after all, about this kind of sport. It is no uncommonthing for an upset to occur in the risk and glorious uncertainty ofcapturing a large, gamy fellow who makes a stubborn fight. 

The three canoes gradually separated, and to judge by the frequentreports of the guns they were having a good deal of sport. About eightp. M. They were all back at Sagasta-weekee, and each had a differentstory to tell. 

Frank had over a score of very fine fish, and had had only one fall intothe water. He had hooked in his gaff a large, vigorous fish, and wasmaking the most careful efforts to hang on to him and to lift him overthe side of the canoe. Just as he had him nicely out of the water, thefish, by a sudden furious struggle, wrenched himself off the hook andfell back in the water. 

Frank had been so firmly holding on that when the weight of the fish wasso suddenly gone he could not master his balance, and before an Indiancould seize hold of him he tumbled head first into the water on theother side of the canoe, and the last the Indians saw of him for someseconds were the bottoms of his moccasins. Quickly did he reappear andwas soon helped into the canoe; but while he pluckily stuck to the sportfor some time, the prudent Indians persuaded him to allow them to earlypaddle him home. So he had been the first to arrive. 

Sam's canoe arrived somewhat later; he also had a goodly supply of fish. As he was saturated with water, the question was at once asked, whathad been his mishap. 

At first he was a little glum about it, but the cry of "Tell us allabout it, " had to be responded to. 

It had been decided some time before that on their returning from thesedifferent excursions each one was to fairly and squarely give the storyof his misadventures, blunders, and failures, as well as of his triumphsand successes. So Sam had to own up, and he began by the odd question:

"Have you any whales in these lakes or rivers?"

This odd question was met by a hearty laugh all round. 

"Well, then, I'm after thinking you must have plenty porpoises, or thelikes of such things; for I am certain that it was one of such gentry Istruck to-day. "

Happy, light-hearted Sam, bright and cheery he ever was, it was a joy tohear him when, with a twinkle in his bright eye, he came out with hisquaint remarks. His odd question only the more excited the curiosity ofhis listeners, and so amid the laughter and call for the story of hismishaps, he had to let them have it:

"Well, the fact is, we were having a good time, and at every dischargeof my gun I would stun quite a number and succeeded in getting some ofthem into our canoe with the gaff hook all right. Getting a littlecareless with my success, I asked the Indian sitting before me to let meget in the very front of the canoe. At one place where I saw a bigbeauty I stood up and reached out as far as I could, and getting thegaff hook under him I gave him a great jerk to be sure and have it wellhooked into him, when, lo and behold, before I could say `JackRobinson, ' I was out head first into the water hanging on to my end ofthe pole, while the monster of a fish was at the other on his way toYork Factory, it seemed to me. "

"Why didn't you let go?" said Alec. 

"Let go!" he replied, with a comical look, "sure the creature didn'tgive me time to let go; and then, when I came to my senses, didn't Iremember that the gaff hook, pole, and all belonged to Mr Ross, and howcould I face him and his gaff hook on its way to York Factory. "

No one laughed more heartily than Mr Ross at the quaint answer. He hadmost thoroughly entered into the enjoyment of this odd adventure. 

"Well, where is the gaff now?" he asked. 

"Sure, it's in the boat, sir, and the fish, too, " said Sam. "Do youthink I'd have had the face to come home so early without it?"

This answer amused and more deeply interested all, and so Sam had togive the full account of his doings after his sudden jerk over the frontof the canoe. 

Some of these jack fish grow to be six feet in length, and are verystrong. It seems it was one of the very largest that Sam had the goodor ill fortune to hook. 

With a tremendous jerk he was fairly lifted out of the boat, and seemedto skim along on the water with the fish like a small tug in fronttowing him along. Fortunately it was in a large, shallow place, wherethe water was not more than four feet deep, and so the fish was unableto dive and had to keep near the surface. As rapidly as possible theIndians used their paddles, and so were soon able to seize hold of Sam. They found him holding on to the one end of the gaff hook, while on theother the now about exhausted fish was still securely fastened. Thiswas the Indian statement of the adventure. 

Sam's account was that when he went out of that canoe so suddenly heresolved to hang on to his end of that gaff hook as long as the fish didat the other. It was a new sensation, and he enjoyed it amazingly to bethus ploughing along through the water towed by a fish. Then he feltsure that the fish could not keep it up very long and the canoe wouldnot be far off; so he resolved to hang on to his fish until the menpicked them both up. After the first sensation of the ducking, he saidhe much enjoyed the fun. The water was warm, and he knew that if he hadto let go he could easily swim until the canoe came to his assistance. 

Alec had had no accidents or adventures. He had often gone out witholder people fishing in the streams of his native country, where he hadhelped to land the spent salmon after they had been well played by thefishermen, and this training had come to his help here; so he had thegreatest number of the finest fish and the largest, excepting, ofcourse, this one monster of Sam's that had played him such a trick. 

Only for a short time in each summer can these jack fish be successfullycaptured in this way. So during the next few days the boys went outseveral times and had some rare sport without any very startlingadventures. 

One day, however, when resting on a high rock that overhung the deepwaters of the lake they were visiting, they were the spectators of abattle between two fierce jack fish that fought and grappled and toreeach other with all the ferocity of bulldogs. 

As such sights are extremely rare, we will give a description of thismarine battle. A number of the female fish were first observed slowlypassing through the clear waters and depositing their roe on thegravelly bottom. Following in the rear were several of the male fish. They were, as usual, extremely jealous of each other, but for a timemade no attempt at hostilities. 

It is a well-known fact that a person situated some height directly overwater can see much farther down into it than those who are close to itsedge. So in this case the boys could see the fish distinctly, and alsothe gravelly bottom of the lake. While interested in watching themovements of the fish, suddenly there was a commotion among them, andthe boys were excited and amazed to see two of the largest of the jackfish suddenly seize each other in their enormous jaws and make the mostdetermined efforts to conquer. So securely locked together were theirjaws that in their struggles they several times rolled over and over inthe water. 

After a minute or two of this desperate struggling they separated andseemed to be in distress. But their fury was not spent, and so aftercircling around in the water a little they rushed at each other with thegreatest speed, almost like two fierce rams. Then with open mouthsagain they bit and tore each other, until once more locking their jawsthey each exerted all their strength to vanquish their opponent. Thusit went on until they had had several rounds in this fierce way. How itwould have ended we know not. As they fought they moved along thecoast, and in order to see them to advantage the boys had to shift theirposition. One of them unfortunately rose up so high that, the sun beingbehind him in the heavens, his shadow was cast on the waters over thetwo fierce combatants. As quick as a flash they let go their grip oneach other and dashed off in opposite directions. 

Very much disappointed were the boys that the battle came to such anabrupt termination. They would have liked to see such a strangeconflict fought out to the end. 

Three Boys in the Wild North Land, by Egerton R. Young

CHAPTER THIRTEEN. 

MISSION VILLAGE--SELF-DENYING TOILERS--PLEASANT VISITS--FLOURISHINGSCHOOL--SYLLABIC CHARACTERS--COMPETITIVE SPORTS--ARCHERY--FOOT RACES--WRESTLING--SWIMMING--CANOE RACES. 

Not many miles from Sagasta-weekee was an Indian mission village. Therea devoted missionary, Mr Evans, with his brave wife and a lady teacher, Miss Adams, were nobly toiling and were not unsuccessful in theirefforts to Christianise and then to civilise the Indians. They werepursuing the right methods in trying to Christianise first, as it hasever seemed an impossibility to get much of an abiding civilisation outof a pagan Indian. However, this devoted man with his helpers was nottoiling in vain. It is true that there were not many encouragements intheir efforts to civilise in a land where hunting and fishing werenearly the only way by which a livelihood could be obtained. 

One day there came from the mission an invitation to all at Sagasta-weekee who could come, to attend the annual examination of the villageschool, and to observe the progress made by the Indian children in thestudies both in the Indian and English languages. 

Mr Ross had taken, since the beginning of the mission, a great interestin the school, and not only attended at these examinations, but donatedprizes for competition among the children. 

Frank, Alec, and Sam were delighted to be included among the invitedones, as their curiosity was aroused to see the Indian youngsters in theschool. They had seen them at their sports, and had admired theircleverness with their bows and arrows, and had almost envied the skilland daring with which they could, in rapids or on stormy waters, managetheir light canoes. 

When the morning arrived for the visit, Mr Ross sent on a canoe well-loaded with supplies for a substantial lunch for the children when theexaminations were over, and he gave a hint to the boys that if they hadanything extra lying around that they did not specially need they woulddoubtless have an opportunity to make some little dark-eyed, swarthy-faced Indian children rejoice. So the hint was taken, and in due timethey all embarked in their canoes, and, adding their own strokes tothose of the strong Indians who had been secured by Mr Ross, they wereat the mission village before nine o'clock. They met with a verycordial greeting from Mr and Mrs Evans, and also from Miss Adams. 

It was a great pleasure to the boys to see the Indian children in theschool. Very frequently when the weather was fine had Mr Ross broughthis family and guests to church on Sabbath mornings, but, as up to thepresent time the young white gentlemen had not yet visited the missionon a week day, all they saw now was novel and interesting. It wasarranged that the school examinations should take place in the forenoon;then, after they had partaken of the handsome lunch which Mr Ross hadprepared for them, they were to have the usual games and sports in theafternoon. 

A number of prizes were to be contended for by the young Indians. It istrue that from a civilised standpoint these prizes would not beconsidered of much value, but by these young Indians they were muchvalued. And then the honour of being the winner is just as much prizedby them as it has ever been in more highly favoured lands. 

The missionary had the worthy idea in his mind that, as these nativeraces have so little literature in their own language, the sooner theylearned English the better for them. The result was that all thelessons were in the two languages, with a decided preference for theEnglish as their studies advanced. 

This was the first opportunity the boys had had of seeing the methods, by which Mr Evans's syllabic characters were taught to the Indians. With a home-made blackboard, and a very white kind of clay as asubstitute for chalk, these syllabic characters were put down upon theboard like the alphabet, and there to be studied like the A, B, C's. Itwas committed to memory. The peculiarity about it, as the name"syllabic" implies, is that each character is a syllable, and so thereis really no spelling in the language. 

These are phonetic in character, and so, when the thirty-six charactersare impressed upon the memory, all that remains to be done is to openthe book, be it Bible, Testament, hymn book, prayer book, or catechism, and begin to read; no long, tedious efforts at learning to spell firstwords of one syllable, then words of two syllables, and so on. Eachcharacter is a syllable, and thus the method of learning to read is sosimple that the intelligent boys and girls learn to read in their ownlanguage in a few weeks. Even many of the old people, when theyrenounce their pagan life and become Christians, readily get tounderstand these characters and learn to read. 

With the mastery of English, and learning to read in the ordinary way, the work is very much slower. Still even here there is some progress, and the visitors were all pleased with the intelligence and aptitude ofthe scholars, both boys and girls. Mr Ross, who understood theirlanguage perfectly, at Mr Evans's request conducted the examinations, and Mrs Ross presented the prizes. 

After the hearty lunch, which was very much enjoyed by the youngsters--for Indians have glorious appetites--the sports and competitions forvarious prizes began. 

The highest prize, a good gun, presented by Mr Ross for archery, waswon by a son of Mamanowatum, "Big Tom, " and richly did he deserve it. At a hundred yards he sent every arrow of his well-filled quiverwhizzing through a paper hoop not three feet in diameter. For thisprize there were several competitors, and some of the lads did well; butonly the winner sent every arrow through, so this one was easilydecided. 

The "many arrow" prize was not so easily decided, as there were manycompetitors and they were evenly matched. This was a competition amongthem to see who could get the greatest number of arrows into the air atthe same time. The method is this. Only one competes at a time. Hefills his quiver with arrows and places it on his back as he would tocarry it in hunting. Then he steps out a few feet in front of thecrowd, who to escape accident from falling arrows are all behind him. He is allowed to feather the first arrow in the bow string, and then ata given signal he instantly shoots. The object is to see how manyarrows he can shoot into the air before the first one fired reaches theground. It is a very interesting sight to watch a contest of this kind. The eye can hardly follow, not only the arrows, but the rapid movementsof the archer, as he draws the arrows and shoots them with all his mightup into the blue sky above. Eight, ten, yes, sometimes even a dozenarrows are thus sent with wondrous rapidity, sometimes following soclosely that it seems at times to the eye as though some succeedingwould catch up to the ones just on ahead. The greater rapidity of thearrow just leaving the bow than that of those some hundreds of feet upadds to this delusion. 

This was ever with the Indians, ere the introduction of guns, a veryfavourite sport, not only in these forest regions, but among the wild, warlike tribes of the prairies. Exciting contests were numerous, andsometimes rivals from different tribes contended for the honours in thisand other kinds of archery practice and feats of skill with the bow andarrow. Catlin's brush has given us one of these exciting scenes. 

After the various kinds of archery competitions the foot races began. The first was the long race over a course that had been marked out fortwo miles of a shore and back. It was not all an unbroken sandy beach. Out in some places there were rock obstructions, and in others denseunderbrush. It was a race over a course that could well be styled good, bad, and indifferent. It was one not only to test the endurance of thelads, but to develop their judgment in the quickness of decision when ina part full of difficulties. About a dozen competitors entered for thisrace, and there were three prizes that were well-earned. 

Then there were races for shorter distances, which were well run. 

When the half-mile race was about to be run, which was open to allcomers, Alec rather mischievously suggested to Sam that he ought toenter for this, as his practice in that famous escapade with the bear, where he ran with such marvellous rapidity, might have turned out a goodtraining for this occasion. To the surprise of all, when Frank addedhis banter to the others, Sam sprang up and asked permission from MrRoss, who was somewhat amused at this request, as he felt sure Sam wouldbe hopelessly beaten; but he readily granted Sam's desire. Surprisesoften come from unexpected quarters. Sam quickly stripped off his outergarments and, much to the Indians' delight, took his place among them. Over twenty competitors started. The race was a spurt from thebeginning. To the surprise and delight of the whites, Sam came insecond, being only beaten by Emphasis, a noted runner, and whose namemeans "the young deer. "

Old Kapastick, the chief, was so delighted with Sam's success that hepresented to him a second prize, which was a pair of beautiful Indianmoccasins. 

After these running races were the wrestling matches, and as Sam'ssuccess had fired the ardour of both Alec and Frank, and had raised himso much in the eyes of the Indians; they asked permission to try theirsturdy English and Scottish strength against the supple agility of theselithe Indians. For good reasons Mr Ross only permitted one of them toenter into this competition, and as Frank had a school reputation amonghis chums at home he was settled on to uphold the honour of the palefaceagainst the dark-skinned Indians. Eight competitors entered the lists, so there were four pairs of wrestlers, and the conquerors in each boutwould have to wrestle with each other, until eventually the prize winnerwould have to throw three competitors. 

At this time there was great interest in wrestling contests, but beingobjected to by so many they have about disappeared in these later yearsfrom the Indian mission schools. 

The competitors were all placed in pairs upon the green, soft grass, andwarned not to get angry, but each to do the best he could to down hisopponent. It was "catch as you can, " and get your opponent down untilboth of his shoulders at the same time touch the ground. 

Face to face, and with their hands extended so that they just touchedtheir opponent's, they waited the "How" of the chief to begin theexciting struggle. 

Frank was matched against a splendid young fellow, lithe and supple asan eel. So quick was he that, as Frank afterward said, "Before he hadmore than heard the word `go, ' the fellow seemed to wind himself aroundme and twist all over me. " But Frank had what boys know as the "powerto hold his feet, " and so, in spite of the cyclonic attack, he stoodfirm and solid merely on the defensive, until he got a home grip thatsuited him, and then with one quick, skillful twist he laid out hisopponent so neatly on the grass that the crowd gave him quite a cheer, adifficult thing for an Indian crowd to do. 

The other three pairs of contestants being Indians, and up to all Indianwiles, struggled much longer ere the victors were announced. Now thefour conquerors in these struggles were again matched, two against two. 

When Frank tried his favourite trick, which had won him his firstvictory, he found that his second competitor had, although busy at thetime with his first opponent, observed it, and was not to be so easilycaught. Then Frank, after they had each tried various schemes well-known to good wrestlers, very suddenly seized him fair and square aroundthe waist as they stood face to face, and, by what the boys know as the"back-hold, " threw him neatly and cleverly on his back. So Frank bythrowing the two had thus won the right to contend in the final strugglefor the prize with the victor who, like himself, had also thrown twoopponents. 

Very excited yet very good-humoured were the people, whites and Indians. There was no betting or anything else to make anyone mad or angry. Itwas a friendly tussle of strength between young lads under the eye ofthe missionary, who was ever at the front in their sports, and hence hismarvellous influence over them for good. 

The final struggle was a very close and continued one. Each had hisclever tricks and plans, but they were well met by the other side. After a time Frank thought he had a splendid back-hold, and suddenlytried to finish the contest like he had the second one. But he had adifferent lad this time. His supple _vis-a-vis_ so quickly turnedaround in his grasp that, when Frank landed him on the ground, thelaughing Indian lad was fair on his face instead of on his shoulders. Mr and Mrs Ross and the mission party led the crowd in the applause asthey witnessed the clever trick. Up again and at it with varyingsuccess. There was one other method sometimes tried elsewhere thatFrank had in his mind when he had failed in his other plans. He hadsometimes tried it, but had not often been successful in doing so, ashis white competitors were generally on their guard against it. Hehesitated to try it here from the fact that his supple opponent was soslightly clothed there was but little upon which to get much of a grip. All these Indian lads had stripped to their moccasins, leggings, andloin cloths, while Frank had only taken off his coat and vest. However, as Frank was not able to succeed in other ways he determined to try it, but to insure success he must not let his opponent have any suspicion ofit. So as they struggled in various ways Frank several times so grippedhim that he lifted him off his feet in a way that, after the first fewtimes, the Indian seemed to be amused at it. This was just what Frankwanted, and so he let him have his laugh, while, alert against anysurprise, he watched for the right instant, and then suddenly, when itcame, he gripped him by the loin cloth and so completely threw him overhis head that he had him on his back with both shoulders on the groundere the crowd, quick and watchful as they were, could realise how it hadbeen done. A cheer greeted this well-earned victory, and Frank said hehad had enough for one day. 

Frank was the idol of the Indian lads from that hour, and to many a onehad he to show how that clever feat had been performed, until they wereable to do it themselves, to the astonishment of Indian boys from othervillages with whom they competed. 

As the spirit of emulation was up in every heart, Frank and his comradeswent in for the swimming contest, which took place in the beautiful baynot far from the spot where stands the schoolhouse. 

The white lads held their own for a time, but as the course marked outwas new to them and they were out of practice, while the Indian lads hadbeen in almost daily drill for the event, until they were as much athome in the water as otters, they gradually forged ahead, and not beingso fleshy as their white competitors they nearly all of them came in asvictors. 

However, our boys were glad to have had the glorious swim, and onlyregretted that, amid the many other sports in which they had had suchpleasure since their arrival, they had not given more attention toswimming. Alec was not slow in saying that he believed, if they hadbeen in practice for a few days, they would not have all been at thetail end of the string at the close of the race. 

The closing contests were the canoe races. For them the prizes weregiven by the Hudson Bay Company's officials. These gentlemen werepresent at the previous contests, and had been very much interested. First there were races where only one lad was in each canoe. Inaddition to paddling out to and around a certain island they were totwice, out in deep water, upset their canoe and, unaided, get into itagain. This was rare sport, and while to persons unacquainted withthese youngsters, who are as much at home in the water as beavers, itwould seem dangerous, such a thing as any of them coming to harm isunknown. The cleverness with which they would turn over and upset thecanoe and then get into it, never over the side but at the end, wasmarvellous. 

These various races, some with two, and others with four, Indian lads inthem, were well contested, and gave great pleasure to all thespectators. 

At the close the Indian boys, who perhaps were none too well satisfiedwith the white lads for having carried off both a first and secondprize, went to Mr Ross, and through him challenged the white boys to acanoe race. This our lads promptly accepted, but, of course, demurredagainst the canoe upsetting process and climbing in again. This wasagreed to by the Indian boys, and it was decided the race was to be to alarge rocky island about a mile out and return. They were, however, both to paddle twice around the island ere they returned on the homestretch. 

Two canoes were selected; and the Hudson Bay chief Factor was appointedthe judge. Ever since the arrival of the boys in the country they hadbeen learning how to manage the frail but beautiful birch canoe, and sowere no unworthy competitors to these young Indians, whose summer liveswere almost all spent in paddling their light canoes. A good start wasmade, and while the alert Indians secured the advantage the good, steadypaddling of the heavier white boys enabled them, ere the island wasreached, to have their canoe a good half-length ahead of their duskyopponents. But here at the island the long practice of the Indians inthe management of the canoe gave them a decided advantage. While Alec, who plied the stern paddle, and thus was responsible for the turninground and round the island, was cautiously and safely doing his work, the Indians with a flash and a laugh went round and round, cutting offcorners where he never dreamed there was sufficient depth of water, andwere away on the home stretch with so many lengths to their advantagethat, in spite of their magnificent finish, our boys were utterly unableto catch up. 

The Indians winning this race put everybody in the best of humour, andwhen, after a hearty lunch at the Mission House, our party paddled homein the long summer gloaming it was voted to have been one of the mostdelightful of days. 

Good resulted from this visit in various ways. From that day forwardFrank and his comrades were very much more interested in mission work. Although their families were members of different churches in the homeland, and all were interested in missionary operations for the genuinebenefit and uplifting of earth's millions who were in the darkness ofpaganism, here for the first time the boys had the opportunity of seeingfor themselves something that was being done for these once degraded redmen, around whom such a halo of romantic interest has ever gathered. 

Then it was instructive to these sturdy, active white boys to come incontact with young Indians in their sports and hunting, and to observethe points in which each excelled and to study the reasons why. 

In the management of the canoe the white boys never learn to equal theIndian lads, neither could it be expected that they could attain to theaccuracy with which they use their bows and arrows; but in all trials ofphysical strength the Anglo-Saxon ever excels, and, surprising as it mayappear to some, in shooting contests with gun or rifle the pale facesare ever able to hold their own. 

Three Boys in the Wild North Land--by Egerton Ryerson Young

CHAPTER FOURTEEN. 

CONJURERS--OLD TAPASTANUM--BOASTING--CHALLENGE ACCEPTED--MEDICINE MAN'STENT--BOGUS BULLET--DETECTED--CONJURER'S DEFEAT AND FALL. 

Not long after the visit to the mission and the School Mr Ross wasvisited by a number of old pagan medicine men and conjurers, the mostnoted of them being old Tapastanum, who, having heard of the visit ofthe young gentlemen from across the sea to the family of Sagasta-weekee, was anxious to make them a visit of ceremony. Tapastanum's principalreason for a ceremonious visit was that he should not be eclipsed by"the Black-coat Man with the Book. "

Mr Ross, while receiving these old men as he received all Indians, in acivil manner, was not at all kindly disposed toward them, as he knewtheir influence was harmful and that they were a curse and a maledictionto the people. Their very presence in an Indian village is a source ofterror and fear. They never hunt or fish themselves as long as they canfrighten other people into being blackmailed by them. 

The coming of these men very much excited Sam and Alec, who had heardsuch extraordinary things about them. Some firmly believe that they arein league with the devil, and, by his direct assistance, are able toperform all the wonderful things, of which they boast. Others, however, believe that they are rank impostors. The boys, who had heard so manyconflicting things about these conjurers, tried to coax Mr Ross to getthem to show off some of their pretended power. 

For a time Mr Ross, who considered them only as clever scoundrels orunmitigated humbugs, objected, as he did not wish to seem in any way toencourage them. However, one day as they, from Mr Ross's reluctance toput them to the test, became exceedingly boastful of their powers to dosuch wonderful things it was decided to give them an opportunity. 

"What do you say you can do?" asked Frank of old Tapastanum. 

"Do, " he replied, "I can so conjure that you cannot hit me with abullet, or tie me so that I cannot spring up loose; and fire will notburn me, or water drown me. "

"All right, " said Frank, "one thing at a time. We will try the first, and see if we cannot hit you with a bullet. "

"What you give?" was the request of the old fellow. 

"O, indeed, that is what you are after; well, what do you want?"

At first his demands were very unreasonable, but after some dickering itwas decided that if he stood the ordeal he was to get an agreed amountof flour, tea, sugar, and tobacco. It was also settled that the ordealshould come off the next day. The conjurer said that he would spend thenight with his medicine drum and sacred medicine bag, to call back hisfamiliar spirit, who might be away hunting. The boys discussed verymuch the coming contest, and, of course, were profoundly interested. They had learned much since their coming into the country about thesestrange, wild, fearsome people, and this with what they had read inother days filled them with great curiosity to see what would be theoutcome. 

With Mr Ross and the family the matter was well talked over, and it wasdetermined--as Mr Ross considered the conjurer who was to go throughthe ordeal an unmitigated fraud--that he should be taught a lesson thathe and his cronies would never forget. 

When the morning arrived the old fellows were there in good time, andthe ordeal, which was to-day to be by bullet, was decided upon. 

The conjurer selected for the ordeal had not proceeded far in his talkbefore he asked to see laid down at his wife's feet his pay. This wasbrought out and measured to his satisfaction, with the understandingthat it was not to be his unless he succeeded. 

His preparations were soon completed. Aided by his comrades, a smallconjuring tent was made by sticking some long green limber poles in theground, and bending them over like bows until the other ends were alsomade fast in the earth. Then over these poles a skin tent, made bysewing a number of dressed deerskins together, was thrown. Taking hismedicine bag and magic drum into this tent, the conjurer disappeared. Soon the monotonous drumming began. In addition there were heard thebarks and howls and cries of nearly all the animals of the forest andprairies. The sounds were like that proceeding from a wild beast showwhen all the animals are let louse and are uttering their discordantnotes. The tent quivered as though in a cyclone. Thus, for a time itwent on--the drum beating, the beasts howling, the tent quivering--untilit seemed utterly inexplicable how one man, could create such a din. 

Among the boys, Sam was most excited at these strange proceedings. Muchto the amusement of those around, he said:

"I'm thinking the safest place would be on the top of the house, if allthose reptiles should break loose. "

The conjurer now began crying out in his own language: "To help me he iscoming, my own familiar spirit. Soon the bullet cannot pierce me; soonwaters cannot drown me; soon fires cannot burn me. To help me he iscoming! coming! coming!"

Thus on he went, while the drumming and howlings were almost incessant. 

Mr Ross, who had resolved that there should be no nonsense, had askedone of his servants, who was an unerring shot, to do the firing. In themeantime one of the conjurer's associates had asked to see the gun thatwas to be used, and kindly offered to load it. The suspicions of MrRoss were at once aroused by this request, but wishing to see throughthe man's trick he did not oppose his request. Soon after a good gunwas sent for, and also some powder and bullets. Full measure of powderwas poured into the gun, and the usual wadding was well driven down uponit. When Mr Ross selected a bullet the friend of the conjurer, with agreat pretence of awe, asked to see it, and holding it in his hand said, "This is the bullet that the familiar spirit will turn aside. "

Mr Ross let him look at it, and saw him handling it with much apparentreverence, but he also saw him quickly and deftly change it for anotherbullet. 

"That's your game, is it?" said Mr Ross but not out loud. After alittle more humbuggery the bullet was handed back to be dropped into themuzzle of the gun. 

If Mr Ross's thoughts could have been heard they would have beensomething like this:

"I have seen through that little trick, and will show you that two canplay at that game. "

And so without exciting the suspicion of the Indian, whose trick he haddetected, he changed the bullet for another, and dropped it into thegun. When the wadding was driven in and placed upon it, the confederateof the conjurer asked for the privilege of being allowed also to helpram it down. Mr Ross saw his meaning and cheerfully granted it. Theweapon was now loaded and ready for use. All this time the drumming andthe conjuring had continued with all their accompaniments of howls andshrieks. 

In a short time a shrill, low whistle, like the call of some bird, washeard, and Mr Ross observed that it was from the lips of the old Indianwho had pretended to examine the bullet with such awe, but who had inreality exchanged it for a perfectly harmless one. He and the conjurerwere associates in their trickery. The bullet had been made in thisway: A pair of bullet moulds had been heated quite hot, and then somebear's fat, which is like lard, had been put inside of them. Holdingthe moulds shut, and placing them in very cold water, they kept turningthem around until the melted fat had hardened into a thin shell exactlythe size of a bullet. Then a small puncture was made through this thincasing of fat, and the interior carefully filled up with fine sand. Itwas not difficult then to stop up the orifice with a little fat. It wasthen carefully coloured like a bullet, and at a distance could hardly bedistinguished from one. When put in a gun and well pounded with aramrod, of course, it would break all to pieces, and when fired atanything like an ordinary distance for ball firing would be perfectlyharmless. 

But Mr Ross's cleverness had been too much for the rogues, and so hehad changed the bogus affair for a genuine bullet of lead. To hisservant, who was to fire, he explained exactly how matters were, and hadsaid to him:

"Do not kill the rascal, but give him a wound that will forever stop hisboastings, and break his power over the poor deluded hundreds, whofirmly believe he can do what he has so boastfully declared. "

The low, shrill whistle call had made a great change upon the conjurerin the tent. He was now all boastfulness, and his cries were like theshouts of triumph:

"Waters cannot drown me; bullets cannot pierce me; fires cannot burnme. "

"Are you sure you are ready?" said Mr Ross. 

Shouting his defiance, the conjurer came out from the tent, and walkingto a place where he knew the fine sand in the bullet of bear's greasewould not hurt him, he boldly stood up, and stretching out his handsdefied the shooter to do his best. 

"You are sure, are you, that bullets will not hurt you?" said Mr Ross. 

Very haughty was the conjurer's reply. Then said Mr Ross again; "Ifyou are hurt, no one will be to blame. "

"No, indeed, " was the conjurer's reply, "for I have given the challenge, and my familiar spirit has told me that the bullets cannot pierce me. "

"If you are struck, then you will give up your conjuring, and go andhunt for your own living, like other people?"

He hesitated for a moment, but the low, shrill whistle was once moreheard, and so he fairly shouted out:

"If bullets can pierce me I will forever give up my conjuring, anddestroy my magic drum and medicine bag. "

"All right, " said Mr Ross; then, turning to his servant, he said, "Now, Baptiste, fire!"

Taking deliberate aim, the man fired, and, as the report rang out, fromone of the uplifted hands of the conjurer who was standing about fiftyyards away--there fell a finger, as neatly cut off by the bullet asthough a surgeon's knife had done the work. 

With a howl of rage and pain most decidedly un-Indian-like, the conjurerbegan dancing about, much to the amusement of the boys, who a momentbefore were pale with pent-up excitement; for it is rather trying tolook on and see in the hands of a skillful marksman a gun loaded withball and pointed at this boastful man, who was willing to put his magicagainst the skill of the finest shot of the country. 

Much to the surprise of all but Mr Ross and one or two others who sawthrough the trick, the old fellow, with his wounded hand still profuselybleeding, rushed over to his confederate and began abusing him mostthoroughly for having deceived him. This attack the man resented, and afirst-class quarrel was the result. Around them gathered numbers ofIndians, and in the mutual recriminations of these two the truth cameout, and the people saw that they had long been deluded by a pair ofimpostors. From that, day they were discredited men, and never afterregained any power or influence. 

That evening Mr Ross explained to the boys the whole affair. He showedthem the bogus bullet, and explained to them how it was made. The boysadmitted that it was a clever trick, and were not satisfied until theyhad made several of them in the manner described. 

Thus ended their first and last experience with Indian conjurers, and itthoroughly convinced them that they are only cunning impostors. 

CHAPTER FIFTEEN. 

OUTING--ALEC AND MUSTAGAN'S SHOOTING CONTEST, OR GUN VERSUS BOW ANDARROW-SHOOTING THE SWANS--WAS SAM CROSS-EYED?--THE RETURN TRIP--THEESCAPE OF THE DOE AND FAWN FROM THE WOLF. 

As Mr Ross had quite recovered, it was resolved to go again on anextended trip to the country in the region of Montreal Point, and havesome hunting in that section of country. Some Indian hunters had comein from that place, and reported the entire absence of wolves. This wasnot to be wondered at, on account of the number that had been shot inthe fierce conflict which there took place. It is also a fact well-known to wolf hunters that when a pack has been severely defeated thesurvivors at once retreat to some distant regions. 

As the weather was very fine, Mrs Ross and the younger members of thefamily accompanied them as far as to the Old Fort. They travelled in alarge and roomy canoe especially made for them. It was manned by fourIndians, who were very proud of their charge. Frank and Sam, with anIndian hunter, occupied another canoe, while Mr Ross had with him Alecand Mustagan. 

As the ducks and other gamy birds were numerous, they had some goodshooting from their canoes as they paddled along. At times they wereable to fire into large flocks, then again they tried their skill on asingle bird as it rapidly flew by. 

Said Mustagan to Alec: "You take gun, I take bow and arrow, and we seewho shoot best. "

"All right, " said Alec, "I'll try. "

So it was decided that when the next duck flew over them Alec was to tryfirst. If he missed, Mustagan was to shoot, and thus they wouldalternately fire--first Alec, and then Mustagan; then Mustagan first, and then Alec. The one who killed five ducks or other game first was tobe considered victor. Mr Ross, who entered heartily into the spirit ofthe contest, took the steering paddle while the white lad and the oldIndian tried their skill. It was a contest between gun and powder_versus_ bow and arrow. 

Soon a fine mallard duck came flying along. Alec let drive at it, andmissed. Quick as a flash Mustagan's bow was up and his arrow sightedand sent after it with such accuracy that it caught it fairly under oneof the wings, killing it instantly. 

"The best shot I ever saw!" shouted Alec, in genuine admiration. 

The head of Mustagan's arrow was the thigh bone of the wild swan, whichis about solid, and makes a capital arrow head for duck shooting, as itis heavy, and can be made so sharp as to easily pierce the body of thegame. 

The next object was a solitary beaver sitting on a bank quiteunconcerned. Mr Ross said afterward that in all probability it was anold, sullen fellow that had been driven away by the others from somedistant beaver house, and had come and dug a burrow somewhere in thatbank and was there living alone. 

As it was Mustagan's turn to shoot first, he carefully selected hisheaviest arrow, the head of which was a piece of barbed steel. Havingexamined the shaft to see that it was perfectly straight, he shot itwith all his strength. No need for Alec to fire, for deep down into theskull of the animal had the steel head gone, instantly killing him. When it was lifted into the canoe Alec was surprised at the size of itstail, and more than amazed when told that it was one of the luxuries ofthe country. It was one of the favourite dishes of the supper thatevening. The other luxuries, Mr Ross added, were the bear's paws andthe moose's nose. 

As they paddled on Mustagan suddenly shaded his eyes for a moment, thenquickly said:

"Wap-i-sew! wap-i-sew!" ("Swans! swans!")

Word was quickly shouted to the other boats of their coming, and to tryand shoot some of them if possible. Swans' feathers are much prized inthat land for beds. Their meat, however, is not considered equal tothat of the wild goose. As they fly with great rapidity they were notlong in coming within range. There was a large flock of them, and theywere flying, as they usually do, in a straight line. This flock musthave risen up very recently, as they were not more than fifty feet abovethe water. 

"I killed beaver. Your turn first now, " said Mustagan to Alec. "But Ifire just after you. "

Alec had at Mr Ross's suggestion dropped a half dozen big buckshot inthe barrel of his gun on the top of the charge of duckshot. The instantthe first swan of the long straight line was in range he fired. To hisamazement, while the first and second passed on unhurt, the third swandropped suddenly into the water; and a second or two after another, about the twentieth in the line, also fell. Soon reports from otherguns were heard, as the friends in the other canoes in the rear fired, and Mrs Ross was delighted to have the feathers of six beautiful whiteswans to take home with her when she returned. 

The most perplexed one in the party for the time being was Alec. MrRoss had observed it, and half suspecting the cause asked what it wasthat was bothering him. His answer was:

"I cannot understand how it should have happened that when I aimed andfired at the first swan it and the second should pass on unhurt and thethird fall dead. "

He was very much surprised when Mr Ross explained that he had notcalculated for the speed with which the wild swan flies. Although sucha large and heavy bird, the swan flies with a rapidity excelled by veryfew. The wild ducks and geese are easily left behind by the beautifuland graceful swans. 

When the swans were picked up the journey was resumed, and the friendlycontest between Alec and Mustagan continued. Soon a large flock ofducks flew over them. It being Mustagan's turn he fired, and as hisarrow returned it was in the heart of a splendid duck. Alec, watchinghis opportunity, fired where a number were flying close together, andhad the good fortune to bring down four at the one shot. This, ofcourse, gave him the victory. And no congratulations could have beenmore kindly or sincere than were those of the big-hearted Mustagan. 

In the meantime those in the other canoes had their own adventures andexcitements. Sam had the good fortune to kill one of the swans, although he said afterward that he thought he must have been cross-eyedwhen he fired, as the one which fell was the third or fourth behind theone at which he aimed. 

In his amusing way Sam's irrepressible spirit was up, and, in a half-moralising way at such erratic shooting, he said: "indeed, when I sawthat swan fall I began to think I must have been like the oldschoolmaster that my father used to tell about, in the old times when hewas a boy, that when he was angry would shout out, `Will that boy I amlooking at stand up?' And do you believe it, ten or a dozen would risetrembling to their feet in different parts of the schoolhouse. "

The Old Fort was reached early in the afternoon, and at one of thefavourite camping places on the western side of the rushing waters ofthe great river that comes pouring out of Lake Winnipeg they wentashore. The active Indians soon had an abundance of dry wood cut andgathered. The fires were soon brightly burning, and the meal wasprepared. Around it clustered the happy hungry ones, and very much didthey enjoy their dinner out in the sunshine amid the beauties of thisromantic spot. 

Mrs Ross and the children, escorted by Mr Ross and our three lads, went for a long ramble through the woods, looking for some rare andbeautiful ferns which here abound. They succeeded in getting quite anumber of fine specimens, which they carefully dug up to be planted inthe grounds around Sagasta-weekee. Some beautiful wild flowers werealso found, and several small young mountain ash trees were carefullydug up and carried home. 

After this delightful ramble, which was without any exciting adventure, they all returned to the camp, where they found that tea had alreadybeen prepared for them by the thoughtful Indian canoemen. When this waspartaken of, Mrs Ross and the young people embarked in their capaciouscanoe for the return trip, and under the vigorous paddling of their fourcanoemen reached Sagasta-weekee before midnight. 

The only excitement they had on the way was the seeing a beautiful deerand her young fawn swimming in the water a long way out from the shore. They gave chase and caught up to the beautiful frightened creatures. Mrs Ross would not allow the men to kill either of them, as she did notwant the children to be shocked by the death of such beautiful, timidanimals, especially as the solicitude manifested by the mother deer wasvery interesting to observe. 

At first even the experienced Indians were perplexed at the sight of thedeer with her young fawn in this broad water so far from land. Generally while the fawns are so small the mother deer keeps them hid inthe deep, dark forests, only going to them when it is necessary for themto suckle. 

It was not very long before these Indians had an idea of the cause forthe unusual conduct of this deer. So they began watching very carefullythe distant shore, from which the deer had come, and after a while onewho had been shading his eyes gave a start and whispered earnestly:

"Wolf! wolf!"

And sure enough there was, for trotting up and down on the shore was agreat, fierce, northern grey wolf, he must have got on the trail of thedeer and alarmed her, but not before she had time to rush from herretreat with the fawn and spring into the water. They must have gotquite a distance out from shore before the wolf reached the water, asthe Indians said, judging by the way the wolf ran up and down on thebeach, trying to find the trail; he had not seen them in the water. 

Wolves do not take to water like bears. It is true they can swim whennecessary, but they cannot make much of a fight in the water. A full-grown deer can easily drown a wolf that is rash enough to dare to attackhim in the deep water. The Indians would have liked to have gone ashoreand made an effort to get in the rear of the wolf and had a shot at him, but this was at present out of the question. So they only paddled inbetween the swimming deer and fawn and the shore from whence they hadcome. This enabled them to escape to the shore opposite from the wolf. Shortly after, as the wolf, so angry at being baffled of his prey whilethe scent was so hot on the shore, came running along in plain sight. The Indians carefully fired a couple of bullets at him. These, whilenot killing him, went near enough to cause him to give a great jump ofsurprise and alarm, and to suddenly disappear in the forest. 

"Sometime soon we get that wolf, " said one of the Indians. 

How he did get it we will have him tell us some time later on. 

CHAPTER SIXTEEN. 

THE OLD FORT AGAIN--AURORA BOREALIS--UNEXPECTED ARRIVALS--FUR TRADERS--HEAD WINDS--CAMP ANNOYANCES--CAMP FIRE YARNS. 

We must now return to our other friends, whom we left at the Old Fort. Some days were spent at this favourite old hunting ground. 

With Mr Ross the boys visited the site of their former camp, where thecyclone wrought such havoc, and where they had had such a narrow escape. They were all amazed as they examined the trunks of the trees twistedoff, and saw how, like a swath of grass cut through a meadow, theirresistible hurricane had swept through the dense forest. 

Never had any of them seen anything to equal this, and they were verygrateful for providential deliverance. They investigated the rocks andboulders, and Mr Ross gave them his ideas as to the formation of thegreat prairies of the West, over which he had so often wandered, andwhere Sam, Alec, and Frank expected, in a year or so, to spend somehappy months. 

To the boys the evening camp fire on the rocks, with the rippling watersof lake or river at their feet and the dark back ground of unexploredforest, was always intensely interesting, with its review of the day'sadventures, the picturesque Indians, and preparation for the eveningmeal, enjoyed with such glorious appetites. Then, after the sun hadgone down in splendour, and the long twilight began to fade away, thestars came out of their hiding places, one by one, until the wholeheavens seemed aglow with them, for they shone with a radiance andbeauty that was simply indescribable. Then, if not too tired to waitfor their arrival, how fascinating often were the auroral displays, themysterious "northern lights. " If they were sleepy and tired, when someof these field night displays began, they soon forgot their weariness asthey gazed, at times fairly fascinated by the wondrous visions that weretheirs to witness. Never did they see a glorious display exactlyrepeated. There was always a kaleidoscopic change; yet each was verysuggestive and beautiful. Sometimes they mounted up and up from belowthe horizon like vast arrays of soldiers, rank following rank in quicksuccession, arranged in all the gorgeous hues of the rainbow. Theyadvanced, they receded, they fought, they conquered, they retreated, andthey faded away into oblivion. Then great arches of purest whitespanned the heavens, from which streamers red as blood hung quivering inthe sky. Then, after other transformations, a corona filled the zenithand became a perfect crown of dancing, flashing splendour that long hungsuspended there above them, a fit diadem, they thought, for the head ofHim who was the creator of all these indescribable glories. 

Thus in the beauties of the night visions, and in other sights peculiarto the North, there were compensations for some of the privationsincident to being so remote from the blessings of civilisation. Thesenew scenes, both by night and by day, were sources of great pleasure tothe boys, as their tastes were fortunately such that these visions had apeculiar charm for them. Then, with their full program of delightfulsports, they were indeed having a most joyous holiday. 

But our readers are not to understand that during all these months therewas nothing but continued enjoyment without some genuine hardships. There were at times some very serious drawbacks, and the boys had tomuster up all their courage and face some annoyances that wereexasperating in the extreme. And these hardships and trials were aslikely to meet them when they would have rejoiced in refreshing slumberas during the weariness of a heavy day's marching on the trail of somegame. 

One of the great drawbacks to quiet slumber during the sultry hours ofthe hot summer nights were those intolerable pests, the mosquitoes. Attimes they were simply unendurable. They came in such multitudes thatthey were irresistible. They presented their bills so importunatelythat payment had to be made promptly in blood. Some nights the boyscould hardly sleep at all. Every expedient was tried to drive them off. Smoke fires were kindled, and all other known remedies were tried, butall in vain. Blistered hands, swollen faces, eyes that would only halfopen, some mornings told of the long-continued, unsuccessful battlesthat during the nights past had been fought; and, to judge fromappearances, the lads had been most thoroughly defeated. Said Sam onemorning, after a night of misery with the insatiable pests:

"I see now why the rascals are called pious animals--because they havebeen singing over us and preying on us all the night; but in spite ofall their efforts I am sure I am none the better, but much the worse, both in body and spirits. "

"I say, Big Tom, " said Alec, "what is the good of mosquitoes anyway?"

"To teach young white gentlemen patience, to see what stuff they aremade of, " said the old man, while all were amused at his apt reply. 

"We hardly notice them, " continued Big Tom, in his slow, deliberatemanner; "and so it will be with you all after a time. Mosquitoes arepeculiar, and have their likes and dislikes. One of their likes is tobe fond of fresh blood, and so they go for the latest arrivals, and oneof their dislikes is not to care much for tough old Injun. When youhave been here some time, and have been bitten by a great many, you willnot mind them so much. "

"How many?" said Frank. 

"About a million, " replied Big Tom, "though I don't know how many thatis. "

This answer was too much for Sam, so he sprang up in a hurry and, in asemi-tragic manner, exclaimed:

"When does the next train start for home? I want to see my mother. "

This inquiry from the irrepressible Sam provoked roars of laughter, andcaused them to forget the mosquitoes and their bills. 

When the boys arose one morning they were surprised to find a wholebrigade of boats drawn up on the shore, and the men at various campfires, busily preparing their breakfast. They had slept so soundly thatthey had not heard the slightest sound. 

Mr Ross and the men were up quite a time, and had gone over to chatwith the two officers of the Hudson Bay Company who had charge of thebrigade, which was from the Cumberland House and Swan River district, and was now on its way up from York Factory with its cargo of goods forthe next winter's trade. 

As breakfast was now ready, Mr Ross invited the two officers of thecompany, Mr Hamilton and Mr Bolanger, to eat with them. Thisinvitation was gladly accepted, and to them were introduced Frank, Alec, and Sam, who became very much interested in them, and in the recital ofvarious adventures and reminiscences of trading with the Indians invarious parts of the great country. 

The officers, on their part, were very anxious to hear all about thegunpowder explosion that had occurred at Robinson's Portage, as allsorts of rumours had gone abroad throughout the country about it, andespecially a story that many persons were killed, among them some youngEnglish gentlemen, who for a bit of a lark had laid the train of gunpowder which caused the general flare-up. The boys were amazed andindignant at first, then vastly amused as they saw by the twinkle in MrRoss's eye that he was well acquainted with fondness for banter, whichwas a strong characteristic of some of those Hudson Bay gentlemen. 

At first the boys hardly knew how to reply to this absurd reflection. Sam was the first to thoroughly understand them, and so in the richestbrogue of his own green isle, which we will not try to produce in allits perfection, he said:

"Och, thin, it's roight ye are, av course. An' wasn't it too badintoirely, the spalpeen to the loikes of you, an' he too an Englishman!Shure, thin, an' didn't he fire the powther through downright invy. Doye believe me now, didn't he, an' Alec, the Scotchman, sitting thereforeninst ye, wish to blow John Company, body and breeches, all at wanstinto the Nelson River for your rascally chating the poor Injuns, thatthey might be after starting a company thimselves. "

This sally of Sam's created roars of laughter, and even the slap he gavethem about their close dealings with the Indians was much enjoyed. Soonall were on the best of terms, and it was a mutual pleasure, in thatlonely place, to meet and interchange the news of the country, as wellas to have the flashings of wit and fun and pleasant raillery. 

Of course the men of the brigade were anxious to get on, as they stillhad a journey before them. They had only come from Norway house, adistance of twenty miles, the previous day. They had started, as wascustomary, quite late in the afternoon. The wind was anything butfavourable, and so they were obliged to remain where they had drawn uptheir boats. Their old guide, after scanning the heavens and watchingthe movements of the different strata of clouds, declared that a fiercesouth wind was brewing, and that if they dared to start they would soonbe driven back to that place. This was bad news to all, especially tothe young officers, who were very anxious to get on. They very muchdislike long delays in their journeys. Then it is always in favour ofan officer seeking promotion in the service if it is known that he has agood record for making speedy trips with his brigades. 

Here, however, were reports from one whose word was law; so there was nohelp for it, and thus they were here to remain until the wind changed. As the indication was for high winds, with perhaps heavy rains, orderswere issued for the complete safety of the boats and cargoes. In makingtheir preparations for a severe storm the crews of two or three of theboats seized hold of the strong rope which was attached to the stem ofeach boat, and by their united strength dragged them, one after another, well up on the sand, out of the reach of the waves. As there are notides in these great American lakes the boats have not to be shifted. Heavy tarpaulins were carefully lashed down over the cargo, thuspreventing the rain from doing any damage. These precautions turned outto be quite unnecessary, as the threatened storm either did not appearor passed round them. Still the wind blew constantly from the south fora number of days, and thus the brigade was obliged to remain. So long, indeed, was it detained that the officers had to order the removal ofthe cargo from one of the boats and send it back to Norway House for anadditional supply of food. 

This delay of the brigade was a glorious time for the boys, for amongthe men were some remarkable characters from the great prairies and thedistant mountains. Some of them were full of incidents of thrillingadventures and wonderful stories; and so, while waiting during the longdays for the wind to either change or go down, many a capital story wastold at the pleasant camp fires. Some of them were narrated withwondrous dramatic power. These Indians are true sons of nature, and, while not taught in the schools of oratory, have in many instances akind of eloquence that is most effective, and a dramatic way of speakingthat is most telling. 

There were stories of war parties and of scalping scenes, as well as ofthrilling horse-stealing escapades. In addition there was the narrationof various kinds of hunting adventure from these bronzed old hunters, who had frequently met in deadly conflict various kinds of fierceanimals, from the mountain lion to the grizzly bear. 

Three Boys in the Wild North Land--by Egerton Ryerson Young

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. 

THE STORY OF PUKUMAKUNUN--LOOSING HIS TONGUE--HIS EARLY DAYS--EXCURSIONFOR BUFFALO--TREACHEROUS QUICKSANDS--SINKING MOTHER--SAGACIOUS HORSE--SNEAKING WOLVES--RATTLESNAKE AND PRAIRIE DOG. 

One old Indian with a splendid physique much excited their curiosity. They were specially anxious to know the story of that fearful scaracross his face. He was evidently getting up in years, and was treatedwith much respect by his comrades. However, he was so quiet, and attimes so reticent, that hardly a word could be got out of him. Thatthere was some thrilling adventure associated with that scar the boyswere very confident. The question among them was how to get him to tellit. They made friends with some of his Indian associates, and tried toget from them his history. But all the information they would impartwas:

"Yes, he has a great story. It very much please you. You get him tellit. "

This, of course, only increased their curiosity to hear his narrative. For a time all their efforts met with poor success. At length Alec, theshrewd Scottish lad, said:

"I have an idea that I can break through his reserve and get him totalk. "

"Let us hear what your scheme is, " said Frank. 

"It is this, " replied Alec. "I have been watching him, and I havenoticed that the only two things he seems to have any love for are hisred-beaded leggings and his brilliant red neckerchief. So I have beenthinking that if I offer him that red tartan shirt of mine it will soplease him that it will break through his reserve, and will get hisstory. "

"A capital plan!" shouted Sam; "and if you succeed in getting theadventure from him we will gladly pay for the shirt. "

The question now was how to find out if this plan would be successful. Some of the Indians are very sensitive, and require careful handling. However, Mustagan, the famous Indian guide, who had become so veryfriendly with this Indian, undertook at the desire of the boys topresent their request and, as it were, incidentally to hint at thepresent of the brilliant shirt. 

The scheme worked admirably, and here is his interesting story:

His name was Pukumakun, which means a club or a hammer. He was aKinistenaux Indian, and when he was a boy his family and people lived apart of each year on the banks of the Assiniboine River. Here he grewup as other Indian lads, and was early taught the use of the bow andarrows, and how to skillfully throw the lasso. He had his share ofexcitements and dangers, living in those days when warlike tribes werenot far away. The war-whoop was no unusual sound, and so they lived ina state of constant expectation of defence or attack. 

Living on the prairies, he was, as soon as he was large enough, taughthow to ride the fiery native horses until he could manage the wildest ofthem. Living such a life, he naturally had many adventures. The onethat is most vividly impressed on his mind, and the constant reminder ofwhich he carries in the great scar on his face, is the one that he heregives the boys. 

It was many years ago when, as a boy of about twelve years of age, hewas living with his father and mother in an Indian village not far fromthe Assiniboine. As game was not very plentiful that season in thatpart of the country, it was decided that they should break camp and goon a great buffalo hunt, which would last for several weeks. While themen went to kill the buffalo the women had to go also to dry and packthe meat and to make pemmican. The buffalo herds were far away, and soit was many days' journey before they were found. 

One day while they were travelling along over the prairies Pukumakun hadthe misfortune to be bitten on his leg by a poisonous snake. Hismother, having first killed the snake, then sucked the wound until shehad drawn out nearly all the poison. By this brave act she undoubtedlysaved his life. However, there was still enough of the poison left inhis system to make him very sick and cause his leg to swell greatly. The result was he could not travel as fast as the buffalo hunters, whowere anxious to reach the herds. So it was decided that he should beleft with his mother to follow as rapidly as they could. So painfulbecame his leg from the exercise of the riding that at length he wasunable to mount his horse. His brave mother stuck to him, and continuedto help him along for some days. To make matters worse, one of theirtwo horses disappeared one night. Still, on they pushed as well as theycould with the remaining one, and at length reached a river with manysandbars. Here the noble woman, in trying to carry him across, got intothe quicksands and began to sink. In vain she tried to pull her feetout of the treacherous sands. When she would try to lift up one footthe other only sank deeper and deeper. Failing to succeed in this way, she lifted him off her shoulders, and, placing him gently beside her, tried again to struggle loose from the sands. But it was all in vain. She was held with too tight a grip. Seeing this, and fearing thatPukumakun might also begin to sink in the sands, she again put him uponher shoulders, and then both of them shouted and called loudly for help. But no help came. No human beings were within many miles' distance. Some prairie wolves heard their voices, and came to the river's bank tosee what it meant. They found the bundle of meat there and quicklydevoured it, but they did not dare to attack the horse, that was eatingthe grass not two hundred yards away. When they had fought over anddevoured the food they came to the bank again, and their howls and yelpsseemed to mock the cries for help of the perishing ones, as deeper anddeeper they sank in the treacherous quicksands. But that woman neverwept, for she was the daughter of a chief. But we must let Pukumakuntell the rest of the story, which fairly thrilled and fascinated theboys:

"By and by my feet began to touch the water, which ran a few inches deepover the bad sands, that had so caught hold of my mother, and into whichshe was sunk now nearly up to her waist. Still she cried not, but spakebrave words to me. Hoping some Indians might be near, we called andcalled, but the wolves only answered with their mocking howls. Deeperand deeper we sank, until the waters were up to my mother's neck, and myfeet were beginning to feel the grip of the treacherous sand. 

"All at once I saw the horse coming down to the water to drink. Aroundhis neck was tied the long Indian lariat made of braided deerskin, andtherefore very strong. As I saw the horse, hope sprang up in my heart, and I began to feel that we were going to be saved. The water was nowclose up to my mother's lips, but we both called to the horse, which hadbeen in our camp for years. He raised up his head and seemed startledat first, and then he plunged into the river. It did not take him longto get through the deep water, and then as his feet began to touch thequicksands he seemed at once to know that it was not right, so he keptlifting up his feet one after the other very rapidly. Still on he came, until he was so close that I was able to seize hold of the lariat. 

"Then spake my mother: `My son, you will escape. Tie the lariat quicklyaround your waist, and the horse will be able to drag you out. Here Imust die. The spirits of my ancestors call me away to the happy huntinggrounds, and I must obey. Remember your mother tried hard to save you, and only failed with her life. Tell my people how I perished, and givemy message to the avengers of blood, and tell them not to be angrytoward you. Farewell. Remember you are the grandson of a chief. '

"At first I wanted to die with my mother. It seemed dreadful to leaveher alone, but she would not hear of it. As the waters were coming intoher mouth she cried, `Obey me, my son; obey me, and do it quickly, forthe horse is impatient and knows the place is dangerous. '

"So I called sharply to the horse, and he sprang forward, and with agreat wrench jerked me from my mother's shoulders out of the quicksands, and dashed through the water with me to the shore. 

"As soon as I could loose myself from the lariat I turned round to look, and there I saw my mother's head just sinking out of sight. I was wildwith terror and sorrow, and bitterly chided myself for not having diedwith her. But I had the consolation that she herself had insisted on myescaping when the strange chance offered itself. 

"What was I to do now? My father and other friends were far away; mymother had perished; and here I was an almost helpless cripple on thegreat prairies, and night was rapidly approaching. 

"Fortunately my horse stuck to me, and I saw that I must keep him closeto me all night, or the wolves that were prowling around would, in thedarkness, make short work of me. So, miserable and wet though I was, Itied the loose end of the lariat around my waist, and selecting a spotwhere the grass was good, I sat down in the middle of it, there to passthe night. 

"It was, indeed, of all nights the saddest and most miserable. I couldnot sleep. I was full of sorrow. If I tried to shut my eyes, there wasbefore me the sight of my mother, sinking, sinking down, down in thattreacherous quicksand. 

"The wolves were very troublesome. They would sit out in the gloom andhowl in their melancholy way. Then they would arouse themselves and tryto get hold of me. But my horse, well accustomed to fighting theseanimals, would rush at them as far as the lariat would allow, and wouldeither strike at them with his fore feet, or, swinging around quickly, would so vigorously lash out with his hind legs that the cowardly bruteswould quickly skulk back into the gloom. 

"The long night ended at length, and the welcome morning came. I foundthat my poor leg, which had caused all the trouble, was much better. Perhaps this was from having been so long in the water. I was able toride, and so I hurried away from the sight of the river that had socruelly swallowed up my mother. My faithful horse, that had alreadybeen my deliverer, was very patient while, in my crippled state, Imanaged to get up on his back. I had eaten nothing since yesterday, butI thought nothing of that; I only wanted to get my sinking mother out ofmy eyes, and get away from that dreadful river which we had to cross. Horses are very wise about these quicksands, and so I just held on tothe lariat, which I had made into a kind of a halter, and let him choosehis own course. Very quickly and safely did he convey me across, andsoon did we find the trail along which my father and the other huntershad travelled. We hurried on very rapidly, until my horse was tired, and then we stopped for a few hours in a ravine where we were wellsheltered from hostile Indians, if any should be lurking about. Thegrass was luxuriant and abundant, and my horse enjoyed it very much. 

"When the hottest part of the day was over we again found the trail andpushed on until sundown. Where the grass was good I tethered my horsewith the lariat, and for the first time began to feel hungry. But I hadnothing to eat, neither had I bow nor arrow. However, I noticed thatthe burrows of the prairie dogs were quite numerous where we had leftthe trail. So I took the strings of my moccasins, and making in theends of each a running noose I fastened them over the burrows thatseemed very fresh. Returning to my horse, I there waited for a time, and then went back to see if anything had been caught. I was muchstartled to find that in the first noose a great rattlesnake had beencaught. He was lashing the ground at a great rate, while his rattleskept up a constant buzz. With a pole from some dried willows I soonkilled him, for I wanted the moccasin string with which he was caught. 

"I was more fortunate with the other noose, for in it was caught by theneck a fine young plump prairie dog. Quickly killing him, I carried himand the two strings back to the protection of my horse. As I had myknife, it did not take me long to skin the prairie dog, and as I had nofire I had to eat him raw. It tasted very good, for I was now feelingvery hungry. As I had done the night before, I slept with my horseclose to me as a protection from the wolves. "

Three Boys in the Wild North Land--by Egerton Ryerson Young

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. 

PUKUMAKUN'S STORY CONTINUED--SEARCHING FOR FRIENDS--PATHLESS PRAIRIE--ANGRY RELATIONS--AVENGERS OF BLOOD UNAPPEASED--RACE FOR LIFE--OVERTAKEN--FIRST CONFLICT--ARROW AGAINST TOMAHAWK--OPPORTUNE ARRIVAL. 

"Thus I travelled on for some days. At times it was I difficult for meto keep the trail, but my horse was very wise, and somehow he seemed toknow that he was following-up his comrades. 

"I was often very hungry, as I had nothing else to depend upon withwhich to hunt except my two strings, and then I could only use them whenmy horse was resting. However, I caught a few more prairie dogs, andone night I caught a prairie chicken, which was very good. 

"One day, as I rode over a big swell like a hill in the prairie, I sawnot very far away a herd of buffaloes. So I knew I must be near myfriends. While I was pleased at the sight I began to feel very muchalarmed. They would say at once, `Where is your mother?' Then, if theydid not believe my story, what then? So I was much troubled in my mind, and, while looking for my people, I dreaded to meet them. I felt thatmy father would believe my story, but I was afraid of my mother'sbrothers, the sons of the chief. They had never had any love for me, orI much for them. Why this was so I found out one day when they wereupbraiding my mother in the wigwam for marrying my father, instead of achief of another village, to whom they had promised her. They thought Iwas asleep, or they would not have spoken as they did. I remember thatmy mother spoke up, and said that she was the daughter of a chief, whohad given her the right to choose her own husband; and that she wascontented and happy in her choice. Just then their sharp eyes seemed toknow that I was not very sound asleep, and so their strong words ceased;for Indian men and women do not let their children hear their quarrels. 

"So I now remember their words, and was afraid. Not long after I sawsome of the hunters, and when I met one whom I knew, I inquired for myfather. He told me where I would find him, and so I rode on. My fatherwas resting with some others after a great run, in which they had killedmany buffaloes. When I drew near to him, although I was the grandson ofa chief, I lifted up my voice and wept. At this he was very muchsurprised and hurt, for as yet he knew not of our great loss. Othersjeered and laughed at seeing a young Indian weeping. Then my fatherarose and led me away and began to upbraid me, for he knew not the causeof my sorrow, but supposed my mother had joined the other women, whowere very busy cutting up and preserving the meat of the buffalo. But Icould only continue my weeping, and at length was able to cry out: `Mymother! my mother!'

"At this my father quickly ceased his reproofs, and becoming alarmedcried out: `tell me what is the matter. '

"So I told him all. And as I saw his great sorrow as he listened to mystory I knew how great had been his love for my mother, who, in her lovefor him, had preferred him to the chief whom her brothers wished her tomarry. He was crushed to the ground and speechless with sorrow, and asI saw him so overwhelmed with his grief I wished I had died with mymother. 

"For a time he thus remained, while I, the most miserable, could onlysit by and look at him. No words or tears came from him, but the greatsorrow had taken such a hold upon him that he seemed as one who wouldthere have died. 

"Suddenly, as voices were heard and we both knew that some persons werecoming near, he turned to me and with a great effort said:--

"`My son, you must flee at once. Your mother's brothers, who love usnot, will not believe your story; and as they are the nearest of kin, the avengers of blood, they will seek your life. You have no witness toyour story, not even the body or a grave to show. When they find yourmother has not arrived, their suspicions will be aroused. I believeyour story, strange as it is. When they demand of me the cause of yourmother's non-arrival I will tell them as you have told me; but they willnot believe it, and so you must not meet them, as in all probabilitythey will kill you, in spite of all that I can do. So you must fleeaway from the avengers. You, my only son of your mother, must not fallby the hands of her brothers. Meet me here to-night when the moon is ather brightest, and I will then have decided what you must do. Fleequickly. '

"It was indeed time for me to go, for hardly had I slipped away, andhidden in the deep grass, ere I heard angry voices in reply to myfather's quiet words. But I could make out nothing at the time of whatwas said. For hours I there remained. The day passed on, and the nightfollowed, and yet I waited until the old moon came up to its brightestpoint. Then, returning to the appointed spot, there I found my fatherwaiting for me. His great sorrow was still on him, his love for the sonof her whom he had loved so well had shown itself in his acts. He hadwith him a good horse and a warrior's bow and quiver of arrows. Inaddition he had a supply of food and some other necessary things. Heembraced me more tenderly than I ever remember his having done before, and then for an instant his strong Indian nature broke, and with oneconvulsive sob he said, `Kah-se-ke-at' (`My beloved'), which was his petname for my mother. But quickly he regained his composure, and, pointing to the north star, he said I was to direct my course so muchwest of that and try to reach the friendly band of Maskepetoon, thegreat chief of the land of the Saskatchewan. He commanded me to ridefast, as he feared trouble, as my uncles, to whom he had told my storyin the presence of all the relatives, would not be pacified, but haddemanded that I be delivered up. So I was armed and mounted, but ere myfather would let me go he drew me down to him and kissed me, and thensaid:--

"`Be brave, my son; never begin a quarrel; but if the story of yourmother's death is true--and I believe you, for you have never deceivedme--then in your innocency, if you are followed and attacked, use yourweapons, and if you must die, fall bravely fighting, as does the truewarrior. '

"In the moonlight there I left him, and dashed away in the directionpointed out. 

"My horse was a good one, and carried me along without any stumbling, although the prairie was rough and uneven. It was well for me that hewas so steady and true, for I was only a boy, and so crushed by my greatsorrow that I was hardly able to care for myself. With this good horseI was able to get on rapidly. However, in spite of all the progress Ihad made, I discovered about the time the day-dawn was coming that I wasbeing followed. My pursuers were my fierce uncles, who had neverforgiven my mother for marrying my father; and now that they had heardthat she was dead resolved to take vengeance on me, whom they had alwayshated. They knew that, as was the custom of our people, they as thenearest relatives were the avengers of blood. In vain had my fatherpleaded for me, and that I was not guilty of her death. They would notbe appeased, even though he had offered, as gifts, about all of hispossessions. When, in anger and sorrow at their unrelenting spirit, heleft them, they cunningly watched him, that they might find where I washidden away. 

"But my father was too quick for them, and so was able to get me off, asI have mentioned, before they found my hiding place. However, they weresoon on my trail, but they had to ride many a mile before they overtookme, as I had sped on as rapidly as I could. Although I was only a boy Iwas able to see, when I detected them following after me, that they werenot coming as friends. Then also my father's words had put me on myguard. They seemed so sure of being able to easily kill me that theyresorted to no trick or disguise to throw me off my guard. So Iremembered my father, and being conscious that I was innocent of mymother's death I was resolved to die as a warrior. Carefully stringingmy bow, I fixed my quiver of arrows so that I could draw them easily asI needed them. Fortunately for me, my father had taught me the trick ofriding on the side of my horse and shooting back from under his neck. Soon with the yells and warwhoops of my pursuers the arrows began to flyaround me. One of their sharp arrows wounded my horse, but instead ofdisabling him it put such life into him that for the next few miles wewere far ahead beyond their arrows. But their horses were more enduringthan mine, and so they gradually gained on me once more. I did notshoot an arrow until I could hear the heavy breathings of their horses, which, like mine, were feeling the effects of this fearful race. Then, swinging quickly to my horse's side, I caused him by the pressure of myknee to swerve a little to the left, and then, drawing my bow with allmy might, I fired back from under his neck at the horse nearer to me. Fortunately for me, my arrow struck him in the neck, and so cut some ofthe great swollen veins that he was soon out of the race. The uncle onthe other horse stopped for a moment to see if he could be of anyservice, but, when he found that the wounded horse would soon bleed todeath, he sprang again upon his own and came on, if possible, morefuriously than ever. His brief halt had given me time to get anotherarrow fixed in my bow as on I hurried, but my horse was about exhausted, and soon again the arrows began to sing about me. One unfortunatelystruck my horse in a mortal place and brought him down. I could onlyspring to the ground as he fell, and with my bow and arrow quickly turnand face my pursuer. Very sudden was the end. He drew his tomahawk andthrew it with all the fury of his passionate nature. I did not try tododge it, but facing him I drew my bow with all my strength and shotstraight into his face. Our weapons must have crossed each other, forwhile he fell dead with the arrow in his brain, I fell senseless withthe blade of the tomahawk, which, cutting clean through my bow, hadburied itself in my face. 

"When I returned to consciousness my father was beside me. He had sewedup the wounds with sinew, and had succeeded in stopping the flowing ofthe blood. How he came there seemed strange to me. He told me allabout it when I was better. He had found out that the two uncles, well-armed and on good horses, had discovered my trail and had started afterme. He was not long in following, and as he had their trail in additionto mine he was able to push on without any delay, and so caught up tothe one whose horse I had shot in the neck. 

"They had no words with each other. They knew that as they joined inbattle it was to be a fight unto the death. My father killed my uncleand came out of the battle unwounded. Then he hurried on as quickly ashe could, and from a distance saw the fight between my uncle and me. When he dashed up, at first he thought I was dead, but soon hediscovered that the life was still in me. He at once set to work tohelp me, but months passed away ere the great wound made by the tomahawkhealed up. 

"This great scar remains with me to this day, and reminds me of thatfierce fight, and tells of how terrible in those days were some of thedoings of our people. "

Three Boys in the Wild North Land--by Egerton Ryerson Young

CHAPTER NINETEEN. 

"FAIR WIND!"--FISH SPEARING BY TORCHLIGHT--THE SHINING EYES--DEATH OFTHE DEER--ABUNDANCE OF GAME--ADDITIONAL EXCURSIONS--TRADITION OFNANAHBOOZOO AND THE FLOOD--WAS NANAHBOOZOO NOAH?

The boys listened with absorbing interest to this thrilling story. Thecamp fire had partly burned down and the stars had come out in theirsplendour, but none seemed to observe these things. 

The dramatic power with which Pukumakun accompanied his narrative, hisgenuine sorrow at the tragic death of his mother, and then his fierceexcitement as he described the last long race and its end, simplyfascinated our young friends, and they declared that it was the mostwonderful story they had ever heard. 

Of course the bright tartan shirt, with some other gifts, was handedover, and then all wrapped themselves in their blankets and lay down onthe rocks to sleep. 

During the night the strong south wind veered around to the north-east, and the alert Indians in charge were quick to observe the change. Soonthe cry of "Meyoo nootin!" ("Fair wind!") was heard, and, in a time sobrief that it would have seemed almost incredible to persons who havenot witnessed it, the boats were afloat, the masts stepped, the sailshoisted, and the journey, so long delayed, was gladly resumed. In theearliest dawn the last of the sails were seen by Mr Ross and ourfriends to be sinking below the horizon as they sped along toward themouth of the great Saskatchewan. For the rest of the day they werequite lonesome after the departure of the brigade, and, as the wind wasin a bad quarter for them, they decided to rest during the day and thengo out spearing fish during the coming night. The Indians were set towork preparing the inflammable torches which would be necessary fortheir success. These were made of various things. The best were of thefine resinous strips of spruce or balsam, taken from those parts thatare saturated with the resinous gum. They were secured in handles whichprevented the hot melted pitch from running down and burning the handsof those who held them. Other torches were made of strips or rolls ofbirch-bark saturated in the balsam gum, which is gathered by the Indiansand used so generally in keeping watertight their canoes. 

The three-pronged barbed spears were fastened in long light handles, andevery other preparation was made for having a successful expedition. 

On account of the long evening twilight they had to wait for some hoursafter supper ere it was dark enough for them to hope for any measure ofsuccess. However, the experienced Indians knew when it was best tostart, and so, after the inevitable cup of tea and the additional pipefor the smokers, the three canoes were carried down and carefully placedin the water. In each canoe was one of our boys, and they were ofcourse excited at the prospect of this nightly adventure. It seemed soweird to thus embark in this ghostly way and to leave the bright campfire on the rocks, with the few watchers who remained, Mr Ross beingone of them, and to embark in their canoes and go paddling out in thegloom. 

Their destination was in the western part of Playgreen lake, where theyexpected to find abundance of fish of the varieties that affordexcellent sport when caught in this way. After several miles of carefulpaddling in the darkness, where rocks abounded and rapids were many, they reached a place that seemed familiar to the Indians. They easilyfound a sheltered cove, where they went ashore, and, groping around inthe darkness, they soon gathered some dry wood and kindled a fire. Fortunately the wind had nearly died away, and so they anticipated asuccessful night's sport. 

The inflammable torches were carefully arranged, and a couple of themfor each boat were ignited. Then all again took their assignedpositions in their canoes, and noiselessly paddled to the places wherethe fish were supposed to be abundant. 

At first all the boys could see were dark, shadowlike objects in thewater that, after remaining under the glare of the lights, suddenlydashed away in the gloom. 

For fear of accident it was decided that the experienced Indians shoulddo the spearing, while the boys looked on and aided with the paddles orhelped to hold the torches. The Indian spearmen stood up in the canoe, and, gazing intently into the water where it was brilliantly lit up bythe blazing torches, were able to see the fish at a depth of severalfeet beneath the surface. Some varieties of fish are not attracted bythe light, and so are not to be caught in this way. Other kinds, however, seem quite fascinated by the bright light, and will remainperfectly still in its glare, as though under some power they cannotwithstand. 

The experienced spearmen, with a vigorous thrust, are generally verysuccessful in securing large numbers of them. Still, in spite of alltheir skill, many escape. Apart from the excitement about this methodof fishing, it is not to be compared with the ordinary way of capturingthem with gill nets as regards the quantities obtained. The spearcruelly wounds many that escape, and so even the Indians only adopt thisplan for the sake of its exciting sport, and for the capture of somevarieties of fish that are not easily obtained in any other way. 

After the boys had watched the successful operations of the Indians forsome time they made their first attempt. For a time they could notunderstand how it was that when they made a vigorous thrust with theirspear at a great big, quiet fish it seemed to strike some place a coupleof feet or so away from the fish. So they found that the law ofrefraction had to be considered, and after a few experiments they didbetter. Each was successful in securing some fine fish. Some, indeed, were so large that, after the boys had plunged their spears into them, they required the help of the Indians to get them into the canoe. 

When the torches burned down others were lighted, and thus the sportcontinued until the boats began to feel the additional weight of thefish thus secured. The boys were loath to think of stopping, and nowonder, for everything was so strange and weird. 

The three canoes with their picturesque occupants, lit up by the blazingtorches, the waters so transparent under the light, and phosphorescent-like on every wave, made a picture never to be forgotten. Then so closearound was the dense deep darkness of the solitudes that stretched awayand away for miles in all directions. 

No wonder the hearts of the lads were beating loudly, and in thesuppressed excitement of such surroundings no thoughts of sleep theretroubled them. 

"O, if our friends could only see us here, " said Frank, "wouldn't theybe pleased with the sight?"

"Ay, " said Alec, "and what would not the boys of the old school give tobe here for a few hours with us?"

"Hush! What is that?" said Sam, as he pointed his finger to a spot inthe dense dark forest of trees that hung down low to the water's edge, not many yards from where they were slowly floating along on the stream. 

That there was something was very evident, for there were to be seen twogreat shining eyes that, owing to the dense darkness around them, seemedto be strangely large and brilliant. 

"Will-o'-the-wisp, " said Frank. 

"Jack-o'-lantern, " said Alec. 

"A banshee, " said Sam. 

"A big deer, " said Mustagan. "Keep still, and we will soon shoot him. "

Quietly and quickly was a gun lifted up, and with a word to the men, tosteady, with their paddles, the canoe in which Mustagan was seated, hefired, and the report was followed by the plunge of the body of a greatdeer, as he fell headlong in the water not thirty yards away. The soundof the gun broke the deathlike solitudes and aroused a chorus; and for along time the cry of the bittern and the loon mingled with the quackingof ducks and the wakeful calls of the sentinel wild goose. 

More torches were lit, and the body of the deer was secured with a rope;and, as the night was far spent, it was decided to go ashore, if theycould find a safe place, and there rest until morning, as it was utterlyimpossible with the heavy load of fish to think of returning through thedarkness with the additional weight of this splendid deer. 

As closely as possible the three canoes had kept together. This made itmore sociable in the gloom, and was much enjoyed by the boys, as theycould thus freely chat with each other and watch each other's success orfailure. 

As the locality was known to some of the Indians, a sheltered littlesandy beach was soon discovered, and here the now tired party drew upand landed. A fire was speedily built, and a kettle of tea and a lunchwere prepared and enjoyed by the hungry ones. Then they quickly rolledthemselves up in their blankets, and were soon away in the land ofdreams. Nothing softer had they under them than the rocks, and no roofover them but the starry heavens, yet they slept in a way that thousandsof excited, weary, restless ones, tossing about in comfortable beds, might well envy, but could not command. 

Very early were the boys aroused for the home trip, but, early as theywere up, the Indians had already skinned and cut up the deer, anddivided it among the boats. Part of the fish were given to some Indianwomen and children who were encamped on some of the islands, near whichthey passed on the route back to the camp. 

Mr Ross was much pleased with the glowing accounts which the boys gaveof the night's adventures. Much praise was given to Sam for having seenthe great luminous eyes of the deer, even before any of the Indians hadobserved them. 

Mr Ross, in answer to the boys' inquiries, explained how some deer, like fish, seemed to be fascinated by a bright light, and will allow thehunters to get very near, especially if they are on the water, ere theywill try to get away. 

The weather proving favourable, the camp was struck, the canoes loaded, and they all proceeded on the way to Montreal Point once more. Theyonly stopped for an hour or so at Spider Islands to melt some pitch, andmend a crack which had opened in the bottom of one of the canoes. 

The boys, who in their own land had seen the great iron ships beingprepared in the dry docks, were quite amused and interested at theprimitive way in which these Indians made watertight their light canoes. When this was done they were all soon under way again, and, not longafter, the shores of the mainland began to loom up plainly before them. 

They all remembered the last visit, and the battle with the wolves. Sothey were naturally on the lookout for a herd of deer or the sound ofravening wolves. But not even a "whisky jack" was seen or heard. Thedesolate land seemed to be much more so by the apparent entire absenceof life. 

Selecting a favourable spot, they all landed, and then, while some ofthe Indians made a fire and prepared the supper, Mr Ross, with Frank, Alec, Sam, and Mustagan, visited the scene of the great fight. Theytook the precaution to carry their guns with them, for who could tellwhere the rest of those wolves might be, or what other game might notsuddenly appear in sight, even if the Indians had reported that thewolves had all disappeared. 

Sam and Frank took special pride in pointing out to Alec and Mr Rosswhere they had stood when, under Mustagan's directions, they broughtdown the two leading wolves in that memorable and exciting battle, andthen where they fought in the terrible hand-to-hand encounter, where itwas hunting-axe against teeth. But little was left to tell of the fray. A few whitened, well-picked bones were to be seen here and there, butnothing more, so they returned to the camp fire, where the supper wasnow prepared, and ready indeed were they for it. 

As they had made such a long trip that day, Mr Ross, who was evermindful of the welfare of his canoemen, decided that there should be nohunting that evening or night. So they gathered round the camp fire, and, with bright and pleasant chat, the happy hours passed away, one ofthem being specially interesting as Mr Ross, who had made the gatheringup of Indian legends a favourite study or amusement when not absorbed inheavier work, was requested by the boys to tell them an Indian legend orstory. 

Yielding to this request, he cheerfully consented, and not only had hethe boys as interested listeners, but the Indians of the party gatheredround, curious to hear how well a white man was able to tell one oftheir favourite stories. 

"Before the general deluge, " Mr Ross began, "there lived two enormouscreatures, each possessed of vast power. One was an animal with a greathorn on his head, the other was a huge toad. The latter had the wholemanagement of the waters, keeping them secure in his own body; andemitting only a certain quantity when needed for the watering of theearth. Between these two creatures there arose a quarrel whichterminated in a great fight. The toad in vain tried to swallow itsantagonist, but the latter rushed upon it, and with his horn pierced ahole in its side, out of which the waters rushed in floods, and soonoverflowed the face of the earth. 

"Nanahboozoo was living at this time on the earth. Observing the waterrising higher and higher he fled to the loftiest mountain for refuge. Perceiving that even this retreat would soon be inundated, he selected alarge cedar tree, which he purposed to ascend should the waters come upto him. Before the floods reached him he caught a number of animals andfowls and put them into his bosom. At length the waters covered themountain. Nanahboozoo then ascended the cedar tree, and as he went uphe plucked its branches and stuck them in his belt, which girdled hiswaist. 

"When he reached the top of the tree he sang, and beat the tune with hisarrow upon his bow, and as he sang the tree grew, and kept pace with thewater for a long time. At length he abandoned the idea of remaining anylonger on the tree. So he took the branches he had plucked, and withthem constructed a raft, on which he placed himself with the animals andfowls. On this raft he floated about for a long time, till all themountains were covered and all the beasts of the earth and fowls of theair, except those he had with him, had perished. 

"At length Nanahboozoo thought of forming a new world, but how toaccomplish it without any materials he knew not. At length the ideaoccurred to him that if he could only obtain a little of the earth, which was then under the water, he might succeed in making a new worldout of the old one. He accordingly employed the different animals hehad with him that were accustomed to diving. First, he sent the loondown into the water in order to bring up some of the old earth; but itwas not able to reach the bottom, and, after remaining in the water sometime, came up dead. Nanahboozoo then took it, blew upon it, and it cameto life again. He next sent the otter, which, also failing to reach thebottom, came up dead, and was restored to life in the same manner as theloon. He then tried the skill of the beaver, but without success. Having failed with all these diving animals, he last of all took themuskrat. On account of the distance it had to go to reach the bottom itwas gone a long time, and came up dead; on taking it up Nanahboozoofound, to his great joy, that it had reached the earth and had retainedsome of the soil in each of its paws and mouth. He then blew upon it, and brought it to life again, at the same time pronouncing manyblessings on it. He declared that as long as the world he was about tomake should endure, the muskrat should never become extinct. 

"This prediction of Nanahboozoo is still spoken of by some Indians whenreferring to the rapid increase of the muskrat. Nanahboozoo then tookthe earth which he found in the muskrat's paws and mouth, and havingrubbed it with his hands to fine dust he placed it on the waters andblew upon it. Very soon it began to grow larger and larger, until itwas beyond the reach of his eye. Thus was spread out the new worldafter the great flood. In order to ascertain the size of this newlycreated world, and the progress of its growth and expansion, he sent awolf to run to the end of it, measuring its extent by the time consumedin the journey. The first journey he performed in one day; the secondtrip took him five days; the third consumed ten days; the fourth amonth; then a year; then five years. Thus it went on until the worldbecame so large that Nanahboozoo sent a young wolf that could just run. This animal died of old age before he could accomplish his journey. Nanahboozoo then decided that the world was large enough, and commandedit to cease from growing. 

"Some time after this Nanahboozoo took a journey to view the new worldhe had made, and as he travelled he created various animals suitable forthe different parts of the new world. He then experimented in makingman. The first one he burnt too black, and was not satisfied. Then hetried again, and was no better pleased, as this one was too white. Histhird attempt satisfied him, and he left him in this country, while thefirst two he had made he placed far away. He then gave to the men hehad created their various customs and habits and beliefs. 

"Thus Nanahboozoo, having finished his work, now sits at the North Pole, which the Indians used to consider the top of the earth. There he sitsoverlooking all the transactions and affairs of the people he has placedon the earth. 

"The northern tribes say that Nanahboozoo always sleeps during thewinter, but previous to his falling asleep he fills his great pipe andsmokes for several days, and that it is the smoke rising from the mouthand pipe of Nanahboozoo which at that season of the year produces whatis called the Indian summer. "

The boys listened to this Indian tradition of the flood with a greatdeal of interest, and the next Sabbath they got out their Bibles andtried to see the points of resemblance between the account given of Noahand that given of Nanahboozoo. 

They decided that Nanahboozoo was the Indian name for Noah, and the raftwas the substitute for the ark. The sending out of the various animalsto discover and bring some earth stood for the sending forth of theraven and the dove. In some other conversations with Indians on thedifferent traditions about the flood, Mustagan told them that, in someof the tribes he had visited, they had, in addition to what has herebeen narrated, a story of a bird coming with a little twig, and stickingit in the newly formed world of Nanahboozoo. This little twig took rootand rapidly grew into a large tree, and from it all the other trees andshrubs had come. 

Three Boys in the Wild North Land--by Egerton Ryerson Young

CHAPTER TWENTY. 

THE CALL OF THE MOOSE--PREPARATIONS FOR CAPTURE--MIDNIGHT MARCH--RIVALBULLS--A ROYAL BATTLE--FRANK'S SHOT--BIG TOM, THE SUCCESSFUL MOOSEHUNTER--YOUNG MOOSE CALVES--THEIR CAPTURE--SAM'S AWKWARD PREDICAMENT. 

In the morning the boys were informed that during the night the call ofa great moose bull was heard, and that an effort would be made the nextnight to kill him if possible. 

The moose is the largest animal that roams in these northern forests, and is exceedingly difficult to kill. His eyes are small and not verygood, but he has the most marvellous powers of hearing and smellinggiven to almost any animal. Then he is so cunning and watchful thatvery few Indians are able, by fair stalking him in his tracks, to get ashot at him. He does not eat grass, but browses on the limbs andbranches of several kinds of trees. His horns are often of enormousproportions, but yet the speed and ease with which he can dash safelythrough the dense forests is simply marvellous. 

There are various ways of killing them in addition to the sportsmanlikeway of following on the trail, and thus by skill and endurance gettingwithin range of them. 

In the winter, when the snow is deep, they have a poor chance againstthe hunters, who, on their light snowshoes, can glide on the top of thedeep snow, while the great, heavy moose goes floundering in the drift. 

They have a great weakness for the large, long roots of the water lily, and so are often killed while they are out from the shore and wallowingin the marshy places for these succulent dainties. But the mostexciting sport is that which the Indians were here going to adopt intrying to bring this big fellow, whose bellowings the night before hadso arrested the attention of those who had been awakened by him. 

Mr Ross explained that the bellowings of the previous night were hiscalls to his mates in the forest. Perhaps they had been alarmed by somehunters or chased by wolves, and had become widely separated. So naturehas not only given to the moose of both sexes this wonderful power ofhearing, but to the males this great voice, which in the stillness ofthe night in those northern solitudes can be heard for a number ofmiles. The reply call of the female moose is much softer, and theIndians have a plan by which they can so successfully imitate it thatthey can often call the old male moose close enough to them to be shot;and cases are known where the infuriated beast, maddened by thedeception played upon him, has rushed upon his deceiver and made itlively work for him to get beyond the reach of his great antlers. 

For fear of driving the moose out of the neighbourhood, it was decidedthat there was to be no firing of guns that day, as the Indians werecertain there had been no answer to the call of the male on the part ofthe other sex, and judging from their knowledge of the habits of theanimal they decided that, if not alarmed, he would be within hearingdistance about ten o'clock that evening. 

The question then was, "How are we to spend the day?" This was speedilyanswered when the Indians reported that there were any number ofsturgeon seen jumping in the shallows among the rocks not far out fromthe shore. The method of securing them was by spearing them from thecanoes. A good deal of calculation was required in managing the canoesso that they would not be upset in the excitement of the sport, and thena great deal of strength had to be exerted to hold on to the spears whenonce the great big sturgeon, from four to six feet long, was transfixed. 

There were some amusing upsets, and the boys in turn came back to thecamp drenched, but happy with the varied adventures of the day. Nearlya score of fine sturgeon rewarded them for their efforts. These theIndians cut into flakes and dried, while the valuable oil was distilledand put away in most ingeniously constructed vessels made out of theskin of the sturgeon themselves. 

But in spite of the fun and success of the sturgeon fishing the boyswere simply wild in anticipation of the events of the coming night. Thevery uncertainty and weirdness of it had a fascination for them thatmade it impossible for them to shut their eyes and have a short sleep inthe early hours of the evening, as Mr Ross suggested. The very idea ofsleeping seemed an utter impossibility. So they kept awake, and werealert and watchful on the movements of the Indians, who made their finalpreparations to take advantage of the natural instincts of these greatanimals to meet each other. 

These preparations were not very many. From the birch trees that grewnear they stripped off long rolls of new bark. These they carefullymade into a horn-shaped instrument, the end of which was much wider thanthe other. Then they put on their darkest garments, as the appearanceof any thing white would alarm the wary game and frighten them away. 

The evening was exceedingly favourable. But little wind was blowing, and that was from the land toward the lake; thus the scent would not becarried toward the moose, if they appeared. 

The next question was, who were to go and where had they better bestationed? So it was decided that as Mr Ross had caught the contagionof the hour, he and Alec should take a position at a designated rock, both well-armed, while out near the lake one of the clever Indians, armed with one of these oddly constructed birch-bark horns, should beplaced. The reason of this was the expectation that, if the old mooseheard the call, while perhaps too wary to come within range of the mansounding it, he might be near enough for a good shot from Mr Ross andAlec. In the same manner Frank was stationed with Mustagan, and Samwith Big Tom, while two other Indians, acting the part of trumpeters tothem, were stationed in the rear near the water's edge. 

For a couple of hours very eerie and weird seemed everything to theseexcited boys. No moon was in the heavens, but the stars shone down uponthem with a splendour and a beauty unknown in a land of fogs and mists. No conversation was allowed, as the hearing of the moose is most acute. For a time the silence was almost oppressive. 

After watching at their different stations for about half an hour or so, there wailed out on the silent air a cry so wild, so startling, soblood-curdling that it filled with terror and dismay the hearts of ourthree boys, who had never heard anything like it. Strung up as theywere to such tension by their surroundings out there in the gloom ofthat quiet night, and then to be thus startled by such a cry, no wondereach lad clutched his gun and instinctively crowded close to hisexperienced companion in that trying hour. Yet such was theirconfidence in them that they remained silent, but were soon relievedwhen they were told, in a whisper, that it was only the cry of the lynx, and, blood-curdling though it was, it was really a good sign for them. When this harsh, doleful sound had died away in the distance, from atree near them some great owls began their strange hootings, and theIndians again said, "Good signs. "

About midnight the first note of the sound for which they were listeningwas heard. It was far away in the forest directly east from them, withthe wind coming from the same direction. The Indians remained perfectlystill until the roaring became somewhat louder, and then the boys weresomewhat startled at hearing, but in a much softer key, a sound verysimilar in their rear. This latter sound was made by the men throughthese queer birch-bark horns they had been so industriously working atduring the day. From long practice some of these Indians can soperfectly imitate the sounds of the female moose that they can deceivethe males, and thus bring them toward them. These artificial soundswere not long unanswered. Louder and louder still were the roaringsthat came at intervals from the deep forest. Soft and varied were theresponses as the Indian in the rear of Mr Ross and Alec blew hisinviting notes, but in the rear of the others there sounded out theenticing strains. 

"Listen, " said Mr Ross, "there is the roar of another old moose, and weare in for a battle. "

Fortunately the wondrous auroras came shooting up from below the horizonand flashing and dancing along the northern sky; they almost dispelledthe darkness, and lit up the landscape with a strange, weird light. This necessitated a quick change of base on the part of the hunters, andso, as soon as possible, they retired under the shadows of some densebalsam trees. Hardly were they well hidden from view before a greatmoose showed himself in full sight in a wide opening, where the fire, years before, had burned away the once dense forest. In response to hisloud calls the three Indians with their horns replied, and this seemedto greatly confuse him. He would move first a little in one directionand then in another, and then hesitated and sent out his great roaragain. Quickly, and in a lower strain, did the Indians closely imitatethe female's call. Before there could be the responsive answer on hispart to them there dashed into the open space from the forest, not manyhundreds of yards from him, another moose bull that roared out achallenge that could not be mistaken. 

The Indians with their birch horns again imitated the calls of thefemale moose. This they did with the purpose of bringing the bullswithin range before they engaged in battle. 

It is a singular characteristic of many wild animals, that when therival males battle for the possession of the females, they like to do itin the presence, of those for whom they fight. Their presence seems tobe a stimulus to nerve them to greater courage. So it is with the mooseand other deer species, and so by the light of the dancing auroras thethree boys and those with them watched these two great moose, eachstanding at the foreshoulders over sixteen hands high, as they thus cameon toward the spot where Mr Ross and Alec were well hid fromobservation, and behind whom the Indian kept now softly lowing like amoose cow. 

In their hurried movements they had gradually approached each other, andso when not far from Mr Ross and Alec's hiding place they suddenlyappeared in a clear, elevated spot, and supposing they were now close totheir companions they turned suddenly and gave each other battle. And aroyal battle it was! A moose bull at the best is not handsome, but anangry, infuriated moose bull, when his temper is up, is one of the mosthideous of monsters. The long, coarse hair of his head and neck seemsto be all turned in the wrong direction, his small eyes have a mostwicked gleam in them, and, taking him altogether, we know of no picturemore likely to cause a person who sees him to have the next night thenightmare. 

With a roar they rushed at each other, and as their great antlered headsmet in the shock of battle it was a sight not often seen. They eachseemed as though they were resolved to conquer in the first round, andappeared surprised at not having been able to succeed. 

It undoubtedly would have been interesting to some people to havewitnessed the battle between these two well-matched moose bulls to afinish, but the practical Indians know a thing or two about their meat, and one is that the meat of a moose that has been in battle for a coupleof hours or so is apt to be so soft and spongy and full of air bubblesthat a hungry dog will hardly eat it. They also know, on the otherhand, that moose meat when in prime condition is the finest venison inthe world. The Indians were also well aware that the bulls now engagedin battle would take but little heed of any other foes. They thereforequickly gathered in with Frank and Sam to the spot where Mr Ross andAlec were hidden, and there in quiet whispers arranged their plans forthe killing of the two great moose ere the fierce battle had much longercontinued. 

The Indians were anxious that the boys should have the honour of killingthem, but Mr Ross hesitated to expose any one of them to the fiercerush of an infuriated wounded moose bull in case the bullet had not doneits work. The Indians, cautious though they are, however, saw here anopportunity such as might not for a long time be theirs, and so pleadedfor them, and promised to so place themselves as to be ready with areserve fire if it should be necessary. 

To Frank and Alec the honour of the first fire was given. If this didnot immediately bring both of the moose down Mr Ross and Sam were tofire next, while the Indians would be as a reserve in case of emergency. Mustagan was given charge over all in case of any need arising. Aftera short survey of the fierce conflict it was decided that they mustquietly work round the combatants and fire at them from the forest side. Under the guidance of Mustagan the single party quietly drew back alittle, and then, making a detour, were nearly in the rear of thefighting animals when a quick, sharp word from Mustagan caused them allto drop flat upon the ground, for there, clearly visible in the light ofthe dancing auroras, not two hundred yards away, was a large moose cowwith two young calves at her side. So intently was she watching thebattle that she had not the slightest suspicion of the presence of thesehunters. 

This was a new complication. What was to be done? If possible she mustbe killed. The meat of a cow moose is very much superior to that of thebull. Gliding past the boys like a panther went Big Tom from the frontto consult with Mustagan, who was at the rear. Soon it was settled thatBig Tom was to get that cow, while the bulls were to be killed asarranged. 

But a few seconds for consultation were needed between these two Indianhunters, and then to the eyes of the boys it seemed as though Big Tom, the largest man in the party, literally sank into the ground, so smalldid he seem to make himself, as with his gun in the fickle light hesilently glided away. Mustagan then, with the party close behind him, moved on again to the scene of the battle, which was still fiercelyraging. The ground was very uneven, and as every advantage was taken ofit the boys were able to secure a most advantageous position not morethan fifty yards from the combatants. 

The fierce battle was a sight sufficient to try the nerves of much olderpersons than our boys. The bulls seemed simply wild with rage, and asin their mad rushes their horns struck together Frank and Alec declaredthat they saw fire flash from them; others, however, said it was onlyauroral reflection as they turned at certain angles. Mustagan beckonedthe two boys who were to have the honour of the first fire, and placingthem side by side he quietly said:

"Wait until in their fighting they turn their sides to you, then aim tostrike them behind the foreshoulders. "

They had not long to wait ere the double report rang out on the midnightair, and as an echo to it another one was heard not far away. That theballs struck was evident, for the thud of the bullets was hearddistinctly by all, so close were they to their game. The effect of thefiring on one of the bulls was seen to be immediate, for, although hishuge horns seemed almost locked in those of his antagonist, he slowlysank to the ground. The other moose, although badly wounded, gave alast vicious plunge at his opponent. Then proudly lifting up his head, and seeing for the first time his new antagonists, and being still madwith the excitement of battle, he, without any hesitancy, rushed to theattack. 

"Fire straight at the centre of his head, " were Mustagan's words. Hardly were they uttered ere from the guns of Mr Ross and Sam thedeath-dealing bullets flew on their mission and the great, fierce animalstumbled forward a few more yards and fell dead, pierced to the brain byboth of the balls. In a few minutes they were joined by Big Tom, whoquickly said:

"Moose cow shot, and little calves run into woods; catch um next day, ifwolves not too quick. "

It was the report of his unerring shot that rang out so quickly afterFrank and Alec had fired. 

The reaction after the complete silence and the long-strung-up tension, together with the fierce battle witnessed and the decisive victory, wasvery great. No need of silence now, but the boys were so excited theyhardly knew whether to laugh or cry. Frank said he wanted to howl. Alec said he wanted to dance. Sam said he wanted to swing a shillalah. And they all said, "What would not the boys at home give to be here?"

A fire was quickly kindled, and a couple of Indians remained as watcherswhile the rest returned to the not very distant camp. The Indian incharge had supper ready for them, which was much enjoyed, and then asspeedily as possible they were wrapped up in their blankets and doublywrapped in sweet, refreshing sleep. Very few were their hours ofslumber. Daylight comes early in the summer time in high latitudes, andso when the boys heard the Indians moving about and preparing breakfastthey sprang up also, and after a hasty bath in the lake were ready fortheir breakfast and eager to be off, not only to see where their bulletshad struck the moose bulls, but to find out how it was that while onedropped so quickly the other was able to make that fierce charge uponthem. 

When they reached the scene of last night's exciting adventures theyhardly recognised that locality, so different does a place look indaylight from what it does when illumined by the ever-changing auroras. 

However, here was the place sure enough, for some Indians had alreadynearly skinned the great animals, and had traced the bullets that hadbeen fired. Frank's bullet had pierced the heart of the one that had soquickly dropped in the fight; Alec's had gone through the lungs, and, though the wound was a mortal one, it did not so suddenly result indeath; hence his ability to make that fearful charge, which was sopromptly stopped by the balls of Mr Ross and Sam, both of which weretaken out of his brain. This was very satisfactory to the boys, and sothey were bracketed with equal honours all round by Mr Ross, much totheir delight, for three nobler, more unselfish lads never chummedtogether. The success of one was the success of all, and when oneseemed to fail, or make a miss, the others were uneasy until he was atthe head in the next adventure. 

But the question now was, "Where are those young moose calves?" TheIndian watchers could give the boys but little information. All theyknew was that after the auroras faded away in the dark hour just beforedawn they heard them moving about; but they did not frighten them, asMr Ross had left orders that they were not to be disturbed, unless someprowling wolves should appear as though on their trail. None, however, were heard, and so the Indians had remained very quiet. 

So the search for the young moose immediately began, and although it wasprosecuted with a good deal of vigour, still not a sign of the younganimals was discovered. At length Mustagan, who had watched the youngermembers of the party at work, said:

"You want to see those calves quick, just wait. "

Quietly taking up one of the birch-bark horns, he began softly blowinginto it. The sounds he made were like those of the mother cow when shecalls her young from its secluded retreat, where she has cunningly hidit away from its many enemies while she is off feeding. 

Now high, now low, now prolonged and in different tones, came out fromthat great birch-bark horn those peculiar notes, some of which were notunlike the sounds made by the domestic cow when separated from her calf. For once in his life Mustagan was a complete failure. For blow as muchas he would--and great were his exertions--no calf appeared in answer tohis calls. 

Said Big Tom, who was a famous moose hunter, and who had listened toMustagan with a good deal of interest and some amusement: "Let me havethat horn, and I will show you how it ought to be done. You boys watchthe woods and be ready to run. "

Then putting the birch horn to his mouth he cooed out such a tender moo-oo-o-o that the boys were fairly startled by the similarity of its soundto the familiar notes in the barnyards at home; but soon other thingsexcited them, for hardly had the echoes of Big Tom's mooings died awaybefore there came rushing out from the forest the two moose calves. Onthey came directly toward the spot where Big Tom had uttered his call. So sudden had been their appearance that all remained perfectly still towatch their movements. Certain that they had heard their mother, theywere now anxiously looking for her. They were a pair of fine-lookingmoose calves, about three months old, and so it was resolved, ifpossible, to capture them alive and tame them. It turned out not soeasy a matter as had been anticipated. With as little display aspossible the boys and Indians tried to surround them before they becomealarmed. So confident did the young creatures seem that they had heardtheir mother that it was some time before they became suspicious ofdanger, and then only when they were about encircled by the hunters. Then the fun began. Turning toward the point in the forest from whichthey had emerged, they made a dash for liberty. Frank and Alec threwthemselves on one, and getting their arms around its neck made adesperate effort to hold it. They were amazed at its strength, as iteasily carried them along, and not until they succeeded in tripping itup and throwing it on the ground were they able to hold it. 

Sam and a young Indian tackled the other one, and found him much morepugnacious. With a vicious kick he struck the Indian in the stomach, who at once decided that he had had enough of that sport and quicklyretired, leaving Sam now to struggle with him alone. Sam at firstseized him by his long ears, but was unable to bring force enough toarrest his progress in that way. Then he tried to seize him by theneck, but a few strong blows with his fore feet made that a difficultand dangerous task, and so Sam had to let go. This seemed to interestthe calf, and so from being the one attacked he became the aggressor. The pugnacity of the calf, and the lively way in which he butted hisopponent, caused great amusement to the onlookers. Sam could not standthis, and so he threw himself desperately on the animal, and hugging himaround his neck, held him so closely that he could neither use his hardlittle head nor his fore feet, with which he had been fighting sovigorously. Sam was in an awkward predicament. Gladly would a numberof Indians have rushed to his help, but Mr Ross wanted him to have thehonour of capturing the young moose alone, and so held them back; butall watched the odd struggle, which was intensely amusing. 

Sam still pluckily held on, but the calf evidently considered himselfthe aggressor, for he tried hard to shake Sam loose from him, his objectevidently being to strike him with his head or feet. This Samendeavoured to prevent, until at length he was afraid to let go his gripfor fear of the now vicious young animal, and so, in his desperation, hecalled out most comically:

"Will somebody come and help me to let go of this calf?" Help was soonthere, and strong arms quickly captured the spirited young creature. It, as well as its companion, was securely tied and taken back with theparty when they returned to Sagasta-weekee. 

So great was the quantity of meat and other things secured that a canoewas hastily sent back to the home, and the next day a large boat, similar to those used by the Hudson Bay Company in the fur trade, arrived with a good crew. Everything was placed on board, including thetwo young moose, that already would eat the young branches gathered forthem by the boys. A strong yard, inclosed with planks and logs, wasmade for them, and they soon became quite tame and gentle. 

Harnessed to a cariole, or dog-sled, they travelled with great speed, and seemed to enjoy the fun. But they drew the line at the saddle, andno Texas bronco could more easily rid himself of a tenderfoot than theselively animals with their enormous forequarters could send their would-be riders into the snow or grass. 

Our illustration gives us a good idea of how they looked when ready thenext spring to be shipped by the Hudson Bay ship to one of the bigzoological gardens in Great Britain. 

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE. 

EXCURSION TO SEA RIVER FALLS--THE CRANBERRY PICKING--THE CONTEST--"WHEREARE THE CHILDREN?"--WENONAH AND RODERICK LOST IN THE FOREST--FIRSTNIGHT'S UNSUCCESSFUL SEARCH--THE TRACKS IN THE SAND--MUSTAGAN'SSTARTLING DISCOVERY. 

Thus pleasantly passed the bright weeks away at Sagasta-weekee. Everyday had its duties and amusements. Mr Ross, although the best ofmasters, was almost a martinet in his affairs, both in the home circleand among those in his employ. This strict disciplinary method isabsolutely essential for comfort and success in such a land. If thereis a lax method of living and conducting business, soon everything is inconfusion and wretchedness. 

Yet while everything went on with almost military precision in the homelife, there was nothing about it to make it otherwise than pleasant andenjoyable. So the boys ever returned to this happy home with delightfrom the excitements of their various hunting and fishing excursions. 

One of the great deprivations of living in a land where the summer is soshort and the winter so long and cold is the lack of native fruit. Noapples, pears, cherries, or peaches grow in that northern land. Thesefruits must be brought to it in a preserved or dried condition. 

In some sections wild plums are to be found; in others, abundance ofcranberries grow most luxuriously. A few wild strawberries spring up inthe clearings where great fires have destroyed the forests. A sweetbilberry also abounds in some parts of the country. This fruit is muchprized by the Indians, and frequently used, mixed with dried meat, inthe manufacture of their finest pemmican. 

The Indian women in the neighbourhood of white settlements or tradingposts bring in large quantities of the cranberries, which they gather inthe marshes and forests, and sell to those who are able and willing topurchase. 

Sometimes cranberry parties were organised, and nearly all the membersof the post and families interested would join together and go off on anexcursion of several days to places where the berries were abundant, andthus secure large quantities, which were an acceptable addition to theirrather meagre bill of fare. 

This year, as the berries were reported by the Indian women to be veryabundant, Mr and Mrs Ross, at the urgent request of their ownchildren, as well as to give the boys the unique experience, decided tohave a cranberry outing on quite an extended scale, and one that wouldlast for several days. It turned out to be unique and memorable invarious ways. 

It was decided that they should go into camp below Sea River Falls, onthe Nelson, and pick berries at their leisure in the great section ofcountry lying north-west from that point, as there they were to be foundin large quantities. 

For the comfort and convenience of the family a couple of large tentswere sent on and pitched by some Indians. The various utensils andsupplies necessary for a good time were also forwarded, so that when Mrand Mrs Ross, with Minnehaha, Wenonah, Roderick, and our three lads, arrived they found everything arranged for their comfort. 

It was an ideal place for an outing. Before them was the great riverwith the music of its rushing, roaring rapids, down which it was soexciting to run in the canoes under the skillful guidance of thecautious, experienced Indians. The great granite rocks in picturesquebeauty were everywhere to be seen. Back of the sandy beach and grassysward, where stood the tents and camp fires, was the deep, dark, unbroken forest, that stretched away and away for hundreds of miles. 

So delightful were the surroundings, and so good the fishing, as well asnovel and interesting this running the rapids, that two or three dayswere thus spent ere any definite arrangements about the cranberrypicking was thought of. 

To aid in gathering a large quantity of berries Mrs Ross had engaged anumber of Indian women, who were famous as noted berry pickers. Thesewomen brought with them a large Indian vessel called a "rogan. " It ismade out of birch-bark, and is capable of holding about twenty quarts ofberries. 

There are two kinds of cranberries in this land. One is called thehigh-bush variety, while the other is known as the moss cranberry, as itis generally found where moss is abundant, and grows on a small vine onthe ground. It was this latter kind that here abounded and that theyhad come to gather. 

As the outing was not merely for the purpose of gathering berries, theydid not pick very steadily. Mrs Ross well knew that her faithfulIndian women would see that she had her full supply. So the members ofthe family picked berries, went fishing or hunting or canoeing, more orless frequently, as their inclinations prompted them. Several days thuspassed in varied sport and work. 

One evening as the Indian women came in with their heavy loads theyreported finding, not very far distant, a splendid place, where theberries were very plentiful, and the ground dry and mossy and free frommuskegs and rocks. So it was decided that, with the exception of someof the servants, who would remain and take care of the camp, all shouldgo and have a big day of it at berry picking, and then they would maketheir arrangements for returning home. 

The preparations necessary were soon made. A number of large and smallrogans were made ready, and, in addition, the men took the precaution tocarry with them their guns and ammunition. 

Minnehaha and Wenonah were very happy and proud of the honour of takingcharge of their little brother Roddy, as they loved to call him. As thechildren were anxious to do their share of picking berries they wereeach supplied with a little birch-bark vessel, and with great delightdid they gather quite a number of the bright red berries that were soabundant. 

As they had left the camp early in the morning they were able to do acapital forenoon's work. At midday they all assembled at a designatedplace, and much enjoyed the dinner that the servants had prepared forthem. Then again they separated, and men, women, and children were oncemore very busily employed in gathering in the fruit, while pleasant chatand merry laugh would be heard from various parts. 

To add a little zest and excitement to the pleasant work the wholecompany had been divided into two parties, and between them there was alively contest as to which should succeed in gathering the greaterquantity of berries. 

Little Roderick and Wenonah were placed on one side as being equal intheir picking abilities to their older sister, Minnehaha. Very proudwere the little folks as they filled their dishes and came and emptiedthem into the large vessels. Thus the contest raged, and, as the twoparties were about equal in picking abilities, the excitement rose veryhigh, and all exerted themselves to the utmost that their side might bevictorious. 

It had been previously arranged that the contest was to cease atsundown, so as to give them plenty of time to return to the camp in thebeautiful gloaming. 

Some able-bodied Indian men were employed to carry the large birchrogans to the selected spots, where the berries were to be measured andthe victors announced. Some time was spent in this work amid theexcitement of all, as the contest was very close. 

"Where is Roderick?" said Mrs Ross. 

"O, he is with Wenonah, " said Minnehaha. 

"And where is Wenonah?" was the question now. 

No one seemed to know. And so the cry of the sweet musical name rangout on the air:

"Wenonah! Wenonah!"

But to that call, and also to that for the little brother Roderick, there was no response. 

At once there was excitement and alarm. 

"Who saw them last, and where were they?"

Many more such questions were uttered, while some persons ran one wayand some another. Several young men seized their guns and fired severalshots in quick succession, but Mr Ross stopped them as quickly aspossible. 

Mr Ross, although alarmed, was the first to get some order among them, and on the closest questioning it came out that none were certain thatthey had seen the children since about three o'clock, and that was whenthey were emptying their little dishes of berries into the largerreceptacles. Then, excited by the contest, they had rushed off formore. 

A rumbling of thunder in the west startled them, and so, prompt must betheir movements. To the point where the little ones were last seen adozen or more had hurried, and ere they scattered in the forest to beginthe search they were told that the firing of the guns would be thesignal of success or failure. One report meant they were not found; tworeports, close together, was the signal that they had been found, andfor the searchers to return. Immediately all those who were able to actas searchers, without themselves becoming lost, scattered to their work. On account of the vastness of the forest Mr Ross positively refused toallow Frank, Alec, or Sam to go any distance away on the search. Thiswas a keen disappointment to the boys, but Mr Ross was wise in hisdecision. The searchers had very little to assist them in their work. There were any number of signs where had walked the busy feet, but thetrouble was there had been so many pickers at work, and they hadtravelled so far, that it was impossible to pick out the tracks of thetwo lost children. 

Only an hour or so were the searchers able to do anything that night;for the thunderstorm was on them, and in spite of all they could do theywere all drenched through and through. Mrs Ross, although strickenwith grief, kept firm control over herself, and, surrounded andcomforted by Minnehaha and the three boys, huddled under the slightprotection which some Indian women had hastily prepared against thefierce storm. Mr Ross had done all that was possible in directing thewatchers as they brought all their Indian experience to their aid. Thusthe hours passed. The storm spent its fury in the heavy downpour ofrain, and then was gone. The stars came out from behind the flyingclouds, and the night again became one of beauty. Still there were nosigns of the children. Somewhere out in the forest, alone, were thoselittle ones whom none as yet had been able to find. The heavy rain hadcompletely obliterated every vestige of a trail. So the searchers, sadand quiet, came in one after another, grieved and vexed at theirfailure. 

Mr Ross tried to induce Mrs Ross, with Minnehaha, to return to thecamp and obtain refreshment and rest, but she most positively refused. 

"My children are out in the wild forest, exposed to many dangers. Icannot go to bed until they are found, " she passionately exclaimed. 

So a great fire was built out of dry logs, blankets were sent for fromthe tents, and the saddest and longest night to those terrified onesslowly passed away. Mr Ross had not only sent for food and blanketsfor all, but he had also dispatched swift runners to go by land andwater and cease not until they had found Mustagan and Big Tom and toldthem of his loss and sorrow. 

Soon after sunrise these grand old men walked into the camp. A hastycouncil was summoned, and these old men closely questioned the Indianswho had been present the previous day, and who had searched until thestorm and darkness stopped them. 

When they were told that a number of guns had been fired off in quicksuccession they were much annoyed, and said:

"Great mistake. Lost children in the woods always hide when they hearguns. "

But no time must be lost. The country was to be marked out, and a codeof signals explained, by which they could communicate with each other, as soon as any trail was found. Not in straight lines were they to go, but in enlarging circles until they should cross the trail of thechildren. When it was found, they were to report as speedily aspossible, that there might be a concentration from that point and thusno waste in fruitless search. 

Not until about noon was the first sign struck; then it was a number ofmiles away from the camp. It is simply marvellous the distances thatlost persons, even little children, will travel. The clue discovered byBig Tom was where the children had left the dry, rocky lands, which leftno trail of the little feet, and had crossed a small, shallow stream. Here the sands were clearly marked by the little footsteps, and Tom'sbig heart gave a great thump of joy as he saw the signs so clearlyindicated before him. At first he feared to fire the signal, lest heshould add to the terror of the lost children; but as soon as heexamined the footprints he saw that they had been made the eveningbefore, and by little ones who were hurrying on as rapidly as possible. 

As quickly as he could he followed them up until they were lost again onthe dry rocks on the other side; then he fired his gun, and whilewaiting the coming of others he kept diligently searching for some othersigns of the wanderers. 

Not long had he to wait ere he was joined by Mr Ross, Mustagan, andothers. They were all excited, and glad to see these footprints, butjudged by the hardness of the sand in the steps that the children hadpassed over the creek some hours before dark the previous evening. Thisbeing the case, they might have travelled some miles farther before theywere stopped by the storm and darkness. But no needless time was spentin surmises and conjecturing. A new starting point had been found, andfrom it the search was again renewed with all the vigour possible. 

If Wenonah and Roderick had been pure white children, brought up in acivilised land with all the ignorance incident to such regions, theywould have been found long ere this; but their part Indian blood andthorough training in that wild north land was now really to them amisfortune--first, because they had the strength and training to push onwith such wonderful speed and endurance; again, it also made them waryand cunning, and so fearful of being tracked by wild beasts or hostileIndians that they carefully, but rapidly, moved along in a way thatchildren not brought up in such a land would never have dreamed of. 

So, while the Indians were looking for traces of the children, thewandering lost ones were doing all they could not to leave behind themthe vestige of a trail. Thus hours passed on, the sun went down inbeauty, the shadows of night began to fall; still not another sign ofthe wanderers had been found. 

Discouraged and annoyed at failure, one after another of the searchersreturned to the spot where the footsteps had been discovered. Here thecamp had been made, and here had come Mrs Ross, with the boys andothers. 

The sight of the tiny footsteps of the hurrying feet of her littledarlings nearly broke her heart. But she crushed down her great sorrow, that nothing in her should divert anyone, even her husband, in thesearch for those who were still exposed to so many dangers--lost in thegreat forest of so many thousands of square miles. 

The last to come in was Mustagan, and his face was that of a man who hasbad news but, by intense effort, shows it not in his countenance, butkeeps it locked up in his heart. Few and yet searching were the wordsuttered at the camp fire as each one had declared to Mustagan that therehad been no fresh signs. He himself had not given any answer, and, byasking questions of the others, had thus thrown off suspicion asregarded himself. But nevertheless he had seen signs, and what he hadseen had nearly driven him wild. But darkness had come on him almostsuddenly from the arising up of a black cloud in the west, and so, inspite of all his experience and anxiety, he had been compelled to returnshortly after making this startling discovery. What he had seen had soalarmed him that he dare not tell, even to Mr Ross. 

Very sad, indeed, was that second night around the camp fire. Mr andMrs Ross were nearly broken-hearted. Frank, Alec, and Sam spent thenight in sleepless sorrow. The Indians, who all dearly loved the lostlittle ones, sat back in the gloom and were still and quiet. A kind ofstupor seemed to be over them all, with one exception, and, strange tosay, that one was Mustagan. Sharp eyes were on him, and some wonderedwhy he was so strangely agitated and was so restless and excited. 

A little after midnight he abruptly sprang up, and speaking to Big Tomand a couple of other Indians they all withdrew some distance back intothe darkness of the forest. To them in quiet tones, so as not to beheard by the sorrowing ones at the camp fire, Mustagan told what he hadseen just as the darkness had set in. When they heard his story theywere as much excited as was he. 

His story was this: he had pushed on in the direction he had selected inthe hunt for the children, and toward evening he had reached a part ofthe country where the berries were very plentiful. Here he had foundtraces that bears were numerous, and as they are fond of these berriesthey had been feasting on them. This, of course, alarmed him, and so hecautiously began making a circle around this place, and at length, in adepression in the forest, he found the dried-up channel of a creek. Hecautiously hurried along on the dry sands, and, after going on only afew hundred yards, he found a number of fresh tracks, not only of bearsthat had recently crossed but also among them the footsteps of the lostchildren!

Three Boys in the Wild North Land--by Egerton Ryerson Young

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO. 

CHILDREN'S FOOTSTEPS AND BEARS' TRACKS--CHILDREN IN THE CUSTODY OF THEBEARS--THE PLAN OF RESCUE--THE BOYS' PART--THE BIRD CALL--SUCCESS. 

This was terrible news; and only Indians that have such perfect controlover themselves could have heard it without making an outcry. As itwas, Mustagan had to utter some warning words to maintain the perfectsilence that was desired. In a few sentences he quietly stated that thechildren were not then running, and, judging by their footsteps, and thebroken branches of berry-bushes, from which they had been picking thefruit, they were not frightened. He judged, also, from the tracks thatthere were four bears, two large ones and two that were quite small. What astonished him most of all was that the tracks were so numerous, and seemed to say to him that both the bears and the children hadcrossed and recrossed the place several times. When he made thisdiscovery he hid himself at once, for fear his presence might anger thebears and cause them to destroy the children; he listened, but couldhear no sound. 

After waiting quietly for a time he returned to the trail and followedit until it entered among the dense bushes and great rocks. If thelight had not so quickly faded he could have easily followed them; as itwas, he was perplexed to know what to do. If he should come up to themin such company, he was not sure how he would be received. So hethought the best thing he could do was not to anger the bears, who wereevidently not disposed to hurt the children, and so he quietly withdrewand came back to the camp. 

Old hunters as they were, here was a new experience to almost every oneof them. Big Tom was the first to speak. 

"My words are, " said he, "that we go and tell the master and mistress atonce. It will comfort them to know the little ones are alive, even ifthey are in such company. We shall yet get the children. As the bearsdid not kill them at first, and there are plenty of berries, they willnot kill them soon. "

To this suggestion of Big Tom's they all agreed, and immediately afterreturned to the camp fire, where Mustagan, in his simple yet picturesqueway, told the story of his discovery. 

The poor mother could only say:

"Thank God! He will yet restore to me my children. "

Mr Ross's lips quivered, but crushing down his own fears he said, as hecomforted his sorrow-stricken wife:

"Yes, thank God! Perhaps he has made even the wild animals of theforest to be their guardian angels. "

Frank, Alec, and Sam had listened to Mustagan with bated breath. AsAlec said afterward:

"My heart seemed to stop beating while I listened. "

When it came out that the bears were friendly, and not disposed toinjure the children, the lads could hardly restrain the hearty cheersthat somehow, in spite of themselves, would try to burst out. 

There was no more sleep that night. As it was at least five miles tothe spot where the tracks had been discovered, the strict orders ofsilence were cancelled, and soon there were noise and activity. Foodwas prepared and eaten with an appetite unknown since Wenonah andRoderick were of the happy party. 

The absorbing question with Mr and Mrs Ross, in consultation withMustagan and Big Tom, was how they were to proceed when the morningcame. 

To follow them up and rush in upon them might anger the bears, and thechildren might suffer. To stalk them so quietly as to be able to getwithin range and shoot the bears might terrify the children, or theymight be wounded by the bullets. There was much talking and manysuggestions. A remark from Mustagan gave Mrs Ross a hint, and so awoman's quick intuition solved the perplexing question. 

Mustagan had said that, as he carefully examined the tracks, he foundwhere the children had evidently filled their birch dishes with berriesand fed them to the little bears, whose many tracks had shown that, likeyoung dogs, they had gambolled and played around them. 

Said Mrs Ross as she heard this:

"Those bears seem well disposed toward children, so the brave boys willgo on ahead with similar dishes of berries, and they will find that theanimals will rather eat the fruit than do the lads any harm. "

This suggestion so delighted the boys that, without a moment's thoughtof the risks they would run, they gladly consented, and were eager tocarry out the suggestion. 

Mr Ross and the Indians were old bear hunters, and they could not atfirst think that any such plan would be at all possible. However, thinkor plan as much as they would, they found it utterly impossible tosettle on any other scheme that appeared to them either safe orsuitable. The result was that daylight found them still in perplexity, and altogether undecided as to the correct method to adopt in this novelexpedition, so unique in all of their experiences. 

Mrs Ross, however, and the boys, stuck to her suggestion, and pleadedthat it be attempted. As nothing else was suggested the Indians and MrRoss at length consented. However, they took many precautions to savethe lads and prevent disaster, either to them or to the children. 

The preparations were soon made, even to the rogans of berries, andheavily armed with their guns the party set out under the guidance ofMustagan. Mrs Ross went with them, as her anxieties were so great forthe rescue of her darlings. 

When within a half mile or so of the spot where the tracks had been seenthey halted, and, after some final consultation, Mustagan and Big Tomdecided to go on and see if there were any further developments. Verycautiously and yet rapidly did they advance from covert to covert, untilthey were so close to the sand of the dried-up stream that it was quitevisible to them, although they themselves were well hid fromobservation. 

Here for a time they waited, for they shrewdly conjectured fromMustagan's description of the numerous tracks, crossing and recrossing, that for the present, at least, the bears were abiding in that vicinity. 

Not long had they to wait ere they were convinced of the correctness ofthese conjectures, for coming out of the forest on the other side of thedried-up stream were to be seen four bears and the two lost children. 

Crouching down low on the ground, and peering through the dense bushesbehind which they were hidden, did our two Indians watch them for atime, that they might decide on the best method of rescuing the littleones. The wind was blowing from the bears toward the Indians, and sothere was little fear of the animals scenting danger at that distance, which was still a good quarter of a mile away. 

Why the children had remained so long with the bears was perplexing tothese hunters until the mystery was solved by the fact that was nowevident to their eyes, that the children were really prisoners and thebears would not let them escape. As the men watched they saw Wenonahseize Roderick's hand in hers, and, starting on a run, she tried to goup the channel on the sands. This movement was stopped by one of thelarge bears as speedily as possible by putting himself in the children'sway. Then children, still hand in hand, turned to the oppositedirection, and when trying there to escape were stopped by the otherlarge bear. In the meantime the little ones played around them likelively young dogs. 

Foiled in their efforts to go either up or down in the dried-up channelof the stream, after some time spent on the sands the children and bearscame up, and, entering among the berry-bushes, began to eat of theabundant fruit. 

They were now much nearer to the Indians, and it was evident that theyoung bears were looking to the children to help them in picking theirbreakfast of berries. 

When convinced of this the Indians' eyes brightened, and they said:

"The mistress is right; the boys will feed the young bears, and we willshoot the old ones. "

Noiselessly they withdrew from their hiding place and rejoined the restof the party, who had with almost feverish impatience awaited theirreturn. Quietly and rapidly they reported what they had seen, and thenthe final preparations were made. 

Quickly they all moved on, and soon were at the brow of the last hill, from the top of which the whole of the great plain, densely covered withthe berry-bushes, could be seen, with the thread of shining sand in thedistance, already referred to. 

Here on the hilltop Mr and Mrs Ross were seated behind some densebushes, through which they could look without creating suspicion. Thenthe Indians, taking the boys along with them, started on their dangerouscourse. Like panthers they moved quietly along, keeping as close to theground as possible, until they reached a ledge of rocks. Here theIndians, with their guns loaded with ball, were placed, while the boys, with nothing but their baskets of berries, in company with Mustagan wenton a little farther. Then Mustagan, giving the boys their finalinstructions and charging them to keep cool and be brave, no matter whatmight occur, withdrew with his gun, and hid himself behind a rock, alittle way in the rear of them. 

It was an exciting time for the boys, but they had learned to have suchconfidence in these grand old red men that such a thing as fear was nowabout unknown in any of them, even at the most trying moments. 

While there sitting they were startled by a shrill bird call from notfar behind them. They could hardly believe their ears when they foundit came from the lips of Mustagan. In a minute or two it was repeated, and then again and again, with short intervals between. 

To their surprise another bird call some hundreds of yards ahead of themwas heard, and after a time it was repeated. Then the blackbird's notesrang out from behind, and then another note came from the front. Erethe voice behind could again reply a solemn "Hoot-a-hoot-a-hoo" camefrom the front. 

For a time all was still, and then the song of the robin was heard infront, and only a chirp was heard in the rear. 

Sharp and quick was the ending. 

Soon after this chirp the boys heard the bushes rustling in front ofthem not fifty yards away. Then they saw in the opening the twochildren, closely followed by two young bears. As the children slowlymoved along they kept plucking the berries and feeding them to thegreedy young animals. The children were ragged and sadly changed as, from their still hidden position, the boys watched them; they could seethat Wenonah, at least, seemed to know that they must act cautiously, and they observed that frequently she spoke to the little fellow at herside. 

It was her bird notes that had answered Mustagan. Little did theyrealise, a year or so before, as he taught Wenonah these calls of thebirds and what they meant, that her very life would so soon depend uponher knowledge of them. 

Still cautiously advancing with little Roderick at her side, and both ofthem feeding the little bears, she at length reached a spot where shecaught a glimpse of the boys. Without at all raising her voice shesaid:

"Crouch down as well as you can and bring the berries. "

This they quickly did. 

"Feed these greedy young ones while I give a basket to the old ones, sothat while they are eating them we can get away. "

Poor girl! She knew not of the number of guns that were now withinrange of anything that would dare to harm her, and the boys were warnednot to speak. 

Taking one of the baskets of berries, she quickly disappeared among thedense bushes, while the boys, with the other full baskets, had madefriends with the young bears. When Wenonah returned, she found theyoung bears were filling themselves with the fruit. So thoroughlyterrified had the children become, through fear of the bears, thatalthough the boys by expressive signs urged them at once to hurry in thedirection of safety and deliverance, they hesitated, and even when theystarted kept fearfully looking back. 

The instant they reached Mustagan he shouted to the boys to return, andnot a moment too soon, for crashing through the bushes came the two oldbears, fierce and savage, and showing that in some way they had becomesuspicious of danger. 

Coolly picking up the two baskets which the two young bears had upset, the boys, keeping their faces to the fierce, savage brutes, slowlyretreated. The bears, at first only seeing the boys, came rushingtoward them, but when they reached their young ones they stopped for atime, and then came on to attack the boys. 

To the ledge of rocks Mustagan had carried the now happy children. Theyhad nearly smothered "dear old Mustagan, " as they loved to call him, with their kisses. Wild, indeed, were they with joy as father andmother rushed forward and received them as from the dead. They couldonly lie clinging to them while they wept out their bliss. 

From it they were startled, as out rang a volley from the guns, and twogreat, fierce bears rolled over each other, each shot through more thanone vital spot. 

"Capture the little fellows alive!" was the cry. 

And soon, after a lively chase and some sharp struggling, two fourmonths' old cubs were so tied up as to be unable to do any injury eitherwith teeth or claws. 

Very anxious had the boys been during the search for the lost children. Their only regret was that they were so powerless as to be unable tojoin in the search. Very proud, however, were they to have had someshare in the exciting events of the last hours of their strangedeliverance. Tears were in their eyes and dimmed their vision as theyfirst saw them in the company of the wild beasts, showing by theirappearance what they must have suffered during the long days and nightsof such hardships. 

The story of the children's account of their adventures and hardshipswill be given in another chapter. Suffice here to say that very quicklywas the march taken up, after the half-famished little ones had beenfed, for they had had nothing but berries to eat, and, as Roderick putit:

"Naughty bears, they kept me all the time picking berries for them. "

The return to the camp on the banks at Sea River Falls, and then toSagasta-weekee, was soon made. 

Great were the rejoicings there as well as at the mission, and at theHudson's Bay Company's fort, when the news of the finding of the lostones reached them. A special thanksgiving service was held the nextSabbath at the mission church, at which whites and Indians from near andfar gathered, and entered heartily into the spirit of the service. 

Three Boys in the Wild North Land--by Egerton Ryerson Young

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE. 

WENONAH'S STORY OF THEIR MARVELLOUS ADVENTURES WITH AND DELIVERANCE FROMTHE BEARS--RODERICK'S COMMENTS. 

It was wisely decided that, as the children were so exhausted, at leasta couple of days should be allowed to pass before they were asked togive anything like a full account of their marvellous adventures. 

Wenonah, of course, was the principal speaker, but Roderick often put insome quaint remark, which gave additional interest to the story. Seatedin her father's arms, while Roderick monopolised those of his mother, while Minnehaha and the boys, with some friends from the Fort andmission, gathered round, Wenonah told in her own way the story of theirstrange adventures:

"Roderick and I were to try and gather as many berries as Minnehaha; sowe took our rogans, and we went to where the berries were thickest, andonce we came back and emptied our dishes, and then we hurried away wherewe had seen a good many. But we did not find as many there as we hoped, and so we went on and on, and it took us a long time to fill our rogans, and when we did we started to come back, but we did not find the way, and so we hurried on and on. Then after a while we called, and called, and nobody answered us. So Roddy and I said we would not cry. So wehurried on and on, to try and get back. Then we came to some highrocks, and we climbed up as high as we could, and when we called againwe thought we heard voices answering us from some other rocks, and so wehurried over there, but there was nobody, and no voice. Then we pushedon, and on, and soon we heard the thunder, but we never stopped, butjust tried to get back before the rain. 

"Soon we left the rocky land, and went down a long hill where we saw alittle stream. This we crossed where the water was not deep. 

"We wanted to get home, so we tried not to feel tired or to cry; but, although we tried ever so hard, we could not find the way. We had heldon to our dishes, but now they were not half full, and so we stopped andate some of the berries. Soon after, it began to thunder very hard, andthere was lightning, and so we hurried up to some big trees, and whilewe were standing under the branches, to be out of the rain, we saw oneold tree that was all hollow on one side, and as the rain was comingdown through the branches we went and got into this hollow tree. I hadRoderick go in first so that I could keep him dry, and I stood at theoutside. "

Here Roderick spoke up and said:

"I wanted to stand on the outside because I was the boy, but Wenonahsaid she had better because she was the biggest. "

"Then, " continued Wenonah, "as it soon got very dark, and none of youcame for us, we began to cry, and we could not help it, for there wewere all alone in that hollow tree in the dark. 

"After a while a big owl in one of the trees began to call. I knew whatit was for Mustagan had taught me. At first Roddy said it was somebodycalling him. "

Again Roddy, who was now nestling in his mother's arms, spoke up andsaid:

"I thought it was somebody saying to me, `Who, who, who!' and I said, `We are Roddy and Wenonah Ross, and we are lost. '

"Then, when it called again, it only said:--

"`Oo! oo! oo!' So then we knew what it was, as we had often heard it atnight here at home. "

"We were glad to hear it, " said Wenonah, "for all was now so dark andlonely. We could not lie down; we just had to stand up there all night. I held Roddy up as well as I could. Once we heard the cry of the wildcat, and that made us keep very still. I must have nodded some, as Ileaned against the inside of that old tree, but it was an awful longnight, and we were glad when it was light enough to see. Then we leftthat old hollow tree, and took up our dishes, and as we were very hungrywe went out among the berry-bushes and ate some of the berries. We werecareful to leave no tracks, because of that wild cat. We ate a lot ofberries, but we did miss our good breakfast at home. We filled ourdishes, and then started for home; but we could not find it. While wewere going on among the bushes we came out into a little opening, andthere were the two little bears. We thought at first they were twolittle black dogs. They came right up to us, and when they sat up sofunnily on their little hind legs we saw they were bears, and of coursewe were afraid. 

"Then they came and smelled our baskets of berries, and as we held themout to them they seemed very hungry, and at once began eating. "

"But they were so greedy; they were worse than little piggies, " saidlittle Roderick; "they made such funny little noises all the time theywere eating. "

"But, " continued Wenonah, "that sound of theirs seemed to call the oldbears, that we had not yet seen. They came rushing through the bushes, and we were so frightened we could not even cry out or let go of ourbaskets. 

"When they rushed at us the little bears, that were between them and us, seemed to think that all the old bears wanted to do was to get at theberries too, and so they kept so funnily twisting their little bodiesbetween the old bears and us, while all the time they were eating theberries. When the old bears saw this they stopped looking so fierce andsavage, and just sat down on their hind legs and looked at us feedingtheir young ones. 

"Then we began to wonder what would happen when the little bears hadeaten all the berries that were in our baskets. 

"Little Roddy seemed to know just what to do; for as there were someberries growing close to him, while he held his basket in one hand hepicked some more berries and fed them to the little bear. Then I didthe same to the one that had been eating out of my dish. Soon we beganmoving slowly among the bushes for more berries, to find plenty for thegreedy little fellows, but we kept them as well as we could between theold bears and us. 

"As the old bears kept moving around we could not keep their little onesbetween them and us very long, and so by and by they came close up tous, but they did not now seem to be very angry. One of them got closeup to Roddy, and there he stood up and looked so big beside my littlebrother that I almost screamed out, I was so frightened. But I did notdo it for fear he might hurt him. He only moved a little, and then hecame down again on all his four legs, and as he put his big mouth closeto him Roddy just put in it a handful of berries. After that there wasno more trouble with him except to get berries enough. "

"Yes, " said Roderick, "I just thought that if big bears like berries aswell as little bears perhaps they would rather have them than eat uslittle children; so I just chucked that handful in his mouth, and hejust did like them. "

"I was slower in making such good friends with the other bear, "continued Wenonah, "because the little one I was feeding was such agreedy little pig. He would not, for a long time, let me gather ahandful and give to the big bear that, once or twice, got so close to meas to put its cold nose against my face. My! it made me shiver. But Isaid in my heart, `I will be brave, for I want to save Roddy, '" and thechild's voice broke. "I did want to see my father, and my mother, andMinnehaha again. "

"But we did not cry here, did we?" said Roderick. 

But the memory of that event was too great for them now, and throwingthemselves in each other's arms they burst out in a passionate fit ofweeping, that was so contagious no eyes remained dry in that group ofloved ones there gathered to hear their pathetic story. 

When calm again Wenonah went on with the story:

"After a while the little ones had enough, and then they began wrestlingand playing with each other. They acted as if they wanted Roddy to playwith them, and I told him to do so, but not to hurt them, and perhapsthe old father and mother bears would not hurt us before we could runaway. "

"Yes, " said Roddy, "I had great times with them, but they always wantedto wrestle with me more than any other kind of sport. "

"I kept gathering berries, " said Wenonah, "while Roddy played with theyoung bears. The old ones kept me busy now and were just about asgreedy as the young ones had been. 

"After a while I said to Roddy, `We must try and get away from here, 'for we did want to come home and see you all. 

"We did not talk very much to each other, for our voices seemed to makethe bears angry. But we found that when we tried to get away they gotright in front of us and stopped us with their big bodies. This made mefeel very bad, but I did not tell Roddy. Some time early in the day Iheard some one calling, and I tried to answer, but one of the bearsstruck me such a blow with one of his paws, and showed his dreadfulteeth in such a way, that I was so frightened that I dare not callagain. "

Said little Roddy, once again: "When I saw that naughty bear hit mysister with his paw I wanted to hit him with a stick. "

"This voice of whatever it was seemed to frighten the bears, and so offthey started, " said Wenonah, "and they made us go along with them. Wehad to go; for if we stopped, or tried to go some other way, theygrowled at us, and pushed us with their noses, and so we had to go withthem. Soon they came out of the bushes and crossed over the sand, andwent up on the other side into the dark woods. We were very muchafraid, but we whispered that we would not cry, but just be brave, forwe knew you would soon come and fight those great big bears. 

"The way the bears made us go was this. One big bear went on before, then the little ones followed next, then they made Roddy and me follownext. We had to do it, for just behind us was the other big bear, andhe would growl at us if we did not just walk right along. 

"Then, after we had travelled some time, we came out of the dark forestamong some, O, such big rocks, bigger than houses. Among them we had togo, until we came to a dark opening like a big door, and into this wehad to go. It must have been the home of the bears. 

"Roddy cried out, with fear, but the bears growled again and showedtheir great teeth, and so we had to go in. "

"I didn't want to go in, " said the poor boy, as he put his arms aroundthe neck of his mother; "it was worse than a cellar, it looked so dark. But the old bear behind just kept pushing me along with his nose, so Ihad to go. "

"It was not such a bad place after all, " said Wenonah, "when we once gotinto it. It seemed dark at first as we went in out of the sunshine; butwhen we were in it, and looked back, there was a good deal of light. Init were big piles of leaves and dry grass, and on them the bears soonlay down. One of the big bears lay down between us and the door, so wecould not get out. We sat down by the little bears, and I whispered toRoddy to be brave, for God would take care of us and our friends wouldsurely find us. Then we lay down on the dry grass and, being veryweary, soon went to sleep, with our arms around each other. 

"How long we slept we knew not, but were suddenly roused up by thelittle bears playing and tumbling over and around us. So we got up, andthe bears made us go back again across the sands into the berry-bushes, and there we all ate berries, as there was nothing else to eat. Thelittle ones kept poking their noses into our hands, and thus begged usto pick berries for them. "

"The lazy little fellows, " said Roderick, now smiling as he thought ofthem; "little greedy piggies that never had enough. "

"There we stayed in the bushes, " said Wenonah, "until nearly night, andthen they made us go back again with them in the same way to the sameplace. It seemed so dreadful to have to spend the night in that placewith those wild bears; but we whispered, `We will be brave, ' and so welay down between the little bears, for in some way or other we felt thelittle ones were our best friends, and it was because of them the oldones did not kill us. 

"I thought we could never spend the night in such a place, but we did. We just whispered our prayers as there we lay, and ended with, `Now Ilay me down to sleep. ' And sleep we did until the little bears woke usup again the next morning. 

"The old bears were now so friendly that they let us pat them, and so Ithought that perhaps they would let us go; and so, when we came to thesand, I whispered to Roddy, `Let us try and get away. ' But those wickedbears would not let us go; for when we tried to go along the sand in onedirection one of the big bears got in our way and made us go back; thenwe tried to go the other way, and they stopped us there. I now feltthat we were like prisoners, and that we had to go with them. They ledus again into the berry-bushes, and Roddy and I ate a good many, for wewere very hungry, and the little bears teased us so much we had to picka lot for them. It was when I was feeling the worst, and fearing thatperhaps they would never let us leave them, that I heard the bird note. O, how sweet it sounded! For I knew it was from Mustagan, and that itmeant we would soon be free. But I saw that the bears had heard it, andwere very uneasy, as they had been at all sounds. For a time theystopped eating berries and stood up and listened. However, when it cameagain and again, so bird-like, they lost their fear and again beganeating the berries. "

Said Wenonah: "I was afraid to answer, for the bears had always been soangry at us when we made any noise; but I knew that sweet call meantrescue and home, and must be answered, and so, while putting a bighandful of berries in the mouth of the fiercest old bear, I gave theanswering call. Then came the reply. 

"I must have been trembling, for in my reply I shook in my voice, andthe bears were angry and growled at me. How ever, I knew I couldcorrectly give the owl call which Mustagan knew was our signal ofdanger. So when I passed behind a tree I gave it as loud as I could, asthough from an owl in the tree above me. When all was right again Igave the robin song, and you all know the rest. "

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR. 

CONGRATULATIONS--OTHER INCIDENTS OF LOST CHILDREN--LONG EXCURSION BY THEBOYS--INDIAN LEGEND--"WHY IS THE BEAR TAILLESS?"--OXFORD LAKE--BLACKBEARS AS FISHERMEN--THE LOOKOUT FROM THE TREES--FISH-STEALING BEARS--THECONFLICT--BEARS VERSUS BOYS AND INDIANS--SAM'S SUCCESSFUL THRUST--PLENTYOF BEAR MEAT. 

The thrilling adventures and escape of Wenonah and Roderick were, ofcourse, the great sensations that were most talked about for many a day. Children have wonderful recuperative powers, and so the two little onesrecovered from the effects of their strange mishaps long before Mr andMrs Ross or even Minnehaha did. But time is a great healer, and soonall were well and in good spirits again. 

The event produced a deep impression upon Frank, Sam, and Alec, and drewout from the older servants at the home and some of the Indians somevery interesting stories. It is simply amazing what a difference thereis in people in respect to their ability to find their way out of aforest when once the trail is lost. Some people invariably get lost inas small an area as a hundred-acre forest, and are almost sure to comeout on the opposite side to the one desired. Indians, perhaps onaccount of their living so much in the woods, are not so liable to getbewildered and lost as white people. Still some of them are as easilyperplexed as other people. 

One of this class went out hunting and lost himself so completely thathis friends became alarmed and went searching for him. When theyfortunately found him, one, chaffing him, said:

"Hello, are you lost?"

To this he indignantly replied:

"No, Indian not lost, Indian here; but Indian's wigwam lost!"

It would never do for him to admit that such a thing could possiblyhappen as his being lost. 

So popular and beloved were Mr Ross and his family that not only didthe congratulations on the recovery of the children come from the HudsonBay Company officials and other white people from far and wide, butIndians of other tribes, who had known Mr Ross in the years gone by, when he was in the company's service, came from great distances, and intheir quiet but expressive way indicated their great pleasure at therestoration of the little ones to their parents. Mustagan was, ofcourse, the hero of the hour, and as usual he received thecongratulations with his usual modesty and gave great credit to Big Tom. He also had nothing but kind words for the brave white lads, who had socoolly and unflinchingly played their part in the closing scene of therescue. His only regret was that he had not had them take their gunswith them when they went to the front with the berries, so that theymight have had a share in the grand fusillade that stopped so suddenlythe rush of the furious bears. The actions of the bears in thus sparingthe children's lives brought out from the Indians several remarkablestories of similar conduct known to have occurred elsewhere. 

One Indian told of an old mother bear that boldly attacked an Indianwoman who, with her young babe, had gone out into the forest to gatherwood. The mother fought for her child until unconscious. When she cameto herself both the bear and the papoose were gone. She returned to herwigwam and gave the alarm, but as the men were away hunting several dayspassed ere they could begin the search. 

When at length they discovered the bear's den they found the child wasthere alive. In killing the bear they had to take the greatest carelest they hurt the child, as the bear seemed in its ferocity to thinkmore of defending the child from them than of saving its own life. Thechild when rescued was perfectly naked, yet was fat and healthy, andcried bitterly when taken away from the warm den and the body of thedead bear that it had suckled with evident satisfaction. 

To this and other wonderful stories the boys listened with the greatestdelight. The fact is, while the children were lost they were asmiserable a trio as could be found, and now the reaction had come, andthey were just bubbling over with delight and ready for any story thathad, even in the remotest degree, anything similar to what had soexcited them. 

Indians love good companions, and they found them in the boys; so it wasnot long before some of those who had come from Oxford Lake invited themto return with them, and they promised them some rare sport. At firstMr Ross was a bit fearful about letting them go so far, but as Big Tomand Martin Papanekis offered to go in charge of the two canoes he atlength yielded. So, in company with the Indians from that place, theystarted off in great spirits, well supplied with guns and ammunition, and all the necessary camping outfit for a ten days' or two weeks'excursion. 

It was with very great delight that the boys set off with their fresh, dusky, red companions on this trip. It was principally down the rapidlakes and rivers up which the boatmen gallantly rowed on their journeyfrom York Factory. The running of the rapids, especially a wild, dangerous one through Hell's Gate, very much excited the boys. 

On one of the beautiful islands in Oxford Lake they pitched their tents, and had some capital sport in fishing for the gamy trout which thereabound. The only drawback to the fishing in such a land as this, wherethe fish are so abundant, is that the sportsmen soon get weary withdrawing up the fish so rapidly. The finest whitefish in the world areto be found in Oxford Lake. They, however, will not take the hook, andso are caught only in gill nets. 

Black bears are quite numerous in this part of the country. They arevery fond of fishing, and so it was proposed to try and get a shot atone or two, as the Indians well knew their favourite resorts. Indeed, the Indian tradition of why the bear has such a short tail is the resultof his preference for fish diet. They say that originally the bear hada beautiful tail, so long that with it he could easily whisk the fliesoff his ears. One winter a greedy bear, not content to stay in his denand sleep as bears ought to do, wandered out on a great frozen lake. There he met a fox hurrying along with a fine fish in his mouth. Thebear being the larger and stronger animal, he rushed at him to capturethe fish. The fox, seeing him coming, quietly dropped it on the ice, and, putting his forepaw upon it, said to the bear:

"Why bother yourself with such an insignificant fish as this, when, ifyou hurry, you can get any number of fine large ones. "

"Where are they to be found?" asked the bear. 

"Why, " said the fox, "did you not hear the thunder of the cracking iceon the lake?"

"Yes, I heard it, and trembled, " said the bear. 

"Well, you need not fear, " said the fox, "for it was only the Frost Kingsplitting the ice, and there is a great crack, and the fish are there ingreat numbers. All you have to do is to go and sit across the crack anddrop your long, splendid tail in the water, and you will be delighted tosee with what pleasure the fish will seize hold of it. Then all youwill have to do will be to just whisk them out on the ice, and then youwill have them. "

The silly bear swallowed this story, and away he rushed to a crack inthe ice. These cracks are very frequently found in these northern lakesin bitter cold weather. They are caused by the ice contracting and thusbursting. 

Down squatted the bear on his haunches, and, dropping his beautiful tailin the water, he patiently waited for the bite. But the water in thesecracks soon freezes again, especially when it is fifty or sixty degreesbelow zero, and so it was not long before in this crack it was solidagain. And so when the bear got tired waiting for a bite, or even anibble, he tried to leave the place, but found it was impossible withoutleaving his tail behind him. This he had to do, or freeze or starve todeath, and so he broke loose, and ever after has been tailless. 

This is one of the many traditions that abound among the Indians. Theyhave traditions to account for almost everything in nature. Some ofthem are interesting, ingenious; others are ridiculous and senseless. It is well-known, however, no matter how the bear lost his beautifultail, if he ever had one, he is still very fond of fish, and oftendisplays a great deal of ingenuity in capturing them. 

So it was decided that, if possible, the boys should have a chance tosee him at his work, and, if possible, get a shot or two, as this wasthe favourable time of the year, as certain kinds of fish were spawningin the shallows of the streams, and for them he would be on the lookout. As these regions were the hunting grounds of the Oxford Indians, whomthey had accompanied from Mr Ross's, they knew every place likely to befrequented by the bears; and so three canoes were fitted out, with oneof our boys in each, and away they started, full of pleasurableanticipation, not so much just now to shoot or kill, as to find theplace where they could see bruin at what was at this season hisfavourite occupation, namely, that of catching fish. 

Oxford Lake, when no storms are howling over it, is one of the mostbeautiful in the world. As the weather was now simply perfect, the boysenjoyed very much the canoe excursions, and, in addition, a fair amountof shooting. Ducks, partridges and other birds were shot on the wing, or at the points where they stopped to rest and eat. 

They were rewarded in their search by finding several places where thebears had undoubtedly been at work at their favourite pastime. Theshrewd Indians were also able to tell as to the success or ill luck ofthe bears in their fishing efforts. 

At places where only a few bones or fins were to be seen scatteredabout, the Indians said:

"Poor fishing here; only catch a few, eat them all up. "

However, they found other places where only part of the fish had beeneaten, and here the Indians said:

"This looks better. When fish plenty, bear eat only the best part. "

At length, however, they reached a place that made even the eyes of thegenerally imperturbable Indians flash with excitement. It was on thenorth-eastern part of the lake, where the river that flows from Rat Lakeenters into Oxford Lake. Here, not far from the mouth of the stream, were some gravelly shallows which were evidently favourite resorts forthe fish during the spawning season. Just a little way out from theshore were several broad, flat granite rocks that rose but a littleabove the surface of the water. Between these rocks and the shore wasquite a current of water that ran over a gravelly bed. 

On the mainland opposite this flat ridge of granite rocks were to beseen a large number of fish, each ranging in weight from eight to tenpounds. What most excited and pleased the Indians was that while thenumerous tracks indicated that several bears had been there fishing onlythe night before, yet each fish had only had one piece bitten out of it, and that was on the back just a little behind the head. Bears are verydainty when they have abundance to choose from, and so, when fish arevery plentiful, especially the whitefish, they are content with onlybiting out that portion containing some dainty fat, which is, as we havesaid, on the swell of the back just behind the head. 

When this discovery was made the men in the other canoes were notified, and quietly and quickly, plans were made to not only see the bears atwork that night, when they would return, but to have some shots at them;for the Indians said:

"Bears not such fools as to leave such a place while food so plenty. "

The impression among those who knew their habits was that even now thebears were sleeping not very far away in the dense forests. So theplace was carefully looked over, and the best spots for observation wereselected. An important consideration was to form some idea, as to thedirection, from which the bears would come, if they returned that nightto this spot. Indian cleverness, sharpened by experience in suchmatters, enabled them to solve this very important question by studyingthe trail along which they had been cautiously coming and going veryrecently. This they found to be almost a straight line running directlyback into the depths of the dense forest. 

To climb trees as points of observation from which to view bears is, asa general thing, a dangerous experiment, as bears themselves are suchcapital climbers. But there are times when it is the only possiblecourse available for those who would observe their action, on account ofthe flatness of the country thereabout. So, speedily as possible, thetrees were selected that were considered most suitable. These weresituated a little north and south of the spot where the bears had throwntheir fish on the shore. They were a little distant from the trailalong which it was likely the bears would come. Three trees were thusselected, and it was decided that Sam, Alec, and Frank should each haveone Indian in his tree with him in case of attack. The other Indianswere to remain out from the shore in their canoes, sheltered from viewby some rocks that were not far distant. They were not so far away asto be beyond call, if they should be needed. 

All these matters having been decided upon, they entered their canoesagain and quietly paddled out to one of the rocky isles, not fardistant, and on the side opposite to the mainland they gathered some drywood and had a good dinner, for which they had capital appetites. Thenthe Indians lit their pipes and curled down on the rocks for a smoke andrest, and urged the boys also to try and get some sleep. They at firstthought they were too excited, in view of the coming night's adventures, to sleep, but as the Indians so desired they lay down near the shore, and the rippling waves were such a soothing lullaby that, strange tosay, they were soon in dreamless slumber. 

A couple of hours was all that could be allowed them, for, as theIndians said:

"Sometimes bears move around early, and we must be all there in thetrees before they come. "

All the preparations were soon made. The guns were freshly loaded withball, and some extra ammunition was taken in the pockets of each one. Their hunting knives were given a few rubs on the stones to see thatthey were keen and sharp. In addition, much to the boys' surprise, there was given to each one of them a good solid birch club, abouteighteen inches in length and an inch and a half thick. As an extraprecaution against their being dropped, the Indians, who had preparedthem while the boys slept, had bored a hole through one end, andinserted a deerskin thong to slip over the wrist. How they were to beused, and the wisdom of preparing them, we shall see later on. TheIndians were similarly armed, but, in addition, they stuck their huntinghatchets in their belts. 

A few final instructions were given and the signals decided upon, andthen the boys and their Indian comrades were noiselessly paddled to theshore. They were landed as closely as possible to the trees into whichthey were to be ensconced, so as to leave but little scent of theirfootsteps on the ground. 

In the two trees selected on the north side were Frank and Alec, eachwith an Indian hunter, while Sam and his comrade took up their assignedstation in a fine large tree on the south side. It was about an hourbefore sundown ere they were all quietly stowed away in these peculiarresting places. The other Indians quietly paddled back to the placesdesignated beyond the rocks. 

For a couple of hours they had to sit there in silence, broken only bythe singing of some birds around them, or the call or cry of some wildanimal in the forest. They were first aroused by hearing the crunchingof bones where they had noticed the fish lying. On peering out fromtheir hiding places they saw an old black fox, with a litter of half-grown ones, making a hasty meal out of the fish. The Indians would haveloved to have captured them, as the skin of the black fox is veryvaluable. However, it was not foxes they were now after, but bears;and, besides this, the skin of the fox is only prime in the cold, wintrymonths. So they had to be content with watching them as there theygreedily devoured the fish. Suddenly they were disturbed in theirrepast, and dashed away, each with a piece of fish in its mouth, and thewatchers observed that what had caused their sudden retreat was a largewolverine that had quite unexpectedly appeared upon the scene. He, too, seemed to be fond of fish, and at once began to feast upon them. 

Not long, however, was he permitted to thus enjoy himself, for out inthe beautiful gloaming a great black bear was seen emerging from the nowdark forest upon the shore. At his coming the thievish wolverine atonce slunk away. The bear did not attempt to eat any of the fish thatwere still remaining; but, after a short survey of the coast up and downto see that all was clear, he boldly plunged into the water and crossedover to one of the shallow rocks only a few yards away. Hardly had hereached it ere another, and then another, bear came out from the forestalong the central trail which the men had earlier in the day discovered. 

They were not long in joining their comrade on the smooth, wide rockswhich we have described. After they had spent a little time ininspection they lay down on the rocks facing the shore, as close to thewater as they could without really touching it. These movements couldbe distinctly seen by the boys, as they were looking out toward thewest, where the sky was still bright and the few clouds golden. 

For a few minutes the bears were very still, then there was a quickmovement on the part of one of them as he shot out one of his handlikepaws into the water under a passing fish, and threw it from him acrossthe stream, high and dry, up on the shore. Soon the other bears weresimilarly employed, and the fish were rapidly being captured. The boysexcitedly watched these sturdy fishermen, and were astonished at thecleverness and quickness with which they were able to throw out the fishupon the shore. Although they had to throw them quite a number ofyards, they very seldom miscalculated and allowed any to fall short andthus drop back into the water. 

But before the pile of fish had become very large there happenedsomething else to divert the attention of the spectators from the threefour-footed fishermen out on the flat rocks. Suddenly they heard thesounds of tearing flesh and breaking bones. On looking down to see whowere these new intruders, they were able to see not many yards belowthem a couple of other bears that, in their prowling around and lookingfor their supper, had found their way to this capital supply of fish. As the watchers peered down at them it was evident by the greedy way inwhich they attacked the fish that they were so hungry as not to be atall particular. 

Their sudden appearance and attack on the fish were not at allappreciated by the industrious trio that had been so skillfully catchingthese fish for their own supper. They had no disposition to befishermen for others, and so with growls of rage they suddenly dashedinto and across the water, and sprang upon the intruders. It was afierce battle, and but little of it could be distinctly seen, especiallywhen under the shadows of the trees. When, however, in their strugglesthey came out on the bright, sandy shore, there was still enough of thewestern twilight in which to witness a good deal of terrific fighting. Bears have thick fur and tough hides, and so their battles are generallycarried on until one side is shaken into exhaustion or knocked intosubmission. But so stubborn was the fight here that it continued withbut few intermissions until the moon, which was nearly full, had sorisen up that everything was made about as bright as in the daytime. 

It was evident that the two intruding bears were so hungry that, although they had been well shaken, they were loath to considerthemselves beaten or to leave so sumptuous a supper, and so they againreturned to the conflict. The battle was renewed in all its fury, andwhen the three were again victorious the vanquished ones, instead ofagain retreating into the forest, each shaking off his opponent rushedto the nearest tree and began its ascent, one followed by two bears andthe other by one. 

These two trees, up which the five bears were now climbing, happened tobe the ones in which Frank and Alec and their two Indian companions werehid. 

Bears are capital climbers, and these two fellows, stimulated by thecuffs and bites of their antagonists behind them, made good time in theascent. Now, for the first time, the boys saw for what purpose they hadbeen armed with those handy birch clubs. A bear's tenderest spot is hisnose. This the Indians well know, and so, when they are chased by abear, always defend themselves by there striking him. A bear that willstand heavy blows with a club on his skull, or shoulders, or even paws, gives up the fight at once when rapped over the nose. 

Secrecy was now no longer possible, and so the quiet command of theIndians to the boys was:

"Hit them on the nose whenever you can. "

The two angry bears were so taken up with the attack of their ownspecies behind them that they little imagined that there were enemiesabove, and so about the first suspicions they had of the presence of theboys and Indians were the smart raps they received on their noses. 

Whack! whack! whack! fell the blows upon their snouts, and down theydropped suddenly to the ground, each of them carrying with him anassailant that happened to be just below him. The sudden discomfitureof the bears brought a cheer from the boys. This, of course, startledand excited the other bears, that were in a very pugnacious mood. 

The two were additionally angry at the ugly blows that had met them, andthe other three fishermen seemed to imagine that fresh assailants werethere in the trees ready to come down and rob them of their supper offish. This they resolved to resist, and so the fight was on in goodearnest. 

The Indians declare the bears know how to talk with each other; anyway, these five seemed for the present to proclaim a truce among themselves, that together they might attack their common foes, who were ensconced upthere above them in the trees. 

Fortunate was it for our friends that the moon was now so high in theheavens that they could see every movement of the bears as distinctly asthough it had been daylight. For a time the bears moved about excitedlybelow them, and occasionally made a feint, as though they were about toclimb the trees and again attack them. They hesitated, however, andkept moving angrily about from tree to tree. Sam and his comrade in thethird tree were soon discovered, and two or three of the bears made apretence of climbing it, but soon desisted and dropped back to theground. 

In the meantime the rest of the Indians out in the canoes had heard thegrowlings and fightings among the bears, and had paddled in much nearerto the shore. By their expressive calls the Indians in the trees hadgiven to those in the canoes some idea of how the conflict stood, andthat they were still able to defend themselves. 

The bears at length seemed to have come to some arrangement amongthemselves, for they so divided that they began attacking the threetrees at once. The two that had come last attacked the tree in whichSam and his comrade were ensconced; two of the other three beganclimbing the tree in which were Alec and his comrade; while Frank andhis companion had only to face the remaining one. 

"Strike them on the nose, " was still the cry of the Indians. Andalthough the bears made the most desperate efforts to defend theirtender nostrils while they still advanced, they eventually had to giveup the attempt, one after another, and drop back to the ground fairlyhowling with rage and pain. Angry bears have a great deal ofperseverance, and so this phase of the fight was not over until eachbear had tried every one of the three trees in succession ere he seemeddiscouraged. After moving round and round, and growling out theirindignation, they tried the plan of as many as possible of them climbingup the same tree together. However, as the trees were not very largethis scheme did not succeed any better, and they were again repelled. 

"What trick will they try next, I wonder?" said Frank. 

"Get your guns handy, " was the answer, "for you may soon need them. "

And sure enough the bears, after talking in their whining, growling wayto each other again, rushed to the attack; and while three of them beganeach to climb one of the trees, in which were our friends; the other twobegan climbing a couple of other trees, whose great branches interlacedwith those of the trees in which were two of the boys. 

The Indians were quick to notice this ruse, and said:

"The bears must never be allowed to get up those trees above us, for ifthey do it may go hard with us. "

Very cunning were the bears, for they tried as much as possible to climbup the trees on the sides opposite the places where were hidden Frankand Alec and their Indians. However, they could not keep entirely hid, and so, at the command of one of the Indians, there rang out thesimultaneous discharge of the four guns. One of the bears suddenlydropped to the ground, but the other one continued his climbing, untilhe reached a position quite close to Frank, on the branch of the tree, in which he had ascended. The boys and men had not time to load theirguns, as they were single-barrelled muzzle-loaders. In addition towatching this attack on the two bears, they had to vigorously use theirclubs on the noses of those attacking three. As before, these threewere speedily defeated, and now the excitement was to see how Frank andhis comrade would deal with the big fellow that had succeeded inreaching a position on a branch that was in a line with them. Theycould observe him cautiously working his way on a great branch of thetree which he had ascended, and was endeavouring to get into thebranches of the tree, in which they were located. 

After some clever balancing he managed to get hold of a long branch thatreached out horizontally toward him, and steadying himself on it, andholding on to a much smaller one above, he gradually began making hisway toward them. The Indian at once saw his opportunity, and toldFrank, who was on this upper branch to which the bear with his forepawswas clinging, to bravely crawl out on it as far as he safely could, andkeep up a vigorous attack with his club on the bear's nose. This Frankgallantly did, and, while thus employed, the Indian drew his axe, andbegan vigorously chopping the large limb of the tree, on which the bearwas standing. Assailed by Frank's blows he made but little headway, andso, before he knew what was up, the branch suddenly gave way under himand he fell to the ground, a badly stunned and discouraged bear. Thisgave time for the guns to be carefully reloaded, and then the besieged, thinking they had had excitement enough for one night, became theassailants, and so began firing down upon the bears below them. 

Sam, in his excitement, had put too much powder in his gun, and when hefired the kick of the weapon caused him to lose his balance and hetumbled to the ground. It was fortunate for him that he fell in a softplace, and was not in the least hurt or stunned, for the only unwoundedbear soon made a rush for him, but was not quick enough to find himunprepared. 

Sam now knew more about bears than he did when he rushed into the campwith one not far behind him. So here there was no desire to even tryand regain his position in the tree, from the branches of which he hadso suddenly descended. Springing up from the spot where he had fallen, he drew his keen-bladed knife, and placing his back against the tree heawaited the attack. He had not long to wait. The bear, maddened by thebattle that had been going on, and doubly excited by the smell of bloodfrom his wounded comrades, rushed at him with the intention of makingshort work of him by hugging him to death. But he little knew what wasbefore him. With all the nerve and coolness of an old Indian hunter, Sam waited until the big fore paws, like great, sinewy arms, were almostaround him. Then with a sudden lunge he drove the knife firm and trueinto the very heart of the fierce brute. There was one great convulsiveshiver, and then the bear fell over dead. 

The next instant there was a great shout from those who had landed fromthe canoes in time to witness this brave act. The shout was caught upby the others, who, when they saw Sam's unceremonious descent from thetree, began to descend more slowly, and were in good time to see himgive the deadly thrust. 

Sam had indeed redeemed himself, and was the hero for many a day. Alecand Frank were very proud of him, and hearty indeed were theircongratulations. Sam cheerfully accepted their congratulations, but hadhis own opinion of himself, first, for putting too much powder into hisgun, and secondly, for so ignominiously tumbling out of the tree. 

On looking over the ground they found four dead bears. One, badlywounded, had managed to crawl away into the forest. 

They had had enough excitement for that night, so they gathered up somedry wood, made a fire, and cooked some fine whitefish in thorough Indianstyle. They had good appetites for a good supper, and after it weresoon sound asleep. As usual the boys were the last to wake up the nextmorning, and found that the Indians had already tracked and killed thewounded bear that had escaped in the night. 

Some time was spent in skinning them, and then, loaded with the robesand meat, they returned in high spirits where they had left Big Tom andMartin Papanekis and the other Indians. 

There were great rejoicings at their success, and even quiet Big Tom hadsome cheery congratulatory words to say to Sam, which Sam prized verymuch indeed. 

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE. 

A SUCCESSFUL MISSION--PECULIAR ADDRESS--THE VISIT TO THE BEAVERS--COMMODIOUS HOUSES--WELL-CONSTRUCTED DAMS--THE MOONLIGHT SIGHT--STRANGEINTERRUPTION--STEALTHY WOLVERINE--CROUCHING WOLVES--MORE CUNNING MEN--AMIXED-UP BATTLE--DELIGHTED BOYS--RETURN TO SAGASTA-WEEKEE. 

They rested that day, and then, the next being Saturday, they decided togo to the upper end of the lake and there camp, so as to be near thenewly formed mission, established by a Reverend Mr Brooking, and thusbe able to attend the service on the Sabbath. 

They met with a cordial welcome from Mr and Mrs Brooking, who, livingin such a lovely place, were delighted to welcome them, especially theboys, who were all to give them a great deal of information aboutfriends in the old land, which they had not visited for many years. 

The boys were very much interested in the mission and the school. Asthey remained camped in the vicinity a few days, they saw and heard agood deal of the genuineness of the work done, and always, in afteryears, were they strong advocates for foreign missions. And yet therewere some amusing things, which showed how wise and patient a missionaryhas to be in leading a people up from the darkness and ignorance ofpaganism. 

The missionary told them many amusing stories. Here is a simple one:One of his converts was anxious to preach to his fellow-countrymen, andin this laudable desire he was encouraged by the missionary. As long ashe stuck to his subject, and talked about the Gospel, he did very wellindeed. But soon his ambitions led him to tackle subjects about whichhe was not very well informed. 

One day, in addressing a company of his countrymen, he exclaimed:

"My friends, the missionary says the world is round, but he is mistaken;it is flat, yes, as flat as the top of that stove, " he said, pointing tothe great iron stove in the centre of the room. 

When the missionary heard this of course he had to give Metassis alecture in geography. He showed him a map of the hemispheres, and, ashe thought, so fully explained the matter that there could be no furthermistake. 

The next time Metassis stood up to speak he said:

"Friends, I made a mistake. The world is round, but it is flat one wayfor sure. "

This he said from having seen the flat maps on the wall. It was thusevident that another lesson in geography was necessary, and a schoolglobe had to be brought into requisition before he could be convincedthat it was round. His apology did not much mend matters. Here it is:

"My friends, I made another mistake. The world is round, but then itstands on three legs. "

This he said owing to the fact he had had his last lesson in geographyfrom a globe that worked in a frame that was supported by a tripodstand. 

To see the industrious beavers at work was one of the sights that longhad been desired by the boys. At many a camp fire they had heard theIndians talk about these most industrious of all animals, and tell suchwonderful stories of their cleverness; and so now, as the moon was stillbright, it was decided to accept of the very kind invitations of somefriendly Indians, and go and visit a large beaver dam that they haddiscovered was being constructed by a large colony of these animals. Nothing could have given greater pleasure to the boys than thisinvitation, and so it was gladly accepted. 

In view of the fact that the moon was already waning, it was decided toset off that very afternoon in order to reach that place by sundown, soas to be in good positions to see, ere the beavers began the night'svaried occupations. 

Of the many wonderful things which have been written and told about thebeavers we need not here repeat; suffice to say that those Indians whomost hunt them, and thus have the best opportunity of studying theirways and doings, are the ones who speak most strongly andenthusiastically about them. 

Of the size of the trees they can cut down with their teeth, and of thelength and strength of the dams they can construct, as well as thereason and instinct they seem to exercise in giving the right curve tothese dams at the dangerous places, so that they will be most able toresist the force of the current, even when swollen by heavy floods, weneed not here describe in detail. It is enough to say that stumps oftrees over two feet in diameter are still to be found with the marks ofthe teeth of the beaver, that had so cleverly and accurately felled thegreat trees that had stood there defying every storm, proud monarchs ofthe forests, until these industrious animals laid them low. 

Dams hundreds of yards long, and wide enough and strong enough for greatwagons to easily travel over and pass each other, can still be tracedout in regions where the beavers have long been destroyed. 

Vast beaver meadows are still prized by the farmers for the hundreds ofacres of richest hay land that have been formed by the gradual fillingup of the rich lands, brought down in times of freshets from the highregions beyond, and year after year deposited in these beaver ponds, until at length they were so filled up that what was once like a greatinland lake has become a prairie or meadow of rich waving grass. 

Their houses were in some instances not only larger, but in every casemuch more cleverly and thoroughly built than were the habitations of thepagan Indians. 

Their forethought in cutting and depositing upon the bottoms of thewaters and ingeniously fastening there vast quantities of the birch orwillow, the bark of which was to serve as food during the long wintermonths, was far ahead of the habits of the improvident people, wholiterally took "no thought for the morrow, " and so were often atstarvation point, while the industrious beavers in their warm, cozyhomes had enough and to spare. 

As soon as it was decided to go the preparations were soon made, and, bidding farewell to the noble missionary and his heroic wife, from whomthey parted with regret, the canoes were pointed to the east again, andafter some hours of hard paddling they reached a fairly large river, upwhich they were to go to a large creek which entered into it, and uponwhich the beaver dam now being constructed was to be found. 

At the mouth of the river they went ashore for a rest and supper. Herethe whole program of the night was talked over and all arrangementsmade. It was necessary that everything should be thoroughly understoodand carried out, as beavers are very watchful and timid animals; theleast alarm sends them to their retreat, and it is a long time ere theyresume their work. As a precaution against surprise from bears orwolves, or even wolverines, who are very fond of beaver flesh, it wasdecided to take their guns along. 

The creek, which was more like a small river, ran through a beautifulvalley, and on either side were hills, some of which rose up soprecipitously from the water that they formed admirable positions fromwhich the cautious sightseers could watch the operations of the busytoilers when they were at work in the waters below. 

The wind was everything that could be desired, and so our three boyswere able to be together; but they had to wait quite a time in the mostcomplete silence for the appearance of the industrious but timidworkers. 

It is amazing how all animals seem to be acquainted with the naturalsounds that come from the woods or prairies, and are but littledisturbed by them, while a sound that is unnatural is at once detected. For example, Big Tom was more than once heard to say in his quiet waythat, when hunting moose, he noticed that a storm might be raging, andthe great branches of the trees snapping and breaking in the gale, yetthe moose seemed to pay no attention to any of these sounds; but justlet the hunter be careless enough to let a dry stick snap under hismoccasined foot, and the moose was alarmed and off like a shot. So itis with the beaver. The ordinary night sounds disturb them not, but thereport of a gun, it may be a mile away, sends them instantly to theirretreats, while the slightest evidence of hunters so disturbs them thatperhaps for twenty-four hours they will keep under cover without makingthe slightest movement. 

The moon was quite high up in the heavens ere the first rippling soundswere heard upon the waters. The first arrivals seemed to be thewatchers, who had come to report. They appeared to swim almost from endto end of the great pond that had already been made by the strong dam, which seemed about finished. 

As soon as they had in some way reported that the coast was clear, others appeared upon the scene, until between twenty and thirty were atthe same time visible. Some were industriously employed in carryingadditional stones and mud to the dam, and carefully filling up everycrack and crevice. Others were guiding great logs down the current, andfastening them in position where they would strengthen the dam againstpossible floods and freshets. The majority, and they were principallythe smaller ones, were employed in cutting down small birch and willows, which they dragged by their teeth to the edge of the pond, and therethey suddenly dived with them to the bottom. The pieces that they couldnot firmly stick in the mud they fastened down in the bottom by pilingstones upon them to keep them from floating. 

The boys were too far away to see by the moon's light the beaversactually at work among a clump of large trees that stood on the shoresome way up the stream, but the crashing down of a couple of trees intothe water told very clearly that some were there industriously at work. Thus for a couple of hours the boys and Indians watched with greatinterest these clever animals, and then there was an abrupt ending. Itwas not caused by any of our party, as the Indians, having abundance offood, had no desire to now kill the beaver. Then, in addition, theskins, so valuable in winter, were now of but little worth. 

As we have stated, the beavers have many enemies. Their flesh is verymuch prized as food by all the carnivorous animals of that country. Andso, while our party was watching with such pleasure the varied movementsof the beaver, there were other eyes upon them, full of evil purposes, and, strange to say, they were not very far away from where our boys andIndians were hid. 

As before mentioned, our party was on the top of a hill that abruptlyrose up from the pond, caused by the backing up of the waters by thebeaver dam. From this point of observation they looked out toward thewest. On the left side were some hills much smaller and less abrupt. Just about the time they were thinking of retiring, the sharp eyes ofone of the Indians noticed a dark object on the small hill nearest tothem. Giving a whispered word of caution, they all lay as low aspossible and watched. On and on, and at length out from the shadows ofsome bushes into the clear moonlight, came the creature, and now thesharp eyes of the Indians saw that it was a wolverine. The fact of ourparty being so high above it was the only reason they had not beendetected. 

It was evident from its actions that it was on a beaver hunt. At everyextra noise the busy animals made in the water, as logs were rolled inor the beavers plunged in with birch or willow saplings in their mouths, the wolverine stopped and listened. There was but little wind, and soit was evident that even when the cruel beast had nearly reached theshore, and there crouched behind a small rock, the beavers were stillunconscious of his presence. There was only a little strip of landabout a yard between this rock and the water; but along this narrowstrip of land the beavers had been coming and going while at theirvaried duties. This, in some way or other, the cunning wolverine seemedto have discovered. 

But while the boys and some of the Indians were intently watching hismovements, others of them, as the result of long experience, hadoccasionally cast a searching glance in every direction around them. 

"Hist!" in a quiet whisper arrested the attention of all. Without aword, but by a gesture scarcely perceptible, they were directed to lookalong the very trail the wolverine had made, and there stealthily movingalong, now in the light and now in the shadow, were two large greywolves. 

This was complicating matters, and making things interesting indeed. The Indians, leaving the boys their guns loaded with ball, and enjoiningperfect silence upon them, took up their own weapons and noiselesslywithdrew. So gloriously bright was the night in that land where fogsand mists are almost unknown, and where the rays of the moon cast aclear and distinct shadow, that everything passing was distinctly seen. 

There out in the waters, and around the shore and on the dam, wereperhaps thirty beavers hard at work. Here to the left below them laycrouching, like a ball of black wool, the savage, alert wolverine, patiently waiting until an unsuspecting beaver, loaded with wood, stones, or gravel, should pass along that trail within reach of hisdeadly spring. 

A couple of hundred yards behind the wolverine, and yet high enough upon the hillside to observe his every movements, and yet not be observedby him, were the two wolves, now crouching down flat upon the ground. As they remained so quiet, the boys were surprised and wondered, if theywere after the wolverine, why they did not attack him. But, while theywatched the wolverine, it was not wolverine meat they were after, butbeaver. But their wish and hope was that the wolverine might obtain itfor them. How far their expectations were realised we shall soon see. 

"Hush!" said Alec, "look!" And sure enough there were the Indians, somehundreds of yards behind the wolves, and spread out like a third of acircle, cautiously moving on toward the two wolves, which were intentlywatching the wolverine, which was watching the beavers. It was to thehunters an interesting sight, and so fascinated the boys that they couldhardly keep still. Soon the tension was broken and there was a suddenchange. 

A couple of fine large beavers came in sight along the trail on theshore with a large stone, which they were evidently wishing to take tothe dam. So intent were they upon their work that they knew not ofdanger until with a great spring the wolverine had fastened his sharpteeth and claws in the back of one of them, which uttered a cry of painas he was dashed to the ground. The other beaver instantly sprang intothe water, as did all the other beavers within sound of that death-cry. 

In a few seconds the wolves, with great bounding leaps, had cleared thespace between them and the wolverine. They fiercely attacked him andendeavoured to at once secure the beaver. But the wolverine is a pluckyanimal when thus assailed, and he made a good fight for his hard-earnedsupper. In the meantime, the instant the wolves started, the Indians, who from their higher ground had seen the movements, also began toadvance; and so, ere the wolves and wolverine had settled the matter asto the ownership of the dead beaver, a volley of bullets killed thewolves, while the wolverine turned and began climbing up the steep placeof the hill where the boys were hid. 

"Shoot him!" shouted the Indians. A volley rang out from the guns ofthe boys, and a dead wolverine with three bullets in him went tumblingback to the bottom of the hill. 

No need of silence now, and so the long-continued hush was broken with awill, and there were many shouts and congratulations. The boys speedilyand safely descended the side of the hill, that sloped downward in thedirection of the men, and joined them at the spot where they wereexamining the dead wolves and beaver. The wolverine had not had muchtime to kill the latter ere the wolves were upon him, and so he was notvery much torn. The splendid broad tail was uninjured, and was eagerlyexamined by the boys. The dead wolverine was dragged in by the men, andit was decided, as dry wood was abundant, for some of them to make afire, while others went for kettles, food, and blankets, and there spentthe rest of the night. 

They had two objects in view. One was to be on hand to skin the animalsearly in the morning, and the other was to have the opportunity ofinspecting the beaver dam, and seeing the size of some of the stumpswhere those wonderful animals, with their teeth alone, had cut down somegreat trees. 

A tired, sleepy trio of boys were they even ere their midnight meal waseaten, and so very quickly after they were rolled up in their blanketsand stretched out on the smooth rock fast asleep. 

As there are many wild animals in this part of the country, the Indians, ere they lay down to sleep, took the precaution of rolling some of thelogs cut down by the beavers on the fire. These would keep up a blazeuntil at least sunrise, after which there would be no danger. 

Refreshing and invigorating is the sleep which comes to those who havethe courage and enterprise to visit these lands, and in this way liveout a great deal in the open air. The night was never close and sultry. The air seems full of ozone, and scented with the balm of the greatforest. So it was here as in many similar experiences with thesehearty, healthy lads. So soundly did they sleep that it was after eighto'clock ere they opened their eyes. As they sprang up, half ashamed ofthemselves, the Indians chided them not, but one, in broken English, comforted them when he said:

"Plenty sleep, strong men, clear eye, firm grip; good medicine. "

So they were comforted by this, and ever after when they oversleptthemselves they called it "good medicine. "

The wolves and wolverine were already skinned, and so as soon as theboys had had their breakfasts, which had long been waiting them, theyset off to visit the beaver dam. When they reached it the boys couldhardly realise how it was possible that animals not heavier than anordinary retriever dog could build such a structure. It was in shapelike a crescent, with the outer curve up stream. It was thus able tomeet and best resist the force of the great currents in times offreshets and floods. 

Many of the logs used in its construction would have been prized asvaluable for timber in saw mills. Then, in addition to the large logs, there were great numbers that were smaller. The stones, gravel, and mudused would require many men, with horses and carts, for many days totransport. Yet here visible to the eye were gathered all of thismaterial by these animals, that have no tools but their teeth and paws, and all piled up and arranged in a manner so scientific and accuratethat the finest engineer in the land would not have lost anything in hisreputation to have claimed the work as his most careful planning. 

The beaver house was also visited. It was apparently all built on theland, but it so overhung the lake at one side that the water ever foundaccess, and there was abundance of room for the beavers to swim out orin whenever they desired. No attempt was made to break it, nor in anyway to disturb it, neither would there be in the winter months, when theIndians would make the attack upon them. A more clever and successfulway for their capture is well known, and this would be put in practice. But we must not anticipate an interesting adventure at this very spot. 

The return to Sagasta-weekee was made in a few days. With the exceptionof an upset of a canoe in one of the rapids, where they were trying towork up stream instead of making a portage, nothing of a very startlingnature occurred. Alec was the boy who was in this canoe, and he wasquite carried under by the rapid current, and only reappeared above thesurface a couple of hundred feet lower down. Fortunately there weresome canoes near at hand, and he was quickly rescued. But the accidentgave them all a great fright. They lost everything in the canoe thatwould not float. They most regretted the loss of three reliable guns. After this they were much more cautious, and the boys were taught theadmonitory lesson that these sports and adventures were not to beenjoyed without many risks, and that there was at all times as great [a]demand for caution and watchfulness as there was on certain occasionsfor daring and courage. 

Three Boys in the Wild North Land--by Egerton Ryerson Young

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX. 

THE EXCURSION IN THE REINDEER COUNTRY--NUMEROUS HERDS--THE BATTLEBETWEEN REINDEER AND WOLVES IN THE LAKE--REACHING THE HERDS--THE LONGSTALK FOR THE LEADER--ALEC'S SUCCESSFUL SHOT--CONSTERNATION OF THEHERD--ABUNDANCE OF VENISON. 

To see and, if possible, to hunt a herd of reindeer, both on land and inthe water, was one of the ambitions of the boys. They had frequentlyheard some remarkable stories of these animals from northern hunterswhose homes were in regions where they occasionally visited in theirmigrations, and so they were much pleased when Mr Ross, returning oneday from the Hudson Bay Company's Fort, informed them that a number ofthe Indians from that land were there trading, and that he had obtainedthe permission of the Hudson Bay Company's officials for them to returnwith these Indians for some sport in that land. He also added that theIndians themselves had stated that the herds of reindeer this year werenumerous, and that it would be a very great pleasure to take charge ofthe young "palefaces, " who were so highly spoken of by the red men, anddo all they could to assist them in their sports in their country. 

This was glorious news, and, as the weeks were now rapidly going by, notime was to be lost. 

Alec deeply regretted the loss of his favourite gun, but Mr Rossspeedily replaced it with another; and so, well supplied, and with acouple of Mr Ross's Indians as servants to look after the camp and beon hand in any emergency, the journey was commenced under the happiestauspices. 

We need not repeat the description of the trip down or up the river andacross the portages. There were several nights when they slept as usualat the camp fires on the rocks. There was a good deal of sunshine and afew storms. 

They passed through some lakes of rarest beauty, that simply fascinatedthe boys, and drew from them the warmest expressions of admiration, ofwhich they were capable. Even Sam at some glimpses on these lovelysheets, where the water was so transparent that at times it seemed asthough they were paddling through the air, lost his powers of speech fora time, and then when the spell was broken he exclaimed, in almostsorrowful tones, "That beats Killarney!" How glorious must have beenthe sight when even a loyal Irish boy would make such an admission!

The Dominion of Canada has in it more fresh-water lakes than any othercountry in the world. Some of them are equal, if not superior, in theclearness and purity of their waters, in the distinctness of thereflections cast upon their limpid surface by surrounding hill orforest, and in the wild, weird beauty of their environments, to any ofthe world's old favourite ones that have been long praised in song andstory. They are slowly being discovered and prized, for some of themare as a poet's dream and a painter's vision. 

They saw various wild animals, but as they were in charge of the tradingoutfit for the Hudson Bay Company's post in that region of country theywere under obligations to push on as rapidly as possible. The only timethey did make a stop of any length was in Split Lake, where, as theywere rowing their boats along, they saw a great commotion in the water along way ahead of them. When they drew near to it they saw it was abattle between a couple of splendidly antlered reindeer and four wolves. 

It was evident that the wolves were being badly worsted in the fight, asthe reindeer were now the aggressors. From the Indians' idea of it, itlooked as if the wolves had either chased the deer into the lake or, seeing them in there swimming, had plunged in after them. The deer, atfirst much alarmed, had boldly struck out into the lake, and werefollowed by the wolves. Of course, it was impossible to say whether thewolves had been able to reach them and make the attack, or whether thereindeer, when they had drawn them a long way out, had not then turnedupon them. 

The reindeer has large lungs, and so swims high on the water. He is notonly able to use his antlers, but can turn while swimming and kick mostviciously. A wolf can only swim like a dog, and as his head is so lowhe cannot make much of a fight. And so here the boys had the rare sightof seeing a couple of deer chasing with great delight four of their mostdreaded foes on land. 

They passed across the bows of the boat near enough for them to seequite distinctly the deer suddenly give a spurt and then strike thewolves with their great horns. Every effort of the wolves to attackseemed to meet with complete failure, until at length their onlyambition seemed to be to reach the shore, and in this way two weresuccessful. The deer succeeded in drowning the other two. 

The victory of the deer over their cruel and relentless foes gave verymuch delight to the Indians as well as to Frank, Alec, and Sam, and itwas decided not to fire at the beautiful creatures, but to leave them toenjoy their victory. 

After several days more of travel and varied adventure they reached thetrading post and Burntwood River, and shortly after started off to LakeWollaston, as the hunters had reported the reindeer were there in greatherds. To that place they now travelled in birch canoes, and in themthe boys were much happier, than in the big boats in which, with thecompany's goods, they had travelled from Norway House. 

They saw traces of bears, beavers, wild cats, and other animals; butthey were after reindeer, and just now cared but little for any otherkinds of game. At a camp fire, where they were having supper, the oldIndian who had been appointed captain on account of his experience inthis kind of hunting gave the boys some instructions how to act shouldthey discover a large herd. He told them it would not be very difficultto get within range of one or more of them, but they were to crawl up asclose to the herd as possible on the leeward side, and there, from theirhidden places, watch them until they saw the great one that was theleader of the herd. They would not have any trouble to pick him out. They would soon see how he bossed the rest, and was always at the headwhen the herd moved. 

What they were to do was to keep moving along with the herd, skulkingfrom one rock to the shelter of another, and, taking advantage of everyinequality in the ground, to get within range of the leader, "but neverlet him once get sight of you. " It was not so very particular about theothers, as they would not run until the leader started, unless very muchfrightened. They were told to take, in addition to the gun andammunition, some food, a small axe in their belt, as well as theirtrusty knife. They were not to be discouraged if hours passed beforethey got a shot at the leader. They were to be patient and they wouldsucceed. The boys were amazed when the old Indian told them thatsometimes he had followed a great herd for three days before he got atthe leader. "But, " he added, "it well paid me, as I shot twelve deerere they had a new leader. "

How this could happen was a mystery to the boys until he explained tothem that when these herds come down fresh from the great barren landsunder the guidance of the leader they have such confidence in him, orare in such fear of him, that when he is shot down the whole herd isthrown into confusion, and they run here and there and jump about insuch a foolish manner, waiting for their leader to show them the way, that a quick, clever Indian, hid behind a rock or standing in some densebushes, can keep loading and firing until he shoots from six to a dozenof them. Then another great deer gives a snort and dashes off, and theyall follow him as the new leader. They are now so frightened that, under his leadership, they will generally run a great many miles erethey stop. 

Early one morning, shortly after this information had been imparted bythe experienced old Indian to the boys, some scouts who had been on thelookout came in with the information that two herds of deer werevisible. They were in different parts, and could be hunted at the sametime without any difficulty. 

At once all preparations were made. As but one boy and one Indian couldgo together, it was decided that Frank and Alec should make the firstattempt to show their skill in this kind of hunting. The old captaintook Alec with him, while another almost equally experienced hunteraccompanied Frank. 

Sam was left boss of the camp, but he determined to do a little huntingon his own account while the rest were off after the reindeer. 

The clothing of the boys was inspected by the Indians, and everything ofa bright nature was discarded. They were all dressed in smoked leathersuits, with caps to match. This made them almost the colour of therocks and dried ferns, or bracken, among which they would have to do agood deal of crawling. The deer hunters left the camp about six o'clockin the morning, Alec and the captain going in a north-easterlydirection, and Frank and his companion about due west. Theunderstanding was to be back, if possible, not later than midnight. Each Indian, however, took the precaution of strapping on his back agrey blanket in case of delay. 

The adventures of Alec and the captain we will have. 

They started off in a north-easterly direction, and had to travelseveral miles ere, from an eminence far away, the herd was sighted. They were feeding as they leisurely moved along, and seemed to have nosuspicion of danger. It was in our hunters' favour that the country wasvery much broken with a succession of hills and dales, rocky ridges andravines, clumps of spruce forests, and long stretches of marshy lands, in which the dried ferns and bracken were very abundant. The firstthing after the discovery of the herd in the distance, was to find outfrom them, the direction in which they seemed to be moving, and then tonotice the direction of the wind, as it is always best to be on the leeside on account of the scent. 

All arrangements being made, the two started off quite rapidly, as itwas possible to push on for quite a time without much precaution, owingto the character of the country. Alec's trips to the Highlands of hisbeloved Scotland, and his excursions with the experienced gillie there, stood him in good service here. After about an hour's swift travellingthe Indian said:

"We are not far from them; stay here a few minutes while I go to thatlarge rock and see how they are moving, and, if I can, make out theleader. Keep where you can see me when I come down a little from theside of the rock, and if I stretch out my arms for a sign come on andjoin me there. "

Alec was not kept long in waiting, for soon after his companion hadcrawled to the summit of the rock that rose up before them he speedilydrew back a little, so as to be out of sight of the deer, and, gave thesignal to advance. It did not take Alec long to join him. The Indianinformed him that the herd was a large one, and that some of the deerwere so close that they could easily be shot from the top of the rock. 

Very cautiously did Alec with his companion climb to the point ofobservation, and there, carelessly moving before them, was a magnificentherd of several hundred splendid deer. As their food was abundant theywere in splendid condition and were a beautiful sight. Numbers of themwere very heavily antlered, and as Alec tried to count the numerouspoints he saw many pass muster as "royals" in his beloved Highlands. Itwas evident the leader was not to be distinguished from that position, and so the keen-eyed Indian watched for a few minutes the graduallyreceding herd until he was perfectly satisfied of the direction theyintended to keep, and then he indicated to Alec their probable route, and stated that in all probability several hours would pass ere theywould get a shot. 

So, carefully retreating, they began their careful march in a lineparallel with the herd, but generally from two to four hundred yardsdistant, according to the cover the country afforded to screen them fromobservation. Several times did the Indian leave Alec carefully hid fromobservation while he, as we have once described, took advantage of somehigh rock, or steep declivity, to crawl forward and observe the positionof the herd. On one of these tours of inspection the Indian observedthat before them was now a long valley, and the appearance of thecountry was as though two hills were quite close together with only anarrow passage between them. Almost as by intuition--perhaps it was theresult of long experience--the Indian reasoned, "If we can reach thatspot ahead of the herd we are almost sure to be successful. But can wedo it? is the question. "

Rapidly returning to Alec, he told him what he had seen, and what hethought might be accomplished. 

"Let us try, " excitedly said Alec, and off they started. 

The Indian was amazed at the endurance of this Scotch lad, who sogenerally kept close to him in his rapid march. When well shelteredbehind great rocky ridges or in ravines they ran without fear of beingdiscovered, but when it was on a barren plain, with scores of deer inplain sight, it was a different matter. There they had to crawlsnakelike along the ground. Thus on it went, the Indian repeatedlyuttering a cheery word of encouragement to Alec, who had so won hisadmiration by his pluck and endurance. 

"What is that?" they both said, as they crowded as low as possible. 

"Wait till I see, " said the Indian, as he crawled forward to discover. 

Soon he came back with the word that it was all right; only a big buckcrowded up too near the front, and the leader turned on him and they hada battle, in which the intruder was soon conquered and driven back. 

This delay stopped the herd for a time, and so Alec and his companionwere now about in a line with the front of the herd. 

Only about a mile more had they to make ere they reached the desiredposition, and so about half an hour before the deer arrived they werewell hidden and ready for action. They had taken the precaution to getout, ready for use, their ammunition, so that, if they threw the herdinto confusion, they might have several shots ere the herd dashed away. 

Soon the deer were so close to them that they could hear them verydistinctly. Cautiously the Indian watched them, and then, as arranged, he signalled to Alec, who was stretched out behind a rock that had anarrow cleft in it. This break was just large enough for a lookout, andit would also serve as a good rest for the gun. As Alec cautiouslypeeped through this narrow opening his heart gave a great thump, forthere within fifty yards of him were the most magnificent deer he hadever seen. There was no difficulty now in picking out the leader. 

So, pulling himself together, he waited until his heart stoppedthumping, and then, carefully and coolly aiming, so as to strike thegame immediately behind the fore shoulder, he fired. The deer gave onegreat bound and dropped dead. Instantly there rang out another report, as Alec's comrade fired, and another great deer fell dead. Now therewas one of those panics that occur among these reindeer when the leaderis suddenly shot down. They made no attempt to escape. They ran up towhere lay the fallen leader, and then they retreated a hundred yards orso. Some ran one way and some another, and then veered around andreturned again. 

In the meantime Alec and the Indian were carefully loading and firing, until perhaps between them a dozen deer had been killed. Then theIndian gave the signal to stop firing; but they continued to watch themfor several minutes more while panic-stricken and bewildered theyaimlessly ran from point to point. 

"Look, " said the Indian, "quick, see the new leader!"

And sure enough there was a great, handsome fellow snorting out hisnotes of authority and defiance. None now disputed his guidance, and sooff he started, and in a few seconds not a deer, with the exception ofthose that were shot, was visible. No hunters could get within rangenow, nor for many a day to come. 

"Why did you give the word to stop firing?" said Alec. 

"Because, " answered the Indian, "we have killed as many as our peoplecan eat before the meat will spoil, and we must not kill the deer if wedo not need the meat. The Great Spirit gives us these things for food. We must not make him angry by killing more than we need of suchanimals. "

Well done, red man! Would that some white hunters, when bent on thewholesale destruction of valuable animals just for the mad ambition tokill, had some of his wisdom and religion!

The deer were bled, and, when the entrails were removed, they wereplaced where they could be found next day by those who would come forthem. The Indian cut out a splendid haunch, which he strapped on hisback, then the return trip was begun, and the camp was reached in thesmall hours of the next morning. Very tired but very proud was Alec ashe strode with his Indian companion into the camp. The fire was burninglow, for all the rest of the party were sound asleep, and it looked asthough they had been so for hours. Alec, who had been so successful, was anxious to hear how it had fared with Frank, who had started offwith another Indian after the other herd that had been sighted. 

However, he was too tired and sleepy to say much then, and so Alec didnot trouble him. Alec enjoyed the hastily prepared supper, for which hehad a glorious appetite, after such a long, heavy day's exciting sport. Then he rolled his blanket around him and cuddled between Sam and Frank, and was soon wrapped in dreamless slumber. 

The chief and favourite part of the breakfast the next morning was thebroiled steaks of that famous haunch of venison which Alec's comrade hadbrought back to the camp. 

Three Boys in the Wild North Land--by Egerton Ryerson Young

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN. 

FRANK'S ADVENTURES--THE REINDEER FOLLOWED--UNWELCOME INTERLOPERS--COWARDLY WOLVES STALKING THE FAWNS--REPELLED BY THE GALLANT BUCKS--CLOSEQUARTERS--SUCCESSFUL SHOTS--DIFFERENT GAME THAN REINDEER--VISIONS OFSPLENDOUR. 

Frank's experience was a very different one from that of Alec. He andhis companion had started out in a westerly direction until they sightedthe herd of deer a few miles away. They followed them up until theycame so near as to have been able to have shot some, but, like otherhunters, they were anxious to kill the leader, so as to throw the herdin confusion. With this object in view they carefully skulked along, hiding behind the clumps of bushes and rocky ridges that were quitenumerous. 

All at once they heard a snorting and a sound of rushing hither andthither among the deer, and so they carefully climbed up some rocks andcautiously looked over to try and find out what was the cause of thecommotion. At first they could not make out what was the matter, butafter a while they saw that the herd had other hunters than themselvesafter them. These were a pack of wolves. 

They were at the front of the herd, and so Frank and the Indian quicklydrew back from the rock, and hurried on to see the battle. Fortunatelyfor them, the reindeer were so excited by the presence of the wolvesthat our two hunters were able to get among some large jagged rocks thatrose up fifty or sixty feet, not very distant from them. Here they hada capital view of the valley in which were the deer and the wolves. There seemed to be about a dozen wolves in the pack, and perhaps twohundred reindeer in the herd, including about thirty young ones thatseemed about five or six months old. 

The object of the wolves seemed to be to evade the great antlers of thebucks and to capture those very pretty young fawns. It was veryinteresting to watch the skill and courage, with which the greatantlered bucks would close up, like a company of cavalry, and charge thewolves when they ventured too close to the herd. The wolves neverwaited to receive the charge, but ignominiously turned tail and ran fortheir lives. They, however, soon returned when no longer pursued. There seemed to be a thorough understanding among the deer as to theposition each should take while menaced by the wolves. The largeantlered ones formed the outside circle. Next inside were the hornlessmales and the does, while in a compact body in the centre were thefawns. 

Thus on they slowly moved, while the wolves attempted at various partsto break through, but always quickly retreated when a company of thebucks gallantly charged them. 

This strange conflict was watched by Frank and his companion for sometime with intense interest, until it had an abrupt ending. It cameabout this way. In one of the determined charges made upon the wolvesby, perhaps, thirty reindeer, they drove their cowardly enemies right upamong the rocks just beyond where Frank and his companion had hidthemselves. The close proximity of the wolves so excited Frank that hewhispered to the Indian:

"Let us fire at the wolves and never mind the deer. "

The fact was that Frank's sympathies had so gone out for the deer, as hewatched the incessant schemings of the wolves to get at the beautifulfawns and the gallant efforts of the older ones to defend them, that hehad no heart to fire into the herd. He could well see that their firinginto the herd would so terrify and disorganise them that the wolveswould easily destroy the little ones. 

From where they were hid the two hunters noticed that the wolves, now nolonger chased by the reindeer, were again clustering near the rocks, utterly unconscious of the fact that between them and the herd were somemore dreaded foes than even the antlered deer. 

"All right, " said the Indian, in answer to Frank's request, "but be sureand kill two with your bullet. "

Simultaneously there rang out the double report, and four wolves felldead, while the others, terrified by this attack, so unexpected and soclose, fled away toward the distant forest. 

After seeing that the wolves did not stop in their flight, it did nottake Frank and his Indian companion long to reach a position where theherd of deer could again be seen. Frank was delighted to observe that, although they seemed to be somewhat startled by the distant report ofthe guns, they had not broken their formation, but were more quicklyhurrying away. To skin the four wolves and return with their pelts tothe camp was all the sport they had, or wanted, for that day. 

At first Alec was inclined to boast of a more successful day in reindeerhunting, but when he heard the whole story he was willing to admit thatperhaps, after all, Frank's had been the nobler experience. 

Sam's characteristic comments were:

"Man, but I would have liked to have had a crack at that great leader!But, after all, I think I would have preferred to have had thesatisfaction of knocking over a couple more of those dirty, thievish, murdering wolves. "

One more great excursion was arranged ere they returned, and that was toa large lake to which watchers had been sent some days before. 

A couple of days after Frank and Alec had had the adventures withreindeer, these watchers returned with word that the deer were numerouson the shores of the lake, and were often seen swimming out in itswater. The two days' rest in the camp had been much needed and enjoyed. Now all were fresh and eager to be off again. 

Very little time is lost in breaking up a camp when once it is decidedto move, and so in a short time the canoes, propelled by the paddles inthe hands of the stalwart Indians, were dancing over the sunlit waves totheir next destination, some twenty miles away. Here they found theIndians who had been sent as scouts or watchers had already returned andprepared a cozy camp for their reception. A dinner of venison, bear'smeat, and ducks was ready for them, and after the score of miles ofpaddling--for the boys always insisted on each doing his share--theywere all, with good appetites, ready to do ample justice to the hunter'sfare. 

As the anticipated sport would be exciting, and was generally consideredto be more successful in the forenoons, it was decided to keep quietthat afternoon and evening. So the guns were all cleaned and oiled andmany pipes of tobacco were smoked by the Indians, while the boyswandered along the shores and enjoyed the sights of that picturesqueland. Just a little before sunset they had a display of colour such asis seldom given to mortals to see upon this earth of ours. In the westthere floated a cloud that seemed to hang in the sky like a great prism. Beyond it the sun in his splendour was slowly settling down toward thehorizon. Through this prism-like cloud there were reflected and settledupon the waters all the colours of the rainbow. Every dancing waveseemed at times to be of the deepest crimson, then they all seemed likemolten gold, then they were quickly transformed into some other gorgeoushue, until the whole lake seemed literally ablaze with dazzling colours. 

The boys were awed and silenced amid these glories, and sat down on arock entranced and almost overwhelmed. By-and-by the prism-like cloudthat had hung for perhaps half an hour in that position slowly driftedaway, and the sun again shone out in undimmed splendour and the gloriousvision ended. 

Then the spell that had so long entranced the boys was broken, and insilence for a time they looked at each other. Frank was the first tospeak, and his quiet words were:

"I have seen the `sea of glass mingled with fire' that John saw inPatmos. "

"And I, " said Alec, "thought of the city of mansions where the streetsare of gold, and the walls jasper, and the gates pearl. "

"And I, " said Sam, "thought, `If that is a glimpse of heaven I canunderstand why one has said, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neitherhave entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath preparedfor them that love him. "'"

With quiet actions, and yet with happy hearts, they returned to the campfrom the long stroll. 

Three Boys in the Wild North Land--by Egerton Ryerson Young

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT. 

BOYS' ADVENTURE WITH REINDEER IN THE LAKE--GADFLIES AND OTHER DEERPESTS--PECULIAR WEAPONS--DANGEROUS ANTAGONISTS--HOOFS AND HORNS--FRANK'SSUCCESS--ATTACK ON THE LEADER--CANOE SMASHED--ALEC AND THE INDIANS INTHE WATER--SAM'S STRATAGEM--SUCCESS AT LAST--THE RETURN TRIP--SIGNIFICANT SIGNS--DUCKS AND GEESE HEADING SOUTHWARD--INDIANS UNEASY--JOURNEY HASTENED--SAGASTA-WEEKEE REACHED--SUMMER ENDED--WINTER BEGUN. 

Refreshed and invigorated by the much needed rest, the boys with theirappointed Indian companions started off early the next morning for thelake, which seemed to have become the reindeer's favourite bathingresort. 

So early did they arrive at the lake that they had to wait for somehours ere a deer was to be seen. The principal reason why the deerspend so much time in the water seems to be to get rid of a number oftroublesome flies that very much annoy them. Some species of gadflyhave the power not only to sting them, but to insert their eggs underthe skin, which soon develops into a large grub. Some of the skins ofthe reindeer are so perforated by these pests that they are absolutelyworthless to the Indians. 

Another reason why the deer were late in coming out into the lake wasthe fact that, as the summer was nearly gone, the nights were now longand cool; and the gadflies being only troublesome in the warm hours ofbright sunshine, it was nearly noon ere they came out from their forestretreats and plunged into the lake. 

A herd of reindeer swimming in the water is a very pretty sight. Havinglarge lungs, and thus being very buoyant, they swim high in the water, and being good swimmers they make, when a number of them are disportingthemselves undisturbed, a very beautiful picture. 

While our party of hunters were waiting in their shady retreat, secludedfrom observation, the Indians with as little noise as possible cut downand smoothly trimmed for use some poles. When fully prepared they werebetween ten and twelve feet long and from one to two inches in diameter. To the larger ends of each were securely lashed with deerskin thongslong, sharp, double-edged knives. 

It was about eleven o'clock ere the Indian scouts, sent out to watch themovements of the deer, returned with the report that the greater portionof the herd had taken to the water. In order to be sure of success inthe hunt it was decided to carefully carry the canoes through the woods, and embark as near as possible to the spot where the deer had plungedinto the lake. This would place the hunters in the rear of their game, and thus give them a very decided advantage. 

As the Indians were anxious to get as many reindeer as possible for thesake of the meat, a large portion of which they decided to make intopemmican, they decided to send out six canoes on this day's expedition. 

Our three boys were each assigned a canoe with some Indian hunters whowere supposed to be well versed in this exciting sport. Each canoe wasfurnished with one of these newly improvised spears, while each boy andhunter had his gun and axe. 

The whole six canoes were very noiselessly placed in the water at a spotwhere some great overhanging branches reached down to the water's edge. All were thus enabled to embark without attracting attention, or in theslightest degree alarming the deer that were now swimming about in thelake. Pushing aside the bushes, they all shot out as nearly as possibletogether, and, vigorously plying their paddles, began the attack. 

The deer, startled and alarmed by the suddenness of the appearance ofthe canoes, at first attempted to escape by returning to the shore. Finding, however, that their retreat was cut off, all there was left forthem to do was to boldly strike out from the land and get, if possible, beyond the reach of their pursuers. As the lake was, however, a verylarge one there was no possibility of their being able to swim across. The Indians well knew they would not attempt it; but after endeavouringto shake off pursuit by swimming out from land, if unsuccessful theywould return and give battle in the water, if there was no other courseopen to them. 

The three canoes, in each of which was one of the boys, started out sideby side, and there was a good deal of excitement and rivalry, as to whomshould fall the honour of bagging the first reindeer. 

Fast as the reindeer can swim, Indian canoemen can paddle their canoesmuch faster, and so it was not long ere the deer were overtaken. 

"Kill none but those in prime condition, " were the orders received byall; "and let no canoe kill more than four. "

As on some former occasions in similar hunting adventures, the boys wereeach assigned the post of honour, which was the position in the veryfront of the canoe, so that they could be the first to attack the deerwhen they came within striking distance. 

As they drew near to the deer, and saw how they swam, the boys were ableto see what effective weapons the ones formed by the binding of theknives to the poles really were. Of course the terrified deer made themost desperate efforts to escape; but in spite of all they could dotheir pursuers steadily gained upon them. 

"Do not be in a hurry, " said one of the Indians in Frank's canoe to himwhen he seemed so eager to throw his newly formed spear, as though itwere a javelin, at a great antlered fellow they were approaching, butwho, as though conscious of their desires to reach his head, verycleverly and rapidly kept them off. 

The Indians well know, some by bitter experience, the ability of thereindeer to kick out so viciously and effectively behind, even whenswimming, as to smash the canoe that has been paddled up close to themby the over-eager, excited hunters. Hence experienced Indians give thatend of a swimming reindeer a wide berth, and endeavour to get withinstriking distance of his head. 

"Ready now!" the man quickly spoke again, as this time by a quickmovement they succeeded in getting beyond his heels, and came rapidlyalongside of him. 

"Strike him just behind the head, and strike hard, " were the next wordsFrank heard, and with all his strength he plunged his spear into theneck of the great animal. He did not, however, as he should have done, strike across the spine so as to sever the spinal cord, and so he onlyinflicted an ugly flesh wound which irritated the great animal andcaused him to turn round and give battle to the canoe and all itsoccupants. But, rapidly, as he turned, he was not quicker than were thesharp Indians, who, watching every movement and seeing the failure ofFrank, suddenly began to paddle back from him. Rendered furious by thewound, and seeing his enemies retreating, he came on as resolutely andrapidly as possible. 

"Try the gun, " said one of the Indians, and Frank, mortified by hisfailure with the spear, was not slow to respond. Carefully aiming forthe curl on the forehead, between the eyes, he pulled the trigger, andas the report rang out the great deer suddenly turned over dead in thewater. A cheer rang out, proclaiming the first one thus obtained. Alecand his men struck out for one of great size that they supposed was theleader of the herd. He not only had a most magnificent set of antlers, but by the way in which he swam in the water he seemed to possess notonly magnificent lungs, but to be still trying to have some control overthe frightened deer. When he saw that he was himself being attacked heimmediately, as became the leader of the herd, turned to meet theadvancing canoe and give battle. 

It was unfortunate for Alec that his Indian canoemen, while cleverhunters, were inexperienced in the tactics of our old, wily reindeer. It would have been wise on their part if, when they saw him swing roundand boldly come on to the attack, they had quickly used their guns; butthat is considered the last resort in this kind of sport--the greatambition is to kill the deer with their spears. 

So here Alec and his comrades wished to carry off honours in thiscontest; and so, when the great fellow came within reaching distance, they tried, with a couple of spears, to kill him; but a clever, rapidtwist of his horns seemed to parry their spear thrusts, and before theyknew how it happened the side of the canoe was crushed in as aneggshell, and they were all struggling in the water. 

It was well for them that they were good swimmers; and so they struckout for the other canoes, the occupants of which, seeing the disaster, at once began paddling to their rescue. The greatest danger to befeared was that the infuriated deer would take after one or more ofthem, in which case they would have a poor chance indeed, as a manswimming is no match for a deer in the water. With horns and sharp, chisel-like hoofs, he is able to make a gallant fight, as we havealready seen in the case of the deer and wolves. 

However, it was soon seen, in this instance, that no danger was to befeared. The deer kept venting his displeasure on the canoe, so that hepaid not the slightest notice to those who had so suddenly sprung out ofit on the opposite side from him, and were rapidly swimming away. Thepoor canoe, however, had to be the butt of his ire--as well as of hishorns--and soon all there was left of it were a few pieces of splintersfloating on the water. The guns, axes, spears, and other heavy articleswere at the bottom of the lake. 

The swimmers were helped into the other canoes, and the sport wasresumed. When several deer had been killed they were fastened by longdeerskin thongs, like lariats, to the stern of a couple of canoes andtowed through the water to the shore. Alec and his wet comrades wentwith them, and at a great fire built up on the beach soon driedthemselves, and were none the worse for their involuntary swim. 

For a time the great deer that had come off so victorious was leftswimming around in his glory, none seeming to care to get into closequarters with him. Sam, however, was of a different mind, and was eagerfor a round with him. Of course it would not have been difficult toshoot him, but, as has been stated, the Indians think there is no honouror skill in shooting a deer in the water, where he cannot swim as fastas they can paddle their canoes. So they were just holding back in eachcanoe and waiting for some one else to tackle the big fellow. 

When Sam told the Indians in his canoe that he wished they would attackhim they admired his courage and grit, and one of them, with a bit of atwinkle in his eye, asked:

"You able to swim as well as Alec?"

"Yes, indeed, " he replied; "but there will be no need for my trying. "

"How you want to kill him?" asked another Indian. 

Sam's quick rejoinder was: "I want to spear him, of course. "

His enthusiasm was contagious, and the Indians said:

"All right; we will try. "

So word was signalled to the other boats that the one in which Sam waswould try the gallant old fellow. The Indians in the other canoes heardthis with pleasure, and ceased for a time from their pursuits to see thestruggle. 

The Indians in charge of Sam's canoe wisely explained to him how, ifthey were possibly able to get him alongside of the deer, to try tospear him across the spinal column as near the head as possible. Theyalso took the precaution to have a couple of guns and axes handy where, in case of emergency, they could be instantly utilised. 

When the great reindeer saw them coming down so boldly toward him he atonce accepted the situation, and leaving a number of deer that with himhad been keeping together for some time he gallantly turned to facethem. 

When within twenty or thirty yards, as decided upon by the Indian, theysuddenly veered to the right, and kept paddling in eccentric circlesaround him, keeping him as nearly as possible about the same distance inthe centre. That he could not reach the canoe and annihilate it aseasily as he did the other one seemed to very much irritate him, and fora time he was furious with rage. Yet in spite of his fury they quietly, yet warily, watched him, and kept up their circular movements about him. After a time, seeing it to be an utter impossibility to catch them, heturned and endeavoured to swim to the shore. 

Now the attacked became the aggressors, and so, rapidly, the canoefollowed in his wake. Several times they tried to draw up alongside tospear him, but a sudden turn of that well-antlered head was enough tocause them to draw back in a hurry. But something must be done, or hewould speedily be at the land. So another canoe was signalled to make afeint to attack him from the other side. The one in which Frank waspaddling with his Indians soon came up, and when told what was desiredof them quickly responded. 

The deer, thus worried by the two, had hardly a fair chance, but hegallantly kept up the unequal struggle for quite a time. Sam's canoemenat length saw an unguarded place and so dashed in alongside the bigfellow, and at the right minute the Indian steering called out to Sam:

"Now give it to him in the neck, close up to his head. "

Sam, however, was not quick enough, and therefore his spear, which heplunged with all the force he was capable of into the deer, while it didnot instantly kill, so cut down the side of the neck as to sever somelarge veins. Unfortunately for Sam, he could not withdraw the spearfrom the deer, and he was in no humour to lose it, so he hung on to it;but before he knew where he was a great bound of the deer jerked him outof the canoe. However, he fell fairly and squarely on the back of thegreat deer, and he was not such a fool as not to avail himself of suchan opportunity for a ride. So speedily righting himself on this oddsteed, amid the laughter of Frank and the Indians, he was evidently infor a good time. 

It might have fared badly with him if the deer had been able to haveused his horns freely, or have moved with his usual speed in the water;but the additional weight on his back so sank him down that he waspowerless to do harm. All he could do, after a few desperate efforts toget rid of his burden, was to start for the shore, and so he speedilycontinued swimming toward it as though this was his usual employment. 

Sam hung on without much trouble, but as they neared the shore he beganto wonder what might happen next. But when his antlered steed reachedthe shallow waters his strength gave way from the excessive loss ofblood from the severed veins in his neck, and soon he dropped dead. Thegreat carcass was dragged ashore, while the bodies of the others killedwere towed in by the canoes. They killed altogether ten animals, butthe reindeer hunt in the water that day, considering the loss of a finecanoe and all its contents, was not voted an unqualified success. 

All the Indians present at the camp, which they made near the spot fromwhich they had embarked in the morning, went to work at the venisonthere landed, and in a few hours they had it all cut into strips andbroad flakes and hung up on stagings of poles speedily erected. Asmokeless fire under [it], and the bright sun above it, in a few daysmade the meat so hard and dry that, by using the backs of their axes forhammers and pounding this meat on the smooth wooden logs, theythoroughly pulverised it. Then packing it in bags made of the greenhides of the deer, and saturating the whole mass with the melted fattaken from around the kidneys of the reindeer, they had prepared a mostpalatable kind of pemmican. If well prepared in this way it wasconsidered fully equal to that made from the buffalo on the greatplains. 

Leaving the majority of the Indians of that country to continue theircapturing of the reindeer and the manufacturing of pemmican while theyremained in that section of the land, Frank, Alec, and Sam, with theirtravelling companions, returned to Oxford House. There they made avisit of a few days at the home of the missionary. It was a great joyto meet with this devoted, heroic man and his equally brave and noblewife, who for the sake of Christianisation and civilisation of theIndians of this section of the country had willingly sacrificed thecomforts and blessings of civilisation and come to this land. Onlytwice a year did they hear from the outer world, and only once everyyear had they any opportunity of receiving any of the so-called"necessaries of life" at this remote station. Yet they said and showedthat they were very happy in their work, and rejoiced at the successwhich, not only to themselves but to any unbiased observer, was sovisibly manifested in the greatly improved lives and habits of thenatives. Missions to such people are not failures. 

They would have been delighted to have lingered longer in this home, andwith this delightful missionary and his good wife, who so reminded eachof the boys of his own dear mother. But the Indians who were to takethem back to Sagasta-weekee were uneasy at the appearances in theheavens and of the birds in the air, and so it was decided that theymust return. 

Four days of rapid paddling were sufficient to make the return journey. At the close of each day the boys remarked, as they cuddled up close tothe splendid camp fire, that they seemed to have an additional likingfor its glow and warmth; and for the first time they preferred to sleepas close together as possible, and were thankful that the thoughtfulIndians had in reserve for them an additional blanket apiece. The lastday of the home journey was quite a cold one, but the vigorous exerciseof paddling saved them from any discomfort. They could not but helpnoticing the large numbers of geese and ducks that were flying overthem, and all were going south. The boys would have liked, where theywere specially numerous, to have stopped and had a few hours' shooting, but the Indians said:

"Perhaps to-morrow you will see it was best for us to get home. "

So "forward" was the word, and on they went and reached home after anexceedingly rapid journey from Oxford Lake. 

They met with a right royal welcome at Sagasta-weekee. Mr and MrsRoss and the children were all delighted to have them back again withthem. The faithful canoemen were well paid and given a capital supperin the kitchen, and then dismissed to their several homes. 

Frank, Alec, and Sam had each to give some account of their adventuresto the household as they were gathered that evening around the roaringfire, which was much enjoyed. Then prayers were offered, and away theboys went to their rooms. They could not but remark to each other howmuch warmer were their beds than when they last slept in them. However, they found them none too warm as they cuddled down in their downy depthsand were soon fast asleep. 

When they awoke the next morning the sleet and snow were beating withfury against the window panes, and all nature was white with snow. 

Shortly after the wind went down, and then the ice covered over all theopen waters, and they saw that that most delightful summer in the WildNorth Land was ended, and the winter, with its cold and brightness andpossibilities for other kinds of sports and adventures, had begun.