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diff --git a/42396-0.txt b/42396-0.txt index 0def8a1..1dbfbd1 100644 --- a/42396-0.txt +++ b/42396-0.txt @@ -1,36 +1,4 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Grit A-Plenty, by Dillon Wallace - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Grit A-Plenty - A Tale of the Labrador Wild - -Author: Dillon Wallace - -Release Date: March 23, 2013 [EBook #42396] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GRIT A-PLENTY *** - - - - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Rod Crawford, Dave Morgan, -Matthew Wheaton and the Online Distributed Proofreading -Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42396 *** GRIT A-PLENTY @@ -6917,360 +6885,4 @@ carry them bravely over the dark days when the mists hung low. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Grit A-Plenty - A Tale of the Labrador Wild - -Author: Dillon Wallace - -Release Date: March 23, 2013 [EBook #42396] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GRIT A-PLENTY *** - - - - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Rod Crawford, Dave Morgan, -Matthew Wheaton and the Online Distributed Proofreading -Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -</pre> - +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42396 ***</div> <div class="figcenter"> <img src="images/cover.jpg" width="400" height="594" alt="" /> @@ -7468,381 +7430,6 @@ carry them bravely over the dark days when the mists hung low.</p> <p class="book-trailer"><em>Printed in the United Stated of America</em></p> - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Grit A-Plenty, by Dillon Wallace - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GRIT A-PLENTY *** - -***** This file should be named 42396-h.htm or 42396-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/2/3/9/42396/ - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Rod Crawford, Dave Morgan, -Matthew Wheaton and the Online Distributed Proofreading -Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Grit A-Plenty - A Tale of the Labrador Wild - -Author: Dillon Wallace - -Release Date: March 23, 2013 [EBook #42396] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GRIT A-PLENTY *** - - - - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Rod Crawford, Dave Morgan, -Matthew Wheaton and the Online Distributed Proofreading -Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - GRIT A-PLENTY - - - - - GRIT A-PLENTY - - _A Tale of the Labrador Wild_ - - _by_ - - DILLON WALLACE - - _Author of "Ungava Bob"_ - - - _Illustrated_ - - - GROSSET & DUNLAP, _Publishers_ - NEW YORK - - _by arrangement with Fleming H. Revell Co._ - - - Copyright, 1918, by - FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY - - - New York: 158 Fifth Avenue - Chicago: 17 North Wabash Ave. - London: 21 Paternoster Square - Edinburgh: 75 Princes Street - - - TO - - THE BRAVE - JAMIES AND DAVIDS AND ANDYS - EVERYWHERE - WHO KEEP THEIR GRIT - AND DO THEIR BEST - WHEN THE MISTS - HANG LOW - - - "If you and I--just you and I-- - Should laugh instead of worry; - If we should grow--just you and I-- - Kinder and sweeter hearted, - Perhaps in some near by and by - A good time might get started; - Then what a happy world 'twould be - For you and me--for you and me!" - - - - -FOREWORD - - -Tempting boys to be what they should be--giving them in wholesome form -what they want--that is the purpose and power of Scouting. To help -parents and leaders of youth secure _books boys like best_ that are -also best for boys, the Boy Scouts of America organized EVERY BOY'S -LIBRARY. The books included, formerly sold at prices ranging from -$1.50 to $2.00 but, by special arrangement with the several publishers -interested, are now sold in the EVERY BOY'S LIBRARY Edition at $1.00 -per volume. - -The books of EVERY BOY'S LIBRARY were selected by the Library -Commission of the Boy Scouts of America, consisting of George F. -Bowerman, Librarian, Public Library of the District of Columbia; -Harrison W. Craver, Director, Engineering Societies Library, New York -City; Claude G. Leland, Superintendent, Bureau of Libraries, Board of -Education, New York City; Edward F. Stevens, Librarian, Pratt -Institute Free Library, Brooklyn, N. Y., and Franklin K, Mathiews, -Chief Scout Librarian. Only such books were chosen by the Commission -as proved to be, by _a nation wide canvas_, most in demand by the boys -themselves. Their popularity is further attested by the fact that in -the EVERY BOY'S LIBRARY Edition, more than a million and a quarter -copies of these books have already been sold. - -We know so well, are reminded so often of the worth of the good book -and great, that too often we fail to observe or understand the -influence for good of a boy's recreational reading. Such books may -influence him for good or ill as profoundly as his play activities, of -which they are a vital part. The needful thing is to find stories -in which the heroes have the characteristics boys so much -admire--unquenchable courage, immense resourcefulness, absolute -fidelity, conspicuous greatness. We believe the books of EVERY BOY'S -LIBRARY measurably well meet this challenge. - - BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA, - - James E. West [Handwritten Signature] - - Chief Scout Executive. - - - - - CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - I. THE CABIN AT THE JUG 9 - II. THE THICKENING MIST 21 - III. DOCTOR JOE 34 - IV. INDIAN JAKE, THE HALF BREED 42 - V. UNCLE BEN GIVES WARNING 55 - VI. THE TRAPPING PARTNER 67 - VII. IN THE HEART OF THE WILDERNESS 73 - VIII. ANDY'S BEAR HUNT 82 - IX. THE STEALTHY MENACE OF THE TRAIL 91 - X. THE FIGHT WITH A WOLF PACK 101 - XI. A STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE 107 - XII. ALONE IN THE STORM-SWEPT FOREST 118 - XIII. A NIGHT IN THE OPEN 125 - XIV. A MAN'S GAME 132 - XV. A DAY ON THE ICE 138 - XVI. CHRISTMAS EVE ON THE FUR TRAILS 148 - XVII. INDIAN JAKE'S SURPRISE 156 - XVIII. SNOWBLIND 166 - XIX. THE HALF BREED DESERTS 174 - XX. A LETTER FROM THE GREAT DOCTOR 183 - XXI. THE TRAIL OF THE DESERTER 195 - XXII. THE BURNING TILT 202 - XXIII. HUNGRY DAYS 220 - XXIV. UNCLE BEN APPEARS 232 - XXV. "TROUBLES THAT NEVER CAME TRUE" 240 - - - - -I - -THE CABIN AT THE JUG - - -The Jug, as Thomas Angus often remarked, was as snug and handy a place -to live as ever a man could wish. Ten miles up the Bay was the trading -post of the Hudson's Bay Company, and at Wolf Bight, twelve miles -directly across the Bay from the Jug, the trading post of Trowbridge & -Gray, and then only five miles to the eastward, at Break Cove, lived -Doctor Joe. - -"Neighbors right handy all around," declared Thomas, "and no chance of -ever gettin' lonesome." - -The Jug was a well sheltered bight on the north side of Eskimo Bay, -and here, in the edge of the forest, stood Thomas' cabin. - -Near by the cabin Roaring Brook rushed down through a gorge in a vast -hurry to empty its sparkling waters into the bight; and behind the -cabin, shrouded in silence and mystery, stretching away into -unmeasured distances, lay the great unpeopled wilderness. - -"Room enough," said Thomas, "for a man to stretch himself." - -The Angus home was much like every other trapper's home in the Eskimo -Bay country, though somewhat larger and more commodious, perhaps, than -was usual. Thomas believed in "comfort, and plenty o' room to stretch, -indoors as well as out," and this sentiment led him to make no stint -of timber or labor when he builded. - -"The timber is here for the takin', and right handy," said he, "and a -bit more work don't matter." - -The cabin was built of logs, and faced the south, with its entrance -through an enclosed porch on the western gable. This porch served both -as a protection from winter storms and as a store room. Here were kept -dog harness, fish nets, and innumerable odds and ends incident to the -life and occupation of a trapper and fisherman. And in one end of the -porch, neatly piled in tiers, was an ever-ready supply of firewood. - -A door from the porch led into a living room crudely and primitively -furnished, but possessed of an indescribable atmosphere of cozy -comfort. The uncarpeted floor, the home-made table, the chests which -served both as storage places for clothing and as seats, the three -crude but substantial home-made chairs, and the shelves for dishes, -were scoured clean and white with sand and soap, for Margaret, through -her Scotch ancestry, had inherited a penchant for cleanliness and -neatness. - -"I likes to keep the house tidy," she said to Doctor Joe once, when he -complimented her. "'Tis a wonderful comfort to have un tidy and -clean." - -There were three windows, draped with snow-white muslin--an unusual -luxury. Two of these windows looked to the southward to catch the sun -with its cheer, and before them lay the wide vista of Eskimo Bay, and -beyond the Bay the grim, snow-capped peaks of the Mealy Mountains. The -other window was in the rear, but here the view was restricted by the -forest, which sheltered the cabin from the frigid northern blasts of -the sub-arctic winters. - -A big box stove, which would accommodate great billets of wood, and -crackled cheerily, and a bunk built against the wall like a ship's -bunk, and which served Thomas as a bed, completed the furnishings. - -Originally the cabin had contained no other rooms than the living room -and the porch, but when the children came, and grew, Thomas, with his -desire for "plenty o' room to stretch," erected an addition on the -eastern end, which he partitioned into two sleeping compartments, one -for Margaret and the other for the boys. - -Mighty content were Thomas Angus and his family. A snug cabin, a -neighbor "right handy," the trading posts near enough to visit now and -again on business or on pleasure, and enough to eat--what more could -be desired? - -Thomas Angus was a good hunter, and provided well for his family, -which in Labrador means that for the most part his catch of fur was -good in winter, his fish nets yielded well in summer, and therefore -his flour barrel was seldom empty. - -Bread and pork, with no stint of tea, and a bit of molasses for -sweetening, together with such game as he might kill, sat a table that -to Thomas Angus and his family was bountiful and varied enough, if not -luxurious. There were no potatoes or other vegetables, to be sure, for -gardens do not thrive in this far northern land; but they did not mind -that, for they had never eaten vegetables. We do not miss what we have -never had, and the more we have the more we demand. And so it was that -Thomas Angus and his family were happy and content enough with what to -you and me would have been privation. - -"'Tis a wonderful fine livin' we has here," said Thomas, "and we're -thankful to th' Lard for providin' it." - -Mrs. Angus had been dead these five years. Her grave, marked by a rude -wooden slab, was in a little fenced-in clearing behind the house. Her -death was the greatest sorrow that had ever visited the Anguses. -Thomas dug the grave himself, as a last service to his wife, and when -he and the neighbors lowered Mrs. Angus into her deep, cold bed, and -covered her with frozen clods of earth, and he and the mourning -children returned to the empty cabin, he comforted them with the -philosophy of his simple Christian faith. - -"'Tis the Lard's will," he said. "The work He had for Mother to do on -earth was ended, and He called her away. 'Tis a bit hard on us that's -left behind, and we'll be missin' her sore, but we'll bear un without -complaint because 'tis the Lard's will. We mustn't forget--though -we'll be like to forget sometimes--that Mother's still livin'. 'Twas -only the body that she was through usin' that we buried out there. Who -can know but she may be right with us now, though we can't see her? -And maybe she's seein' us all the time, and knowin' all we does and -talks about." - -Margaret, then a little maid of twelve, took her mother's place as -housekeeper, and bravely did her best to mother the boys. In these -five years she had grown into a handsome, rosy-cheeked lass of -seventeen, and as capable and fine a housekeeper as you could find on -the whole Labrador. - -David and Andy, too, had developed with the years from energetic small -boys into broad-shouldered, bronze-faced, brawny lads. David, nearly -sixteen, and Andy, fourteen, lent a hand at anything that was to be -done indoors and out. They kept the water barrel filled from Roaring -Brook, they helped cut the firewood and haul it with the dogs, and -sawed and split it into proper size for the big box stove. In summer -they did their part at the salmon and trout fishing and in winter they -kept the house supplied with partridges and rabbits and other small -game. In Labrador every one must do his part, and lads learn early to -bear their share of the responsibilities of life, and so it was with -David and Andy. And adventures, too, they had, for in that brave land -adventures come often enough. - -Jamie, the youngest of the family, was ten, and as cheerful and lusty -and fine a little lad as ever lived. But Jamie's sight was failing. - -"They's a smoke in the house," said Jamie when he awoke one morning. - -"They's no smoke in the house," protested Andy. - -"But I sees un! I sees un!" insisted Jamie. - -"'Tis the sleep in your eyes yet," suggested David. "'Twill pass away -when you wakes." - -And so Jamie said no more, believing it was the sleep in his eyes, and -he rubbed them to drive it away, and dressed, and looked out of the -window toward the bay. - -"They's a mist on the water," said Jamie. - -"They's no mist," denied Andy. "'Tis fine and clear, and the sun shines -wonderful bright." - -"I sees the sunshine, but 'tis not bright. They's a mist," Jamie -insisted. - -And the mist had remained, and thickened gradually with the passing -weeks. It was in the beginning of July when the mist had first -appeared before Jamie's eyes, and before the month was ended he -complained that he could no longer see the Mealy Mountains across the -bay, with their glistening white snow-capped peaks. And this was too -bad, for Jamie loved the mountains rising so brave and changeless like -a row of great rugged giants guarding and holding the world firm -beyond the restless waters of the bay. Jamie always felt that he could -depend upon the mountains, and he had a fancy, when of evenings the -setting sun tipped their white summits with its last glow, that it was -a bit of the dazzling light of heaven breaking through the sky when -God reached down to kiss the world good night. - -And it had been many days now since Jamie had seen his loved -mountains. Even the point, at the entrance to the bight, had become -veiled in haze and seemed to have moved far out into the bay, as it -used to do when the fog hung low on murky days, and Jamie's sight was -as keen as David's and Andy's. - -In the beginning Thomas gave little heed to Jamie's complaints of the -mist, for he was busy then at his fishing. - -"'Tis a bit of a strain," said he, "and 'twill soon pass away. A bit -of the burn and glare of the spring sun upon the snow, left in the -eyes to shade un. 'Twill soon pass away." - -One day in late August, when Doctor Joe was over at The Jug, as he -often was, he heard Jamie complain of the mist, and Doctor Joe asked -Jamie many questions, and looked long and hard into Jamie's eyes, and -when he was going, and Thomas walked down to the beach to help him -launch his boat, he told Thomas that the mist would not clear up of -itself. - -"And is it a sickness, then, and a bad un?" asked Thomas, aroused to -great concern, for he had vast faith in Doctor Joe's opinion. - -"I can't say yet for a certainty how bad it is, but 'tis a sickness, -and may grow worse, if it's the kind of sickness I take it to be," -said Doctor Joe. "Don't worry about it yet, Thomas. I'll be up again -soon and look into the eyes again, and see how they're doing." - -"Can't you mend un?" asked Thomas anxiously. - -"We'll see. We'll see what we can do," and Doctor Joe's voice was -hearty and reassuring, as he launched his boat and pulled away down -the bight. - -Thomas Angus and Doctor Joe were great friends. Margaret and the boys -called Doctor Joe "Uncle," and they were as fond of him as they could -have been had he really been their uncle; and he, on his part, was -mightily fond of them. He had come to the Bay three years before Mrs. -Angus died, and had now lived at Break Cove and on the coast for eight -years. - -It was on a blustery July evening that they had first seen him, -driving up the bay in an old open boat with a ragged leg-o-mutton -sail. Thomas hailed him and he turned in at The Jug in response to -Thomas's invitation to spend the night, for a Labradorman will never -permit a stranger to pass his home without a hail and an invitation, -and a cheering welcome, warmed with a cup of tea and a snack. - -Doctor Joe was a nervous man, with the appearance of one who had been -ill. His hand was unsteady, with a tremor--unlike the steady, strong -hand of the Labradorman. Thomas saw at once that he was no -Labradorman. Any one could have seen that with half an eye. His speech -and manner, too, were not of the coast, his skin had not the deep -bronze tan of the people, and his dress was not the dress of the -native. - -But Thomas liked the stranger, and urged him to "'bide for a time at -The Jug," and for several days he remained as Thomas's guest, asking -many questions about the country and manner of life of the folk who -lived there, and of the methods of trapping and hunting, and bartering -fur and fish. - -He introduced himself to Thomas as Joseph Carver, and explained that -he had come from the South as a passenger on the mail boat, which he -had left at Fort Pelican, eighty miles down the bay, and her nearest -port of call. And at length he announced that he had decided to settle -here and build a cabin, and turn hunter and trapper, and make The -Labrador his home. - -"'Twill be a strange life for you," said Thomas. - -"Yes," said Doctor Joe, "a strange life." - -Then Doctor Joe turned his attention to the selection of a suitable -place to build his cabin, and cruising along the shore one day fell -upon Break Cove, which he liked immensely, and here he declared his -home should be. Thomas, after the manner of the country, and because -he was glad to have so near a neighbor, turned to and helped Doctor -Joe, and presently they had as snug a little cabin built and furnished -as a man could wish for, and here Doctor Joe began his new life in a -new land. - -He was a mystery to the Bay folk at first, coming as he had, and a -mystery to Thomas, too. Sometimes he seemed as gay and happy as ever a -man could be, but there were days when he was silent and grave and -troubled, like a man with a great load of sorrow upon his soul. - -There was one autumn evening, a fortnight after Doctor Joe had -established himself in the new cabin, when Thomas, who had been down -the bay hunting geese, ran his boat into Break Cove to pay his -neighbor a call, and to leave with him one of the fine fat geese he -had shot. The candle was lighted and the cabin door stood open. As -Thomas approached with the goose he saw Doctor Joe, a wild, hunted -look upon his face, pacing up and down the room, and Thomas heard him -exclaim: - -"I can't endure it! I cannot, cannot endure it! Another month and I'd -be safe! But I can't hold out! I must give up! Oh, God, have mercy on -me!" - -Thomas withdrew silently. He had never seen Doctor Joe, or any one -else for that matter, act so strangely. His kindly heart was troubled. -Then light broke. His neighbor was ill and in pain, or was troubled, -and he must help him. He turned back to the cabin door, and called out -cheerily: - -"Evenin', Sir!" - -Doctor Joe ceased his pacing, as he beheld Thomas in the open doorway. - -"Good evening," he greeted, sitting limply down, and wiping -perspiration from his forehead with a handkerchief. And within himself -Thomas marveled that Doctor Joe should be so warm, for the air was -chill enough, and the fire in the box stove had been neglected and was -none too good. "Come in, Thomas." - -"I was passin'," said Thomas, coming within, "and I thought I'd stop -for a bit t' smoke a pipe with you. But you're ailin', sir?" - -"No--yes--just a little out of sorts," admitted Doctor Joe. "But I'm -glad to see you, neighbor! I'm glad you came! I thank God you came!" -he added fervently. "Perhaps I was lonely. I know that I need your -company, Thomas." - -"There's a goose I brought you, sir," and Thomas laid the game upon -the table, "but 'twill not be right for you to 'bide here alone, -ailin' as you are. Come along to The Jug and 'bide a day or two with -us, till you feels mended, _what_ever." - -"Thank you, Thomas, you're a good friend and neighbor," assented -Doctor Joe, with evident relief. "I'll go with you. The pull over in -your boat will do me good, and I need your company." - -"And bring your cures so you'll have un to take, an' you needs un," -suggested Thomas solicitously, as Doctor Joe arose and took his adiky -from a peg. - -"Your company will be the best remedy, Thomas," remarked Doctor Joe, -drawing the adiky over his head. "There are some disorders medicine -will not cure--only change and good comradeship, and sweet, -sympathetic friendship, such as you are giving me." - -"You're always welcome at The Jug, _what_ever!" Thomas assured -heartily, though he did not in the least understand the import of what -Doctor Joe had said. - -But as the weeks passed, and the cold of the long winter settled upon -the land, Doctor Joe adapted himself to the life of the Bay, and -entered heartily into his business of trapper, and soon it was -discovered that he was a jolly neighbor, and the Bay folk as well as -Thomas accepted him as one of them, and forgot the mystery, and were -ever ready to lend him a hand, and give him hints that helped him -vastly in learning his new trade, for he was clumsy enough at setting -traps at first. - -In return Doctor Joe was always on hand with a well-filled medicine -case when he heard that any one was sick, and he displayed wonderful -skill. He had supplied himself with medicines, he explained, because -they were always handy, where there was no doctor to call. And when -Bill Campbell's boy laid the calf of his leg open with an ax, and -Doctor Joe sewed it up, and bound it, as the folk had never seen a -wound bound before, it was agreed he was the cleverest man in that -line on the whole coast. - -Then it was that they had begun to call him "Doctor Joe," and he had -accepted the new name as a compliment, and with rare good nature, and -soon he was "Doctor Joe" to every one, and a welcome visitor wherever -he went. - - - - -II - -THE THICKENING MIST - - -A Fortnight passed, after the evening when Doctor Joe had spoken to -Thomas of the mist in Jamie's eyes, before he appeared again at The -Jug. It was early morning, and the family were at breakfast when he -breezed in, without knocking--for in that country folk do not knock as -they enter, and every one is welcome at all times. - -"Well! Well!" he exclaimed. "Just in time, and I'm as hungry as an old -grampus. What is it? Fried whitefish! Margaret, you must have expected -me and read my mind, for I'd rather have fried whitefish for -breakfast, the way you cook them, than anything else I can think of!" - -"Then I'm glad I cooked un," laughed Margaret. "But you likes most -anything we _ever_ has." - -"That's true, because you cook everything so well," complimented -Doctor Joe, seating himself by Jamie. "I'm not much of a cook myself, -you know." - -"You're a rare fine cook, now, _I_ thinks," broke in David. "I always -likes your cookin' when I eats un." - -"Anybody's cooking is good to a husky, healthy lad like you," laughed -Doctor Joe. - -"We're wonderful glad t' see you, Doctor Joe," said Thomas. "I've been -wonderin', now, why you didn't come over this fortnight. The boys -pulled over to Break Cove yesterday lookin' for you, fearin' you might -be ailin'." - -"And didn't find me!" exclaimed Doctor Joe, helping himself liberally -to fish. "Well, the day after I was here I left for Fort Pelican to -meet the mail boat and get some medicines that I thought I might need -in the winter from the mail boat doctor, and to mail an important -letter. How have you all been?" - -"Not so bad--except Jamie," said Thomas. "His eyes are growin' -mistier." - -"Eh!" ejaculated Doctor Joe, looking down at Jamie. "Mistier, are -they? That's what I'm here about--mostly--to see what we can do about -that mist. We'll have a look at the eyes pretty soon, Jamie." - -"I'm thinkin' _'tis_ truly a mist fallin' thick, and holdin' thick all -the time," declared Jamie. - -"We'll see about that! We'll see!" said Doctor Joe. - -And after breakfast he again looked carefully into Jamie's eyes, and -again asked Jamie many, many questions, and then walked out with -Thomas where they could talk alone. - -"And what you think'n _now_ of Jamie's eyes?" asked Thomas anxiously. - -"'Tis a strange disease, and a serious one," said Doctor Joe. "Inside -everybody's eyes there's a fluid forms. When the eyes are healthy the -fluid keeps working away naturally through small outlets. If the -outlets for the fluid get stopped, there's no way for it to escape, -and it fills up inside until it presses on the eyes, and the sight -begins to fail, and after a time if the fluid is not let out the eyes -go blind. There's only one way to cure the complaint, and that is by a -difficult and delicate operation for the purposes of opening the -passages and drawing the fluid out and relieving the pressure." - -"Do you mean--cuttin' the eyes open?" asked Thomas in dismay. - -"Yes," said Doctor Joe, "and the cutting has to be done just right, or -it fails. I once knew a surgeon who sometimes succeeded in performing -the operation successfully, but he was in New York--a long, long way -from here. The letter I posted the other day in Fort Pelican was for -this doctor. I wrote to ask if he is still in New York, and if he is -there if he will operate on Jamie's eye if we take the lad to him." - -"Suppose, now, he'll do the cuttin', how can we ever get Jamie to he?" -asked Thomas. - -"I'll take him on the mail boat. We can't get away this fall, though, -for it isn't likely I'll get an answer before the Christmas mail, -after the boat has made her last fall trip. But," continued Doctor -Joe, "I hope Jamie's eyes will not be too misty by spring. If he loses -his sight before spring there'll be no use operating, for then the -sight can't be brought back." - -"And if--if the doctor cuts un--and he fails--what'll happen to Jamie -then?" asked Thomas fearfully. - -"He'll be blind," said Doctor Joe. "But if the doctor doesn't do the -cutting Jamie will _surely_ go blind. This is the only chance to save -his sight." - -"An' supposin'," asked Thomas, "you gets no answer from the great -doctor, will Jamie have to go blind all his life?" - -"Let us hope he's there--let us pray he is," said Doctor Joe. - -"But suppose--suppose he'll not be there. Be there no one else?" -Thomas insisted. - -"I--don't know," admitted Doctor Joe. "I don't know. Once I knew -another surgeon--a young man--who performed such operations, but he -went wrong and lost his skill and had to stop operating. I'd not like -to trust Jamie with him. But we'll hope the great doctor is in New -York." - -They stood in silence for a little. - -"Poor little lad! Poor little lad!" sighed Thomas, finally. - -"'Tis hard," sympathized Doctor Joe, who was fond of Jamie. "And -there's another thing, Thomas," he continued. "You and I must catch -more fur this year than we ever caught before, for there's the mail -boat and another steamer to pay the passage on, and they charge a good -deal. Trowbridge & Gray pay good prices for fur, and pay cash. Let us -hope one of us will catch a silver fox. We'll need it. I'll put in all -I earn to help save Jamie's sight." - -"Aye," said Thomas, "We'll do our best, and--Doctor Joe--I'm wonderful -thankful to you." - -"Thomas, I owe it to you to do everything I can for Jamie, even if I -didn't want to do it so much for Jamie's own sake," and Doctor Joe's -voice was strangely husky. "You've helped cure me of a dreadful -disease--I hope I'm cured--I pray God that I am--but I still need your -help and friendship to make me strong." - -"Me--cure you of something?" asked Thomas, mystified. "I was never -givin' _you_ medicine, or curin' _you_ of any ailment!" - -"Yes--the best kind of medicine--your friendship--when I came here, -and ever since. Some day I'll tell you about it, but not now--not yet, -Thomas Angus. Now we must think of Jamie, and do our best." - -"Aye, and do our best," said Thomas. - -Thomas Angus had always done his best with cheerful heroism, and how -he hoped now to improve upon the best is hard to guess. Down on The -Labrador every man must do his best all of the time if he would keep -the flour barrel filled and run no debt with traders. In that stern -land there can be no idling or wasting of time, and men work as though -it were a joy, and the folk endure hardships without ever knowing they -are hardships, and are happy, too, withal. Life there is grim and -real. - -Every boy and every girl, too, learns early to do his or her part, -and accept what comes without complaint. - -Young lad though he was, Jamie heard Doctor Joe's verdict bravely, and -accepted his affliction as one of the ups and downs of life. Until now -he had been hoping each night when he went to sleep that when he -opened his eyes in the morning he would find that the mist had lifted -while he slept. Now this hope was gone. But there was still the hope -that some day the great doctor to whom Doctor Joe had written, would -cut the mist away, and hope is a wonderful thing for the building of -courage. - -"Keep your grit, lad," said Thomas. "Doctor Joe says you'll find th' -mist gettin' thicker and th' world growin' darker for a time, and I'm -thinkin' you'll need grit a plenty. Grit's a great thing t' have--a -stout heart like a man's, now, and plenty o' grit, is a wonderful -help." - -"I'll keep my grit, _what_ever," declared Jamie, "an' I'll keep my -heart stout, like a man's." - -"That's fine now! I'm proud o' my fine, brave lad!" encouraged Thomas. -"I'll be bound Doctor Joe'll find a way sooner or later, by hook or by -crook, t' lift th' mist." - -The fishing season was at an end, and Thomas and the boys had made a -good catch. They had nearly enough salmon and trout salted in barrels -to pay for their winter's supply of flour and pork, in barter, at the -post. This had never happened before, but this year there had been an -uncommon run of salmon. - -"We'll load un in th' boat and take un to the post tomorrow," said -Thomas, as they sat at tea on the evening when the last barrel was -headed. "'Tis a clever catch, and we has un when we needs un th' -most." - -"And I hopes," said David, dipping a spoonful of molasses into his -tea, "'Twill be a fine year for fur, and us and Doctor Joe'll sure get -th' fur t' pay for Jamie goin' for th' cure." - -"Pop'll get th' fur--Pop and Uncle Joe," broke in Andy. "_Pop's_ a -wonderful hunter." - -"We'll get un if 'tis t' be got," declared Thomas. "Oh, aye, we'll get -un." - -"There comes Doctor Joe," Andy announced, as Doctor Joe, walking up -from the landing place, passed the window, singing in a rich tenor -voice: - - "The worst of my foes are worries and woes, - And all about troubles that never come true. - And all about troubles that never come true. - The worst of my foes are worries and woes, - And all about troubles that never come true." - -"I wonder, now," said Thomas, "if 'taint true--that song Doctor Joe is -singin'." - -Just then the door opened and in walked Doctor Joe himself. - -"Always just in time!" he exclaimed. - -"Set in! Set in!" said Thomas heartily, visibly cheered by Doctor -Joe's coming. - -"That I will," accepted Doctor Joe. "I was lonely at Break Cove alone, -and I pulled over in the skiff for a chat, and to spend the night--and -to have a look at Jamie's eyes." - -It was always a treat to have Doctor Joe with them for a night. When -he and Thomas lighted their pipes in the evening, and the big box -stove was crackling cheerily, he thrilled them with stories of other -and far-off lands. Thomas was no less interested than Margaret and the -boys in his wonderful tales of the great outside world, and of the -great city in which he had once lived--of the mighty buildings that -towered high, high up into the skies--of the rushing railway -trains--and their wonderful speed--of people so numerous that they -crowded one another on the streets, and where you might meet thousands -and thousands of people and never know one by name, and where half a -hundred families might live in a single house. - -"I'd like wonderful well t' have a look at un," said Thomas, "but I -wouldn't want t' have t' stay long in _such_ a place. There wouldn't -be room t' stretch." - -"No," agreed Doctor Joe, "you wouldn't care to stay there." - -"And how's th' huntin'?" asked David. "Seems like there wouldn't be -game enough for 'em all t' hunt, and I'm wonderin', now, how they gets -their meat." - -Then Doctor Joe had to tell them about cattle and sheep, the great -stock ranges and stock yards, and how the animals were butchered and -the meat sold. - -"I wouldn't want t' eat th' meat of animals I raised up like that," -declared Margaret. "'Tis wonderful hard and cruel t' tie un up like -that and kill un. They don't have a chance t' get away, like th' deer -has here." - -"But there are plenty of people there," said Doctor Joe, "who eat the -meat every day without giving a thought to that, but who think it very -cruel to hunt and kill deer and other wild animals." - -"But th' deer and wild game has a chance t' get away and save -themselves," insisted Margaret. "The poor cows and sheep don't have a -chance at all. There must be wonderful strange folk in th' world t' -think 'tis wrong t' hunt deer." - -"I'm thinkin'," suggested Thomas, "that th' Lard puts cows and sheep -in th' world for people t' kill and t' eat when they needs un. 'Tis -right for th' folk there t' kill th' cows and sheep t' get meat. 'Tis -right for us here t' kill deer and such game as we can, t' eat. We -couldn't live without un. 'Tis th' different ways th' Lard has of -givin' them meat an' givin' us meat." - -"That's sound reasoning," observed Doctor Joe. - -And so they talked until bedtime, and then, at Thomas's request Doctor -Joe read aloud from the scriptures, and Thomas offered an evening -prayer, for on The Labrador, where there are no churches, but where -folk live near to God, their Christian faith is great, and they do -not forget to give thanks for their blessings, and to worship Him. - -Then Doctor Joe spread his blankets upon the floor, for in that -country visitors and travelers carry their beds with them, and there -is welcome and room enough for all in every house. - -"I'll stay and help you load your fish," suggested Doctor Joe, when -they had eaten breakfast the following morning. "You've two good, -stout helpers, but an extra one, I take it, won't be in the way." - -"'Twill be a great help," said Thomas. "The boys finds th' barrels -heavy liftin', and an extra hand would help us wonderful much." - -"And get un done quicker," suggested David, "and then we'll get away -to th' post on this tide." - -"All right," said Doctor Joe, "let's go to it." - -Below the house Thomas had built of stones and logs a short jetty, -which served as a wharf for loading and unloading his big boat. The -barrels of fish were rolled down to the jetty, and the boat brought -alongside. - -"Now," said Thomas, "'twill be easy work. Davy and Andy can roll the -barrels to us, Doctor Joe, whilst you and I lifts un down into the -boat and stows un. They're a bit heavy, but we can manage without -troubling with a rope t' lower un down, and 'twill save time." - -"All right," agreed Doctor Joe. "Let them come, boys." - -[Illustration: "Aye, feel of un and rub the numbness out"] - -"Aye," laughed Davy, "we'll let un come fast as ever you and Pop can -lift un." - -And so they were doing well enough, and making quick work of it, until -the last barrel came, and the boat was so crowded with cargo that the -standing room for Thomas and Doctor Joe was narrow and cramped. - -"Have you a good footing there?" asked Doctor Joe, when the barrel was -balanced on the end of the jetty and they were ready for the lift. - -"'Tis all right," said Thomas, "let her come." - -And then Thomas slipped, and though Doctor Joe did his best to prevent -it, the barrel crashed down upon Thomas's leg, and when Doctor Joe and -David lifted it and released him, Thomas discovered that he could not -stand upon the leg. - -"She'll soon be all right," said Thomas. "She's just numbed a bit with -the weight." - -"Let me feel of it," suggested Doctor Joe, proceeding to examine the -leg. - -"Aye, feel of un, and rub th' numbness out," said Thomas. - -"Too bad! Too bad!" exclaimed Doctor Joe, presently. "The leg is -broken." - -And so indeed it proved. - -Doctor Joe and the boys carried Thomas to the house and laid him in -his bunk. Then Doctor Joe cut some sticks of proper length and size -and wrapped them with pieces of old blanket, and with David's help -set the leg and deftly bound the splints into place with bandages -which Margaret had quickly prepared under his direction as he worked. - -"There you are," he said, finally, standing up and surveying his work. -"Does it feel comfortable, Tom?" - -"Not so bad," answered Thomas. "Will th' lashin's hold, now?" - -"I'll warrant that!" assured Doctor Joe. - -"And is she like t' be straight and stout again when she heals?" asked -Thomas anxiously. - -"Straight and stout as ever she was," promised Doctor Joe, "but you'll -have to lie still for a month or six weeks, and then you'll be on -crutches for a time. I'll look after you, Tom." - -"And I can't go to my trappin' grounds, then, before th' New Year, -_what_ever?" Thomas asked anxiously. - -"No--not before the New Year--whatever--nor after the New Year--not -this winter--I'm afraid," said Dr. Joe, reluctantly. - -A shadow passed over Thomas's face, but he said nothing. - -"I'm sorry," sympathized Doctor Joe. - -"'Twere a blessin' you were here t' mend un," said Tom. - -"Yes," agreed Doctor Joe, "it was well I was here to set it." - -"I wouldn't mind so much if 'tweren't for Jamie," continued Thomas. -"How, now, can we ever get th' money t' pay th' lad's way t' have th' -great doctor cure him?" - -But this was a question Doctor Joe could not answer, and he was sorely -troubled. - -"Pop," said Jamie, who had come close to his father's bed, "we'll keep -our grit, both of us, now." - -"Aye, lad, we'll keep our grit, you and me," and there was a choke in -Thomas's voice as he reached for Jamie's hand, which Jamie gave him -after passing it before his eyes in a vain effort to brush the mist -away, which was a habit with him of late. - - - - -III - -DOCTOR JOE - - -Doctor Joe's usually jovial face had suddenly become drawn and tired. -He had not answered Thomas's question, "How, now, can we ever get th' -money t' pay th' lad's way t' have th' great doctor cure him?" How, -indeed, could they get the necessary money? What could they do to save -Jamie's eyes without money? And he was thinking of the years before he -came to The Labrador--of what he had once been--of the years that he -had spent on The Labrador as a hunter and fisherman. Had his life been -wasted? he asked himself. - -"We're in a tight pinch, but hard luck is bound to come now and -again," said Thomas, at length, startling Doctor Joe out of his -reveries, "and we'll try not to worry about un. If 'tweren't for -Jamie's eyes needin' t' be cured 'twouldn't be so bad." - -"No, if 'tweren't for Jamie's eyes it wouldn't be so bad. If 'tweren't -for Jamie's eyes," said Doctor Joe. - -And then he turned and went out of doors and down to the beach, and -for a little while paced up and down, with his head bent in thought. - -There is no regret in life so bitter as regret for indiscretions that -have ruined a career and ended life's hopes and ambitions. The world -is a desolate place indeed for a man to live in when he has no -ambition and no goal of attainment. He is simply existing--a clog in -the moving throng of doers. The man who does not go forward must of -necessity go backward. There is no room in the hustle and bustle and -jostle along the trail of life for one to stand still. - -Now, as Doctor Joe paced the beach, he was thinking of these things -and looking in retrospection upon his own life. What a wreck he had -made of it! Once he had all but gained his life's ambition, and a -noble ambition it was. Through years of toil and tireless effort he -had ascended the ladder of attainment. He had reached a high place in -the world. In those days he was strong and able and self-reliant. The -top round of the high ladder which he had climbed so tediously was -within his grasp. Then came a day when he lost his balance and slipped -and fell to the very bottom. In an hour all that he had worked for and -hoped for and won was lost, and with it his courage and ambition. - -Doctor Joe, contemplating his past and reviewing the train of -circumstances which had ended his career, showered upon himself bitter -denunciation and condemnation. He had indulged in appetites which had -seemed innocent and harmless enough at first, but which had gradually -and insidiously wormed their way into his soul until they had gained -possession of him and had become his master. Then they had mercilessly -ruined him and wrecked his life. Even the little fortune he had -accumulated was lost. If he had only clung to that, at least, he would -now be in position to meet the expense of Jamie's necessary surgical -operation. - -"Oh God!" he moaned. "This boy's future and happiness are in my hands! -What can I do? What can the impotent wreck that I am, do?" - -What, indeed, could Doctor Joe do? He was so indifferent a trapper -that his earnings barely served to supply him with the ordinary -comforts and necessities of life. The journey to New York would be an -expensive one, and there appeared to him no other way by which Jamie's -sight could be saved. - -Through the mist of departed years Doctor Joe turned back in fancy to -his own boyhood home. He saw his father's house, where he had grown to -young manhood, and had planned the great things he was to do in the -world. That was when life and the world with all their possibilities -lay before him. Now they were behind him. There were no hopes or -prospects for the future beyond a hand-to-mouth living from day to -day, with a gray shadow upon the past. - -He saw the path leading up from the village street to the door of his -father's cottage, and the green, well-kept lawn on either side, and -his mother's flower beds which she loved so well and nurtured with her -own dear hands. He was there again in fancy. An odor of roses and -sweet peas and honeysuckles came to his nostrils. He could see the -fat, saucy robins hopping about upon the grass. And there was his -mother at the door! How gentle and loving she always was. How she used -to tuck him into bed and kiss him good night, when he was little. What -plans she built for him, and how she always told him that he must be a -generous and noble man when he grew up. - -And then he passed on to the years when he helped his father, after -school hours, in the little store around the corner, and the terrible -day when his father died quickly, to be soon followed by his mother. -How desolate the world seemed then! What a lonely struggle lay before -him! - -And when his father's estate was settled, and the store and the home -were sold, and he left the village, he had barely enough money in his -pocket to meet his first year's expenses at college. But he had vowed -to make his way, as his mother had wished, and also to be her ideal of -a man. - -The years that followed were years of struggle, for it was not easy -with bare hands to finish his education. But in those days he had -brains and hope and courage, and the basic tenacity that will not -surrender. And he was inspired in those early years by a profound -belief that his mother was near him. He could not see her, but her -spirit walked with him and watched over him. It gave him courage to -feel her near him, and kept him straight when he was tempted to do -wrong, for he would permit himself then to do nothing of which his -mother would disapprove. - -But somehow, later on in life, he had drifted away from her. He did -not think of her so often, and with passing years her memory dimmed, -and sometimes he forgot to be true to himself and to her ideals. - -Doctor Joe's thoughts dwelt for a time on the thing which had caused -his downfall. What a friend it had seemed at first, but how, when it -gained possession of him it tortured and finally ruined him. And here -he was now--just a bit of human driftwood, cast up by the tide of -events upon a far shore. - -"Well," said Doctor Joe, finally, lifting his head and looking about -him, "there's one consolation. Driftwood in this land may be used as -firewood, to help warm freezing fingers. It's a better fate than -falling into a city sewer, or being cast upon a city's garbage heap." - -And so Doctor Joe recalled himself to the present, and its necessities -and obligations. What could he do? There was Thomas up in the cabin -lying helpless with a broken leg, and Jamie going blind. - -"If I were only the man I once was! If I were only the man I should -be!" he mused. "Then I might help them. But I'm a pretty useless stick -here, or anywhere. I've lost courage and ability. I'm not even an -ordinary trapper." - -It was a hard problem to solve. The breaking of Thomas's leg would not -ordinarily have been so serious a matter. But Jamie's eyes were at -stake. If Jamie were to go to New York to be operated upon there must -be money. If Thomas could not hunt, where possibly could the money be -had? - -"Well," said he finally, "I don't see any way just at present, but -there's no use worrying. If I worry they'll all worry, and it will do -them no good. I'll do my level best, and put a cheerful face on -things, and keep smiling. That seems to be all there is to do just -now." - -With this decision Doctor Joe turned sharply upon his heel and strode -briskly back to the cabin, singing as he went and as he entered: - - "Old Worry's my foe, and he always brings woe, - And he follows about wherever I go. - He's always on hand, and he makes the world blue, - And all about troubles that never come true. - - "The worst of my foes are worries and woes, - And all about troubles that never come true-- - And all about troubles that never come true. - The worst of my foes are worries and woes, - And all about troubles that never come true. - - "I'll put them behind me and be a real man, - And I'll smile and be cheerful, as any one can; - For it's foolish to fret, and worry, and stew, - And all about troubles that never come true." - -"I likes that song," said Thomas as Doctor Joe came in. "It kind of -makes me feel better." - -"There is something cheering about it," agreed Doctor Joe, "and the -best of it is, it's true that the most of the things we worry about -never happen." - -"I think you're right about that," said Thomas. - -"And now," continued Doctor Joe, "I've decided to stop here and look -after you and things generally, while David and Andy take the fish to -the post, if Margaret won't find me in the way," and Doctor Joe turned -to Margaret. - -"Oh, sir, you're _never_ in the way!" Margaret protested. "'Tis -wonderful kind of you to stop with us. 'Tis fine of you!" - -"'Tis that," agreed Thomas heartily. - -"Then I'll stay," said Doctor Joe, "until the lads get back. Unless -there's a contrary wind tomorrow they'll be back tomorrow evening, and -I can go home then, and make things snug for winter over at Break -Cove. Then I'll come back here now and again and spend Saturdays with -you if you like." - -"Will you, now? Will you do that?" asked Thomas eagerly. - -"Yes," assured Doctor Joe, "you're likely to get contrary, and if I'm -around I'll make you behave and do as you're told." - -"I'm thinkin' 'twill get tiresome layin' here, and," grinned Thomas, -"I'm like t' get cross and want t' get up and stretch, and if I -does--if I does, Doctor Joe, you're like t' have _your_ hands full o' -business if you tries t' stop me." - -"I'll take care of you!" laughed Doctor Joe. "Just let's agree, if -things get tedious, we'll keep cheerful and not let anything we can't -help worry us." - -"Aye," said Thomas, "we'll agree to that, though I'm not doubtin' -'twill be a bit hard now and again to be cheery with a broken leg all -lashed up like mine is, and me on my back." - -And so it was agreed that they were to look misfortune squarely in the -face, as brave men should, without flinching. And need enough they -were to have, in the months to come, for all the courage and fortitude -they possessed. - - - - -IV - -INDIAN JAKE, THE HALF BREED - - -As soon as ever Margaret could get them a cup of tea and a snack to -eat, David and Andy were to be off upon their voyage to the post. They -were good boatmen and sailors, both of them, for down on The Labrador -every lad learns the art of sailing early. Often enough they had made -the journey to the post in the small boat. But now they were to be -entrusted with the big boat, and with the season's catch of fish as -cargo, and they were to purchase the winter's supplies for the house. -This was an important mission indeed. - -David, as skipper of the big boat, and Andy as crew, therefore felt a -vast deal of responsibility, when Thomas called them to his bedside -and gave David the final instructions. They were to bring back with -them flour, pork, tea and molasses for the house, and woolen duffle, -kersey and moleskin cloth for clothing, besides many little odds and -ends to be purchased at the store. Then there were verbal messages to -be delivered to Mr. MacCreary, the factor, and to Zeke Hodge, the post -servant. - -"And tell Mr. MacCreary I may be askin' he for more debt than I been -askin' for many a year," added Thomas with a tinge of regret, for it -had been his pride to avoid debt. "But tell he I'll pay un. I'll pay -un all when my leg is mended and I gets about again." - -"I'll tell he, sir," said David. - -"'Twouldn't be so bad, now, if you had two more years on your -shoulders, Davy, lad," Thomas continued, a little wistfully. "You -could tend my trail then, and we might get th' money t' send Jamie for -the cure." - -"I'm 'most sixteen!" David boasted. "I could tend un now. I _knows_ I -could, an' you'd let me try un." - -"You're too young yet, lad," Thomas objected. "You're too young to be -alone up there in th' bush, I couldn't rest easy with you up there -alone." - -"I could try un, _what_ever," persisted David, eagerly. - -"I'm not sayin' you couldn't tend th' traps, lad," assured Thomas, -with pride. "You'd tend un, and not slight un. But a lad o' your age -is too young t' be reasonable always. You'd take risks on nasty days, -and run dangers. No," he added decidedly, "I couldn't think o' lettin' -you go alone. If anything were to happen to you I never could rest -easy again." - -David was plainly disappointed, for he felt the reliance and -self-confidence of youth, and the romance and adventure of a winter's -isolation on the far-off trail appealed to him. And in his heart -perhaps he resented what he deemed his father's lack of confidence in -him as a woodsman. It is the way of boys the world over to place their -judgment sometimes above that of their elders. - -The two lads ate their snack and drank their tea hurriedly, for the -day was none too long, and then, with Doctor Joe to accompany them to -the jetty and see them off with a cheery farewell, they loosed the -boat from her moorings and David, with a long sculling oar, worked her -down through The Jug and beyond the Point, where her sails caught the -wind. Then David put away the sculling oar, shipped the rudder, and -took the tiller, and turning to Andy he said: - -"Since Pop broke his leg I been thinking' wonderful hard, Andy." - -"What you been thinkin', Davy?" asked Andy. - -"I been thinkin' I've got t' hunt now, _what_ever," announced David. -"I'm goin' t' ask Pop again t' let me hunt his trail this winter. He -were sayin' I can't, but somebody _must_ hunt un, and I'm th' only one -t' do it. We got t' have fur t' pay for th' cure o' Jamie's eyes, and -Pop can't hunt, and they's no way t' get un if I don't hunt. If we -don't get un, Jimmie'll go blind, and we _must_ get un, _what_ever. -You'll have t' do my work about home and hunt th' meat and feed th' -dogs, and get th' wood." - -"Pop won't let you go t' Seal Lake alone!" exclaimed Andy, startled by -David's apparent revolt against his father's decision. "He said you -couldn't!" - -"Yes he will. You'll see," declared David. "I has a plan, an' Pop'll -let me go, I'm thinkin', when he hears un. And 'tis th' only chance t' -save Jamie from goin' blind. I can't make th' hunt Pop would, but I'll -do my best, and anyway I'm 'most a man. I'll soon be sixteen!" - -David, standing in the stern of the boat, drew himself to his full -height and squared his shoulders, and indeed he was a stalwart lad, -and Andy was proud of his big brother. - -"You _is_ fine and strong!" said Andy in admiration. - -"Aye, that I be," admitted David with no little pride, "and you're -fine and strong, too, for your age. You can handle th' dogs and 'tend -th' traps about home, and look after things whilst I'm away, and we'll -show Pop and Doctor Joe what _we_ can do." - -"And Pop lets you go!" said Andy. "But I'm wonderful afraid, now, he -won't let you go." - -"But I has a plan. _You'll_ see," said David with assurance. - -"What's your plan, now?" asked Andy. - -"'Tis a plan come t' me while Doctor Joe were settin' Pop's leg," said -David, "but I weren't tellin' he about un when he speaks of my goin'. -I wanted t' find out first. Indian Jake is back in th' Bay, and he's -wantin' a place t' hunt on shares because he can't buy his own traps. -He's been away two years, and th' Company won't let he have traps on -debt because he's owin' so much there already that he didn't pay -before he goes away. Trowbridge & Gray won't let he have traps -because he took his fur away two years ago when he were owin' so much, -and didn't try t' clear up any of his debt. Pop's got plenty o' traps, -and my plan is t' have Indian Jake hunt along o' me on shares." - -"It seems like cheatin' for Indian Jake t' take his fur away when he -were owin' a debt t' th' Company," suggested Andy. - -"'Tweren't honest," agreed David, "but he's sayin' now if he has a -chance he'll pay his debt. It seems hard for he not t' have a chance, -and by huntin' on shares along o' me 'twill give he a chance, and -'twill help us. Pop will have a third o' Indian Jake's hunt, and he's -'most as good a hunter as Pop. Then I'll have some one t' hunt with, -and I'll be safe, and Pop won't mind my goin'. All o' my hunt and a -third o' Indian Jake's, I'm thinkin', would be 'most as much as Pop's -would ha' been if he hadn't broke his leg. Then Pop and Doctor Joe -will sure have th' money t' pay for fixin' Jamie's eyes." - -"Oh, I _hopes_ he'll let you go!" exclaimed Andy. "Th' plan _is_ -fine!" - -David's plan was an ambitious one. Thomas had stated that he would be -quite too young for another two years to endure the hardship and -danger and isolation of the winter fur trails. But if he could arrange -for Indian Jake to accompany him, his father might consent. Jamie's -eyes were at stake, and that was the vital thing. David felt that no -sacrifice or risk was too great if they could save Jamie from -blindness, and he hoped that his father would, after consideration, -take the same view. - -It is rare that even an old, experienced trapper, enters the far -Labrador wilderness without a companion, though Thomas, who knew no -danger where he himself was concerned, had usually hunted alone. It is -the custom of trappers to work in pairs, with a central meeting point -where at stated intervals, sometimes once a fortnight and sometimes at -the end of each week, they may enjoy each other's society for a day or -two, and, if necessary, lend each other assistance. - -David was aware, however, that at this late season the trappers had -already gone to their trails, or had already completed their -arrangements for the winter. Therefore he had decided upon making a -bargain, if possible with Indian Jake, the only hunter in the Bay, so -far as he knew, who had no trail to hunt. It was only under these -circumstances that he suggested the half breed as his hunting -companion, for he was a man whom no one trusted. This general lack of -confidence in Indian Jake might lead his father to refuse to grant his -request, but he was determined to do his utmost to induce him to grant -it. - -Hugely interested, and more or less excited with their project, the -boys talked and schemed, until at length the line of whitewashed -buildings of the Hudson's Bay Company's post came into view. - -"There's the Post!" exclaimed David. "I hope Indian Jake is stoppin' -there yet." - -"'Twill be fine, now, if he is, and if he'll go, and Pop lets he have -th' trail t' hunt along with you. The Indian tents are all gone," said -Andy, indicating a long stretch of beach to the eastward of the post -which had been occupied by Indian camps during the summer. - -"Yes," said David, "they mostly goes th' middle of August t' hunt deer -before th' fur hunt begins. We won't see them again till the break-up -next spring, _what_ever." - -They were silent for a little, and then David, pointing to the rolling -wilderness to the westward remarked: - -"It looks fine t' me out there! And think o' th' martens and foxes and -lynx! It's full o' fur, Andy, waitin' t' be trapped, and if Pop lets -me go, I can trap _some_ of un, _what_ever!" - -"There's Indian Jake! See him? The lanky one!" exclaimed Andy, as the -boat drew near the wharf and four men came out of one of the buildings -and down the wharf to meet them. - -"Sure 'tis he! And there's Uncle Ben Rudder and Hiram Muggs, along -with Zeke Hodge! They must be gettin' their winter outfit. I'm -wonderful glad Indian Jake's here!" exclaimed David. - -Zeke Hodge, the Company's servant, with the assistance of the three, -quickly unloaded the boat. - -"Where's your pop? Makin' ready for th' winter huntin'?" asked Zeke, -as the boys came ashore after discharging the cargo and making the -boat fast. - -"He broke his leg this mornin' whilst we were loadin' th' boat," said -David. "Doctor Joe was there and fixed un, but Pop won't be out o' bed -for five or six weeks, _what_ever, and won't be strong to go t' th' -huntin' th' whole winter." - -"Good gracious! Good gracious! Dear eyes!" exclaimed Uncle Ben Rudder, -a grizzled, stockily-built old trapper of sixty years or thereabouts. -"Broke his leg! Tom Angus went, now, and broke his leg, did you say?" - -"Aye, Uncle Ben, broke un clear off, but she's fixed good and proper, -and Doctor Joe says she'll heal fine," David explained. - -Zeke, and Hiram Muggs and Indian Jake all declared it was "too bad, -and a sore misfortune, just at th' beginnin' o' th' huntin' season," -and Uncle Ben exclaimed: - -"Tom Angus broke his leg! Dear eyes! But Doctor Joe'll fix un! Good -gracious, yes! He'll fix un! He's a wonderful man, now, is Doctor -Joe!" - -"Too bad he can't hunt," remarked Indian Jake. "His trail up on Seal -Lake is one o' th' best in th' country. Too bad t' let it stand idle." - -"Hum-m-m!" grunted Uncle Ben. - -"'Tis a fine trail," agreed David, "and Pop makes fine hunts on it." - -"He might let some one hunt it on shares?" suggested Indian Jake. - -"Tom Angus won't need much help in decidin' whether he wants his trail -hunted on shares or no," Uncle Ben broke in with some asperity. "Tom -Angus is a great man t' decide for himself what he's wantin', and what -he's not wantin'. Good gracious! Tom Angus can decide for himself!" - -With this outburst Uncle Ben followed Zeke and Hiram into Zeke's -cabin, in response to Zeke's suggestion that "supper was 'most ready -and they might as well go in," but Indian Jake tarried behind with -David and Andy. - -Indian Jake, the half-breed, was not a native of the Bay. He had -appeared here first some five years before, coming from "somewhere -south," and after trapping in the vicinity for three seasons, -disappeared. During this time, as David had explained to Andy, he had -contracted a debt, and when he left he took with him furs which should -rightfully have been used in discharging it. Now after two years he -had returned, to remain permanently, as he stated, in the Bay. - -He was a tall, muscular fellow, with the dark red skin, straight black -hair and swinging stride of the Indian. A pair of keen, restless black -eyes and a beaked nose, suggested the hawk. His features, however, -were not those of an Indian, and plainly indicated a mixed ancestry. - -"I'd like t' hunt your father's trail on shares," suggested Indian -Jake, when he was alone with David and Andy. - -"Pop's got two trails up at Seal Lake," said David. "I knows his old -trail, and I were thinkin' t' hunt she myself if Pop lets me, and I'm -not doubtin' he would if some one were along with me huntin' th' new -trail. He's got all th' traps for th' new trail. I were goin' t' ask -you t' speak to he about un, Jake." - -"I'd like t' hunt with ye, Davy. I think we'd get along fine," said -Indian Jake, smiling down ingratiatingly at David, and Indian Jake had -a bland and pleasant smile when he chose, in spite of his beaked nose -and hawk's eyes. - -And so it came about that Indian Jake went to The Jug the next day -with David and Andy. And because there was such urgent need of money, -and also because David pleaded so hard, and Indian Jake was so good a -trapper--for no one doubted his ability--it was decided that not only -David, but Andy also, should go with Indian Jake to Seal Lake for the -winter, as we shall presently see. - -The boys were pleased beyond measure, for now each felt he was in -truth to take a man's place and do his part in earnest, and they were -quite sure that the problem of getting the money to pay the expense of -curing Jamie's eyes was solved. And perhaps, too, they were pleased -with the promise of adventure, for every red-blooded boy loves -adventure; and to be buried in the depths of the great wilderness for -many months, with no other companion than Indian Jake, was adventure -in itself. And, indeed, there was to be plenty of it for both of -them, and of hardships, too. - -"Then you'll be goin' home with Andy and me tomorrow to ask Pop?" -inquired David expectantly. - -"Yes," said Indian Jake, with undoubted satisfaction. "I'll go back -with you." - -David could scarce suppress his excitement, but neither he nor Andy -nor Indian Jake himself thought best to refer to the arrangement when, -a moment later, they followed the others into Zeke Hodge's cabin. Tea -was ready, and they drew up to the table with Zeke and Hiram and Uncle -Ben. - -In the center of the clean-scoured, uncovered table was a big, -steaming dish of stewed porcupine and doughboys, and at either end a -plate piled high with huge slices of bread, and when Zeke had asked -the blessing, Mrs. Hodge and Kate, her fifteen-year-old daughter, -poured tea and otherwise served the men while they ate. - -"Porcupine! Dear eyes! Porcupine!" exclaimed Uncle Ben, helping -himself generously. "Where'd ye get un, Zeke? They're wonderful scarce -these days. _Wonderful_ scarce! I ain't seen one since last spring." - -"Right back here in th' green-woods," said Zeke. "I heard th' dogs -yelpin' this mornin'; and I goes t' see what 'tis all about. There sat -th' porcupine hunched up, and th' old dogs in a circle around he, -doin' th' yelpin', and two of th' young dogs pawin' at their noses and -whinin', with their mouths full o' quills." - -"Huh-huh," chuckled Uncle Ben. "Th' old uns knew enough t' keep away -from danger. They'd been there theirselves, or seen them that had, and -th' young dogs had t' get hurt t' learn enough t' leave dangerous -things alone." - -"It took me an hour t' pull th' quills out o' their noses and mouths -with a pair of pincers," said Zeke. "They'll know enough t' give -porcupines room after this." - -"Some folks is like porcupines," observed Uncle Ben, glancing at -Indian Jake, who seemed quite unconscious of the thrust. "It's best -not t' have any dealin's with un." - -David and Andy were too full of their plans, and too hungry, and well -occupied with the toothsome dish, to heed Uncle Ben's suggestion. And -though many times that evening, while the men sat smoking their pipes -and talking about this and that, Uncle Ben made blunt and cutting -remarks that were aimed at Indian Jake's character and honesty, the -half-breed kept his temper and silence, with a remarkable display of -self-control. Once or twice, to be sure, a sneering smile stole upon -his face. It might have been that he held the esteem of the others in -fine contempt, or possibly he awaited a better opportunity for -accounting and revenge. - -But so far as David and Andy were concerned, they were thinking only -of Indian Jake's ability as a trapper, and were quite transported by -the belief that they had already solved the problems of the future. -With Indian Jake's help they were well satisfied the money would be -earned to pay for Jamie's cure. It only remained to gain their -father's consent to David's plan. They were optimists. They believed -that what they wished to be, would be, if they did their best to make -their wishes realized. Only experience can teach that the best laid -plans sometimes fail. - - - - -V - -UNCLE BEN GIVES WARNING - - -In the beginning Thomas had a decided feeling of uncertainty -concerning Indian Jake, because of Indian Jake's record of two years -before. The debt that he had left unpaid was for provisions and -clothing which had been advanced him by the Hudson's Bay Company that -he might subsist during the hunting season, and with the understanding -that he would pay the indebtedness by trading in at the Company's -store the furs he trapped. - -It was a debt of honor, thought Thomas and the other Bay folk, and the -furs, to their way of thinking, belonged rightfully to the Company; -and therefore, in taking them away with him, Indian Jake had actually -been guilty of dishonesty. Indian Jake agreed with Thomas, who stated -his opinion plainly to the half-breed. - -"I know the furs were the Company's," said Indian Jake, "but I had -reasons for goin'. Now I've come back t' straighten up what I owe. All -I want is a chance, and I can't pay what I owe if nobody gives me the -chance, and down t' th' tradin' posts they won't trust me, and nobody -else wants to, unless you do." - -"Well," said Thomas, after a little consideration, "I'll do it. 'Tis a -fine place for fur where I traps, and you'll make a fine hunt. - -"But you'll be huntin' one trail, and if I let Davy go he'll be -huntin' another, and Davy'll only see you once a week, _what_ever. -'Twill be a wonderful lonely time for Davy between times alone, and he -might have a mishap, for 'tisn't natural for a young lad t' be over -careful. I'm not thinkin' I'll let he go, Jake. You'll have t' hunt -alone. Davy's too young yet for th' work." - -"It's all the same t' me," said Indian Jake, "huntin' alone or with -company." - -"Oh, but, Pop," pleaded David in deep disappointment. "I'll be -wonderful careful. I'll 'bide in th' tilts when th' weather's too -nasty t' be out. I _wants_ t' go. I'll get _some_ fur, _what_ever, and -we needs un all to pay for th' cure t' Jamie's eyes." - -Jamie's eyes! Thomas looked at Jamie, who was standing at the window, -vainly trying to peer through the ever-present mist, and as he saw -Jamie raise his hand to brush the mist away a great lump came into his -throat. - -"Davy," said he, after a little silence, "you're a brave lad, and -careful, but 'tis a wonderful lonely place up there, trampin' th' -trails. The storms come sudden and awful sometimes, and it takes a -man's strength to face un. 'Tis frostier there, too, than here. -There's none o' th' comfort o' th' home you've always been used to. -I'd never rest easy if I let you go and you never came back." - -"But," insisted David, "I'll be careful and come back--and Jamie -mustn't be let t' go blind. 'Twould be worse for he than bein' dead. -_Let_ me go, Pop!" - -"I'll think about un--I'll think about un," said Thomas, and he closed -his eyes to think. - -At the end of ten minutes, when Thomas opened his eyes again, he had -decided, and turning to Indian Jake, he said: - -"I'm thinkin', now, I'll let Davy go, and I'll let Andy go along t' -keep Davy company and help he. The two will be company for each other, -and doin' th' work together they'll get over th' trail faster than -ever Davy could alone, and if they's a mishap, one can help the other. -But you'll have t' keep an eye to un, Jake!" - -"It's all the same to me, whether one or both of 'em go," said Indian -Jake. "I'll keep an eye on 'em, so they won't get in trouble." - -"Thank you, Pop! I'll be wonderful careful," said David, with vast -relief and satisfaction. - -"Are you meanin' _I'm_ t' go t' th' trails, too?" asked Andy, who had -been standing with David and Indian Jake by the bedside. - -"Aye, Andy, lad," said Thomas, "you'll go along and help Davy." - -"Oh--Pop!" exclaimed Andy, which was all his emotions and excitement -would permit him to say. - -"Is you glad, now?" asked Thomas with a smile, for he knew very well -how glad Andy was. It is the greatest wish of every lad on The -Labrador to go to the trails and hunt, as his father does, and eagerly -he waits for the time when he may go. It is a brave life, that, living -in the midst of the great wilderness, surrounded by its ever-present -mysteries, and what boy is there who does not wish to do brave deeds? -'Tis a man's work, following the trails, and the trapper plays a man's -game, and what boy does not wish to play a man's game? - -"Oh, I'm _wonderful_ glad!" exclaimed Andy. - -"'Twill be fine t' have Andy along!" broke in David, "and we'll hunt -fine together." - -"We'll hunt un the best ever we can," asserted Andy. - -And thus it had been decided, and the plan seemed a good one to Doctor -Joe, for it was the only solution of the problem of how to get the -money that would be so necessary the following summer. - -Nevertheless, neither Doctor Joe nor Thomas could quite rid himself of -a feeling of anxiety and uncertainty as to the wisdom of permitting -the boys to enter the wilderness with Indian Jake. They could not -forget his record, in spite of his fair promises, and try as they -would they could not feel complete confidence in him. - -The days that followed were busy ones at The Jug. It was the middle of -the first week in September, and Indian Jake was eager to be away to -the trapping grounds the following Monday, for it would be a three -weeks' journey, and with the coming of October the lakes might be -expected to freeze at any time. They would travel by boat and -therefore it was essential that they arrive at their destination on -Seal Lake before the freeze-up came. - -And so there was great hustle and bustle, assembling the outfit and -getting all in readiness. And Margaret, too, was no less busy than the -others, working early and late preparing the warm clothing that the -boys would need. - -Each was to be supplied with two adikys, one of heavy kersey cloth and -one of moleskin. The latter, with its close-woven, smooth surface, -would be an excellent protection from the wind, and snow would not -readily cling to it, and it was made large enough to wear over the -former. Both garments were fitted with hoods, and the hood on the -kersey adiky was trimmed with fur around the face to add to its warmth -and comfort. These garments were to be drawn on over the head like a -sweater, but were loose and roomy. There were no buttons, and no -openings where snow could sift in, and a drawstring around the face -permitted them to be adjusted snugly to the cheeks, though there was -no attempt to have them cover nose or mouth, for were that done the -moisture from the breath would freeze upon the face and cause painful -frostbite. - -Then in each outfit there were a half dozen pairs of slippers, or -socks, made of heavy woolen blanket duffle, to wear inside the -buckskin moccasins, and two pairs of mittens of the same material to -wear inside buckskin mittens, and each had a pair of moleskin cloth -leggins. - -Some of these things the boys already possessed, as they did round, -peakless muskrat skin caps that could be drawn down over the ears and -worn inside the adiky hood, but Margaret went carefully over all, to -be quite sure everything was in the best of order. - -Other clothing and equipment consisted of moleskin trousers, several -pairs of buckskin moccasins for winter wear, and kneehigh sealskin -boots for the milder weather of autumn and spring; buckskin mittens, -underwear, heavy outer shirts, ordinary knit socks, a sleeping bag for -each lined with Hudson's Bay Company blankets, cooking utensils, axes, -files for sharpening axes, and a mending kit containing needles and -thread for making repairs. And each was supplied with a 44-40 carbine, -and a quantity of ammunition. These were their especial pride. David -had been presented with his rifle the previous winter by Thomas, and -Andy was to have an old one which his father had used before he -purchased one of a later model. - -Indian Jake assembled the general camp equipment and the provisions, -the latter consisting chiefly of flour, pork, tea, a small keg of -molasses, and salt, packing everything into snug, convenient packages, -that could be handled easily. - -Jamie was vastly interested in the preparations. He did little things -to help the boys, and Indian Jake permitted him to hold open the -mouths of the bags as he packed them, to Jamie's delight, and made the -lad feel that he was really of much assistance, and the two became the -best of friends. - -Doctor Joe had gone home to Break Cove on the evening that the boys -had returned from the post with Indian Jake, and was not expected back -until Sunday. They were surprised, therefore, to see his boat coming -up the bight on Saturday morning, and astonished when Doctor Joe -announced upon his arrival that he had decided not to go to his old -trapping grounds that winter. - -"I've been thinking matters over," he explained, "and if you'll let -me, I'll make The Jug my home this winter. I'll hunt up here, Thomas, -where you used to hunt before you took the Seal Lake trail, when the -children were small, and you had to be home o' nights. My old trail is -pretty well hunted out, anyhow, and I'll do better here where there -hasn't been any trapping since you quit." - -"'Tis wonderful good of you," said Thomas. - -"I know well enough," continued Doctor Joe, "that unless you're -watched pretty closely, and I see you every day you'll be trying to -use that leg some day before you should, and perhaps break it again. -With this arrangement I'll be here every night and keep track of you, -and look after Jamie's eyes, if they need it. Once a week isn't often -enough. I can feed the dogs, too, and do the other rough work that's -too hard for Margaret, and that she shouldn't try to do." - -"I were thinkin' o' Margaret feedin' th' dogs," said Thomas, "and I -don't like to have her do it. They knows a lass can't master un, and -they'd be like t' turn on her some time." - -And thus it was arranged, to the vast satisfaction of Thomas and -Margaret, as well as Doctor Joe, that The Jug was to be his home while -the boys were away. And Jamie was mightily pleased, for Doctor Joe -would be jolly company of evenings, singing in his fine voice, as no -other in the Bay could sing, and telling him stories such as no one -else could tell. - -Everything was in readiness on Saturday night, in order that Sunday -might be observed as a day of rest. Thomas would permit no work to be -done about his home on Sunday that could as well be done another day. -Like most of the Bay folk, his faith was simple and literal. - -"'Tis wrong t' work and 'tis wrong t' shoot on a Sunday," said he, -"and anything that 'tis wrong t' do brings bad luck in th' end if you -does un. 'Tis goin' contrary t' th' Almighty." - -And so the day was spent in quietude and rest indoors, which pleased -Jamie greatly, for he was no less excited than David and Andy, and he -was glad to have them near. They had suddenly become heroes in his -sight, and indeed they _were_ heroes, aye, and soldiers, too, going -into the deep wilderness to battle with death-dealing blizzards and -bitter, changeless cold for the sake of those they loved. - -"And you and Andy makes a good hunt, and gets th' fur t' pay for -havin' th' mist took out o' my eyes," said Jamie, passing his hand -before his eyes in a pitiful little attempt to brush the mist away -that he might see David's features more plainly, "and th' great doctor -cures un, _I'll_ go to Seal Lake some time and hunt, too." - -"We'll do our best, now," assured David, "an' _we'll_ get th' fur, -never fear." - -"That we will," said Andy, squaring his shoulders. - -"Pop says you'll have t' keep plenty o' grit," warned Jamie. - -"We'll keep plenty o' grit," said Andy. - -"And a stout heart, like a man's," added Jamie. - -"And we'll keep our hearts stout like a man's," said Andy proudly. - -It was to be a long time before the family should be together again, -and Margaret had the dinner table set close to Thomas's bunk. Doctor -Joe had shot a great fat goose the day before--the first of the -season--and Margaret cooked it for their Sunday dinner. Then there was -bread and tea, and a fine big tart of bake-apple berries. And a cozy -feast they had, with the fire in the big stove crackling merrily, for -it was raw and cold outside. And though Thomas must needs lie flat -upon his back he enjoyed the feast as well as any of them, for -Margaret attended to that, in her gentle, thoughtful way. - -When dinner was cleared away Doctor Joe told them stories, and at -Margaret's request sang for them, and when he sang some hymns they all -joined with him--even Thomas, with a great bellowing voice. It was a -day to be remembered, and David and Andy were to think of it often in -the months to come, as they wearily tramped silent white trails, or -sat of evenings in lonely tilts. - -It was after candlelight, and they were at tea, that evening, when -suddenly the door opened and in walked Uncle Ben Rudder and Hiram -Muggs. Uncle Ben led Hiram directly to Thomas's bed, and Thomas -greeted them warmly. - -"Good gracious! Good gracious!" exclaimed Uncle Ben. "To think, now, -that Thomas Angus went and broke his leg! Dear eyes!" - -"'Twas a sorry mishap," sympathized Hiram, a wiry, active little man -of few words. - -"Aye," agreed Thomas, "but it might ha' been worse. I were thinkin' -how hard 'twould ha' been when the children were little, or a season -when th' fishin' were poor, and I were in debt with nothin' ahead for -th' winter." - -"H-m-m-m," grunted Uncle Ben. "I suppose nothin's so bad it couldn't -be worse, but bad's bad enough for all that. Good gracious, yes!" - -"Well," said Thomas, "we have t' take things as they come, good or -bad, and th' best way, t' my thinkin', is t' take un without -complaint. But set in now, and have tea." - -When tea was cleared away, and Indian Jake and Hiram and Doctor Joe -were smoking their pipes comfortably at the other end of the room, -Uncle Ben seated himself by Thomas's bed and asked: - -"How about th' huntin', Tom? I says to myself, when Davy tells me you -broke your leg, 'Tom'll need some one, now, t' hunt his trail on -shares. Good gracious, yes!' and so I speaks t' Hiram, and Hiram says -he'll hunt un, and here Hiram is, ready t' go." - -"Why, I got un all fixed for Indian Jake t' hunt un, along with Davy -and Andy, and they starts in th' marnin'," explained Thomas. - -"H-m-m-m!" grunted Uncle Ben. "Th' Lard helps them that's got common -sense. Good gracious! What's Indian Jake like t' do? You know Indian -Jake. He's like t' make off with all th' fur. Good gracious, you know -_him_!" - -"Well," said Thomas, a tinge of regret in his voice, for Hiram was -both a good hunter and reliable man, "Indian Jake has my word he's t' -go, and Tom Angus never goes back on his word." - -Uncle Ben grunted and grunted, and was soon in such ill humor because -Thomas would not listen to his arguments to change his plan that he -spread his blankets upon the floor, crawled into them, and was -presently snoring uproariously. - -And there was no doubt that Thomas had some misgivings about Indian -Jake, because of Indian Jake's bad record. And there was no doubt, -too, that these misgivings had been increased by Uncle Ben, whose -advice the folk of the Bay were accustomed to heed, for Uncle Ben's -judgment was in the long run uncommonly sound. - -"But a man's word is a man's word," said Thomas to himself, "and when -a man gives un there's no goin' back on it, for that wouldn't be -straight dealin', and first to last the man that keeps his word and -deals straight comes out on top." - -And so Thomas kept his word and stuck to his bargain, as any man -should, and in the twilight of Monday morning the boat was loaded, and -when David and Andy said farewell Thomas told them to do their best, -and Doctor Joe told them to stand up to their work like men, and Jamie -told them to keep their grit, and Margaret cried a little, for The Jug -was to be a lonely place now. - -And then, with David and Andy waving to those on shore, the boat moved -down the bight and out into the bay, until it passed from view around -the point, and the three voyageurs were on their way at last to the -great wilderness which was to hide them in its silent and mysterious -depths for many long months. - - - - -VI - -THE TRAPPING PARTNER - - -"Th' wind's freshenin', and she feels like snow. I'm expectin' a white -camp tonight," observed Indian Jake when they had passed out of The -Jug and out of the view of the cabin. - -"She does feel like snow," said David, "but it's a good wind for us, -and if she holds where she is we'll make a fine run up Grand Lake." - -"Yes," agreed Indian Jake, blowing a mouthful of smoke from his pipe -and watching its direction. "She's east nor'east now, and fine. We'd -better not lose any time stopping at the post." - -"No," said David, "not with a fine breeze like this. Pop was four days -gettin' up th' Lake last year, with contrary winds." - -It was a somber morning. Gray clouds hung low and the wind was damp -and cold, but it was a fair wind, and before nine o'clock they came -abreast the post. Zeke Hodge saw them and hailed and they answered his -hail, but passed on into the river without stopping, at which Zeke -marveled, for he had never before known a boat to pass the post -without pausing at least for a brief call. - -The tide was nearing flood, and this was vastly to their advantage in -counteracting the river current, and the five miles to Grand Lake was -accomplished in an hour. - -"Oh, 'tis grand!" exclaimed Andy when the long vista of lake appeared -before them. - -"Aye," said David, "'tis that, and that's why she's called Grand Lake, -I'm thinkin'." - -At the eastern end of the lake, where they entered it, both the -northern and southern shores were lined with low hills wooded to their -summits with spruce, white birch, balsam fir, and tamarack, the -foliage of the latter making golden splotches in the green. Some few -miles up the lake the wooded hills on its southern shore gave place to -naked mountains, with perpendicular cliffs rising sheer from the -water's edge for several hundred feet, grim and austere, but at the -same time giving to the landscape a touch of grandeur and majestic -beauty. In the far distance to the westward high peaks in an -opalescent haze lifted their summits against the sky. - -The vast and boundless wilderness inhabited by no human being other -than a few wandering Indians, lay in somber and impressive silence, -just as God had fashioned it untold ages before, untouched and -unmarred by the hand of man. There were no smoking chimneys, no ugly -brick walls, no shrieking locomotives; no sound to break the silence -save the cry of startled gulls, soaring overhead, the honk of a flock -of wild geese in southern flight, and the waves lapping upon the -rocky shore. The air was fresh and spicy with the odor of balsam and -other forest perfumes. It was a wilderness redolent with suggestions -of mysteries hidden in the bosom of its unconquered and unmeasured -solitudes and waiting for discovery. - -"It makes me feel wonderful strange--t' think I'm goin' in there," -remarked Andy presently, gazing away over the dark forest which -receded to the northward over rolling hills, "and t' think we're t' be -gone till th' break-up next spring, an' won't see Pop or Margaret or -Doctor Joe for so long." - -"Not gettin' sorry you're goin', now, be you?" grinned Indian Jake. - -"No, I'm not gettin' sorry. Not me! I'm wonderful glad t' be goin'," -Andy asserted stoutly. - -"Better not think about the folks and home too much, or you'll be -gettin' homesick," counseled Indian Jake. - -"I'm not like t' get homesick!" and Andy's voice suggested that -nothing in the world was less likely to happen. - -"Ah, but you'll have a sore trial, lads," said Indian Jake. "Wait till -we're deep in th' trails, and winter settles, and th' wind cuts t' th' -bone, and th' shiftin' snow blinds you, and th' cold's like t' freeze -your blood, and t' have t' fight it for your very life. _Then's_ th' -time that you'll be tried out for th' stuff that's in you--both of -you. And you can't rest then, for there's fur t' be got out of th' -traps, and there's no one t' get it but you, and you _got_ t' get it. -Then, lads, you'll be thinkin' of your warm snug home at The Jug, with -its big stove, and your cozy nest of a bed. There's no rest for the -trapper that makes a good hunt, lads. 'Tis the man that rests when th' -storms blow wild and the cold settles bitter and fierce, that makes -th' poor hunt. 'Tis always so with work." - -"We'll stick to un, and make th' good hunt," David declared stoutly. - -"Aye, we'll stick to un, and not be gettin' homesick, either. We'll -have plenty o' grit," said Andy. - -"That's the way to talk, lads!" said Indian Jake heartily. "Stick to -it, lads, and have grit a plenty, and you'll make a good hunt." - -"But I was thinkin' o' what a wonderful big place 'tis in there," and -Andy was again gazing at the forest-clad hills. - -"'Tis a _big_ place," said Indian Jake. - -"Pop says," continued Andy, "that 'tis so big they's no end to un." - -"Aye," agreed Indian Jake, "no end to un." - -"And there'll be nobody but just us in there," and there was awe in -Andy's voice. - -"Just us," said Indian Jake. - -Snow was falling when they made camp that evening in the shelter of -the forest on the lake shore, and cozy and snug the tent was with a -roaring fire in the stove, and the wind swirling the snow outside, and -moaning through the tree tops. Indian Jake had said little during the -afternoon, but now as he fried a pan of pork by the light of a -sputtering candle, while David and Andy laid the bed of fragrant -spruce boughs, he volunteered the information that they would be in -the Nascaupee River early in the morning. - -"That's fine," said David. "We made a wonderful day's travel, now, -didn't we?" - -Indian Jake did not reply, and the boys, too, fell into silence, until -supper was eaten and Indian Jake had lighted his pipe. Then David -asked: - -"Where were you livin' before you came to th' Bay, Jake?" - -"South," grunted Indian Jake. - -"Did your folks live there?" asked Andy. - -"Yes," answered Indian Jake. - -"Why don't yo bring un t' th' Bay t' live, now you're here?" asked -Andy. "'Twould be fine t' have your folks t' live with you." - -"Because I can't," replied Indian Jake, in a tone that implied he was -through talking. - -"I'm wonderful sorry," sympathized Andy. - -"It's too bad, now," said David. - -Indian Jake grunted again, but whether it was a grunt of appreciation -or of resentment that they should have asked the questions, they could -not tell, and quietly they spread their sleeping bags and slipped into -them. They were to learn as the weeks passed that Indian Jake had a -double personality--that he was both an Indian and a white man--and -that he possessed traits of character peculiar to both. - -It was Andy's first night in camp, and for a time he lay awake -wondering if Jamie and his father and Margaret were very lonely -without him and David. And then he fell to listening to the wind and -the crackling fire in the stove, and to watching in the dim light of -the candle the dark outline of Indian Jake's figure crouched before -the stove and silently smoking. The half-breed's face with its beaked -nose was never a pleasant thing to see, and now it looked unusually -sinister and forbidding to Andy. Presently it began to fade, and a -great black wolf took its place, and Andy dreamed that the wolf was -crouching over him and David, ready to devour them. - -He awoke with a start. The candle light was out and all was darkness -and strangely silent, with no sound save David's deep breathing and -the moan of wind through the trees. It was weird and lonely there in -the darkness, and when Andy thought of how long it would be before he -and David returned to The Jug again, it seemed still lonelier. - -"I must have plenty o' grit, and keep a stout heart, the way Jamie is -doing," he thought, and it gave him courage, and he slept again. - - - - -VII - -IN THE HEART OF THE WILDERNESS - - -The boys were awakened in the morning by Indian Jake entering the tent -with a kettle of water for the tea. The candle was lighted, and the -half-breed, in better humor, or at least more talkative than on the -previous evening, greeted them with a cheerful enough: - -"Mornin', lads." - -"Mornin'," said they, and David added: "Did much snow fall?" - -"Just a light fall, and it's clear and fine, and the wind's about -gone." - -There was no time for dawdling in bed, and the two lads sprang up and -made their simple toilet. Already the tent was warm, and they rolled -their sleeping bags and tied them into neat bundles, and then sat by -the cozy, crackling stove while Indian Jake fried the pork and made -the tea. - -"Will we get to the rapids today, Jake?" asked David, when finally -Indian Jake, after removing the pan of pork from the fire and placing -it before them on the ground, poured tea into the tin cups they held -out to him. - -"If the wind don't come contrary to us," said Indian Jake, dipping a -piece of bread into the pan and bringing it forth dripping with hot -grease. "It's a long pull from the mouth of the river ag'in' th' -current, but we'll try for it. We'll be losin' no time, leastways, for -there's no time t' be lost if we gets t' Seal Lake before th' freeze -up, with our late start." - -"We'll work hard for it, _what_ever," declared David. "'Twould be a -bad fix t' be caught by th' ice before we gets to Seal Lake." - -"That it would," agreed Indian Jake. "But you lads are goin't' find -the work gettin' there harder'n any work you ever had t' do." - -The first hint of dawn was in the East when they broke camp and set -forward upon their journey again. The air was brisk and frosty, but -when the sun rose it shone warm and mellow, and the snow melted and -trickled in glistening rivulets which ran down everywhere over the -rocks to join the river. That day they reached the rapids, and then -followed many days of tedious, back-breaking toil as they ascended -into the higher country--days when the boys needed all the grit that -was in them, and stout hearts, too. - -Sometimes Indian Jake and David pulled the boat at the end of a rope, -while Andy, with an oar as a rudder, or standing in the bow with a -long pole, steered it away from the shore and prevented its running -afoul of rocks. Thus they traversed a brook for some miles, when it -became necessary to circumvent a section of the river where it -thundered down through the hills in a great white torrent no boat -could stem. - -From the head of the brook there was a carry, or portage, as they -called it, of nearly two miles. Over this portage the boat must needs -be hauled foot by foot, overland. Several round sticks were cut for -rollers, and the boat drawn over them by David and Indian Jake, while -Andy attended to placing the rollers and keeping them in position. - -Then the provisions and other equipment were carried on their backs to -the place where the boat was to be launched. Indian Jake bore -tremendous burdens, with his voyageur's tumpline, which is the -Indian's way. And David and Andy, with combined shoulder and head -straps, staggered after him with as heavy loads as they could carry, -and did their best. Even then it was necessary to make three journeys -over the trail before the last pack was delivered at the place where -the boat had been carried. A whole day was occupied in transferring -the boat, and the larger part of another day in transferring the -goods, but Indian Jake cheered the lads with the assurance that it was -the longest portage, and therefore the hardest work they would -encounter on the journey. - -"I'm glad enough of that," declared David. "I'm about scrammed, and -I'm feelin' like I couldn't go much farther till I rests." - -"That's just like I feels, too," admitted Andy. - -"We'll make camp here for the night," said Indian Jake, "because 'tis -the best place to camp we'll come to before dark finds us. But every -time we feels weary we can't stop to rest. Travelers must keep goin' -often enough when they're tired. There'll be tired days enough, too, -before we reach Seal Lake, and there'll be tireder days on th' fur -trails in th' winter, and you lads promised you'd keep your grit." - -"Aye," admitted David, shamed by the rebuff, "we promised, and we'll -be keepin' our grit. I was forgettin', when I made complaint." - -"And I was forgettin', too," said Andy. - -Indian Jake never complained, and never admitted he was tired, and -never again did he hear complaint from either David or Andy, though -often enough they were almost too weary of evenings to eat their -supper. - -Whether Indian Jake appreciated their self-restraint and sturdy -tenacity, or accepted it as a matter of course, he never commented -upon it or uttered a word of approval, though he presently began to -treat them more as companions and veterans than as novices. Sometimes -he even asked David's opinion upon some point, and when he did this -David felt vastly complimented, for there was no better woodsman in -the country than Indian Jake. - -The nights were growing frosty. The ground was hard frozen, and the -bowlders at the water's edge were coated with ice. But the river -itself, too active to submit so early to the shackles of approaching -winter, went rushing along in its course, now quietly, with a deep, -dark, sullen current, now thundering over rocks in wild, tempestuous -rapids that made the heart thrill with its force and power. Day and -night the rush of waters was in the cars of the travelers, but withal -it was a pleasant sound. They thought of the river as a mighty living -thing, and as a companion, despite the toil it demanded of them. - -"Th' river roarin' out there makes me solemn, like," remarked Andy one -evening after they had eaten supper and sat by the crackling stove -while Indian Jake quietly puffed at his pipe. - -"How, now, does she make you solemn?" asked David. - -"I were thinkin' how she keeps rushin' on an' roarin' that way, -always," Andy explained. "She were goin' that way before we were born, -and she'll keep goin' that way after we're dead, no matter how old we -lives t' be. She'll keep goin', and goin', and goin', and there's -never like t' be an end t' her goin' till th' world comes to an end. -And I were thinkin' how much she'll see that none of us'll ever see. -Other folks'll be comin' in here t' trap just like we're comin' -now--after we're dead--and we won't know it, but th' river will." - -"And there's no end t' th' water that feeds her," added David. "I -wonders where it all comes from." - -"I wonders, now," mused Andy. - -"There's no doubtin', now, she's been runnin' like that since th' Lard -made th' world," continued David. "'Tis hard t' understand where all -th' water comes from." - -"I'm thinkin', now," and Andy's voice was filled with awe, "th' Lard -made un that way, and fixed un so there'd never be lack o' water. I -wonders, now, if th' Lard keeps watchin' her all th' time, and if -she'd go dry if He didn't keep lookin' out for un." - -"Th' Lard watches un all th' time," said David. "There's no doubtin' -that. Th' Lard watches out for everything, and He even knows what -we're thinkin' this minute." - -"I wonders if He does, now?" and Andy's eyes were filled with wonder. -"Do you think, Jake, th' Lard made th' river, and keeps watch that -she's always got plenty o' water?" - -Indian Jake shifted uneasily, and reaching over to snuff the candle, -grunted: - -"Hugh! I think sometimes the devil made her, th' way we have t' fight -her t' get up t' Seal Lake." - -"'Tweren't th' devil!" objected Andy, horrified at the suggestion. -"'Twere th' Lard made she. We couldn't get t' Seal Lake without she, -though she is a bit hard t' go up sometimes." - -"Pop says th' Lard makes it hard for us t' master th' good things He -makes for us," said David. "That's so we'll know how good they are -after we masters un." - -"You lads'll be gettin' homesick, and you talks about such things," -broke in Indian Jake, knocking the ashes from his pipe. "It's time t' -turn in." - -And so the days of toil continued, until one morning they entered a -lake, and David gave a shout of joy and announced to Andy that the -work of long carries and hauling the boat through rapids was at an -end. - -"We're 'most to th' Narrows tilt," said he. "This is th' lower end of -Seal Lake, and just above here is th' Narrows." - -And so it proved. When presently the lake narrowed down into a short -strait and directly opened into a far extending expanse of water, -David pointed excitedly to the eastern shore, some four hundred yards -above, with the exclamation: - -"There 'tis, Andy! There 'tis! See un?" - -And a few minutes later the boat's prow grounded upon a sandy beach at -the point David had indicated and at the mouth of a small river which -emptied into Seal Lake at the head of the Narrows, and there in the -edge of the forest that bordered the beach nestled the little log hut -they called a "tilt." - -"Here we are at last," said Indian Jake, who was in an amiable state -of mind, "and I take it you lads are glad enough t' be here." - -"'Tis fine!" exclaimed Andy. - -"'Tis that," seconded David, "and fine t' get here ahead o' th' -freeze-up." - -"Now we'll tidy th' place up and get it ready to stop in," said Indian -Jake, "and store our outfit away." - -Even Andy had to stoop to enter the low door, though, within, the -ceiling was amply high for Indian Jake to stand erect. The room was -about ten feet square, and was fitted with low bunks on two sides. It -contained a sheet-iron tent stove, with the pipe, which answered the -double purpose of pipe and chimney, extending up through the roof. - -They set about at once to make the place hospitable and comfortable. -Rubbish was cleared away and the earthen floor swept clean with a -handful of twigs, which answered well enough in lieu of a broom. Then -fragrant balsam and spruce boughs were spread upon the bunks for a -bed, and finally the outfit was carried up from the boat and -conveniently disposed of, and a fire kindled in the stove. - -The relaxation after the long, hard journey, was doubly acceptable. -The wood crackling in the stove, the spicy perfume of balsam, and the -sense of a secure retreat, gave the tilt an air of coziness and -comfort the boys had not experienced since leaving The Jug. This was -to be their headquarters and their home for many months, and their -place of rest and relaxation. - -David brought a kettle of water from the lake and set it on for -dinner, while Indian Jake turned some flour into a pan, and began -dexterously mixing dough for hot bread. - -"We made good time," he remarked good-naturedly, as he fitted a cake -of dough into the frying pan. "It's the second day of October, and the -lake won't fasten for another week, _what_ever. There's some geese -about yet, and we'll get some of 'em. They'll make a good change now -and again, later on." - -"That'll be fine!" exclaimed David. - -"We'll do all th' huntin' we can in daylight," said Indian Jake, "and -of evenings get our stretchin' boards in shape for the time when we'll -need 'em. And I expect there'll be some pa'tridges--" - -Indian Jake suddenly paused in his work to listen. He had but a moment -to wait, when there broke forth startlingly near a heart-rending howl. -It rose and fell in mournful cadence, dying finally in a long-drawn -"Woo-oo-oo," so near that it sent the blood tingling in shivering -waves up the spines of the boys. - - - - -VIII - -ANDY'S BEAR HUNT - - -"Wolves!" said Indian Jake, resuming his cooking with unconcern. "They -must be the other side of the little river, or they'd smell our smoke. -The wind's blowin' up from that way." - -"Are they like t' trouble us?" asked Andy anxiously. - -"They'll keep clear of _us_, never fear," declared David stoutly. "I'd -like t' get a shot at un once." - -"They're likely under cover o' th' woods," said Indian Jake. "But you -might have a look and see." - -David took his rifle and went cautiously out of the door, but -presently returned to report that the wolves, which were still crying, -were, as Indian Jake had supposed, hidden in the woods on the opposite -side of the river. - -"They won't bother us," said Indian Jake. "Wolves are mostly too much -afraid of the man smell to be troublesome. We might go after 'em, but -they're hard t' get at, and we wouldn't stand much chance of seein' -'em." - -"Will they be like t' come at us on th' trails?" asked Andy. - -"Not much fear of that," reiterated Indian Jake. "Mostly they follows -the caribou, and keeps clear of men. Slice some pork, Davy; and Andy, -you put the tea over. The water's boilin'." - -"I'm wonderin', now, how many of un there is," said Andy as he made -the tea. - -"Two was all that sounded," explained Indian Jake. "One was a good -piece off, and called lonesome, like he wanted company, and the other -that answered was handy by. They'll likely be gettin' together." - -When dinner was eaten, Indian Jake lighted his pipe with a shaving -which he whittled and ignited at the vent in the stove door, and while -David and Andy washed the dishes, busied himself with an examination -of the stretching boards which Thomas had used the previous year. -These were of different sizes, and properly shaped to fit the pelts of -martens, foxes and other animals hunted along the trails. - -Hunters remove the skins from the animals whole and draw them tightly -over the board with the fleshy side of the pelt on the outside. It is -then scraped with a knife until all adhesions of flesh and fat are -removed, and the board, with the skin still upon it, is hung from the -ceiling until the pelt is thoroughly dried. When properly cured and in -condition for packing, it is removed from the board and placed with -other pelts, as they accumulate, in a clean bag, which is usually -suspended from a rafter, where neither moisture nor animals can attack -it. - -Pelts dry quickly, and therefore comparatively few boards, assorted to -suit the size and form of the various animals, are sufficient for the -hunter's purpose. - -It was discovered that Thomas had left in the tilt an ample supply for -his own use, but now both Indian Jake and David must be equipped. - -"We'll be needin' a few more," said Indian Jake, "and we better make -'em while we has time. I'll cut two or three dry butts, and split 'em, -and whenever we have time we can work 'em down." - -"I'll go along and help," David volunteered, for he and Andy had -finished their dish-washing, "but there'll be no need o' your comin', -Andy. You can 'bide here in th' tilt and rest up." - -"I'm rested," declared Andy, resenting the imputation that he was in -greater need of rest than David. "I'll take my gun and see if there's -any pa'tridges around. They'll go fine for supper, now, an' I finds -any." - -"They will that," assented Indian Jake. "And see, now, that you bring -some back." - -"I'll do my best," said Andy, proudly taking down his gun, and -slinging his ammunition bag over his shoulder. "We'll have pa'tridges -for supper, _what_ever." - -Andy had hunted partridges and rabbits, and such small game as could -be found in the woods near The Jug, since he was nine years old and -strong enough to hold a gun to his shoulder. His father gave him an -old trade gun--a muzzle-loading piece--when he was ten years of age. -It was a gun which had been cut down because of a defect near the -muzzle, and with its shortened barrel was quite light enough for him -to aim with ease. Later on Thomas had permitted him to use the rifle -which he now carried, and he had become an excellent rifle shot. The -lads of The Labrador begin early to learn their trade, and to love it, -too. - -It was no new experience, therefore, for Andy to be alone in the -woods, and as he stole quietly through the trees he felt a deal of -confidence in his ability as a hunter and that he should make good his -boast to bag enough partridges for supper. - -A little distance from the tilt he turned down to the lake shore, -lined here by scrubby willow brush, in the hope of finding willow -ptarmigans, white grouse of the North, feeding upon the tender ends of -the willows. But unrewarded he finally turned back again into the -deeper spruce woods, and had gone but a little way when a small flock -of spruce grouse rose from the ground and, unconscious of danger and -quite fearless, took refuge in a tree. At easy range Andy had no -difficulty in clipping the heads from five of the birds with his rifle -bullets before the remaining ones took flight. - -"I knew I'd get un!" exclaimed Andy exultantly, gathering up the -game. "Now we'll have a fine supper." - -He drew a stout buckskin thong from his pocket, and at intervals of -about two inches made five slip nooses. Through each of these he -passed the legs of a bird, and drawing tight the ends of the thong, -made them secure. Tying the thong firmly around his waist, his game -thus carried made no burden, and left his hands free. - -"Now," said he, "I'll see what Seal Lake looks like." - -A little to the right of where Andy had killed the partridges rose a -naked, rocky hill, and turning toward it he quickly began ascending. A -hundred feet up its side he passed the last scrubby spruce tree. On -the central plateau of Labrador the tree line seldom rises far above -the base of the hills. It was a steep, rocky climb, but Andy was -accustomed to scrambling over rocks, and in a few minutes he had -gained the summit. - -Turning toward the lake he discovered its far-reaching waters -extending a full half-hundred miles to the westward. Its extreme end -was hidden in the boundless forest which, punctured by rocky, -snow-clad hills, rolled away as far as his eye could reach. For a -considerable distance to the northward he could trace, like a silver -thread, the sparkling waters of the Nascaupee. To the southeast lay -piled in massive grandeur an array of great white mountains. On the -sides of some of them high mica cliffs reflected the sun like disks -of burnished silver. - -Near by, to the south, a curl of smoke rose above the forest green, -and this he knew to be the tilt. Eastward from the tilt splotches of -water could be discerned, where the little river ran down to join Seal -Lake. - -Andy was used to wild nature, but this provided an element of romance -new to him. Here at his feet, in all its silent and magnificent -grandeur, stretched the great primordial wilderness which had been the -scene of his father's exploits. This, too, was the scene of strange, -weird tales of stirring adventures to which he had listened so often. -Here men had fought wild beasts. Here men had starved, and here had -been enacted heroic deeds, the narrative of which never failed to -thrill him. Was he destined to take part in like adventures, and like -deeds of heroism? - -He was awed by the immensity of the solitudes. A lump came into his -throat and tears into his eyes, as he looked away over the vast -silence to the horizon. This was God's land, just as God had made it. -No man lived here, or had ever lived here. There was no human -habitation within the limitless boundaries of these rolling miles of -forest and mountain, save the little tilt from which the curl of smoke -was rising, and no other human beings than himself and David and -Indian Jake. - -Then there came upon Andy a realization of his own smallness and -insignificance, and a wave of fear swept over his heart. Here in this -boundless wilderness he was to face the rigors of a long, sub-arctic -winter, with all its privations and hardships, cut off from all -communication with the greater world outside. For many, many months he -would have no word from his father or Margaret or Jamie or Doctor Joe, -or know how they fared, or whether the mist in Jamie's eyes was -thickening or no. It was not strange then if Andy experienced a sudden -longing for home and a touch of homesickness. - -But Andy was brave and full of courage, and presently throwing back -his head, he laughed, to drive away the fear and the loneliness. - -"Huh!" he said, "there's nothin' to be scared of. Pop says th' Lard'll -take care of us, and we does our best t' take care of ourselves. -There's fur here, and Davy and I must get un, t' cure Jamie's eyes, -and we _will_ get un, _what_ever. I'll have plenty o' grit, and a -stout heart like a man's, and 'twon't be so long when we goes home -again." - -With this he set out down the hill. His descent was on the opposite -side from that which he had ascended, and he came upon steep, rocky -cliffs that he must needs circumvent; and so he was picking his way, -looking only to his steps and giving too little heed to other matters, -when suddenly, as he rounded the last high ledge above the timber -line, he was startled by a savage growl. And there, in the edge of the -woods, and so near that Andy barely escaped colliding with it, was a -great black bear. The animal, no less surprised at Andy's sudden -appearance around the ledge than was Andy at meeting the bear, rose -upon its haunches, assuming a distinctly belligerent attitude. - -Instinctively Andy sprang aside, and under cover of the trees. The -bear, content to be unmolested, made no attempt to follow. Black bears -attack only when protecting their young, when wounded, or when driven -to bay. Under other conditions they are overwilling to seek safety in -retreat. - -This bear was no exception to the rule. He had, as yet, no quarrel -with Andy. His sole object in displaying teeth and claws was -self-protection. So long as Andy evinced no intention of injuring him, -he was well content to let Andy go his way, while he went his own. - -Perceiving that the bear was not following him, Andy quickly turned -about to discover that it had also turned about, and was slowly, and -with dignity, retreating. - -Then it occurred to Andy that he could never return to the tilt and -tell David and Indian Jake that he had encountered a bear and -permitted it to escape without ever firing a shot. Indian Jake would -gibe him and David would think him a coward, and he _would_ be a -coward! He would never be able to face the world again without an -inner sense of shame at his cowardice, if he permitted fear to -overcome his duty as a hunter! But he was not afraid! He had simply -been surprised and startled! At this season the bear would be in prime -condition. Its meat was good to eat and its skin was valuable, and no -valuable skin must escape. - -These thoughts flashed through Andy's mind in the instant that he -realized that the bear had turned about and was passing out of range, -and without further hesitation he raised his rifle and fired. - -The bullet, not well directed, struck the animal in the flank. With a -growl it swung around and began biting at the wound. A second bullet -grazed its ear, and Andy, in excitement, permitted the third to go -wide of its mark. - -The bear, now thoroughly aroused and angered, charged directly at -Andy. There were two cartridges remaining in the rifle, and Andy was -immediately aware that those two cartridges must be effectively -placed. He must kill the bear, or the bear would kill him, for there -is no middle ground of compromise with a wounded bear. - -There was small time for planning his course of action, and Andy made -no plans, but permitted instinct to guide him. He sprang behind a -convenient tree, and with the assistance of the tree to steady his -aim, sent another bullet at the approaching animal. The shot took -effect, but served to retard the bear's advance for only a moment. -Then Andy fired the remaining cartridge. It went wild, and the bear, -bellowing with rage, rushed at its enemy and tormentor. - - - - -IX - -THE STEALTHY MENACE OF THE TRAIL - - -There were cartridges enough in Andy's bag, but he had no time now to -reload, and dropping the rifle he seized the low hanging limb of a -tamarack tree, swung himself up, and clambered to a limb above barely -in time to escape a stroke of the bear's powerful paw. - -Then it was that Andy remembered that bears can climb quite as well as -men, and this wounded and blood-bespattered bear proved himself an -excellent climber indeed. Up the tree he came, with an agility that -was alarming, and Andy, now thoroughly frightened, slid out upon the -limb upon which he was perched, to escape the long reach of the great -paw. - -Andy was cornered. He was certain that death awaited him. In some -degree his mind became dulled and paralyzed with the thought. In a -disconnected way he wondered whether the bear would tear him badly, or -be content to kill him and leave his body for foxes and wolves to -devour. In that moment he was not greatly concerned about it. He was -little more interested in it than he would have been in tomorrow's -weather. - -But the instinct of self-preservation never becomes extinct so long as -life remains, and acting upon that instinct rather than upon any -definite plan Andy slid farther out upon the limb. As the bear -followed he continued to slide, when of a sudden the supple ends of -the limb bent beneath his weight, he lost his grip, and went tumbling -to the ground, leaving the baffled and astounded bear upon the limb. - -Andy was on his feet in an instant. With the knowledge that he was at -least temporarily out of reach of the creature and its terrible claws, -his mind awoke with new hope of escape. - -His rifle lay within reach, and seizing it he hurriedly jammed a -cartridge into the magazine, threw the lever back, drew it forward -again with a click, and was in time to place the muzzle of the rifle -almost against the bear's body, over its heart, as it descended, -backing down the tree trunk. - -There was a report, the bear loosed his hold, and fell in a heap upon -the ground. Andy was safe, and realizing the fact, his strength left -him, and he stood, trembling, and so weak that for a little he could -scarce move. - -A half hour later when Andy appeared at the tilt he had nearly -regained his usual composure. David and Indian Jake were busy near the -door splitting slabs from dry spruce butts, and looking up Indian Jake -asked, jocularly: - -"Where be th' pa'tridges we're goin' to have for supper? I suppose -you got a fine lot of 'em? I never was so hungry for pa'tridges in my -life." - -"Here they be," replied Andy, lifting the skirts of his adiky and -displaying the five birds tied to his belt. - -"You did get un, now, didn't you?" said Indian Jake. - -"Andy's a rare good pa'tridge hunter," David asserted, resenting -Indian Jake's implication that he might not be. "He knows how t' find -th' birds when they're about, and he knows how t' shoot un, too." - -"And this ain't all th' game I'm gettin'," said Andy, who had stood -with fine unconcern, gloating in the surprise he had in store for -them. "I killed a bear back here by th' hill. We better go and skin -he, an' bring in th' meat, _I'm_ thinkin'!" - -"A bear!" exclaimed David and Indian Jake incredulously. - -"Aye," said Andy, "and a fine big un, too. He's prime, and has a rare -good skin." - -There was no doubt that Andy was in earnest, and Indian Jake and David -lost no time in securing their rifles and following him as he led them -proudly back to the scene of his encounter. - -The bear was, as Andy had declared, fine and fat, with a glossy, -well-furred pelt. And, while they removed the pelt from the carcass, -and dressed and cut the meat into convenient pieces for carrying back -to the tilt, Indian Jake and David must needs hear the story of -Andy's adventure in detail. And Indian Jake, who took things for -granted, and rarely complimented any one, praised Andy's courage, and -David declared no one could have done better "in such a tight fix," -and Andy was quite swelled up with pride, and glad of the adventure, -now that it had ended so happily. - -Bear steak was a rarer treat than boiled spruce partridge, and Indian -Jake quite forgot his earlier longing for a partridge supper. Indian -Jake had indeed never been in such good humor. He declared that he had -never eaten finer bear's meat, and that no one could wish for a better -meal, and the boys quite heartily agreed with him. And when they were -through eating, and he had lighted his pipe, Indian Jake told them -stories of Indian hunters who had lived and had their adventures in -these very forests where they were camped. It was a rare evening, that -first evening in the tilt, and one to be remembered. - -Geese were not nearly so plentiful as they had hoped. The larger -flocks had already passed to the southward, for winter was near at -hand, and only small, belated flocks of stragglers remained. -Nevertheless, by hard, persistent hunting, seven geese and twelve -ducks were bagged during the succeeding week, before the last goose -and duck to be seen until spring returned, had disappeared. - -The weather was cold enough now to keep the bear's meat and birds well -frozen. Thus they would remain sweet and good until needed, and it was -pleasant and safe to have an ample supply of fresh meat to draw upon -as required. - -The trail along which David and Andy were to set their traps extended -eastward through the forest, and on the southern side of the small -river at the mouth of which the Narrows tilt was situated, to another -tilt on the shores of Namaycush Lake, a distance of twenty-five miles. -Midway between the Narrows and Namaycush Lake tilts was another, known -to the hunters as the "Halfway tilt." From the Namaycush Lake tilt the -trail swung out through the forest, circuited a great open marsh, and -returned again to the tilt. From this point it followed westward along -the northern bank of the river, turned in at the Halfway tilt, and -thence continued westward on the northern side of the river, to return -to the Narrows tilt again. - -The entire length of the trail was about sixty miles, and the distance -from tilt to tilt constituted a day's work. Thus, setting out from the -Narrows tilt on Monday morning, they would stop that night in the -Halfway tilt, Tuesday and Wednesday nights in the Namaycush Lake tilt, -Thursday night again at the Halfway tilt, and reach the Narrows tilt -on Friday night, to remain there until Monday morning. This gave them -Saturday and Sunday for rest, and to make necessary repairs to -clothing and equipment. It also permitted an allowance for delay in -case of severe storms. - -Indian Jake's trail took a northerly direction from the Narrows tilt, -and with tilts at similar intervals made a wide circuit, returning, as -did the other trail, to the Narrows tilt. Thus it was arranged that -each week Indian Jake and the boys should spend the period from Friday -evening until Monday morning together. - -It was the middle of October when they awoke one morning to hear the -wind howling and shrieking outside. Upon opening the tilt door David -was met by a cloud of swirling, drifting snow, and when he went to the -river for a kettle of water he found it necessary to use his ax to cut -a water hole through the ice. For three days and nights the storm -raged over the wilderness, and when at length it passed, a new, -intense, penetrating cold had settled upon the land. The long Labrador -winter had come. - -"Now," said Indian Jake, "it's time to get the traps set and the -trails shaped up." - -Two long Indian toboggans, or "flat sleds," as they called them, were -leaning against the tilt. A supply of provisions and their sleeping -bags were lashed securely upon these, and in the cold, frosty dawn of -a Monday morning Indian Jake, hauling one, set out to the northward, -and with David hauling the other, the two boys crossed the little -river upon its hard frozen surface and plunged into the forest to the -eastward, and the tedious rounds of the long white trail were begun. - -The first journey of the season over a trail is always hard, for there -is no hope that the next trap may hold a valuable pelt. So it was -with David and Andy, though the novelty of the experience kept them to -some extent buoyed and interested. But the work was hard, -nevertheless. So far as possible they used the stumps that Thomas had -used the previous year for their marten traps, but still there was the -necessity of cutting and trimming new stumps. The snowshoeing, too, -was far from good, for in the shelter of the trees the snow was soft, -and they sank half way to their knees at every step. Out on the open -marshes, however, where the wind had packed the snow firmly, they -walked with ease. Here it was, in open, wind-swept regions, that they -set their fox traps. - -The silence was appalling. Down at The Jug there was always at least -the howling and snarling of the dogs to break the quiet, when ice in -winter throttled the otherwise unceasing song of Roaring Brook. But -here in the wilderness no sound disturbed the monotonous stillness, -save the winter wind soughing through the tree tops. It was a new -world to the lads, and the world that they had known seemed far, far -away. - -Withal, that first week was a trying one, and when, late on Friday -evening they glimpsed at a distance the Narrows tilt, and saw smoke -issuing from the pipe, they welcomed it joyfully, and were glad enough -to be back. Upon entering they found Indian Jake busily engaged -preparing supper, the tilt cozy and warm, and the kettle boiling -merrily. A pot of partridges simmering upon the stove sent forth an -appealing odor. Then they realized how very lonely they had been. - -"How you making it, lads?" asked Indian Jake cheerily. - -"Not so bad," answered David stoutly. - -"'Tis wonderful fine t' see you, Jake," exclaimed Andy. - -"'Tis that," agreed David. - -Indian Jake laughed. - -"'Twas--'twas growin' lonesome out there," explained Andy. - -"Yes," said Indian Jake, "it is lonesome out there till you get used -to it." - -"It seems a wonderful long time since we left the Jug," observed Andy, -as they ate supper. - -"Not so long," said David, a little inclined to brag. - -"No only a month yet. But," condescendingly, "'tis like t' seem long -the first time. 'Twas so when I was up here with Pop last year. But -I'm not mindin' un now." - -"You was lonesome enough up at the Namaycush Lake tilt," Andy -retorted. - -"'Twon't help any t' talk about un," warned Indian Jake. "You'll be -gettin' homesick at the start." - -But after this the hope that each trap would reward them with a fine -pelt kept alive their keen interest in the work. And, too, they were -doing exceedingly well. Before the middle of December they had -captured fourteen martens, one red, one cross, and two white foxes, -which was quite as well, Indian Jake declared, as he had done, and was -very well indeed, and they were proud. - -"And it's all prime fur except th' first two martens we got," said -David. - -"We're makin' a grand hunt, Davy!" exclaimed Andy, enthusiastically. - -"That we are!" agreed David. - -The cold was tightening with each December day. Wild, fierce storms -sprang up suddenly, and the air was filled with blinding clouds of -snow. But David and Andy kept steadily at their work, with "plenty of -grit, and stout hearts," lying idle only when it would have been too -dangerous or foolhardy to venture forth from the protection of the -tilts. This is the portion of the fur hunter's existence. - -But neither David nor Andy gave thought to the hardships he was -experiencing. They had expected them, and they were accustomed to cold -weather and deep snows. They were always glad, however, to reach the -snug shelter of the tilts, of nights. - -Their excellent success kept them in good spirits and contented at -their work for the most part, though sometimes, when drifting snows -clogged the traps, and days were spent in clearing them, the trails -grew tedious, and then it was quite natural that they should long for -the return of summer, and for home. - -Nothing occurred to vary the monotonous routine of the days until -late one December afternoon. The previous night had been one of wind -and drifting snow. The fox traps lay deeply covered by drifts, and -since early morning they had been clearing and resetting them. The -long northern twilight was at hand, and, plodding silently along -toward the Namaycush Lake tilt, still three miles away, they were -thinking of the hot supper and warm fire, and hours of rest that -should presently be theirs, when suddenly David stopped and listened -intently. - -"What is it?" asked Andy. - -"'Tis something following us," answered David after a moment's -silence. - -"I hears nothing," said Andy. - -"But 'tis there!" insisted David. "I _feels_ un!" - -A little longer they listened, and then passed on. - -"There _is_ somethin'!" exclaimed Andy presently, in an awed voice. "I -feels un too." - -Closer and closer the something seemed to come, stealing after them -stealthily through the shadows of the forest. With the instinct of -those born and bred to the solitudes, they felt the presence, and were -certain it was there, though they could neither hear nor see it. - -Again and again they paused expectantly to listen, and at length their -keen ears caught a light, stealthy tread. - - - - -X - -THE FIGHT WITH A WOLF PACK - - -"Hear un! Hear un coming!" exclaimed Andy in a hushed voice. - -"'Tis just back there in th' bush, but I can't see un!" said David, -under his breath. - -"Take a shot, anyhow," suggested Andy, who had lashed his own rifle on -the load, that he might carry an ax, which was constantly required in -the work about the traps. - -"Not till we sees un," David objected. "Pop says never shoot at what -you don't see." - -They hurried a little now, though pausing frequently to peer into the -forest gloom behind them. Twilight was thickening. The thing, whatever -it was, that followed them was growing bolder and less careful to -conceal its movements. With little effort they could quite plainly -hear the tread of soft footfalls on places where the snow was covered -by an icy crust. It was not, however, until the stovepipe of the tilt, -standing in black silhouette above a great snowdrift that nearly -covered the little log building, had risen into view, that Andy, -looking back, exclaimed: - -"There 'tis, now! There 'tis! Wolves!" - -David stopped, and turning about beheld five great fearsome gray -creatures. It was at least a relief to know what manner of beast -stalked them. There is attached to a hidden, skulking enemy a mystery -that accentuates the sense of peril. But now the danger was real -enough. - -When the boys stopped, the wolves stopped also, and in full view sat -upon their haunches, with lolling red tongues, greedily observing -their intended victims. They were not above fifty yards distant, and a -cold chill ran up the lads' spines as they beheld them. - -"Shoot now!" said Andy, tensely, after a moment's silence. - -Dropping the hauling rope of the toboggan from his shoulders, David -without a word slipped his rifle from the loose sealskin case in which -he carried it, took careful aim, and pulled the trigger. - -"Snap!" went the hammer, but there was no explosion. - -A wolf sprang to his feet, and baring his ugly white fangs emitted a -snarl that sent a fresh tingle down the boys' spines. - -"The firing pin is froze!" exclaimed David, again cocking the rifle -and aiming. - -Again there was a snap but no explosion. Again he tried, and again the -cartridge failed to explode. - -"Pick up th' gun case, Andy, and walk ahead," directed David, in a -voice tense with excitement, as he readjusted the hauling ropes upon -his shoulders. "Don't run, now, b'y, and don't hurry. Pop says never -run from wolves. If you do, they're like t' close in on us." - -"We're most to th' tilt," said Andy nervously, as he obeyed David's -instructions and set forward, with David in the rear, at their usual -pace. - -When David and Andy moved the wolves followed. With every step they -gradually but perceptibly drew a little closer. When the outline of -the tilt appeared through the thickening twilight the animals were not -ten yards behind the nervous, frightened boys. David, glancing back, -could see the bristling hair above the powerful shoulders, and the -ugly red lolling muzzles of the beasts. - -"Get in quick and light th' candle, Andy!" he directed when at last -they reached the door. "Hurry, now! They're like t' rush any minute!" - -Snow had drifted against the door and clogged it, and it seemed to -David that Andy would never get it open. The wolves were edging -closer--closer--closer. They were not twenty feet away when at last -the doorway was cleared and Andy sprang into the tilt, shouting to -David to hurry, while he nervously lighted the candle. - -In momentary fear of being charged by the pack and torn to bits, David -had stood facing the wolves as they edged in, inch by inch. Andy's -shout, and the flare of the candle within the tilt brought assurance -of safety, and with his face still to the wolves he backed into the -door, drawing the toboggan after him. - -"Come, Andy, now, help me pull her! Help me pull her!" David shouted, -tugging with frenzied energy at the loaded and unwieldly toboggan. - -Lashed upon the toboggan were their sleeping bags and two of the -finest martens they had captured during the winter. If he abandoned -it, David was well aware that the wolves would destroy everything it -contained, and with never a thought that the wolves would be so bold -as to attempt to follow him and Andy into the tilt, he determined also -to save their belongings. - -Andy sprang to his assistance, and the two boys pulled with all their -strength, but as they might well have known, the toboggan was quite -too long for the narrow tilt, and when they had drawn it in as far as -they could, an end still blocked the doorway, and they could not close -the door. - -Then it was that the heads of two wolves, ravenous, and grown -exceeding bold, fearless even of the candle light, appeared at the -entrance, determined, it was apparent, to make an attack, whether or -no. - -David, in desperation, instinctively seized his rifle, threw it to his -shoulder, with the muzzle almost touching the leading wolf, and pulled -the trigger. - -There was an explosion, a snarl, and the wolf fell at David's feet. -The frozen firing pin was at last released. With lightning speed he -threw forward and drew back the lever, and fired again, and the other -wolf fell. Stooping low, with the rifle still at his shoulder, he -discovered the three other wolves slinking in the twilight just -outside the door, and again his rifle rang death to a wolf, But this -was to be his last victim, for the two remaining animals turned, and -faded in the gathering gloom. - -"'Twas a narrow escape!" exclaimed Andy, sitting limply down upon the -edge of a bunk. - -"That it was!" and David, no less excited and relieved, was visibly -shaking. - -"They might have got us!" said Andy, weakly. - -"They might have, but they didn't, and they didn't get th' martens or -tear up our sleeping bags, either," and the trembling but proud David -seated himself by Andy's side, to recover his composure. - -"You kept your grit, and were wonderful brave, Davy," said Andy -admiringly. - -"Oh, 'twasn't anything," and David, with a brave show, arose and began -unlashing the toboggan. "You kept your grit just as much, Andy. If you -had run, or hadn't got the door open or the candle lit, we'd sure been -killed." - -"'Twere fine th' gun went off, but 'tis strange she didn't go off when -you tried her before," suggested Andy. - -"If I'd tried un once more out where we first saw th' wolves, she'd -have gone off, but I gives up too soon," said David. "Th' tryin' I did -loosed th' ice around th' firin' pin. I just _had_ t' try un when th' -wolves started in after us; and she were all right." - -And so it is, much too often in life. We give up too soon. We would -turn many a failure into success if we would but keep on trying, and -doing our best, and not permit ourselves to become discouraged. - -When the toboggan was unloaded they took it out, dragged in the dead -wolves where they would not freeze, and after they had kindled a fire -and eaten their supper, removed the pelts from the three, and fine big -pelts they were. - - - - -XI - -A STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE - - -Even their first marten had not given the boys the degree of -satisfaction they derived from the capture of the wolf pelts. They had -experienced an adventure, too, that had impressed upon them the need -of constant watchfulness, and it was agreed that in future each should -carry his rifle, and be assured that it was always in serviceable -condition. - -"I'm thinkin', now," observed Andy, as he and David scraped the pelts, -"that these must be th' same wolves we heard the day we comes t' Seal -Lake. They've been 'bidin' close by ever since, like as not." - -"It's like as not they're th' same," agreed David, "but they were -never 'bidin' so close all this while without showin' themselves. They -makes their hunt where there's deer, and I'm thinkin' there's deer not -far away." - -"Some deer's meat would go fine," suggested Andy. - -"'Twould, now," said David. "'Tis strange we've seen no deer footin' -anywhere th' whole winter." - -"Maybe th' deer are comin' handy, and that's what brings th' wolves -back," said Andy. - -"They're like t' be on th' open meshes," said David. "We may see signs -of un tomorrow." - -"And if we does, we'll have a deer hunt!" exclaimed Andy, expectantly. - -"We will that!" declared David, "even if we are a day late gettin' -back t' th' Narrows tilt." - -The adventure of the evening occupied their conversation until the -wolf pelts were scraped and hung to dry. Then David filled the stove -with wood, and blowing out the candle they slipped into their sleeping -bags. - -"I'm wonderin', now," mused Andy, after they had lain a little while -in silence, "what Pop will say when we tells him about th' wolves." - -"He'll say we did fine gettin' three good skins," said David proudly. -"They're all prime, and worth four dollars each, _what_ever." - -"'Tis a fine day's hunt!" enthused Andy, adding: "But I wouldn't want -t' be chased by un again!" - -"Aye, 'twere a close call," admitted David. "After this we'll both -carry our rifles, and we'll be sure they're workin' all right." - -"And I'm thinkin'," said Andy, "th' Lard was on th' lookout for us, -and He made your rifle go off, Davy, just th' right time." - -"Aye," said David, "just th' right time." - -"When I said my prayer," continued Andy reverently, "I thanked th' -Lard for standin' by us." - -"So did I," admitted David, "and I thanked He for th' three wolf skins -and th' two martens. They're a big help toward payin' for Jamie's -cure, and we gets un all in _one_ day." - -"I wonders," and Andy's voice was filled with awe, "if Mother knows -about un, and if she's glad?" - -"And I wonders, too!" said David, in subdued and reverential voice. -"If she knows about un, she's wonderful glad, Andy--and--I'm always -thinkin, she does see us, Andy, and everything we does. She were -tellin' me once, Andy, before she dies, that when th' Lard takes she -away to be an angel, she'll always keep close to us in spirit. She -were sayin' she always wants us to know she's close by watchin' us and -helpin' us, even if we can't see her." - -"I'm thinkin' then," breathed Andy, looking about him in the darkness -as though half expecting to see his mother's form, "she might be right -close to us now, and--maybe--she's touchin' us. Do you--do you think -she _is_, Davy?" - -"They's--no knowin'," said David in a half whisper, no less awed by -the thought than was Andy. "I'm thinkin' if th' Lard lets th' angels -do what they wants t' do, Mother's right here now. Th' Lard would -never be denyin' His angels, for He wants th' angels t' be happy, and -Mother never'd be happy if she couldn't be with us." - -The lads lay silent for a little, pondering upon the mystery of life -beyond the grave. Before their fancy's vision there arose a picture of -the gentle mother who had been taken from them so long ago, and who -had loved them so well. - -"Davy," whispered Andy presently, "you awake?" - -"Yes," answered David, "I'm wonderful wakeful." - -"I wish," said Andy wistfully, "Mother'd come and put her hand on my -forehead and kiss me good night, like she used to, so I'd feel her. -I'm--wantin' her wonderful bad--I'm lonesome for she--Davy." - -"Maybe she's doin' it, Andy," said David. "Maybe she's kissin' us -both, and touchin' us and lovin' us like she used to do. Maybe she is, -Andy, and we don't know it, because th' touch of angels is so light we -never could feel un." - -Perhaps she was. Who knows? Who can tell when loved ones beyond the -grave come to caress us and minister to us, and to rejoice and sorrow -with us? Our ears are not attuned to hear their dear voices, our eyes -have not the power to see their glorious presence. - -Never since coming into the wilderness had the isolation of the great -solitudes impressed David and Andy so deeply as now. Their imagination -was awake. In fancy they could see, reaching away into unmeasured -miles on every side of the little tilt which sheltered them, the -silent, white, unpeopled wilderness. There was no one to turn to for -companionship. Even Indian Jake, sleeping soundly, doubtless, in some -far distant camp, seemed no part of their world. The crackling fire in -the stove accentuated the silence that surrounded them. An ill-fitting -stove cover permitted flickering rays of light to escape from the -stove, and dance in ghostly manner upon the ceiling. Weird shadows -rose and fell in dark corners. There was small wonder that the two -lads should be lonely, and heart hungry. It was quite natural that at -such a time they should long for a mother's gentle caress and loving -sympathy. - -All of us are Davids and Andys sometimes. God pity the man that -forgets the tender love and ministry and willing sacrifice of his -mother. God pity the man who grows too old to wish sometimes for his -mother's love and sympathy and steadfast faith in him when others lose -their faith. What courage it would give him to fight the battles of -life! So long as his mother's memory lives green in a man's heart, and -he feels her dear spirit near him, he cannot stray far from the paths -of rectitude. - -But the day's work had been hard, and David and Andy were weary. -Presently their eyes closed, and they were lost in the sound and -dreamless sleep of robust youth. - -There is no dawdling in bed of mornings for the trapper. His day's -work must be done, and the hours of light in this far northern land -are all too short. And so, as was their custom, David and Andy, in -spite of their previous day's excitement and hard work, were up and -had a roaring fire in the stove a full hour before daybreak. - -"I'm wonderful glad," remarked David, as he came in with a kettle of -water and placed it on the stove, "that we don't have to haul the -flat sled with us around th' mesh today. Maybe we'll have a chance t' -look for deer." - -"We'll hurry over th' trail, and get through settin' up th' traps -early," said Andy. "'Tis wonderful cozy here in th' tilt, and if we -don't find deer signs 'twill be fine t' get back early." - -"I'll tell you, now, what we'll do," suggested David. "I'll take th' -n'uth'ard side, and you th' s'uth'ard side, and we'll each go over -half th' trail instead of both travelin' together over all of un, and -we'll get through in half th' time. We'll meet in th' clump of spruce -on th' easterly side of th' mesh, where we always stops t' boil th' -kettle." - -"That's a fine plan!" exclaimed Andy. "When we gets there t' boil th' -kettle we'll have all th' traps set up, and if neither of us sees any -deer footin' we'll know there's none about. If there's no deer about, -we can come right back t' th' tilt." - -"I'm thinkin', now, you hopes we'll see no deer footin'," grinned -David, adding understandingly: "'Tis hard gettin' started o' mornings -sometimes for me, too, and I'm thinkin' how fine th' tilt'll be to get -back to. But I never minds un after I gets started." - -"I don't mind after it gets fair daylight," asserted Andy. - -As they talked Andy sliced some fat pork into the frying pan, while -David stirred baking powder and salt into some flour, poured water -into the mixture and proceeded to mix dough. When the pork was fried -to their taste, which was far from crisp, Andy removed the slices one -by one on the end of his sheath knife and placed them on a tin plate. -A quantity of hot grease remained in the frying pan, and into this -David laid a cake of dough which he had moulded as thin as possible, -and just large enough to fit nicely into the pan. - -Presently the cake, swollen to many times its original thickness, and -deliciously browned, was removed. Another took its place to fry, while -the boys turned to their simple, but satisfying, breakfast with -amazing appetites. - -When they had finished their meal David fried two additional cakes, -which utilized the remaining dough. These, with some tea, a tin tea -pail, two cups and a small tin box containing sugar, he dropped into a -ruck sack, and the preliminaries for their day's work were completed. - -Then the two lads drew on their kersey and moleskin adikys, David -slung the ruck sack upon his back, and, each bearing his rifle and a -light ax, they passed out into the leaden-gray light of the winter -morning. - -Dawn was fading the stars, which glimmered faintly overhead. The -crunch of their snowshoes was the only sound to break the silence. -Rime hung in the air like a feathery veil, and the bushes, -thick-coated with frost flakes, rose like white-clad ghosts along the -trail. - -The air was bitter cold. The boys caught their breath in short gasps -as the first mouthfuls entered their lungs. David in the lead, and -Andy following, neither spoke until at the end of five minutes' brisk -walking they emerged from the cover of the forest upon the edge of a -wide, treeless marsh, where they were to part. - -"I'll be like t' travel faster than you do, Andy," said David, -pausing, "and when I gets to th' clump o' spruce I'll put a fire on -and boil th' kettle, and wait, and there'll be a good fire when you -gets there." - -"And if I gets there first, I'll put a fire on," said Andy, by way of -a challenge. - -"You'll never beat me there," laughed David. "Your legs are too -short." - -"You'll see, now," and Andy swung off at a trot along the southerly -side of the marsh, while David turned to the northerly course. - -That portion of the trail which Andy was to follow skirted the edge of -the marsh for a distance of nearly two miles. Then in a circuitous -course it wound for some three miles through a scant forest of -gnarled, stunted black spruce. Beyond this, and a mile across another -marsh, was the thick spruce grove which had been designated as their -meeting point, and where they were accustomed to halt to boil their -kettle and eat a hasty luncheon on their weekly tour. - -The other end of the trail, which David had chosen, was longer by a -mile. Its entire distance, from the place where the boys separated, to -the clump of spruce trees, lay over exposed marshes. On windy days, -with no intervening shelter, this open stretch was always cold and -disagreeable, and there was never a time when they were not glad to -reach the friendly shelter of the trees. It was usual, in traveling -together, as they always had heretofore, to attend the traps on this -end of the trail in the forenoon, and those on the end which Andy was -now following, in the afternoon. - -Though Andy's legs were short, they were hard and sinewy and he swung -along at a remarkably good pace. Now and again he stopped to examine a -trap; then, breaking into a trot to make up the time lost, he hastened -to the next trap. Thus the two miles to the edge of the timber were -quickly laid behind him, and he entered the forest just as the sun, -rising timidly in the Southeast, cast its first slanting rays upon the -frozen world. - -Andy stood for a little in the edge of the trees to get his breath and -to watch the glorious lighting of the wilderness. The bushes, -thick-coated with tiny frost prisms flashing and scintillating in the -light as though encrusted with marvelously brilliant gems, were afire -with sparkling color. Even the rime in the air caught the fire, and -the marsh became a great, transparent opal, of wonderfully dazzling -beauty. - -"'Tis a fine world t' live in," said Andy to himself. "'Twould be -terrible t' be blind and never see all th' pretty sights. Th' great -doctor'll cure Jamie, and then he'll see un all again, too. We'll -work wonderful hard t' get th' money t' pay for th' cure. We'll _have_ -t' get un, _what_ever." - -Neither the fox traps on the marsh nor the marten traps in the woods -yielded Andy any fur, but as he passed from the woods to the last -stretch of marsh he comforted himself with the reflection: - -"We can't expect fur _every_ day. Two martens and three wolves -yesterday made a fine hunt for th' week, even if we gets no more this -trip. But Davy's like t' get something, and we're like t' get more -before we reaches th' Narrows tilt Friday." - -Then he hurried on, for he must needs make good his boast that he -would reach the spruce grove before David. No smoke could he see -rising above the trees as he approached. David at least had not yet -lighted the fire. Andy was jubilant and in high spirits to find that -David was not there ahead of him, and had not been there since their -visit the previous week. - -It was a matter of a few minutes' work to light a fire, and presently -Andy had a cozy blaze. Then he broke an armful of spruce boughs, for a -seat, and kicking off his snowshoes, settled himself comfortably -before the fire to await David's appearance. - -"If I had th' kettle, now, I'd put un over," said Andy. "But Davy'll -soon be here." - -An hour passed, and David did not appear. Andy had traveled at such -good speed that he had reached the rendezvous a half hour before -midday, but David should not have been long behind him. Another hour -passed. A northeast breeze had sprung up, and the sky had become -overcast. Andy observed uneasily that a storm was brewing. He donned -his snowshoes, replenished the fire, and walked out a little way in -the direction from which David should come, and to the outer edge of -the trees. He stood very still, and listened, but there was no sound, -and David was nowhere to be seen. - -Andy reluctantly returned to the fire to wait. He was growing anxious -and concerned. Surely David should have appeared before this -unless--and Andy grew frightened at the thought--unless some accident -had happened to him. - -During the next half hour Andy's concern became almost panic. He began -to picture David attacked and destroyed by a pack of wolves! Or -perhaps his rifle had been accidentally discharged, and injured or -killed him! Andy had heard of such accidents more than once. Whatever -the reason for David's delay, it was serious. No ordinary thing would -have prevented him from keeping his appointment. - -Andy could stand the suspense no longer. He arose, slipped his feet -into his snowshoes, and at a half run set out upon the trail in the -direction from which David should have come. - - - - -XII - -ALONE IN THE STORM-SWEPT FOREST - - -As Andy ran he looked eagerly for signs of David. Snow had fallen -during the preceding week, and fresh tracks would have been easily -distinguishable. The accumulation of a single night's rime would have -sufficed for that. Therefore David could not have passed this way -without leaving a boldly marked trail upon the snow, and in attending -to the traps this was indeed the only route he could have taken. - -In one of the traps a mile from the spruce grove was a handsome cross -fox. Andy paused to kill it, and put it out of misery, then hurried -on. Under ordinary circumstances he would have been elated at the -capture of the fox, for it bore a valuable pelt. Now he scarcely gave -it a thought, so great was his anxiety for David's safety. In another -trap was a dead rabbit, but he passed it without stopping. - -Andy had followed the trail for upwards of three miles when, rounding -a clump of willow brush he came suddenly upon David's snowshoe tracks. -An examination disclosed the fact that David had come to this point -and then turned about and retraced his steps toward the tilt. This was -peculiar, and Andy was perplexed, but a hundred yards farther on came -the explanation, when he discovered the tracks of a band of caribou -crossing the trail at right angles and leading in a northerly -direction, with David's tracks following them. The discovery lifted a -load of anxiety from Andy's heart. David was hunting caribou, and no -doubt safe enough. There was no further cause for worry. - -An examination of the trail disclosed the fact that there were seven -caribou in the band. They had passed this way since early morning, for -no rime had accumulated upon the tracks. David, upon encountering them -had doubtless hurried on to summon Andy, but upon reconsideration had -turned about to follow the caribou at once, rather than chance their -escape through the delay that this would occasion. He had doubtless -hoped to find them feeding near by. Indeed they could not have been -far in advance of David. - -With the relief of his anxiety for David's safety, Andy felt keenly -disappointed, if not resentful, that he had not been permitted to join -David in the caribou hunt. This was an experience to which he had -looked forward. It had been agreed that if signs of caribou were -discovered they should hunt them together, and in his disappointment -Andy felt quite sure that an hour's delay would not have made much -difference in the probabilities of success. - -"Anyhow," said he after a few minute's indecision, "I'll follow. If -Davy's killed un he'll need me to help he, and if they've gone too -far and he hasn't killed un, I'll meet he comin' back." - -The trail made by David and the caribou led Andy in a winding course -over the marsh for a distance of nearly two miles, and then plunged -into the forest. The rising wind was shifting the snow in little rifts -over the marsh, and before Andy entered the forest the first flakes of -the threatened storm began to fall. - -Under the shelter of the trees the snow was light and soft. Because of -this traveling became more difficult, and Andy was forced to reduce -his trot to a fast walk. For a time the trail continued to lead almost -due north. Then it took a turn to the westward. At the point of the -turn the caribou had stopped and circled about, and in taking their -new course had traveled more rapidly. Something had evidently aroused -their suspicions of lurking danger. The gait at which they had -traveled, however, indicated that they were not yet thoroughly -frightened, or else were uncertain of the direction in which the -suspected danger lay. - -"They got a smell of something that startled un," observed Andy, "and -'tweren't Davy. Th' wind were wrong for that. They never could have -smelled he with th' wind this way." - -Snow was now falling heavily, but the trail was still plain enough. A -half mile farther on the caribou tracks made another sharp turn, this -time to the southward, turning about toward the marsh. There was no -doubt now that they had been frightened. Their trail evidenced that -here they had broken into a run. - -"Whatever it were that scared un," said Andy, "it scared un bad here, -and they've gone where Davy could never catch up with un." - -Just beyond the place where the caribou had made the last turn, -another trail came in from the north. Andy examined it carefully, and -though the rapidly accumulating snow had now nearly hidden the -distinguishing marks, he had no difficulty in recognizing the new -trail as one made by wolves. - -"That's it!" he exclaimed. "'Twere wolves scared un! They didn't get -th' scent rightly back there, but here they got un, and I hopes -they'll get away safe!" - -A further examination disclosed the fact that David had stopped, too, -and examined the tracks. He had doubtless concluded that continued -pursuit of the caribou was useless, for his tracks, now nearly covered -by the fresh snow, turned toward the marsh in a direction that would -lead him back by a short cut to the point in the fur trail where he -had left it to follow the caribou. - -"He's gone back to finish th' last end of th' trail," said Andy. -"He'll be fearin' something has happened t' me when he don't find me -at th' spruce trees. I'll have t' hurry." - -David's tracks were becoming fainter and fainter with every step, and -Andy had not gone far when the last trace of them was lost. He knew -the general direction, however, that David would take, and was not -greatly concerned or alarmed until he suddenly realized that darkness -was settling. Until now he had lost all count of passing time. - -He had also been too deeply engrossed in the caribou trail, and in -overtaking David, to give consideration to the storm. Now, with the -realization that night was falling, he also awoke to the fact that the -wind had risen into a gale, and that with every moment the storm was -gathering new strength. He could hear it roaring and lashing the tree -tops overhead. A veritable Arctic blizzard was at hand. - -In the cover of the thick spruce forest Andy was well protected from -the wind, though even here snow fell so thickly that he could see but -a few feet in any direction. - -By the short cut Andy soon reached the edge of the timber, where trees -gave way to the wide open space of the marsh. Here he was met by a -smothering cloud of snow, and a blast of wind that carried him from -his feet. He rose and tried again to face it, but was forced to turn -about and seek the shelter of the trees. - -The wind came over the marsh, now in short, petulant gusts, now in -long, angry roars, sweeping before it swirling clouds of snow so dense -that no living creature could stand before it. The storm was -terrifying in its fury. - -For a moment Andy was dazed and overcome by his encounter. Then came -realization of his peril. To reach the tilt he must either cross the -marsh or make a wide detour to the westward through the forest. The -former was not possible, and if he attempted to make the detour -darkness would certainly overtake him before he could attain half the -distance. Impeded by the thick falling snow, any attempt to travel -after night would certainly lead to disaster. He would probably lose -his direction, and be overcome by exhaustion and the bitter, -penetrating cold. - -What was he to do? He was without other protection than the clothes he -wore. There was no shelter nearer than the tilt. He had no food. He -had eaten nothing since the early breakfast in the tilt, and his -healthy young appetite was crying for satisfaction. - -Andy was suddenly seized by panic, and he began to run, in a wild and -frenzied hope that he might reach the tilt before darkness closed upon -the wilderness. But he quickly became entangled in low hanging -branches, and, sent sprawling in the snow, was brought to a sudden -halt. - -The shock returned him again to sane reasoning. Taking shelter under -the thick overhanging limbs of a spruce tree, he stopped to think and -plan. He could not run, and unless he ran he could not reach the tilt -that night. He was marooned in the forest, that was plain. There was -no course but to make the best of it until morning. It was also plain -that he would perish with the cold unless he could devise some means -of protection. The moment he ceased his exertions he felt a deadly -numbness stealing over him. - -"I must do something before dark, and I must have plenty o' grit," he -presently said. "I must keep a stout heart like a man. Pop says -there's no fix so bad a man can't find his way out of un if he uses -his head and does his best, and prays th' Lard to help he." - -And so Andy, in simple words and briefly, said a little prayer, and -then he used his head and did his best to make the prayer come true. - - - - -XIII - -A NIGHT IN THE OPEN - - -There was no time to be lost. The long northern twilight was already -waning. Hastened by the storm, darkness would come early. - -"The Injuns get caught out this way often enough, when they're -huntin'," said Andy, by way of self-comfort. "They finds a way to make -out. They just gets a place in th' lee, where th' wind can't strike -un, and puts on a good fire. That's all they ever does. But," he -continued doubtfully, "they're used to un, and I never stopped out -without a tent, _what_ever." - -Bivouacking in a blizzard, with a thirty-degrees-below temperature and -no blankets or other protection, was an emergency Andy had never -before been called upon to meet. Now he turned to it uncertainly. - -Reconnoitering he discovered, near at hand, a large fallen tree, -partly covered by the snow. Close to the butt of the fallen tree stood -a big, thickly foliaged spruce tree, the outer ends of its branches -bending so low that the tips were enveloped by the deep snow. - -"'Twill make a shelter, _what_ever!" exclaimed Andy, encouraged. "A -little fixin', and maybe 'twon't be so bad, in under the branches. -They'll make a cover from the snow." - -With his ax he at once cut off the limbs of the spruce tree on the -side next the fallen trunk. This made an opening that would serve as a -door. Under the arching branches was a circular space, thatched above -by foliage. Removing one of his snowshoes, and utilizing it as a -shovel, he cleared the space of snow. Then donning his snowshoes again -he cut several branches, which he thatched upon the overhanging limbs -of the tree, thus increasing the protection of his cover from fresh -drift. This done, he banked snow high against the branches around the -entire circle, save at the opening facing the fallen tree. - -Now breaking a quantity of boughs and arranging them as a floor for -his improvised shelter, he made a comfortable bed. - -The next consideration was wood, and fortunately there was no lack of -this. Everywhere about, as is usual in primordial forests, were dead -trees, that would burn readily. Andy selected three that were perhaps -six inches thick at the butt, and not too large for him to handle -easily. These he felled with his ax, trimmed off the branches, and -cutting the logs into convenient lengths for burning, piled them at -one side of the entrance to his shelter. He now chopped into small -firewood a quantity of the branches, adding them to his reserve supply -of fuel. - -Again using a snowshoe as a shovel, he cleared the snow from the butt -of the fallen tree, which he had decided should be the back log of his -fire. This done, he split a quantity of small kindling wood. He now -secured a handful of the long, hairy moss that hangs close to the -limbs and trunks of spruce trees in the northern forest, and using it -as tinder quickly lighted his fire against the back log. Leaning over -it to protect it from falling snow until the carefully placed kindling -wood was well ablaze, he added pieces of smaller branches, and finally -sticks of the larger wood. Then, with a sigh of relief, Andy drew back -under the cover of his shelter to test the efficiency of his efforts. - -Almost immediately a genial warmth began to pervade the interior of -the cave beneath the tree. The fire crackled and blazed cheerfully. -The thick thatching of boughs proved an excellent protection from the -snow and such wind as penetrated the depths of the forest. The success -of the experiment was assured. - -It was quite dark now, but Andy, for the present at least, was safe -and comfortable enough. Quick planning, energetic action, and -instinctive resourcefulness, had saved him from the terrible blizzard -that was sweeping over the marsh and lashing through the tops of the -forest trees with growing fury. - -Andy sat lax and limp for a little while. He had worked with almost -frenzied exertion. Now he felt like one who had but just, and barely, -escaped a great peril. Presently he drew off his outer adiky, shook -the snow from it, and drawing it on again proceeded to arrange himself -comfortably. - -"'Tis almost as snug as the tilt," he said presently. "Pop were right -when he says there's no fix too big to get out of, if you goes about -un right. If I'd kept scared, and hadn't tried, I'd perished, and now -I'm safe whilst I 'bides here. If I only had something t' eat!" - -Comfort is comparative. What might be a severe hardship under some -circumstances might become the height of luxury and comfort under -others. Andy's retreat appealed to him now, after his battle with the -storm, as most luxurious and comfortable. The wind howling and -shrieking through the treetops brought to the lad's ears a constant -reminder of what might have been his fate, and served to add to the -snugness of the shelter and cozy cheerfulness of the fire. - -Now that he was safe from the storm for the time being, his thoughts -turned to David. He did not know how far David was in advance of him. -He had no doubt he had hurried on to the spruce grove, and not finding -him there had set out for the tilt, but he could never have reached it -before the storm broke. - -This thought rendered Andy miserable. His imagination pictured David -stark and frozen out on the storm beaten marsh. His misery grew almost -to anguish until, in his better judgment, he reasoned that, like -himself, David must have taken refuge in the forest, and that David -knew better than he how to protect himself. Then he remembered Doctor -Joe's song, and accompanied by the roar of wind overhead, sang in a -subdued voice: - - "The worst of my foes are worries and woes, - And all about troubles that never come true. - And all about troubles that never come true." - -This comforted him, and when he had finished he said, decisively: - -"There's no use worrying about something that I don't know has -happened, and the most of th' things we worries about never does -happen. I'll just think that Davy's safe and sound in the tilt, or -snug and safe somewhere in the green woods. And like as not, too, he's -worryin' about me." - -With this determination Andy replenished the fire, and, with his feet -toward it, stretched out upon the boughs to sleep. "The Lard took care -o' Davy and me last evenin' when th' wolves chased us," he mused. -"They were close t' gettin' us but th' Lard made Davy's rifle shoot -th' right time. _I'm_ thinkin' now He didn't just save us t' leave -Davy t' perish in th' snow. He'll take care o' Davy _what_ever." - -This was the logic of his simple faith. It soothed him and quieted his -fears. Weary enough he was, for the day's work had been hard and -trying and presently he slept. Several times during the night he was -awakened by the cold, when the fire burned low, and each time he -huddled close to the blaze until his half congealed blood was warmed -and the camp regained its comfort. Then he would lie down again to -fall asleep with the shriek and roar of wind in his ears. - -Finally he awoke to find that the wind had lost much of its force, and -looking upward through the treetops he saw the glimmer of a star. The -cold had grown more intense. His feet and hands were numb. He piled -some of the small branch wood upon the coals and as it burst into -flame added some of the larger sticks. - -"It must be comin' mornin', and th' storm's about blown over," he said -thankfully, listening for the wind, when he sat down again. "I'm -thinkin', now, 'twill soon be clear of shiftin' snow on th' mesh, and -soon as I'm warmed I'll see how 'tis, _what_ever." - -Despite his resolution not to worry, Andy was far from satisfied of -David's safety. Now as he sat by the fire he began again to picture -David lying out on the marsh somewhere, stark and dead. The longer -Andy permitted his mind to dwell upon the possibility of such a -tragedy having taken place, the more probable it seemed. The snow-clad -forest had never been so grim and silent. A foreboding of some -horrible tragedy was in his heart. He could restrain himself no -longer. - -The numbness was hardly yet out of his hands and feet when he -hurriedly arose, put on his snowshoes, shouldered his rifle, and -picking up his ax, rushed out into the dim-lit forest to grope his -way through trees to the marsh. - -Fitful gusts of wind were still blowing over the marsh, driving the -snow in little swirling clouds. Light clouds lay in patches against -the sky, and between them the stars shone with cold, metallic -brilliance. - -Andy could see clearly enough here. The wind was in his back, and -taking a short cut, that would reduce the distance by nearly half, he -swung out at a trot toward the tilt. He would look there first, and if -David were not in the tilt he would follow the trail back to the -spruce grove. - - - - -XIV - -A MAN'S GAME - - -By the short cut over the marsh it was not far to the tilt. At the end -of a half hour's steady running Andy reached the woods that bordered -the western side of the marsh. It was here, at the edge of the forest, -that he and David had parted the previous morning. - -The storm had obliterated every trace of their snowshoe tracks, but -Andy stooped to hastily search, in the dim starlight, for some recent -sign of David's passing. There was no sign, and in feverish anxiety to -reach the tilt he tried to run, but in the shadows of the trees he -collided with overhanging limbs, and was compelled to pick his way -more slowly. Presently his sharp eyes made out, through an opening, -the stovepipe, rising above the drift which marked the position of the -tilt. - -It was now that silent, dark hour just before dawn. Andy was sure that -if David was there he would be up, preparing to set out with the first -hint of light. If he were up he would have a fire in the stove, and -smoke would be issuing from the pipe. Between hope and fear Andy's -heart almost stopped beating. He peered intently, but could see no -smoke. He hurried on, and a few steps farther the stovepipe was thrown -out in silhouette against the sky, and rising from it was a thin curl. -There was fire in the stove! David was there! - -"Davy! Davy! Davy!" Andy shouted, half sobbing, with the break of the -nervous strain. - -The door of the tilt opened, and David, bareheaded and wildly excited, -came rushing out. - -"Oh, Andy! Andy! Is you safe?" he cried, passing his arm around Andy's -shoulder in a depth of affection and passionate relief, and drawing -Andy into the warm tilt, while Andy made a brave effort to restrain -his tears. - -"Oh, Davy!" broke in Andy, half crying with joy. "I were fearin' for -you so! I were thinkin' of you out there--in th' mesh--dead! And oh, -Davy, I were--afraid--afraid for you!" - -"And I were afraid for you, Andy!" choked David. "I were never -doubtin' you were lost and perished! I couldn't sleep for thinkin' of -un, and I couldn't go to look for you with th' drift and darkness! I -just had t' 'bide here till day broke! I tries and tries t' go, but -th' drift drove me back, and I knows I'll have t' wait for day." - -While Andy removed his outer garments and David prepared breakfast, -Andy described his experiences, and how he had made his shelter. - -"Doctor Joe's song helped me a wonderful lot," said he. "It's turned -out t' be a true song, too. We were both safe, and there wasn't -anything for either of us t' worry about after all. And, Davy, I kept -my grit, now, didn't I?" - -"That you did!" declared David admiringly. "Even Indian Jake or Pop -couldn't have fixed out a better place t' 'bide till th' storm -passed." - -"Davy," said Andy reverently, "I'm thinkin' th' Lard were lookin' out -for us, now, weren't he, Davy? And--Davy--maybe Mother was lookin' out -for us, too!" - -"Aye," said David, "th' Lard _were_ lookin' out for us, and I'm not -doubtin' Mother was near, and helpin' us, too." - -While they ate their breakfast David told of his own experiences. - -"After I runs on th' deer footin' crossin' th' path," he explained, "I -sets right out t' get you, Andy. But all at once I thinks that, th' -footin' being fresh, th' deer is like as not 'bidin' right handy, and -if I loses time goin' for you I might miss un. So I turns back and -goes after un." - -"I sees where they makes a turn and gets scared, but I weren't -thinkin' o' wolves, and I keeps hurryin' on. I must have been right -handy to un when I hears a wolf howl, and right after that I comes t' -th' place where th' deer turned down toward th' mesh again and th' -wolf tracks came in. Then I knows they're gone, and there's no use -keepin' after un. - -"I turns down then by a short cut t' th' next trap beyond where I -leaves th' trail t' turn into th' green woods. Snow were just -beginnin' t' spit as I comes out on th' mesh." - -"It were just beginnin' t' spit," broke in Andy, "as I goes in th' -woods." - -"You must have turned into th' woods t' th' westward of where I comes -out, and that's why I didn't see you," suggested David. - -"When I gets t' our trail I sees your footin' comin' this way. Th' -snow wasn't enough yet t' cover un, so I could tell 'twas fresh -footin'. I says t' myself, 'Andy's got hungry and tired waitin' for -me, and he's gone back t' th' tilt. He's tended th' traps t' th' -east'ard, and I'll take a short cut." - -"I didn't hurry, and before I gets out of th' mesh snow was comin' -thick and th' wind was rising, and it was gettin' pretty nasty on th' -mesh. - -"When I gets t' th' tilt and finds you're not here I'm thinkin' you've -just been a bit slow, and that you'll be along soon. - -"So I puts a fire on and boils th' kettle. When th' kettle boils and -you don't come, I puts on my 'diky and goes out t' th' mesh t' look. I -never saw th' wind rise th' way she had in that little while. It took -me off my feet and sent me flat when I tries t' face un. Then I knows -I can't go on th' mesh t' look for you, and I knows you can't stay -there and live. - -"I was scared! I tries four or five times t' get out t' look for you, -Andy, but I has t' give un up." - -"I'm thinkin' you couldn't go far in _that_ drift!" exclaimed Andy. "I -tried un too, and she knocked me flat." - -"Well," concluded David, "that was all I could do, except t' pray th' -Lard t' spare your life, Andy. I had t' 'bide here, and 'twas th' -hardest night I ever spent, waitin' here alone for day t' come so's I -could look for you, and sore afraid for you, Andy. 'Twas your grit, -b'y, that pulled you through." - -"And I tries," said Andy, "t' keep a stout heart like a man's, but at -th' end, when I was most t' th' tilt, I had t'--give in." - -"You kept a wonderful stout heart, Andy," David declared admiringly. -"I'd have given up before you did, I knows. I'm doubtin' I ever could -have made th' fine shelter you made, too." - -While the storm had probably not covered the marten traps, perched as -they were upon high stumps, and under cover of the woods, the exposed -fox traps on the marsh were doubtless all clogged by drift, and would -be ineffective unless cleared. The cross fox, too, which Andy had -killed and left in the trap, must be secured. It was deemed advisable, -therefore, to attend to these duties at once. - -It was full daylight when the boys set out upon their day's work. The -wind had settled now into a cold, cutting breeze, which was -disagreeable enough but which did not interfere with rapid walking. -They scanned the marsh for signs of the caribou but no evidences were -found. With wolves on their trail the caribou had doubtless fled the -country, and with them, immediate prospects of fresh venison. - -"'Twere too bad we missed un," David deplored. "I was almost to un, I -knows, when th' wolves started in. I wish we could get some deer's -meat." - -With every day the wilderness was becoming more naked and stern and -repellant. In the forest the snow had risen until it reached and -enveloped the lower limbs of the trees. Ravines were nearly filled -with snow. Willow brush, forming barriers around the marshes, were now -quite hidden by great drifts, and rose in mighty ramparts of snow. The -business of following the fur trails was growing more difficult with -every round of the traps. But the depths of winter had not yet been -reached. In the weeks to come the grip of Arctic cold was to tighten -still harder and harder upon the bleak wilderness and the living -things that occupied it. The two lads had a man's game to play, and -they were to have need enough of all the grit they possessed. - - - - -XV - -A DAY ON THE ICE - - -Save on rare occasions Indian Jake was silent, and it seemed to the -boys sullen. He had told them little of his success on the trail, or -whether or not his hunt was good. But when they appeared at the -Narrows tilt and told of their adventures with the wolves and with the -storm, his stoic Indian reserve vanished for the evening. He asked -many questions. He appeared deeply concerned and wished to know of -their daily experiences, and details of the furs they had accumulated -in the other tilts. - -"You're making a fine hunt," he complimented. "As fine a hunt as your -father could have made." - -"We've got a fine lot o' fur," admitted David, with just pride, "but -we been hopin' for a silver fox." - -"That isn't strange," and the half-breed smiled, in his peculiar way. -"Every hunter is looking for a silver fox all the time, but not many -get 'em." - -"If we don't get un," said David, "Andy and me have made a good hunt -anyhow, and we won't be complainin' about un." - -"That we have," seconded Andy. - -"A fine hunt," agreed Indian Jake. - -"How have you been doin', Jake?" asked David "You never say much about -un." - -"Not so bad," admitted Indian Jake. - -"Have you got much fur?" persisted David. - -"Oh, I've got some. I been thinkin'," suggested Indian Jake, turning -the subject, as he always did, from himself to the boys, "that you -lads better bring all your furs from the other tilts down here to the -Narrows tilt." - -"Maybe 'twould be a good plan," David agreed. - -"Yes," continued Indian Jake, "and then you'll have it all together." - -"'Twill make a fine showin' when we has un all together," enthused -David. - -"Yes," said Indian Jake, "and we can go over it together and see what -it's worth." - -"We'll fetch un all down here next trip," agreed David. "I'd like t' -see un all laid out together." - -"And every trip you'd better bring down what you catch," suggested -Indian Jake. "It's better to keep all your fur in one place." - -"Aye," said David, "I'm thinkin' 'tis better." - -"And will you be bringin' all your fur here too?" asked Andy. - -"No," answered Indian Jake, "it's better to keep 'em separate. If I -had mine here we might be gettin' 'em mixed, and we wouldn't know -which was which. I'll keep mine up to my first tilt." - -"I'm thinkin' we'd know all _our_ fur," persisted Andy. "I don't see -how we'd be like t' get un mixed." - -"There's no tellin' but we would, though," persisted Indian Jake. - -"Davy and I knows _our_ fur," insisted Andy. "We've looked at un so -many times, and counted out th' price they'll be like t' bring, we'd -know un anywhere." - -"We'll be gettin' more fur," David explained, "and we may not be able -t' tell all til' new fur like we do that we got now." - -"No," said Indian Jake, "nobody can remember all the fur he gets. I -can't tell all mine so I'd know 'em, if they were with others." - -"Davy and I could tell ours," again insisted Andy; "th' new uns just -like th' old uns, no matter how many we gets." - -"We won't mix 'em," and Indian Jake spoke with finality. "I'll leave -mine up at my first tilt." - -"Aye, that will be best, Andy," said David. "Jake's right about un. -Then we'll just have ours here, and we'll know all we has here is -ours, and Jake'll have his separate, and know all he has is his." - -Thus the argument ended. No further reference was made to the matter -until several weeks later, when David and Andy recalled it vividly, -and the earnestness with which Indian Jake had urged his point. - -This was in mid-December, and in accordance with the suggestion the -boys brought the furs to the Narrows tilt the following Friday. Indian -Jake examined them with eagerness. He was interested for their sake -in their success, the boys were sure, and this pleased them. In spite -of his periods of sullenness, and his reticence, the boys liked him -and had faith in him. - -"It is a _fine_ catch of fur," declared Indian Jake, when he had -carefully inspected each pelt. "Your father'll be proud of you! With -what more you'll get before we strike up th' traps in th' spring, -there'll be plenty to pay for th' little lad's cure." - -"Do you think so, now?" asked David eagerly. - -"I'm sure of it," declared Indian Jake. "You lads have made a fine -hunt. 'Twould be a fine hunt for any man, and an old hunter, too." - -"And we're like t' get as many more, _what_ever, ain't we?" asked Andy -enthusiastically. - -"Yes," said Indian Jake, "and they'll be prime for some time yet, and -bring th' top price." - -The boys were made happy indeed by Indian Jake's commendation and -valuation of their furs. Indian Jake had a keen eye for furs. He was -an acknowledged judge, and his valuation could be relied upon. They -never questioned this. It imbued them with new fervor and ambition for -their work. It made the toil of it appear less formidable. Thus it is -always in life. A word of praise and commendation will often lighten -another's burden beyond measure. And success breeds desire for greater -success. The higher one climbs, the higher one wishes to climb. - -The survey of the pelts placed Indian Jake in a most amiable mood that -evening. It was one of the occasions when he threw off his too -frequent attitude of sullen silence. He chatted with the boys and told -them tales of personal adventure and experiences, while he smoked. -Indeed he had never been so companionable. - -"Well, lads," said he at length, "it's time t' turn in. I'm thinkin' -I'll try for some fish tomorrow. I'm gettin' hungry for fish, and -they's plenty of 'em in th' lake. We may's well have some." - -"Can we get un through th' ice?" asked David eagerly. - -"We can make a try for it," said Indian Jake, knocking the ashes from -his pipe and filling the stove with wood, preparatory to "turning in." - -Accordingly, the following morning after they had eaten breakfast, -Indian Jake produced some fish hooks and a cod line from his personal -kit, and while David and Andy washed dishes he cut the cod line into -three lengths of about thirty feet. To each of these he attached a -hook, and just above the hook a leaden snicker. Then, winding the -lines separately and neatly upon sticks, he detached several small -strips of rind from a piece of pork and baited the hooks. The -additional strips of rind he wrapped in a piece of cloth, and thrust -them into his pocket. - -"There's the fishing outfit all ready; one for each of us," he -announced, laying them aside. "There's no use goin', though, till -light. They's plenty of time." - -"Will we get trout?" asked David. - -"No," said Indian Jake. "Whitefish, maybe. Namaycush, maybe. Maybe -nothin' but pike. And maybe nothin' at all." - -"Oh!" exclaimed Andy expectantly. "I've heard Pop tell about gettin' -wonderful big namaycush out'n th' lakes!" - -"I've seen 'em," said Indian Jake, "that would go upwards of forty -pound. And I've heard of 'em running close to sixty pound." - -"Did you ever get any in Seal Lake like that?" asked David excitedly. - -"No; not in Seal Lake," admitted Indian Jake. "But they're here, and -we're like t' get 'em. I've been thinkin' that tomorrow week will be -Christmas, and if we could get some fish 'twould make a fine change -for Christmas dinner from pa'tridges and rabbits." - -"'Twould that!" enthused David. "I'm wonderful hungry for fish, too. -But I was forgettin' about Christmas. Up here on th' trails I never -thinks of un at all." - -"We'll have t' fix up a good feed for Christmas," declared Indian Jake, -"and we'll make it out somehow. Even if 'tis only fish." - -As soon as it was light, and long before sunrise, the three with their -improvised fishing tackle, and each carrying his ax, set forth upon -Seal Lake. Indian Jake led the way to a point a half mile from the -tilt, and directly above the Narrows. - -"We'll cut our holes here," he announced. "Spread out a little and -don't cut 'em too near together." - -It was no small task. A coating of hard-packed snow was first removed. -Then came the ice, which was now over three feet in thickness. The -holes when finished were three feet in diameter at the top, tapering -down to a foot and a half at the bottom like a funnel. - -"Now," said Indian Jake when all was ready, "we'll see whether we're -goin't' get any fish." - -David's baited hook had hardly sunk below the surface of the water -when he felt a tug, and an instant later he drew out a whitefish that -he was quite sure weighed four pounds at the very least. A little -later Indian Jake drew out another, and almost at the same moment Andy -gave a shout as he landed still another. - -"Looks like we're goin' t' get whitefish, _what_ever," said Indian -Jake. - -Standing still upon the open ice soon became cold and disagreeable -work. The lines quickly became encrusted with a thick coating of ice, -and it was necessary to keep them moving up and down in the hole, else -the water would freeze at once. Even then they must clear away the -accumulated ice frequently. - -With the rising sun a breeze sprang up from the west to add to the -discomfort, and presently Indian Jake, unhooking a whitefish, asked: - -"How many fish you got, lads?" - -"I've got four fine ones," David announced. - -"I've got three," said Andy. - -"I've got three, and that makes ten," calculated Indian Jake. "That's -all we'll use this week and next week and th' week after. They's no -need standin' here and freezin', and we might as well go back t' th' -tilt. Pull in, boys, and we'll go." - -Indian Jake and David drew in their lines, and proceeded to clear them -of ice, but Andy, with his still in the water hole, was making no -preparation to leave. - -"Come, Andy," David shouted. "Jake and me are 'most ready to go." - -"I can't," answered Andy. "My hook's snagged on something, and I can't -pull un in." - -"Let me try her," said Indian Jake, who had wound his line, and was -picking up the frozen fish and dropping them into an empty flour bag -he had brought for the purpose. - -"Here, try un," and Andy surrendered the line to Indian Jake, just as -the line gave a mighty tug. - -"Why, you've got a fish on there!" exclaimed Indian Jake. "He's as big -as a porpoise, too, whatever he is!" - -Vastly excited, the lads watched Indian Jake manipulate the line, -drawing the fish nearer and nearer the hole. - -"He's most t' th' hole!" cried David, no less excited than Andy. -"Watch out now! Watch, now! You're gettin' he, Jake!" - -"There he is!" shouted Andy, when, a moment later, the head of an -immense fish appeared at the end of the line in the water hole. - -"Here!" directed Jake. "You lads take th' line and hold steady! Don't -jerk; just keep a steady pull! Don't let it slip back any!" - -David and Andy seized the line as directed, and held tight. Indian -Jake, regardless of the cold, threw off his right mitten, drew his -sheath knife from his belt, and leaning far over the hole drove it -with a hard, quick blow into the top of the fish's head. Then flinging -the knife out upon the ice, he plunged his hand into the water, -slipped his fingers under the gills of the fish, and drew it out upon -the ice. Then without a moment's delay he thrust his hand under his -adiky to dry it, and prevent its freezing. - -"That's one of 'em," he said coolly. "That's a namaycush, and a forty -pounder if he's anything." - -Of course Andy was proud, though he did not claim all the credit of -catching the big namaycush. The glory of such a fish was quite enough, -in his estimation, to be distributed among the three. - -"Now we'll have fish for half th' winter, _what_ever!" he declared. - -"That we will, now!" said David. - -"And good eatin', too," said Indian Jake, recovering his mitten. -"There's no better eatin' than namaycush." - -With his sheath knife Indian Jake severed the head, cut open the fish, -and cleaned it. - -"Now 'twon't be so heavy to carry," he explained. - -Already it was stiffening with the cold, and Indian Jake, lifting it -to his shoulder, set out for the tilt, while David and Andy with the -bag of whitefish, followed. - -They were nearing the tilt when suddenly Indian Jake paused and peered -intently up the lake shore. David and Andy followed his gaze and saw -something, close in the edge of the trees, move. - -"Deer!" exclaimed Indian Jake. - -The three ran for their rifles. - - - - -XVI - -CHRISTMAS EVE ON THE FUR TRAILS - - -Indian Jake flung the big namaycush into the snow at the tilt door. -David and Andy dropped the bag of whitefish by its side, and all, -rushing into the tilt, seized their rifles and cartridge bags. - -"You lads go up through th' woods and look for 'em on that side," -directed Indian Jake. "I'll go up along th' shore. We'll be sure to -get 'em one side or the other." - -Without a word David and Andy, at a run, but with as little noise as -possible, took the direction indicated. Indian Jake, running where he -was hidden by brush, stooping low where there was danger that the -caribou might see him, followed the ice close to the shore where -overhanging brush offered cover to his movements, but where there was -firm footing, and he could travel at good speed. - -As they neared the place where the caribou had last been seen, the -boys moved more cautiously. They stole through the trees without a -sound. Their rifles were held ready for instant use. - -Suddenly a shot rang out. At the same instant came a sound of crashing -bushes, and three caribou burst through the willow brush that lined -the lake, and dashed into the forest. David and Andy threw their -rifles to their shoulders and fired simultaneously, but with one -fleeting glimpse the animals were lost among the thick foliage of the -spruce trees. - -"They're gone!" exclaimed David in great disappointment. "We missed -un, and we won't get any of un now!" - -"Jake got in one shot," consoled Andy. "Maybe he knocked _one_ of un -down _what_ever." - -"Let's have a look where they went through," suggested David, leading -the way. - -"What's that? Did you hear that?" asked Andy, as the sound of a -movement came to their ears. - -"It's a deer!" shouted David excitedly, running in the direction the -caribou had taken. "We hit un! We knocked one down! See un?" - -They had indeed wounded a big caribou. Hidden by the trees it had run -for a score of yards before it fell, and had been out of their line of -vision until they reached a point where they had a clear view of the -trail the fleeing caribou had made in the snow. The caribou was now -vainly struggling to regain its feet, and a bullet from David's rifle -was sent to end its suffering. - -"A good shot!" said Indian Jake, who had heard the firing and now -overtook the boys. - -"Did you knock one down too?" asked Andy excitedly. - -"No, I made a clean miss of 'em," Indian Jake confessed. "They got a -sniff of us and took fright, and I just took a chance shot. You lads -made good shootin' t' catch 'em running!" - -"We never thought we touched un," said David "We never has time t' -take fair aim. We just pulls up and lets go." - -"_'Twas_ quick shootin'," declared Andy. "I wonder which of us hit -un--you or me--Davy?" - -But they were never to know that, and it mattered little. They had -secured fresh meat, which was needed, and that was the chief -consideration. - -"He's good and fat," said David, prodding the carcass with his toe. -"He's like t' have four fingers o' fat on _his_ back." - -"And we'll have deer's meat for Christmas!" exclaimed Andy. - -"We'd better skin him right away, before he freezes," said Indian -Jake, drawing his sheath knife. - -With David's assistance Indian Jake deftly and quickly removed the -skin, while Andy hurried to the tilt to fetch an ax and a toboggan. -Then they dressed the carcass, cut the meat into convenient pieces, -and in less than half an hour were returning to the tilt with an -abundant supply of fresh meat, and very well satisfied with the result -of their morning's work. - -The meat of the bear which Andy had killed at the time of their -arrival had long since been consumed. Of late they had relied upon -rabbits and partridges, and, save for a limited stock of pork, were -without fat, which is a necessity in the severe climate of the North. -As David had said, the caribou was fat, and in splendid condition, and -yielded them an abundant store for several weeks. - -They were as hungry as wolves when they drew the toboggan load of meat -before the tilt door. David kindled a fire at once, while Andy put -over the kettle and Indian Jake cut some luscious steaks to fry, and -their dinner became a feast. - -"Now," said Andy, "we'll have meat and fish both for Christmas, but -I'll be missin' th' plum duff. I wish we'd brought some currants and -then we could have the duff, and as fine a Christmas dinner as ever we -has at home." - -"You're wishin' for a lot, seems to me," remarked Indian Jake. - -In the afternoon a platform was erected outside, upon which to store -the meat and fish. Here the reserve supply would remain frozen until -required, and at the same time be safe from the attack of animals. And -when they set out upon the trails on Monday morning both Indian Jake -and the boys placed liberal pieces of venison upon their toboggans, -with which to stock their other tilts. - -The following Friday evening David and Andy reached the Narrows tilt -in advance of Indian Jake. They had hurried, for this was Christmas -eve, and they wished a long evening to talk of those at home. It was -to be the first Christmas they had ever spent from home, and all day a -picture of the snug, warm cabin at The Jug had been before them as -they trudged through the silent, snow-clad wilderness. - -It was cold. Their adikys were thickly coated with hoar frost. The fur -of the hoods, encircling their faces, was heavy with ice, accumulated -moisture from the breath. - -Twilight was deepening, and the snow-covered tilt within was dark. -David lighted a candle, and the boys picked the ice from their -eyelashes--always a painful operation. A handful of birch bark and -some split wood had been left ready prepared, and David thrust them -into the stove and applied a match. A moment later the fire was -roaring cheerfully. - -Then they unpacked their toboggan, stowed the things in the tilt, and -Andy took his ax and the kettle to their water hole while David with -his ax went out to the elevated platform and secured a generous -portion of the frozen namaycush. And when presently Andy returned with -the kettle of water and David with the fish, the tilt was as warm and -comfortable as any one could wish. - -"Now," said David as they removed their adikys, and after shaking the -frost from them hung them upon pegs, "we'll have a fine rest till -Monday. We can sleep till daybreak if we wants. There'll be no workin' -on Christmas, _what_ever." - -"And we'll have a fine dinner tomorrow," Andy appended -enthusiastically, "and have all day t' talk and do as we please." - -"That we will," said David. - -"I wish, now, we had some currants t' make th' plum duff like Margaret -always makes on Christmas," said Andy wistfully. "We'll have a good -dinner, but 'twill be no different from what we has every day." - -"We've only been havin' th' deer's meat this week, and we never tires -of un, and we've got plenty t' eat, _what_ever," said David. - -"That we has, and 'tis wonderful good!" agreed Andy. "We has a fine -snug place t' rest in, and as fine grub as any one could want, and -enough t' be thankful for. I were just wishin' for plum duff so's t' -have somethin' different on Christmas. But we're hunters now, and we -can't expect all the fine things we has at home." - -"Plum duff!" the exclamation came from Indian Jake, who had come so -silently that the boys had not heard him until at that moment he -opened the door. "Plum duff in a huntin' camp! Ain't you forgot about -plum duff yet? You'll be wantin' sweets next!" - -"I was just _wishin'_," explained Andy. - -"They's no use wishin' for things can't be had," said Indian Jake, -pushing back the hood of his adiky and warming his fingers for a -moment before going out of doors to unpack his toboggan. - -Indian Jake was, to all appearances, in no very good humor. The boys -fell silent, while David proceeded to fry a pan of fish. Presently the -half-breed returned with his belongings, and stowing them under his -bunk he remarked: - -"Don't meddle with un, now." - -After he had hung up his adiky he lighted his pipe and smoked -silently, speaking never a word, and seemingly forgetful of the boys' -presence, until David announced: - -"Grub's ready, Jake." - -This was an appealing announcement. The half-breed knocked the ashes -from his pipe, helped himself liberally, and at once became more -sociable. - -"What fur this week?" he asked expectantly, as he ate. - -"One marten and one red," announced David. "How'd you make out, Jake?" - -"Not so bad," said Indian Jake. "Did you fetch th' marten and red -down?" - -"Yes, you can see un after supper if you likes," offered David. - -"This is fine fish," remarked Indian Jake, after a little. "'Twas a -fine catch, Andy." - -"Aye, 'twere that!" admitted Andy. "But I never could have got he -without you and David helpin'." - -Indian Jake was silent again, and scarcely spoke another word during -the whole evening. He examined the marten and fox skins, when David -produced them, with an eye of critical appraisement and evident -appreciation, but offered no comments. Once or twice, as the boys -chatted of home and made an effort to draw him into the conversation, -he merely grunted the briefest reply. Indeed it seemed to be his wish -to be left to his pipe and his thoughts, undisturbed, and they said no -more to him nor he to them. - - - - -XVII - -INDIAN JAKE'S SURPRISE - - -David and Andy had agreed to sleep later on Christmas morning. This -was to be a day of rest and recreation. Sleeping late meant, to them, -until break of day. But Indian Jake arose at the usual early hour, and -his movements aroused the boys, and through force of habit they sat up -in their bunk. - -"No need of you fellers gettin' up yet unless you want to," said -Indian Jake cheerfully. "I had some things I wanted t' do, so I got up -t' get un done before breakfast. I'll call you when breakfast is -ready. This is Christmas, you know." - -"Thank you, Jake," yawned David, snuggling back into his sleeping bag. -"I'm thinkin' I'll take another snooze, then. Merry Christmas!" - -"Merry Christmas to both of you!" broke in Andy, who, following -David's example, settled down again into his bag. "I'm thinkin' I'll -snooze some more, too." - -"The same to you, lads! I'll call you when I'm through fussin' -around." The half-breed spoke with unusual heartiness and good nature. -It was evident that his mood of silence and sullen indifference of -the previous evening had passed, and that he was in an excellent frame -of mind. - -Indian Jake proceeded at once to put flour into the mixing pan, and to -knead a quantity of dough. Then, assuring himself by their heavy -breathing that the boys were soundly sleeping, he cautiously drew from -beneath his bunk a two-quart covered pail that served him, when on the -trail, as a cooking kettle. Lifting the cover, he examined the -contents. - -"They're all right," he said. "They'll do. They've been froze ever -since I picked 'em in September." - -He now lay down, side by side, two of the boards used for stretching -fox pelts, and cutting a piece of dough from the mass in the mixing -pan, he placed it upon the boards, and proceeded to roll it thin with -the end of a round, dry stick. This done to his satisfaction, he -turned up the edges of the dough on all sides, and poured upon it the -contents of the pail, which proved to be cranberries. These he spread -evenly over the dough, and rolling it up, placed it in a small bag of -cotton cloth which he produced from his kit bag. The bag containing -dough and berries, was now deposited in the tin pail, the cover -replaced, and the pail set behind the stove. - -"The lads'll never look into that," he observed, "and she'll be safe -enough there, and won't get chilled till I wants her." - -He again reached under his bunk and drew forth a package which he had -deposited there with the kettle and other personal belongings upon his -arrival the previous evening. Looking furtively, to make certain the -boys were not awake and observing him, he undid this, and there -appeared a big fat goose, all picked and cleaned. He proceeded at once -to cut this into sections, which he dropped into the large cooking -kettle which was one of the furnishings of the tilt. - -"There," he said, after covering the goose with cold water, putting -the lid on the kettle and placing it beside the other, behind the -stove, "she's froze pretty hard, but that'll draw th' frost out, and I -can set her on when I'm ready, and cook her in the same water." - -Turning then to the dough remaining in the pan, he began to mould it -into cakes, and fry it after the usual fashion. - -"Plum duff!" he muttered to himself as he placed the frying pan on the -stove. "If we're goin' t' keep Christmas we may's well keep her right, -and surprisin' is a part of keepin' her. 'Twon't do any harm t' -surprise 'em, and make 'em feel good. They'll like me better for it. -They like me pretty well now. They brought the fur down, and I didn't -have t' show 'em what I had. I wonder how much they'd like me if they -knew what I'm plannin' t' do when we goes out in th' spring!" - -When Indian Jake had finished bread baking it was broad daylight, and -when presently he called the boys several loaves of the hot bread were -ranged upon a board by the stove, tea was made and caribou steaks -were frying, and the tilt was filled with the pleasant odor of -cooking. - -"Oh, but it smells good!" exclaimed Andy, springing out of his bunk. - -"I feel like I could eat a whole deer!" declared David. - -"Well, get washed up, then!" grinned Indian Jake "Breakfast is ready -and waitin'." - -A storm had sprung up in the night. As they ate they could hear the -wind howling around the tilt, and dashing snow in spiteful gusts -against the door. But with the cheerful, crackling fire in the stove -they were as warm and cozy as any one could wish, and after breakfast, -when Indian Jake lighted his pipe and the boys snuggled down in vast -and luxurious contentment, Andy remarked: - -"'Tis fine t' feel we can 'bide inside, and don't have t' go out in -th' snow t' cut wood or anything. 'Tis a fine day for Christmas." - -They discussed the furs they had accumulated, and what they were -likely to get before the season closed, and the price the furs would -bring, and the boys were made vastly happy by Indian Jake's -reassurance that they already had, he was quite certain, enough to pay -the expenses of Jamie's operation. Then it was quite natural they -should be deeply concerned about their father's broken leg, and -whether it was healing, and whether or not the mist in Jamie's eyes -was continuing to thicken. Indian Jake was wholly optimistic. - -"Your father's up and about before this," he cheered. "He's feedin' -th' dogs and 'tendin' t' things, and like as not doin' some huntin' -close by Th' Jug. There's no need worryin' about Jamie's eyes, either. -Doctor Joe's lookin' out for them. He'll see to 'em and take care of -'em. He'll never let th' lad go blind." Indian Jake's positive manner -lent this assurance the character of certainty. It seemed to remove -from the day the last cloud, and they fell to speculating upon what -the folk were doing at The Jug, and how they were enjoying the -Christmas day. - -And thus they talked of this and that until at length Indian Jake -announced that it was time to "think of dinner," and reaching behind -the stove brought forth the big kettle containing the goose, and set -it upon the fire, after taking a surreptitious peek under the cover. - -"What'll we have for dinner?" asked David. "I'm gettin' hungry -already." - -"Meat and other things. They's no knowin' what all," answered Indian -Jake cautiously. - -"What'll there be t' have besides meat?" asked Andy curiously. - -"Whitefish, maybe--and other things. But I don't want any questions -asked," warned Indian Jake. "_I'm_ gettin' dinner. You'll see what we -have when th' time comes." - -Indian Jake was most mysterious, and he was in great good humor with -it all. The boys were keyed to a high state of expectancy. Something -unusual was surely in store for them. The kettle boiled and in due -time sent forth a most delicious and appetizing odor. The boys -speculated and endeavored to identify the odor until suddenly David, -with a happy thought, exclaimed: - -"She smells like goose!" - -"Where'd I be gettin' goose _this_ time o' year?" asked Indian Jake, -as though it were a most preposterous suggestion. "Didn't we eat all -the geese we had frozen up after the bear's meat was gone?" - -"Aye," admitted David regretfully, "we ate un all; but she _smells_ -wonderfully like goose, and I wish she _were_ goose!" - -"She ain't deer's meat, _what_ever!" declared Andy. - -"You'll see when the time comes," was all the satisfaction Indian Jake -would give them, as he partially lifted the lid and threw some salt -into the kettle as seasoning. Then, pouring boiling water into the -kettle containing the pudding, he placed it also on the stove. - -"What's in _that_, now?" asked Andy. - -"They's no tellin'," Indian Jake grinned. "They might be 'most -anything. Davy, get a pan of whitefish ready to fry, whilst I mix some -dumplings for th' big kettle. We'll start in with whitefish." - -The boys could scarcely contain their curiosity. The mystery was -thickening, and the odor of goose was growing more appealing. Even -when Indian Jake dropped the dumplings into the kettle, and they took -big whiffs when he lifted the lid, they could make nothing of it. - -"Oh-h-!" breathed Andy ecstatically. "But that smells good! And I'm -hungrier'n I ever was in my life!" - -"So be I!" declared David, turning the fish. - -Indian Jake brewed the tea, and at last dinner was ready. - -"Don't eat too much of th' fish," he cautioned. "That's just a -starter." - -And so maintaining his air of mystery, and keeping the boys in -suspense until the last moment, he lifted the cover from the kettle at -the proper time with the announcement: - -"It's goose, lads, with dumplin's. You guessed right." - -"Oh! Goose! Goose!" exploded Andy. - -"I thought she smelled wonderfully like goose!" exclaimed David. - -Indian Jake grinned broadly. - -"This is just the best Christmas dinner we ever could have!" enthused -Andy, as Indian Jake dished him a liberal portion. - -"Where'd you get un, Jake?" asked David, as Indian Jake filled his -plate. "After the bear's meat were gone I were thinkin' we ate th' -last goose we had." - -"I shot un just before th' freeze up," explained Indian Jake. "I was -huntin' up near where my first tilt is, and I left un in th' tilt -where she froze up and kept good, and I kept un for a Christmas feed. -And now we're havin' th' feed!" - -But it _was_ a dinner! And how they ate! They were sure the goose was -every whit as good as though it had been fresh killed! It was fat and -tender as ever a goose could be, and Indian Jake explained that while -it was a big goose, it was a young one! And the dumplings! They were -light and fluffy, and there was plenty of gravy to cover them! - -"Don't eat too much, now!" warned Indian Jake. "Save room for what's -comin'!" - -Something was surely coming! Whatever it was, it bobbed merrily in the -kettle, making the cover dance and jingle a lively tune. At last -Indian Jake arose, and, taking the mixing pan, cleaned and dried it -carefully. - -The boys were on tiptoes, with curiosity and expectation. Indian Jake -had never done anything with so much deliberation in his life! -Satisfied, finally, that the pan was quite dry, he lifted the lid of -the kettle and disclosed a cotton bag filled almost to bursting. With -the point of his sheath knife he lifted the tied end of the bag -cautiously, seized it quickly, and transferred the bag from the -boiling water into the pan. - -"Duff!" shouted Andy. "Plum duff!" - -"Um-m-m! Plum duff!" echoed David. - -Indian Jake ripped the bag its length, and with a dexterous movement -lifted it, leaving the pudding naked, and disclosed in all its glory, -announcing as he did so: - -"Cranberry puddin'!" - -Then he cut it into three big portions, and covering each with -molasses, in lieu of sauce, passed one to each of the boys. - -"There 'tis," he said. "Go to un, and see how you like un!" - -Like it! They were both quite sure they had never eaten _such_ a -pudding in all their life. Andy declared it "A wonderful lot better -than plum duff!" It was a fit crown for the dinner. - -Indian Jake explained that he had picked the berries one day when they -were making a portage along the Nascaupee River. He had put them in -the tea pail which he used on his trail, and there he found them when -he opened the pail at his first tilt. They were frozen, and he stowed -them away with other things under his bunk, and quite forgot them -until he heard Andy wishing for plum duff on the day they killed the -caribou. - -"Then I makes up my mind if you wants plum duff so bad, we'll use t' -berries and have some," he concluded. - -"You've been thinkin' up a wonderful lot o' surprises for us," said -Andy appreciatively. - -The wind continued to howl and the snow to drift outside, but it -troubled them not in the least. They were as snug and warm and -satisfied as ever mortals can be. They were as happy, too--only David -and Andy complained that they had eaten too much. But that is -characteristic of boys the world over, on such occasions. And as for -Indian Jake, he had reason to be the happiest of the three, for there -is no happiness so complete as that which comes from giving others -pleasure. - -And if it were to be measured by appreciation rather than by variety -or quality of cooking, or manner of service, I daresay nowhere in all -the world was a better dinner served that Christmas day than in the -little Narrows tilt on Seal Lake, in the heart of the Labrador -wilderness. - - - - -XVIII - -SNOWBLIND - - -Tighter and tighter grew the grip of winter. As January advanced the -days grew longer, and the weather became more bitterly and terribly -cold. The great white, limitless wilderness was frozen now into a -silence awful in its solemnity. Even the wild creatures of the forest -feared the blighting hand of the frost king, and lay quiet in their -lairs, and the traps yielded small returns for the tremendous effort -put forth by the hunters. It seemed to David and Andy as they plodded -the dreary trails during this period that they were the only living -things in all the silent, solitary world. - -Sudden and terrible, too, were the storms--so terrible that no man -could have resisted exposure to them. And sometimes the trappers were -held prisoners for days at a time in the tilts, for to have gone forth -would have been to go to certain destruction. - -This was a trying period. Idleness always breeds discontent, and the -trappers chafed, and became moody, when storms interfered with the -regular routine of their work. Following the Christmas celebration, -Indian Jake lapsed into his customary habit of long, silent -broodings, when he seemed to have no wish for companionship and was -scarcely aware of the boys' presence. - -[Illustration: "We've been goin' long enough to be at the tilt," said -David] - -With the end of February and coming of March the cold gradually, -though reluctantly, lessened. The animals began again to stir more -actively and the traps to yield, as in earlier winter. There were -still the storms to contend against, however. They came now with even -less warning than formerly, and David and Andy found themselves in -many a tight pinch, and had adventures a-plenty, but adventure is the -daily portion of the trapper. They suffered with frost-bitten cheeks -and noses now and again, but they never thought of this as a hardship. -Every one who ventures forth in a Labrador winter expects sooner or -later to have frost-bitten cheeks and nose, and seldom is he -disappointed. - -"I'm wishin', now, I had my snow glasses here, but they're down in th' -tilt," remarked David one bright morning in early April when the snow, -reflecting the sun rays, glistened with dazzling brilliancy. - -"I'm wishin' I had mine, too, but I didn't bring un, either," said -Andy. "'Twas a bit hazy when we left th' tilt, and I didn't think I'd -need un." - -"'Tis time t' wear un now, and we mustn't come out again without un, -whether 'tis hazy or no. There'll be a bad glare on th' snow out on -th' mesh today," David predicted. - -"'Twon't be long now till we strikes up th' traps, will it?" asked -Andy. - -"Th' fur'll be good till th' end of April, and we'll strike up th' end -of April, whatever," said David. - -"I'm wonderin' and wonderin' how Pop's leg is, and how th' mist in -Jamie's eyes is. I'll be wonderful glad t' get home," and there was -longing in Andy's voice. - -"I hope Pop's 'most well, and th' mist isn't gettin' thicker. I been -wonderin' and wonderin', too." - -"We got a fine lot o' fur, Davy. Pop'll be wonderful glad." - -"That he will. We've got 'most as much as Pop got last year." - -"With Pop's share o' Indian Jake's, and with what Doctor Joe gets, I'm -thinkin' there'll be plenty t' pay for Jamie's goin' t' have th' great -doctor cut th' mist away and maybe t' pay for part of next year's -outfit too." - -"Aye, plenty, but I has a wonderful strange feelin' lately, Andy, -about Indian Jake not tellin' what fur he has. Indian Jake's fine, -though, and I take it 'tis just his way." - -"He don't talk much, Davy." - -"No, he don't talk much, and he never tells us what fur he's gettin'. -I wonders why?" - -"I wonders why, now?" - -Thus discussing Indian Jake's strange behavior and stranger reticence, -and conversing of home, a subject of which they never tired, they -traveled on and out upon the dazzling white of the marsh. As David had -predicted, the glare was intense, and when they reached the cluster -of spruce trees where they were accustomed to boil their kettle for -dinner at midday, Andy complained that his eyes pained him badly and -he could not see aright. - -"We'll wait a bit, till th' noon glare is past," suggested David. -"There's plenty o' time t' get back t' th' tilt, with th' long day -now. My eyes hurt wonderful bad too." - -So they built up their fire and for an hour lounged upon a seat of -spruce boughs they had arranged, holding their eyes closed, while they -talked, to relieve them from the intense light reflected by the snow. -The rest, however, was of no avail. The pain in their eyes grew -steadily worse, and it was becoming more difficult to raise the lids, -and presently David announced that they had best return to the tilt as -quickly as possible. - -"'Tis hard t' see anything," said Andy, as they set forth. - -"'Tis snowblindness. We'll go straight for th' tilt," suggested David, -"and not stop t' fix th' traps." - -A wind was springing up and very soon the sky became overcast. In a -little while snow began to fall. David in advance, Andy directly -behind him, the two walked for a time in silence. At length David -stopped. - -"Andy, b'y, can you see th' trail?" he asked. "My eyes is wonderful -bad." - -"No," said Andy, "'tis growing dark t' me." - -The snow thickened as they plodded along, and the rising wind whirled -it about in clouds. - -"'Twill be a nasty night," remarked David at the end of another hour. - -"'Twill that," agreed Andy. - -"I'm glad we turned back when we did," said David. - -For a long time neither spoke. Both were stumbling. The pain in their -eyes was intense, and it was only with the greatest effort that they -could open them for brief intervals. - -"We've been goin' long enough t' be at th' tilt," said David, breaking -the silence again. - -"I were thinkin' so," said Andy. - -Again they walked on in silence, each with the fear in his heart that -they were lost, but neither voicing it until suddenly David stopped -with the exclamation: - -"We're not on th' mesh at all, Andy! We're on th' river!" - -And sure enough, turning to the right they discovered the thick willow -hedge which lined the river bank. - -"Th' snow is so deep on th' ice I didn't know th' difference," -explained David. - -"And I didn't know th' difference," said Andy. - -"We missed th' tilt, and--and I'm afraid we'll have a hard time, -between th' blindness and th' storm, findin' it, Andy," David said, -hesitatingly. - -"We'll--we'll have a hard time," agreed Andy. - -"But," said David, with hope in his voice, "if we keeps goin' down th' -river we'll come t' th' Half-way tilt, _what_ever, and from th' time -we been walkin' we must have come a long way down th' river now. If we -keeps goin' we'll sure come t' th' Half-way tilt before dark." - -"We'll sure come to un if we keeps goin'," said Andy. - -"Keep plenty o' grit," cheered David. - -"Aye, plenty o' grit--and a stout heart," said Andy. - -The wind was steadily increasing, and even now driving the snow down -the river valley in suffocating clouds, but the two boys kept bravely -on. Once Andy fell, and David helped him up, and a little later he -stumbled and fell again, and again David helped him to his feet. - -"I'm--wonderful--tired," said Andy. - -"'Tis wearisome work," soothed David. - -"'Tis growin' night," said Andy. - -"Aye, 'tis growin' night," David admitted reluctantly. - -Again and again Andy stumbled and fell, and presently David relieved -him of his rifle and carried both his own and Andy's. - -"I'm--so--sleepy," breathed Andy. - -"Keep your grit, Andy," David cheered, though his own voice betrayed -the overpowering weariness that was stealing over him. - -"We'll--keep--our--grit," murmured Andy in a strange and scarcely -intelligible voice. - -Whenever Andy fell now, as he did with growing frequency, David found -it necessary to exert his utmost strength to lift the boy to his feet. -At length the horrible truth forced itself upon David. Half blind and -exhausted, they were hopelessly lost in the wilderness, amidst the -terrors of a northern blizzard. - -Staggering with weariness and exhaustion, he dragged the half -unconscious Andy through the first fortunate opening in the willow -brush upon which he stumbled as he blindly groped his way. In doing so -he had a vague, forlorn hope that in the shelter of the forest he -might succeed in kindling a fire. But here, as everywhere, utter -darkness surrounded him, made darker by his attack of snowblindness, -and he dared not release for an instant his grip upon Andy's arm, in -fear that he might lose him. - -Now, when Andy fell, David, who held his arm, fell with him, and lying -there a sense of vast relief stole over David, and he wished to sleep. -He could hear the wind shrieking and moaning through the tree tops. It -seemed far away, and lying there in the snow beyond its reach he was -warm and comfortable, and his eyes were heavy. Suddenly the -realization that they must keep moving at whatever cost of effort -flashed upon his brain, and rising to his knees he shook Andy, and -with desperation called to him to get up, and finally dragged himself -and Andy to their feet. - -"Keep--your--grit--Andy! We--must--keep our--grit, b'y!" he -encouraged. - -"Keep--our--grit," mumbled Andy, and the two staggered forward again. - -And then there came before David's half-closed, blinded eyes what -appeared like a dim cloud of fire, rising out of the blackness. -Clinging to Andy's arm, he lurched forward, and stumbled and fell, -with Andy by his side, and with the far-away moan of the wind in his -ears, like distant unearthly voices. And now he lay still and did not -try to rise. - - - - -XIX - -THE HALF BREED DESERTS - - -David was vaguely aware of a babel of human voices, and that he was -being lifted, and then came a sudden consciousness of warmth, -accompanied by the pleasant odor of burning wood. - -He attempted to open his eyes, but the effort resulted in such sharp -pain that he directly closed them again. Dimly, however, he had seen -in the brief interval his eyes were open that Andy was by his side, -and the dark forms of Indians bending over them, and the blaze of a -fire. Then he fell into the heavy slumber of complete exhaustion. - -With returning consciousness the following day David's first thought -was that he was in his bunk in the Namaycush Lake tilt. He could hear -the blizzard still raging outside. Vaguely he felt relieved that the -storm would not permit him and Andy to venture out upon the trails, -and that he might rest a little longer, for he was aware of an unusual -lassitude and weariness and a desire to remain in bed. - -Then there stole upon him the recollection of the terrible struggle in -the blizzard, how Andy had become exhausted, and his own desperate -effort to keep Andy upon his feet and to keep moving himself. Dimly he -recalled the faint cloud of fire that had suddenly risen before him in -the darkness at a moment when he felt his strength exhausted and he -sank into the snow, and then the sensation of warmth, the vision of -Indians and the echo of voices. - -David's senses were awake now, and sitting up he attempted to look -about him. Faintly, as through a smoke, he saw a fire and an Indian -woman bending over it. Two Indians sat opposite, smoking, and there -were other Indians by the fire. He recognized at once the interior of -an Indian wigwam. Then the pain in his eyes compelled him to close -them again immediately. - -"Beeg snow. Mooch bad," said one of the Indians good-naturedly, -observing that David was awake. - -"Where am I?" asked David. - -"Sa-peesh tent," said the Indian. - -"Andy! Is Andy all right?" David asked apprehensively. - -"Andy sleep mooch," laughed the Indian. "Heem all right." - -David was vastly relieved by this assurance. He knew Sa-peesh, the old -Mountaineer Indian, well, for Sa-peesh had camped at the post each -summer for as many years as David could remember, and of all the -Indians that came there was the only one who could speak English. - -With Sa-peesh's limited command of English, and the few Indian words -that David understood, he presently learned that he and Andy had -fallen headlong against the wigwam in the night, that the Indians had -thus discovered and rescued them, and that they were quite welcome to -remain until they were sufficiently recovered from exhaustion and -snowblindness to return to the tilts. He also learned that they were a -considerable distance to the eastward of Namaycush Lake, and had -doubtless traveled up, instead of, as they had supposed, down, the -river. - -Satisfied with the assurance that Andy was quite safe, David lay back -again upon the bed of boughs, as there was nothing else to do, and as -he lay there he recounted to himself the happenings of the previous -day. - -The cloud of fire that had appeared so suddenly before him, then, was -the Indians' tent, with the firelight filtering through it and he -whispered a little prayer of thanksgiving that God had guided him and -Andy to it--and that they had kept their grit. Then he heard a -movement by his side, and Andy's voice speaking his name. - -"Here I be, Andy!" said David eagerly. "How you feelin'?" - -"Not so bad if 'tweren't for th' hurt in my eyes. Where are we, Davy?" -asked Andy. - -"In Sa-peesh's tent, and away up th' river instead o' down," answered -David. "We ran into their tent in th' dark. 'Twas good we kept our -grit, Andy, or we'd ha' perished before we got here." - -"We _did_ keep our grit, now, didn't we Davy, and stout hearts, too?" -and there was pride and satisfaction in Andy's voice. - -"And now," continued David, "we'll be here a week, _what_ever, before -th' snowblind leaves us, and then in another fortnight 'twill be time -t' strike up th' traps." - -"But we made a fine hunt, _what_ever," said Andy. - -"That we did!" agreed David. "A fine hunt, now!" - -While the boys were talking Mrs. Sa-peesh was dipping generous -portions of boiled venison from a kettle that simmered over the fire, -and now Sa-peesh interrupted the boys with an invitation to eat, -setting before them, at the same time, the dish of venison, two tin -cups and a kettle of tea. And though they could open their eyes only -to narrow slits, because of the pain, there was no complaint to be -made with their appetite, and they managed well enough. - -And thus, miraculously, David and Andy were rescued, and they were -safe enough, and comfortable enough, too, in the wigwam with Sa-peesh -and Mrs. Sa-peesh, and Mesh-tuk (tree), a young Indian who lived with -them and hunted with Sa-peesh, and Amish-ku (beaver) and Ni-pit-se -(summer), the two children. A-mish-ku, a lad of twelve, and Ni-pit-se, -a maiden of fifteen years, were exceedingly well pleased that they -were to have the companionship of David and Andy for so long, and they -chattered to the two boys in their wild Indian tongue, and there was -a deal of sport for all, learning to pronounce each other's strange -words. - - * * * * * - -It was Saturday evening that week when Indian Jake reached the Narrows -tilt, for he too had been delayed by the storm. He was not in the -least astonished or disturbed that the boys did not appear as usual. - -"Held up by the storm," said he to himself. "They'll be here -tomorrow." - -He was somewhat at a loss to account for their non-arrival on Sunday. -The storm had continued but two days, and he could think of no good -reason why they should have been delayed longer. He slept not the less -soundly, however, Sunday night, and on Monday morning as usual set out -upon the weekly round of his trail, well satisfied that the boys would -appear later. - -He was mystified, however, upon returning the following Friday, to -discover that David and Andy had not visited the tilt during his -absence, and still more mystified when they failed to appear either -that evening or Saturday evening. - -"Something has happened," he said, when it grew so late he was assured -they would not come. "I'll go over their trail tomorrow and take a -look for them." - -Accordingly, early on Sunday morning he set out with his long, -swinging, rapid stride for the Halfway tilt, and making no pause to -visit traps, and not following the windings of the trail but taking a -straight course, reached there a considerable time before midday. A -brief survey was sufficient to satisfy him that the boys had not been -there for many days, and without halting to prepare his dinner he -continued to the Namaycush Lake tilt. - -It was early afternoon of the long April day when the tilt came into -view, and as he approached it his sharp eyes took in every detail of -the surroundings. There had been no storm since the blizzard in which -David and Andy were lost, and the half-breed was quick to discover no -track of snowshoes. - -"Not here since the storm!" he exclaimed. - -The boys' toboggan leaned against the tilt outside, and within, the -half-breed discovered their sleeping bags and other equipment which -they usually carried with them. He closed the tilt and set out upon -the marsh, but no sign or mark could be found to indicate the course -they had taken. - -"Lost in the storm," he said, turning back after an hour's fruitless -search. "No use looking for them any longer. They've perished. They're -buried deep enough under the drifts somewhere, and when the thaw comes -they'll be food for foxes and wolves." - -Indian Jake proceeded to kindle a fire in the stove, and, while the -kettle was boiling, to examine two marten pelts, which hung from the -ceiling. These he took down and stuffed into the bosom of his shirt. -Then turning his attention to a search for food, he discovered some -fat pork and stale camp bread. He sliced some of the pork into a -frying pan and placed it upon the stove. Indian Jake was hungry, for -he had eaten nothing since early morning. - -When he had disposed of his simple and hastily prepared dinner, the -half-breed set out upon his return without delay. When night fell the -trail was lighted by a brilliant moon, and he did not stop until near -midnight, when he reached the Narrows tilt. - -Indian Jake kindled a fire, boiled the kettle, and ate a belated -supper. Then he took down a bag suspended from the ceiling, opened it, -and drew forth the furs which David and Andy had captured during the -winter. - -The pelts were in the condition in which they had been cured, the fur -side turned in, the fleshy side out, for, as previously explained, in -skinning a fur-bearing animal the trapper draws the pelt off whole, -necessarily turning it as he draws it down over the head, and it is -then stretched upon a properly shaped board, after which all fat and -fleshy adhesions are scraped away. - -One by one Indian Jake turned down each pelt sufficiently to examine -the color and texture of the fur, turned it back again, and laid it on -the bunk. Thus he first went over the marten pelts, laying them in -three piles, graded as to value and quality. In the same manner he -graded the fox and mink pelts. There were also four lynx and the three -wolf skins. Indian Jake had previously examined every pelt, to be -sure, but never before with the careful criticism he now displayed. - -This done he mentally calculated the value, and uttered a huge grunt -of satisfaction. - -"Worth five hundred dollars--maybe six hundred--at the Bay, and they'd -bring nine hundred in Quebec. Good! One more round o' th' trail, and -I'll strike up, and go. Won't be safe t' wait for the break up. Wish I -had my fur here; I'd go in the mornin'!" - -The following morning the half-breed left the tilt at the usual hour, -gathering his fur at his tilts as he went, and striking up his traps -when he had examined them for his week's catch; and on Friday drew his -toboggan as usual to the Narrows tilt. - -On Saturday Indian Jake assorted his own furs in the same manner in -which he had previously assorted those of David and Andy. - -"Ugh!" he grunted. "Thought I'd tell 'em what I had! Wonder what -they'd said t' that!" - -And he held up to his admiring gaze a beautiful silver fox skin, -shaking it briskly as he did so, that all its glossy luster might -appear to advantage. - -"Worth six hundred anyhow," he muttered with satisfaction. - -Then he drew out another, shook and examined it in like manner. - -"Not so good," he said. "Worth four hundred, though, at the Post. Even -if I hadn't got these two silvers, it's the best hunt I ever had. -Worth with the silvers about fifteen hundred. And Tom Angus thinks -he'll get a third of it! Ugh!" - -The balance of the day was occupied in getting together the things he -wished to take with him. The venison had long since been eaten. There -was some whitefish, taken upon a second fishing excursion, four -rabbits and several partridges. A small amount of flour, salt pork and -tea also remained. These he carefully packed. On Sunday morning Indian -Jake lashed upon his toboggan all of the provisions, a cotton tent, a -tent stove, his sleeping bag and other equipment, and all the furs. - -Snow was falling when the half-breed closed the tilt door, and, -hauling his well-laden toboggan, turned southward. Presently the thick -falling flakes closed upon him, and covered his tracks, and no sign or -mark remained to indicate in which direction he had gone. The Narrows -tilt and the fur trails were now deserted indeed. - - - - -XX - -A LETTER FROM THE GREAT DOCTOR - - -The Jug was lonely enough after the departure of David and Andy in -September. Margaret and Jamie missed them, perhaps, more than Thomas, -who was accustomed to the solitude of the trails. Margaret was quite -sure the place would have been well-nigh unbearable but for Doctor -Joe, who went about his work whistling or singing snatches of song, -and who always had a smile or a joke when he breezed into the cabin. -And his evening stories were something to look forward to. - -Doctor Joe was bustling about from morning until night, these days, -preparing for his winter's work. There was no end of work to be done -about the cabin, that all might be made "ship-shape," as he said, "and -snug for any storm that might blow." - -Thomas was as patient as ever a man with a broken leg could be. But it -was quite natural that he should wish to be up and about. A hundred -times during these weeks he asked Doctor Joe if it were not time to -take the "lashin's" off his leg, and declared that he was "weary of -dawdlin' there in bed." His restlessness was not to be wondered at, -for never before in all his life had Thomas Angus "dawdled" in bed -for a single day. Thomas Angus had always been an uncommonly strong -and healthy man, for which he was duly thankful. - -Never once after David and Andy departed did Jamie utter a word of -complaint about the mist in his eyes. They had gone forth to do great -deeds. They would meet, up there in that lonely land of mystery, many -a bitter hardship, and they would have "plenty o' grit, and keep their -hearts stout, like a man's," for they had promised their father and -Jamie they would. Why, then, should he complain? He, too, must keep -plenty o' grit, and a stout heart, and be brave and patient. - -Perhaps, too, Jamie was becoming accustomed to the mist, as one will, -in time, become accustomed to anything. Perhaps the abounding hope of -youth helped him--and with Jamie it was the hope that one day he would -see as well as ever he had--for was not the great doctor to work a -wonderful cure--when summer came again? Jamie's faith never wavered. -He entertained no doubt that David and Andy and Indian Jake would meet -with success, and bring back with them the furs necessary to meet the -expense of the journey to New York. He never failed to ask for this in -his prayers. Oh, that the faith of childhood, simple, abiding, -unquestioning, might never be shattered! What a blessed consolation is -faith! What a bulwark of strength in time of need! - -Jamie often asked Margaret to describe the mountains to him as she saw -them from the cabin windows. It was a vast satisfaction to have the -assurance that they were still there, big and brave and strong, -standing guard over the world beyond the Bay. And sometimes he would -ask her to watch for the moment when the light from the setting sun -tipped their highest peaks with glory, and tell him when God reached -down to kiss the world good night. - - * * * * * - -"Now that leg!" announced Doctor Joe one day. "We'll take the splints -off and see what it looks like." - -"I'm wonderful glad t' have un took off," said Thomas, his face -brightening visibly. - -Doctor Joe laughed, as he went to work, and presently the bandages and -splints were removed, and he surveyed the leg. - -"I never saw a better job!" he exclaimed. "Straight and fine! It won't -be long, Thomas, till you'll forget you ever had a broken leg!" - -"She feels strange," remarked Thomas. - -"Does she, now?" laughed Doctor Joe. - -"Aye, she does that! She pricks and hurts, and she wasn't hurtin' a -bit when th' lashin's were on," said Thomas. - -"That'll soon pass away. It's the blood circulating," Doctor Joe -explained. - -And after that it was not long until Thomas was moving about the cabin -on a pair of rude crutches Doctor Joe had made for him, and mightily -pleased he was. - -"Plenty t' be thankful for," declared Thomas. "Here, now I'll soon -have as good a pair o' legs as ever I had, with Doctor Joe's mendin', -and if Doctor Joe hadn't been here 'tis like as not, and liker too, -I'd ha' been crippled for life." - -Late in October winter snapped down upon them in a night. Everywhere -the great bay was frozen, and there was no longer the sound of lapping -waves upon the beach. Very soon, too, the cheerful voice of Roaring -Brook, tumbling headlong over the rocks, was hushed into silence. - -Rime filled the air, and the cabin windows became thick-crusted with a -frost that never melted that livelong winter. Before the end of -November the snow lay a full fathom deep every where, and there was no -going abroad now, save upon snowshoes. - -But there was wood enough ranked high in the shed to keep the big -stove roaring and crackling merrily, and the cabin assumed a greater -coziness than ever. - -Thomas busied himself making snowshoes for future use, mending dog -harness, and attending to innumerable odd jobs for which ordinarily in -his busy existence he found small leisure. - -"'Tis a blessin' t' feel I has th' time for un without neglectin' and -makin' a shift of other work," he declared. Thomas found a blessing -and a reason for thankfulness in everything. - -Each morning almost before the break of dawn Doctor Joe would steal -away into the cold, dreary gloom of the silent forest, and each -night, as dusk was settling, they would hear his cheery call as he -returned. This was the brightest hour of the day for Jamie and -Margaret, aye and Thomas, too. - -But following the fur trails from morning till night, and day after -day, was hard and wearisome work for Doctor Joe. His success as a -trapper was indifferent. He was not born and bred to it as were Thomas -and the boys. There were days and days when he returned of nights -empty handed, but he always wore a cheerful face and a smile when he -entered the lighted cabin, no matter how gloomy it may have been in -the dark woods. And if Thomas, perchance, had permitted himself to -grow down-hearted, Doctor Joe's smile and cheerfulness raised his -spirits and drove the gloom away. There is no tonic more potent than a -smile and a cheerful face. 'Tis a great mender of a sore heart. - -Doctor Joe, however, in spite of his brave front, was deeply troubled -at his lack of success on the trail. It was of vital importance that -sufficient furs should be had to pay the way for Jamie's operation, -and he was not in the least certain of the result of David's and -Andy's winter hunt, or altogether satisfied as to their safety. He -could never quite clear his mind of doubts as to Indian Jake's -responsibility and integrity. So much depended upon the boys and -Indian Jake! Jamie's whole future depended upon them or so Doctor Joe -believed. He was watching Jamie's eyes carefully and constantly, and -there was no doubt that the mist was gradually but constantly -thickening. - -When the northern posts are ice-bound the last autumn mail for the -coast is left by the mail boat each year at a post three hundred miles -to the southward, and carried thence to its destination by dog sledge. -Customarily this mail reaches the Hudson Bay Post in Eskimo Bay on the -evening of the twenty-second or twenty-third of December. Doctor Joe -was keenly anxious for its arrival this year, for he was confident it -would contain the hoped-for reply from the great New York surgeon, and -as the time approached he was indeed in a state of nervous expectancy. - -There was still the uncertainty as to whether or no the surgeon would -be in New York the following summer. Doctor Joe had promised that he -would be there, or at least held out such strong hopes that Jamie and -Thomas and Margaret were depending upon them as a promise, and with -the utmost faith. Doctor Joe felt the responsibility keenly, and as -the weeks wore away this feeling of personal responsibility increased. -He did not dare to think of Jamie's future should his plans fail, and -when the thought did force itself upon him a strange panic seized him. - -Doctor Joe's anxiety was so keen that he must needs lose no time in -receiving the letter that he hoped would come to him, and two days -before Christmas, when he came home from the trail in the evening, he -announced that he was to go to the Post the following morning. - -"How would you like to take the cruise with me, Margaret?" he asked. -"You haven't been away from The Jug in six months." - -"Oh, 'twould be fine!" exclaimed Margaret, delighted at the prospect. -"I'd like so much t' go!" - -"Then I'll drive the dogs over, and take you," said Doctor Joe. "Your -father and Jamie will do very well without you for one day, and I'm -not going out on my trail on Christmas eve. Besides, we're very apt to -meet Santa Claus, and we mustn't miss seeing him, for he may have -something for Jamie, and the old rascal would like as not go right on -and never leave it, if we don't remind him." - -Doctor Joe gave a quizzical glance toward Jamie, who was immediately -intensely excited. - -"Jamie and I'll do fine alone for _one_ day," declared Thomas, "though -I don't know how we'd ever do without Margaret longer than that. It -never would do to miss old Santa Claus, though, and Margaret must go -along." - -"Ask he--ask he--if you sees he, now, t' bring me a knife!" exclaimed -Jamie, vastly excited. "A huntin' knife! When th' mist leaves my eyes -I'll have un t' use when I goes huntin' with Pop. Tell he that, and -he'll sure give un to me!" - -"Very well," agreed Doctor Joe, "we'll tell him. But supposing he has -no hunting knives? He may be all out of them. Then what shall he bring -you?" - -"A jackknife," said Jamie, with prompt decision. "A jackknife that'll -be all my own." - -Accordingly the following morning Doctor Joe made ready the sledge and -harnessed the eight big dogs, and when Margaret heard the dogs yelping -in eagerness to be away she came running out, all bundled up, her eyes -sparkling and face aglow with the prospect of the journey. When she -had seated herself in a big box on the rear of the sledge, Doctor Joe -wrapped caribou skins about her and tucked her in as snug and warm as -could be. Then he seized the front of the komatik, as they called the -sledge, jerked it sharply toward him to break it loose from the snow, -and as he did so shouted "Oo-isht! Oo-isht!" With a creak the sledge -was freed and the dogs, straining at their traces, shot ahead at a -gallop down the steep slope to the ice. - -The sledge once in motion coasted after the dogs at a mad pace. Doctor -Joe, throwing himself upon it, with his feet extending forward and -over the side, drove his heels into the snow in rapid succession, -while he pulled back with all his might in an effort to retard the -speed. Margaret, enveloped by the cloud of snow which Doctor Joe -kicked up, clung desperately to the swaying box. It was exciting and -thrilling. At the foot of the slope was a mass of ice hummocks, piled -up by the tide, and as the dogs and sledge dashed among them the -speed slackened. Here, with quick, agile jerks upon the front of the -runners, Doctor Joe steered them safely to the smooth white surface of -the Bay. - -Now the dogs settled to a comfortable trot. Doctor Joe seated himself -upon the sledge, and looking back he and Margaret waved their hands -gaily to Thomas and Jamie, who were standing at the cabin door, while -Thomas told Jamie what was taking place. - -It was dusk when the howl of eager dogs announced the return of Doctor -Joe and Margaret. Thomas and Jamie hastened to the door, and were in -time to greet them as the sledge drew up the incline. - -"Oh, we had a fine trip!" exclaimed Margaret enthusiastically, as she -threw off the caribou skins and stepped lightly from the box, quite as -pleased and excited with her journey and visit to the trading post as -any country girl in our land would be with a journey of a hundred -miles and a visit to a great city. - -"Did you see Santa Claus?" asked Jamie in high expectation. - -"Oh, yes, we saw him!" answered Margaret gaily. - -"And is he t' come here?" and Jamie was on tiptoe with excitement. - -"He's t' come here!" declared Margaret. "He'll not be passing _here_, -_what_ever!" - -"We told him that he must come _here_, whatever he did!" called -Doctor Joe, who was unharnessing the dogs. "We told him 'twould be a -sorry day for him if he passed The Jug without stopping." - -"O-h-h!" breathed Jamie. - -And presently, when Doctor Joe had turned the dogs loose and fed them, -he came stamping into the cabin all aglow with the good news of a -letter from the great doctor, who had written that he would cut the -mist away from Jamie's eyes. That in itself was the greatest Christmas -present that could have come to any of them. Jamie asked a hundred -questions about it, and they all declared that they were never before -in all their lives made so glad of a Christmas eve. - -That night, with faith complete, Jamie hung up his stocking, and sure -enough on Christmas morning it contained not only the coveted knife -but a little package of candy. And to Margaret's great surprise, for -she had not in the least expected to be remembered, Santa Claus had -brought her a beautiful knitted sweater to wear about when the cabin -was chilly, and she was no less happy with the gift than was Jamie -with his. - -And Thomas and Doctor Joe were as happy as either of them. Santa Claus -must be a very happy old man indeed, for the greatest happiness in the -world comes from making others happy. And it is not the worth of a -gift in money, either, that counts for value, but the depth of love -that goes with it. And after all, every one who does his best to make -others happy at Christmas time or at any other time is a Santa Claus. - -As the weeks passed the mist in Jamie's eyes grew so thick that at -length he ceased his old pathetic habit of brushing his hand before -them to drive it away. It hurt Margaret's sympathetic heart solely to -see him groping for things that were usually near at hand, but which -he could not find. - -Thomas, who had long since abandoned his crutches, and was as busy as -ever, was openly worried over Jamie's condition, and more than once -Margaret discovered Doctor Joe staring long and steadily at Jamie with -what she thought was a look of fear in his face, and it startled her. -Was it possible, she asked herself, that the blindness might come too -soon for the great doctor to work his marvelous cure? - -But Doctor Joe said there was no cause for worry, on that score, and -for the most part he was outwardly cheerful enough. There was still -time, he declared--unless the eyes darkened much more rapidly in the -coming weeks than they had during the early winter, and there was no -reason to expect that they would. - -"It all depends now upon the furs the boys and Indian Jake bring out," -he said, "and they'll surely bring enough between them to pay -expenses. Four hundred dollars will be plenty, and if we have three -hundred I'll take Jamie, anyhow. My little hunt will fetch a hundred, -and they'll be certain to have enough to make up the balance." - -"O, aye, they'll sure have that much," and Thomas brightened. - -"The boys should be out the first of June, and Jamie and I will go on -the first mail boat, the last of the month," said Doctor Joe. "It all -depends on our getting the furs. We _must_ have the furs, and there's -no reason to doubt we'll have them." - -Jamie had faith, and plenty o' grit, too. _He_ had no doubt that David -and Andy would come home with a fine lot of furs. - -And so they all waited and watched hopefully and expectantly for the -return of the hunters, never once dreaming of disappointment or -failure, or how strangely awry their plans were to go, as so often is -the case with the best laid plans. - - - - -XXI - -THE TRAIL OF THE DESERTER - - -Indian Jake took a straight course down the lake and through the -Narrows. Crossing the lower expansion he turned upon the broad white -bed of the river. This he followed until he reached a point where the -ice, covering the swift flowing current, became unsafe. Here he -entered the forest skirting the north bank, and under cover of the -trees kept his rapid pace until mid-afternoon. - -During the forenoon the storm had been steadily increasing in -violence. Traveling had become uncomfortable and difficult, and, -choosing a convenient place to pitch his tent, Indian Jake stretched -it between two trees. A full ten feet of snow covered the forest floor -and with no attempt to clear a camping place he proceeded to make -himself comfortable on the surface of the snow. - -He first secured the tent around the bottom with long pegs that sunk -deep into the snow and held the canvas firm and taut. Then with his ax -he cut two green butts of trees, and laying them side by side and a -few inches apart just within the tent, erected his tent stove upon -them. The green butts would not burn easily, and their ends, extending -a considerable distance beyond the stove on each side, would support -it and prevent its sinking when the snow beneath melted with the heat. -From within the stove he withdrew three lengths of stovepipe, joined -them and set them in position, and the stove was ready for a fire. - -Before kindling the fire, however, Indian Jake gathered several -armfuls of boughs, snapping them from low-hanging limbs with a deft -twist of the wrist. These he spread with some care, as a carpet for -the tent, and as a protection from the snow beneath. Indian Jake's -shelter now prepared to his satisfaction, he unlashed the toboggan, -carried the contents within, and stowed them away with a view to -comfort and convenience. - -Then taking his ax he devoted himself to chopping firewood of proper -length for the stove. Swinging his ax dexterously and industriously -for thirty minutes, a sufficient supply was accumulated to serve his -needs for several hours. This he piled in neat tiers just within the -tent entrance, where it would be at hand when required. With a piece -of birch bark for tinder, he now lighted a fire in the stove, and -taking his kettle and ax went to the river for water. - -When he returned a few minutes later the tent was warm and -comfortable. He placed the kettle upon the stove, removed his adiky, -and turned his attention to the preparation of dinner. Indian Jake had -eaten nothing since early morning, and he was hungry. - -Some fried whitefish and pork, some generous pieces of camp bread, and -several cups of hot tea made a substantial and satisfying meal. When -they were disposed of, the half-breed sliced black tobacco from a -plug, filled his pipe, lighted it from the fire with a shaving, and -settled himself for luxurious rest. - -After the manner of those who are much alone, Indian Jake had the -habit of thinking aloud, and now he proceeded to converse audibly with -himself. - -"Fifteen hundred dollars worth of fur," said he. "It's a fine hunt, -takin' it all, with what th' lads got. I never had half as much fur at -one time in my life before. I made a good hunt myself. With theirs it -makes a fine lot. But they're dead, and they'll never know what I got; -I never told 'em. And they'll never know what I does with any of it." - -He was silent for a time, then continued: - -"They was good fellers t' hunt with. They had a good lot o' grit, too. -It was pretty hard for 'em sometimes, on nasty days, but they stuck to -it, and got th' fur. I had some good times with 'em, too. Had a good -time Christmas, surprisin' 'em with th' goose and puddin'. I wonder -why 'tis I like t' surprise folks, and get a good time out'n doin' it. -I had one surprise for 'em they'll never know about. I wonder how -they'd have liked _that_ surprise. - -"They brought th' fur down to th' Narrows tilt when I told 'em to. Th' -little feller wanted me t' bring mine in too, but I wa'n't goin' t' let -'em know what I had. He kinder suspicioned me, or somethin'. The way -it turned out their fur was safe enough. I'd have got th' fur anyhow -when I went up t' look for 'em. - -"If I'd known where their traps were set I could ha' gone over 'em. -They might have some fur in 'em. I could 'a' struck 'em up and took -care of 'em, too, like I did on my trail. 'Twouldn't have hurt me any -to do that much for Tom Angus. He let me hunt his trail. But he'll -find 'em when he comes in next fall." - -After a little silence he mused: - -"I wonder how Tom Angus is goin' t' take it when they don't show up." - -Indian Jake's pipe had gone out. He pushed the ashes down in the bowl, -relit it, renewed the fire in the stove, and rising looked out between -the tent flaps at the falling snow. Returning to his seat he remarked: - -"Likely t' be a nasty day tomorrow, and I may as well stay here. No -use travelin' in nasty weather. They's plenty o' time. Guess I'll take -it easy. Nobody to worry about me, and I'm just as much t' home here -as anywhere. I got grub enough. I may meet up with some o' th' Injuns, -and I can travel with them. - -"Home!" said he, after a silence. "Th' lads were thinkin' a big lot -about th' time when they'd go home. Now they'll never go there. Home's -th' finest place in th' world t' be when a feller has one. Huh! What's -th' use thinkin' about that. I'll be gettin' homesick for a home I -ain't got. This tent's a good enough home. It's got t' suit me, -anyhow. It's all right." - -The next day it stormed, as Indian Jake had predicted, and he did not -leave his camp, but the morning following was clear, and he again set -forward. - -At midday the half-breed halted to boil the kettle, and making his way -toward the river to obtain water, he suddenly stopped and sniffed the -air. The wind was blowing up from the opposite side of the river. - -"Smoke!" he exclaimed. "They's some one camped across the river!" - -Cautiously he stole down to the river bank, and from the cover of -brush scanned the opposite shore. His sharp eyes quickly detected half -hidden by trees and drift, a small log tilt. Smoke was rising from the -protruding stovepipe. - -"Who can that be trappin' in there?" Indian Jake asked himself. - -As though in answer to his question the tilt door opened, and Uncle -Ben Rudder, with kettle and ax, came down to the river, cut open a -water hole, filled his kettle and returned to the tilt. - -"Th' old wolverine!" exclaimed Indian Jake when Uncle Ben had -disappeared. "What's he doin' in here? Tried t' keep me from huntin'! -If he'd had _his_ way Thomas Angus wouldn't have let me have the Seal -Lake trail! Always meddlin' with other folks' business! Well, I got -th' trail, and th' fur too, you old skunk!" - -The half-breed grinned triumphantly, and his face was not pleasant to -see then. - -"He'll find out somethin' before I'm through with him," added Indian -Jake, and turning about with his unfilled kettle he cautiously -returned under cover of the trees to his toboggan. "Wouldn't he like -t' run on me now! Wouldn't he like t' know about th' fur I've got!" - -Indian Jake resumed his journey. To light a fire would be too -dangerous, for even with the wind in an opposite direction, a whiff of -smoke carried across the river might disclose his presence to Uncle -Ben, and Indian Jake had reason to look upon Uncle Ben as an enemy -that just at the present time he did not care to encounter. - -Camping at night and traveling leisurely by day, Indian Jake continued -down the valley of the Nascaupee until, one afternoon, a little way -above the place where the river empties into Grand Lake, he fell upon -numerous indications of the presence of bears. A careful examination -satisfied him that these were made late the previous fall, and that -there were at least two, and possibly more bears, hibernating in the -immediate vicinity. His Indian instinct to permit no game to escape -him was aroused. Presently the bears would come forth from their long -winter sleep. They would be hungry, and could easily be trapped. The -temptation was too strong to be resisted. - -"I'll have time t' get away over th' ice," he decided. "I can fix up -some sort of a canoe while I'm waitin', and if I get caught by th' -break-up I can make out. Like as not some of th' Injuns'll be along -anyhow. They'll let me go along with 'em. I'm thinkin' I'll stay here -a while and trap bear." - -And so Indian Jake pitched his camp, made himself comfortable, and -began the building of deadfalls, in anticipation of the time when the -bears would come forth from their dens. - -Here in the seclusion of the forest the half-breed was safe enough -from discovery. None would pass this way save the Indians who were his -friends, and Uncle Ben Rudder, upon whom he looked as an -uncompromising enemy. But not until after the break-up in June would -Uncle Ben pass down the river and into Grand Lake in his boat. Indian -Jake had the advantage of time. He would break camp and be away before -June. In any case there was no probability that Uncle Ben would go -ashore here, and even though he did, Indian Jake's tent was -sufficiently hidden to escape detection. He took good care that this -should be the case, and he also took good care to leave no trace along -the river bank that would give hint of his presence, or arouse -suspicion that he was in the vicinity. - - - - -XXII - -THE BURNING TILT - - -David and Andy were made as comfortable as ever they could be in a -wigwam. Sa-peesh and his family, but particularly A-mish-ku and -Ni-pit-se, were well pleased to have them there. They had seen none -save the members of their own family since the previous autumn, and -A-mish-ku, after the manner of boys the world over, craved the -companionship of other boys, and he and Ni-pit-se were glad to see new -faces and hear new voices. - -Ni-pit-se was shy at first, but her timidity passed away quickly -enough. And she took it upon herself to minister to David's and Andy's -needs, and she found a vast deal of pleasure in nursing them. Their -coming, and these new duties, made a welcome break in the monotony of -the days, for even an Indian maiden wearies sometimes of the -changeless solitary routine of her wilderness life. - -And so, despite the pain and discomfort of their temporary affliction, -David and Andy were well content, and recovered so rapidly from their -attack of snowblindness that they might have returned to their trail -at the end of a week but for the fact that Andy's feet were -frostbitten, and still too sore to walk so far. And so, of necessity, -they tarried another week in the wigwam of Sa-peesh, much to the -satisfaction of the A-mish-ku and Ni-pit-se. - -During this fortnight the days were rapidly lengthening and the sun -was growing stronger, though as yet there was no softening of the snow -even at midday and the nights and mornings were crisp and frosty -enough. With every day, as the sun grew brighter, the glare on the -snow increased until the world was a dazzling expanse of -scintillating, blinding light. No longer was it safe to go abroad, -even for an hour, with naked eyes, save in dull and cloudy weather. - -David and Andy had learned their lesson. They had no intention of -becoming snowblind again if it could be avoided. And so, while they -waited for Andy's feet to heal, they fashioned, each for himself, a -pair of goggles, after the manner of those worn by Sa-peesh and his -family. - -These goggles were made from round pieces of wood, hollowed out like -shells and large enough to cover the eyes comfortably, with the -hollows whittled deep enough to permit the eyelids to open and close -within them. Two of these were fastened together the proper distance -apart to fit the eyes, with a piece of buckskin. In the bottom of each -hollow a narrow slit was cut lengthwise of the goggle. Through this -slit the wearer was to look. The interior of the hollow was blacked -with charcoal from the fire. A buckskin thong fastened to the outer -edge of each of the goggles, and tied behind the head, kept them in -place. - -At length Andy declared that his feet were well enough healed to -permit him to return to the trails. Both he and David were anxious to -resume their work, for the trapping season was nearing its close. They -wished, also, to satisfy Indian Jake's anxiety as to their safety, for -they had no doubt he was anxious, and possibly much troubled and -mystified at their long absence. - -There was much regret in the wigwam of Sa-peesh, and loudly did -Sa-peesh and Mrs. Sa-peesh, and especially A-mish-ku and Ni-pit-se -lament that the visit should have been so short. It is the custom of -Indian women to bestow gifts upon friends setting out upon a journey. -This is a pleasant and profitable custom for the friends, and the -women believe that the spirits will bless the giver with much good -fortune, and thus they are themselves amply recompensed. - -Accordingly, when David and Andy made ready for departure on a bright -April morning, Mrs. Sa-peesh presented each with a bladder filled with -marrow fat, and a quantity of jerked venison, while each received from -Ni-pit-se a beautiful pair of bead-embroidered moccasins which she had -made with her own hands. - -And when they thanked Sa-peesh and everybody for all the kindness that -had been shown them, and said farewell, the whole family came out -before the wigwam to shout good wishes after them and to wave their -hands to them, until the boys were quite out of their sight. - -"We'll soon be findin' out, now, what Indian Jake thought when we -didn't get t' th' Narrows, and 'twill be three weeks when we gets -there Saturday," remarked David. - -"I wonders, now, what he thinks about un!" suggested Andy. - -"He thinks we perished," said David, "and he's likely been up t' -Namaycush lookin' for us. 'Twill be a fine surprise to he when he -comes back Saturday." - -"'Tis fine t' be alive!" exclaimed Andy, breathing the good pure air. - -"'Tis that!" said David, "and t' have such a fine hunt t' take home. -Pop'll be wonderful pleased!" - -"Won't he now!" Andy agreed. "It won't be much over a month, whatever, -will it, Davy, before th' break up, and we can start for home?" - -"No, th' last of May, _what_ever," said David, "and won't it be fine, -Andy, t' go home with all th' furs? They's plenty, I _knows_, now, t' -pay for Jamie goin' t' have th' great doctor cure his eyes. Indian -Jake said so, and he's a wonderful good judge. There's our share of -his fur, too. And won't it be fine t' have Jamie see again as well as -ever he did!" - -"Won't it, now!" exclaimed Andy. "'Tis hard t' wait till th' time -comes t' go!" - -They were a long distance from the tilt. Walking as fast as ever they -could, favoring Andy's sore feet, and with a stop only to boil the -kettle at noon, it was near sundown when they saw the little log -building scarcely visible above the drifts. - -"There's no tracks about," said Andy, as they approached the door. - -"If Indian Jake came up 'twas a week ago, whatever," suggested David. -"Th' snow since then covered his tracks. He was sure t' be lookin' for -us when we didn't go t' th' Narrows." - -This surmise was confirmed upon entering the tilt. The frying pan used -by Indian Jake in cooking his dinner sat unwashed upon the stove, and -there were other evidences of his visit. And the boys immediately -missed the two marten skins which they had left there, and which the -half-breed had taken. - -"He were thinkin', now, we had perished, and so he took th' fur," -David explained. "He were thinkin' t' take all our fur home t' Pop -when he takes his, and he's feelin' dreadful bad about our bein' -dead." - -"And won't he be glad when we gets t' th' Narrows!" exclaimed Andy. - -"That he will!" said David. "'Twill be a fine surprise for he!" - -The following morning, with light, expectant hearts, they set out for -the Narrows, attending to their snow-clogged traps in the usual -manner, and on Friday evening, highly excited at the expected surprise -and pleasure of Indian Jake when they appeared, crossed the river ice -opposite the tilt. - -"He hasn't come yet," said David as they neared the tilt. "Th' snow -fell since he left Monday, and there's no tracks where he's come -back." - -"We'll have a fire, and supper cookin' when he comes, an' won't he be -surprised and glad t' see us!" exclaimed Andy. - -And so, their hearts filled with the pleasure they anticipated giving -Indian Jake, they pushed open the door and entered the tilt. Then they -stood aghast, and almost terror stricken. - -The place gave unmistakable evidence of having been looted and -abandoned. The furs were gone. The tent was not there, nor was the -extra tent stove. - -"He's gone!" exclaimed Andy, presently, a frightened look on his face. - -"Gone!" echoed David. "And he's took all our furs!" - -"What--will--Jamie do now?" and Andy was making a manly effort to -restrain the tears. - -"He'll go--blind!" and David, too, was on the point of tears. -"And--we--worked so hard t'--get th' furs t'--save his eyes!" - -Neither of them felt like eating, but, by force of habit they lighted -a fire in the stove, filled the kettle from the water hole at the -lake, and prepared to cook their supper. - -"They's no tea! And no flour! And no pork!" announced David after a -search. "Indian Jake took all th' grub!" - -"Took all th' grub!" exclaimed Andy. - -"Aye, all th' grub!" David repeated. - -"Whatever will we do now?" asked Andy in consternation. - -"They's a bit of tea in our pack on th' toboggan. Unlash un and bring -th' things right in, Andy," said David. "We have th' bladders of fat, -and most of th' dried deer's meat th' Injuns gave us, and some hard -bread left in th' bag too. We'll make out." - -There were also three ptarmigans that Andy had shot during the day, -and a rabbit they had taken from one of the traps. An inventory -assured him that, so far as provisions were concerned, they would do -very well indeed for the present. - -"Indian Jake didn't take any grub out o' th' Halfway tilt or th' -Namaycush Lake tilt, either," said David, as the two stood -contemplating their small stock of provisions. "What we has in th' -other tilts ain't much, but 'twill have t' do us till th' break up." - -"'Twon't last till then!" objected Andy. "And even if it does we won't -have any grub left t' eat on th' way home after th' break up." - -"We'll have t' make out somehow," insisted David. "We'll fix un this -way, Andy. Whilst I tends th' traps you'll hunt for pa'tridges and -snare rabbits. With what you kills we'll make out, and save what's in -th' tilts t' use goin' home." - -"Th' huntin's about over, why can't we strike up and go now?" asked -Andy. - -"We can't do that," David objected. "We _has_ t' wait for th' break up -t' take th' boat out. We can't take un out till th' lake and th' river -gets free of ice. We'll _have_ t' take un, _what_ever, because Pop'll -need un t' bring in his outfit when he comes back in th' fall t' -hunt." - -"We'll have t' take th' tilt stove, too, to use in th' tent goin' -out," suggested Andy. "Indian Jake took th' tent stove." - -"We won't need un," said David. "We won't have any tent. Indian Jake -took un. We'll make out though. 'Twill be warm enough then, but 'tis a -rainy time of year, and we'll have t' sleep wet of nights, without a -tent or stove." - -Supper of boiled ptarmigan, hardtack, marrow fat for butter, and tea -was as good a meal as any could wish, and quite as good as any to -which David and Andy were accustomed on the trail. But there was the -future to be provided for. - -"'Tis good Indian Jake didn't take th' grub from th' other tilts," -Andy observed, as they made the tilt tidy, for Indian Jake had left it -in a state of confusion. - -"He took 'most everything else except th' tilts," said David a little -bitterly. "With havin' t' keep most of th' flour and pork that's in -th' other tilts to use goin' home, it'll take all our spare time -huntin' a livin', and we'll have t' make out that way till we goes." - -"We might catch some whitefish and namaycush," suggested Andy. "We -caught a rare fine lot when we went fishin' with Indian Jake." - -"We can now!" agreed David enthusiastically. "Oh, we'll make out fine -with th' birds and rabbits we gets, if we can get whitefish and -namaycush too. We won't have bread, but th' Injuns mostly does without -bread. They make out with what they get huntin' and fishin'." - -"We'll try for th' fish tomorrow _what_ever!" said Andy. - -"Th' first thing in th' mornin'," seconded David. - -A search, however, for Indian Jake's fishing tackle disclosed the fact -that he had taken it with him, as he had taken nearly everything else -of value. No cod line and not a fish hook could be found, though every -nook and cranny of the tilt was inspected. - -"We'll have t' give fishin' up," said David, when they had satisfied -themselves that no tackle was to be found. "We can't fish without -hooks and line." - -"No," admitted Andy dejectedly, "we can't fish." - -"But we'll make out, _what_ever," said David confidently. "We'll get -birds and rabbits enough, though they're wonderful tiresome eatin', -without bread or pork. And goin' out we'll be like t' kill a porcupine -or two." - -"We'll make out," agreed Andy. - -"It's--it's th' fur makes me feel bad," said David after a moment's -silence. - -"Aye; th' fur," repeated Andy. - -"And Jamie," added David, sadly. "I can't get he off my mind. I'd -rather be dead myself than have he go blind. 'Tis bein' dead t' go -blind, but worse. 'Tisn't natural t' be blind, and folks has t' die -some time." - -"Th' thought of un makes me feel almost--sick," said Andy. - -They fell silent, and for nearly half an hour neither spoke. Then -David remarked, a more cheerful note in his voice: - -"I been thinkin', now, that we may be misjudgin' Indian Jake. I been -thinkin' that maybe when Indian Jake makes up his mind we perished, he -has no heart t' keep on trappin' here alone, and he takes th' furs and -starts right out with un t' give un t' Pop, and t' tell Pop what he -thinks happened to us." - -"Do you think that, now?" asked Andy hopefully. - -"That's what I thinks," said David, reluctant to abandon faith in -Indian Jake even now. - -"'Twill be--a terrible worry for Pop--and all of un," suggested Andy. - -"Aye," agreed David, "but think how glad they'll be when we comes home -safe; and it won't be long, now. Week after next we'll strike up, and -th' break-up'll come by th' last of May, _what_ever, and we'll start -for home." - -"Suppose, now--suppose Indian Jake does as Uncle Ben said he would," -Andy suggested apprehensively. "Suppose he don't take th' furs t' Pop, -but goes off with un, th' way he did before?" - -"I'm--I'm thinkin' he won't do _that_," solaced David, though his -voice was not as convincing as Andy would have wished. - -"Maybe--there's nothin' t' worry over," agreed Andy. - -"That makes me think o' Doctor Joe's song," said David. "Let's sing -un, Andy. She's a wonderful cheerin' song." - -"Let's do," said Andy, and together they sang, loud and lustily: - - "Old Worry's my foe, and he always brings woe, - And he follows about wherever I go. - He's always on hand, and he makes the world blue, - And all about troubles that never come true." - -After all, what do any of us gain from worry, though all of us have -reason enough for it sometimes. David and Andy resolved to believe -that Indian Jake had really gone to The Jug. They were the better and -more efficient for believing it. And they resolved to smile and be -cheerful, too, and not fret and worry and stew about troubles that -might not be troubles at all. But it required grit a-plenty, for -often enough a suspicion of Indian Jake forced itself upon them. - -On Saturday morning the boys devoted themselves to setting snares for -rabbits. A dozen short pieces of stout twine found about the cabin -were utilized for this purpose. - -Building a snare is a simple process. A sapling is cut and laid across -a rabbit run, and about a foot above it. One end of a piece of twine -is tied to the sapling directly over the run, while the other end is -formed into a noose, and with the bottom of the noose resting on the -run, the top reaching to the sapling, it is held in position by -upright sticks on each side. Brush is piled so high upon the sapling -as to discourage passing rabbits from jumping over. Other brush filled -in around both sides of the runway, prevents its going around, and it -is thus forced to make a wide detour, which rabbits are not likely to -do, or to pass through the noose. In the latter case it can scarcely -escape being caught and choked by the noose. - -It was interesting work for the boys. It occupied their attention and -kept their thoughts free from surmises as to Indian Jake. - -"They'll get us some grub, _what_ever," remarked David when the last -snare was set. "I wish we could have fished, though. 'Twould have been -surer, and rabbits gets t' be such tiresome eatin'." - -"But they're better than no eatin'," Andy sagely observed. - -"If we gets rabbits enough I'll not be complainin'," said David. - -On Sunday morning two rabbits were found in the snares, and one more -on Monday morning before the boys set out upon their journey to Lake -Namaycush. David attended to the traps, while Andy devoted his -attention to hunting, and on Tuesday evening when they reached the -Lake Namaycush tilt he had added five spruce partridges, two -ptarmigans and a porcupine to their store of provisions in excess of -their daily requirements. - -"You're doin' wonderful well, Andy," David complimented, as he -prepared supper. "You're knockin' over more birds than we can eat." - -"I'm thinkin' we are, now," agreed Andy with some pride. "We'll not be -goin' hungry, _what_ever." - -"I got one marten to-day," continued David. "He's a poor one. Th' fur -is all like t' be poor now, I'm thinkin', so we may as well strike up. -'Tis a pity t' kill th' fur when it's too poor t' sell. If we leaves -un now we'll get un next year when they're prime. What we gets now -won't help out any for Jamie, either." - -"Will we strike up before we goes back?" asked Andy. - -"We'll have t' come in next week, _what_ever," David explained. "We -didn't strike up on th' way in. I'll strike up on th' big mesh -tomorrow, and we'll take everything down t' th' Narrows tilt that -we'll want t' take down from here and th' Halfway tilt. Next week -finish strikin' up, and take care o' th' traps, and our flat sled'll -be heavy enough." - -Accordingly the following day David struck up, and cached in -convenient places the traps on the big marsh trail, and on the return -to the Narrows the small remaining stock of flour and pork and tea was -taken from the other two tilts to the Narrows tilt, to await the day -of their departure for The Jug, and to be kept as a reserve in case of -need. - -Andy's gun and the snares continued to keep them well supplied so far -as their immediate needs were concerned, though they sorely missed the -bread and pork to which they were accustomed, and which even in this -brief time they learned to look upon as luxuries. However, adhering to -their resolution to deny themselves, they set out upon their final -journey to Lake Namaycush with no other provisions than rabbits and -partridges, and a small amount of tea. - -"I'm glad t' be gettin' ready t' go home," remarked Andy as they sat -at supper on the evening they reached the Namaycush Lake tilt. "But it -gives me a wonderful sorry feelin' that th' trappin' is all over, and -when we leaves here tomorrow we won't come back again t' Namaycush -Lake this year." - -"That's th' way I feels, too," admitted David. "I've been feelin' that -way all th' time I've been strikin' up. I've been thinkin' how much we -were expectin' from th' traps when we comes in th' fall, and how we -worked for a good hunt; and how--it's all over with now." - -"And--not knowin' for sure what Indian Jake does with th' fur," -suggested Andy. - -"If we only could be sure he took un t' Pop," said David, "and Jamie -could go t' th' great doctor t' have his eyes cured--then I'd feel -wonderful happy." - -"He must have gone t' Th' Jug," Andy said hopefully. "'Tis hard t' -think he didn't. And, Davy, we said we'd just keep thinkin' he did." - -"Aye, we'll just keep thinkin' he did, and we won't trouble about un," -asserted David. "And we'll pray th' Lard 'tis th' way we hopes." - -Their thoughts were full of the hopes and aspirations of the first -evening when they came to the Namaycush Lake tilt. How dear to us are -old aspirations and old hopes, dead, perhaps, with the dead weeks or -years that have gone, but still living in our memory like the features -of departed friends. Our aspirations may never be attained, our -fondest hopes never be fulfilled, but once they encouraged and buoyed -us, and made life appear a glorious field of attainment, as indeed it -is. If life were never flavored by day dreams, how dull and dreary it -would sometimes be. - -Great deeds are born in imagination. Imagination prompts us to -attainment. It lifts us to higher levels. In the proportion in which -we possess it, imagination urges us to apply our ambitions and our -efforts to gain the things we dream of. Because of it we climb higher -and travel farther, and become so much bigger and nobler men than ever -we could have been had we never dreamed. - -But, O, the bitter disappointment of shattered hopes! 'Tis a brave man -that rises above failure, and tries again. This is the test of a man's -mettle. This is God's way, I sometimes think, of sifting the grain -from the chaff. The men who are worth while never give up. They stick -and stick, and try again and again, until they win out in the end. The -others surrender hope at the first reverse, and like chaff are blown -away by the wind of oblivion. - -David and Andy were silent for a long while. They were living over -those early days of the winter when they came upon the trail dreaming -of success and determined to attain it. Now the winter was past and -the hunting was at an end. Was all their effort lost? Was Jamie, after -all, to go blind because one day they neglected the simple precaution -of wearing their snow glasses? - -"We were expectin' to do so much when we came in th' fall," remarked -Andy, sorrowfully, when they had finally filled the stove with wood, -and settled in their sleeping bags. "We made a grand hunt, even if -Indian Jake stole th' fur. But if he stole un 'twon't do Jamie any -good and it's too late now t' catch any more." - -"I were thinkin', Andy," said David, clinging to a forlorn hope, "that -maybe Doctor Joe were makin' a mistake about Jamie's eyes. Maybe -Jamie won't go blind so soon, and next year'll be in time for he t' go -t' th' great doctor--if Indian Jake stole th' fur." - -"Do you think so, now, Davy?" Andy asked expectantly. - -"I'm just sayin' _maybe_," said David, cautiously. "If 'tis so, when -Pop'll come next year t' hunt th' Seal Lake trail maybe he'll let me -hunt this trail, and we'll be sure _then_ t' get fur enough t' pay for -th' cure." - -"I'd have t' stay home with Margaret, and I'd like t' be here and help -hunt th' trail--and--get th' fur t' cure Jamie," said Andy -regretfully. - -"You'll be helpin', Andy, by stayin' home th' way Pop had t' do this -year," comforted David. - -And so, in the face of supposed defeat, they planned for the future, -and, planning, fell asleep. - -It was an hour later when David awoke half suffocated with smoke. His -ears at the same time caught the crackling of burning wood. He sprang -from his bed, and seizing Andy, shouted: - -"Andy! The tilt's afire! Andy, get up!" - -In an instant Andy, too, was out of bed. - -"Grab your clothes and sleepin' bag," cried David excitedly. - -"I'm chokin'!" coughed Andy. - -"Hurry!" shouted David. "Hurry, or we'll be caught here!" - -There was scarce a moment to spare. The tilt had taken fire from the -overheated stove, and one side was already in flames. Fortunately the -doorway was clear, and the lads, gaining it, had barely time to pitch -their clothing and sleeping bags out into the snow, and themselves -escape into the cold night. - - - - -XXIII - -HUNGRY DAYS - - -Flames were already breaking out between the logs on the side nearest -to which stood the stove. Smoke was pouring out of the tilt door in a -cloud. The boys were dazed and bewildered with their sudden awakening, -but the fire was already beyond control, and was so far advanced that -any attempt to salvage their belongings would have proved fruitless -and foolhardy. - -The bitter cold of the April night quickly roused them to activity. -David rescued their axes, which were sticking into a stump near the -tilt door, and their toboggan which fortunately had not been laid -against the tilt, as was customary, was drawn to a safe distance. -Then, using the toboggan for a seat, they drew on their clothing, and -stood impotently and silently watching the burning tilt. - -"I'm glad we didn't have any o' th' traps stowed in there," remarked -David presently. - -"Our--our rifles are burned!" choked Andy. - -"The rifles! I went and forgot un!" exclaimed David, in consternation. -"I went and forgot un! I might've pitched un out with th' sleepin' -bags!" - -"What ever will we do without un?" asked Andy. "We can't do any -huntin' now!" - -"Our snowshoes!" broke in David. "We clean forgot our snowshoes! We -could have saved un, too, if we'd only thought!" - -The snowshoes had been hanging on a peg just outside the tilt door, -for trappers do not take snowshoes into warm tilts, where the heat -would injure the babish, or netting. Smoke issuing from the door had -hidden them, and in the bewilderment following their escape the boys -had quite forgotten them. Now, like the rifles, the snowshoes were in -the ruins of the burning tilt, and destroyed. - -This was indeed a sad loss. In the woods snow lay a dozen feet deep, -and to move about without the assistance of snowshoes was quite -impossible. The game which Andy had accumulated was in the ruins, save -two partridges which had been left at the Halfway tilt, and there was -no other food nearer than the Narrows. Deprived of their snowshoes -they could neither visit their rabbit traps nor set new ones. - -"How'll we make out now?" asked Andy hopelessly. "We can't travel -without snowshoes." - -"Maybe the snow on the river ice is packed hard enough t' bear us," -suggested David. "Leastways we'll have t' try un. We've got t' get t' -th' Narrows tilt, _what_ever." - -Silently they lashed their sleeping bags upon the toboggan and made -preparations for a night journey to the Halfway tilt. They could not -reconnoiter for a suitable place to build a temporary shelter in the -soft snow of the woods, as Andy had done when he was alone. A step -beyond the packed snow around the tilt, or the more or less packed -path leading down to the lake, where they had a water hole in the ice, -would plunge them to their armpits. - -"I'll haul th' flatsled," suggested David, tightening the lashings of -the toboggan. "You go ahead, Andy, and pick out th' path t' th' water -hole. We can make un all right t' th' lake, and we keeps t' th' hard -path." - -Fortunately it was starlight, and though one or the other now and -again stepped off the path, and each time had a brief battle with the -deep snow, they at length emerged upon the white expanse of Lake -Namaycush. Here the wind had packed the snow so hard that, though they -sank nearly to their knees at every step, walking was not unduly -difficult until they reached the river bed. - -"'Twon't be so good travelin' here as on th' Lake," said David. "But -I'm thinkin' we'll make un." - -David's prediction was correct. In every turn of the river were deep -drifts through which they floundered. Sometimes it became necessary to -push the toboggan over these difficult places, using it as a support, -working their way foot by foot. Slow and exhausting as it was, they -stuck to it with a will, but when day broke they had traveled less -than a third of the distance to the Halfway tilt. - -"I'm fair scrammed!" Andy at length declared. "I've got t' rest. -Can't we put on a fire and 'bide here and rest a little while?" - -"Aye," agreed David. "'Tis wearisome work. We'll put on a fire and -rest, but we mustn't 'bide here too long. We'll have t' reach th' tilt -before night." - -An hour's rest, sitting on the toboggan before a cheerful fire in the -lee of the river bank, revived them. - -"If we only had our snowshoes, and a bit t' eat!" said Andy, when -David suggested that it was time to go. "I'm fair starved!" - -"And so be I!" David declared. "'Tis a long time since supper last -evenin'. We'll have th' partridges, _what_ever, when we gets t' th' -Halfway tilt." - -"It seems like I never can stand un so long," said Andy. "I'm weak for -hunger." - -Andy was to learn in the days that followed, what real hunger is, but -he was brave enough, and not given to complaint. It is well, -sometimes, for all of us to be tried out by the test of experience. -Only through experience can we learn the stuff we are made of, and -only through deprivations of the comforts to which we are accustomed -can we learn to appreciate the good things of life. Most of us are too -prone to take things for granted, and to forget that what we have and -enjoy are the gifts of a benign Providence. - -Many times that day David and Andy declared they "could not walk -another step," but they pushed and floundered bravely on until, in the -dusk of evening, they stumbled at last into the friendly shelter of -the Halfway tilt. - -They were almost too weary to build a fire, but hunger conquered -weariness, and presently with a roaring fire in the stove, and one of -the partridges boiling--for, famished as they were, David insisted -that the other one must be reserved for breakfast--they felt more -cheerful. Fortunately they had left some tea in the tilt, and while -their supper of half a boiled partridge each and a cup of tea was far -from satisfying their healthy young appetites, it refreshed them. - -"I'm thinkin'," remarked David, as they ate, "we've got a rare lot t' -be thankful for. Th' good Lard woke me up just in time last night. If -I'd slept a bit longer we'd both been smothered with th' smoke and -burned up." - -"'Twere lucky you wakes," agreed Andy. - -"I'm thinkin' 'tweren't luck, now," protested David. "I'm thinkin' th' -Lard were watchin', and wakes us just th' right time." - -"And maybe," suggested Andy, in an awed voice, "'twere like we were -sayin'. Maybe Mother was close by, watchin', and maybe she asked th' -Lard to waken us." - -"Yes," said David, "I been thinkin' o' that too. There's no doubtin' -spirits walks about, and shows theirselves, too, sometimes. Uncle Hi -Roper saw an Injun down t' th' Post one night paddlin' a canoe around. -He was an Injun that had been dead fifteen years, _what_ever. Uncle Hi -knew he, and called to he, but th' Injun didn't answer because he were -just a spirit. He kept on paddlin' and paddlin' in a circle, and never -speakin'. It scared Uncle Hi, and he ran in and told Zeke Hodge, and -Zeke comes out, but he couldn't see th' Injun then. He'd just -disappeared." - -"Oh-h!" breathed Andy. "I'd been scared too! But I wouldn't be scared -at Mother's spirit." - -"I'd--I'd be glad t' see un," said David. - -But if their mother's spirit came that night to look lovingly upon her -two brave boys, they did not know it. They had rested but a short time -the previous night, and, exhausted from their struggle of nearly -twenty hours with the snow drifts, they quickly fell into sound and -dreamless sleep. - -It was long past daylight when they awoke, to the sound of shrieking -wind, and when David looked out of the tilt door he was met by a cloud -of driving snow. - -"'Tis a wonderful nasty day," he said. - -"Is it too bad t' travel?" asked Andy, anxiously. - -"Aye," said David regretfully. "We never could face un. We'll have t' -bide here." - -"And we only has one pa'tridge t' eat!" mourned Andy. - -"Only one pa'tridge," repeated David solemnly. - -"Whatever will we do without eatin'?" asked Andy. - -"We'll have t' make un do, _what_ever," declared David. "They's no -other way." - -"I'm fair starved now," said Andy. "All we had t' eat th' whole of -yesterday was half a pa'tridge each." - -"We'll make out with un. We've got tea," cheered David. "And maybe th' -wind'll pack th' snow so th' travelin'll be better tomorrow--if th' -storm breaks. 'Tis like t' be better from this on, anyhow, for th' -river's wider." - -"If we eats th' pa'tridge now," Andy calculated, "we won't have -anything t' eat to-night or in th' marnin'!" - -"Suppose," David suggested, "we cooks half of un now, and just drinks -th' broth for breakfast, and keeps th' meat for night. Then we'll have -th' other half t' eat in th' marnin' before we starts out." - -"I'm too hungry t' be waitin' like that," objected Andy. "Let's eat -th' meat now and th' broth tonight, and keep th' other half for -marnin'!" - -David's hunger doubtless cast the deciding vote, for though reason -told him the plan he had suggested was the wiser, his hunger got the -better of his judgment. And they were still so hungry when the small -portion had been disposed of that in the end they ate the broth as -well. - -It was a miserable day for the lads. No matter what they talked about -their conversation always drifted back to food. They could not avoid -it, for food was the thing uppermost in their minds. - -A hundred times that day one or the other went out of doors into the -storm in the hope that they might discover some sign of its abatement, -always to be met by the smothering drift, and when they arose the -following morning snow was still falling heavily, though the wind had -lost much of its force. They ate the half partridge remaining, but it -served only to whet their appetites. - -"Th' snow's fallin' thicker'n ever," announced David, after an -inspection late in the afternoon. - -"It just seems like I can't stand un, I'm so hungry!" declared Andy. -"Suppose now we start tomorrow marnin', _what_ever. I'm thinkin' we -might make un," he added hopefully. - -"We never could make un," David objected. "We'd perish. We'll have t' -'bide here till th' weather clears. I'm as famished as you be, Andy, -b'y, but we'll have t' put up with un." - -"It seems like I'd just die o' hunger!" mourned Andy. - -"Sometimes men goes without eatin' for a week," consoled David, "and -it don't kill un if they don't give up to un. There'll be some way -out. Pop says there's a way out'n every fix if you sticks to it and -don't get scared or give up." - -"Aye," said Andy, with new courage, "I were thinkin' of that th' time -I were caught out above th' big mesh, and then I makes a shelter and -I'm all right." - -The thought consoled them both, and though still they talked of food, -it was now in the manner of planning great feasts when they should -reach home. - -"We'll have Margaret cook us a fine big mess o' pork, and we'll eat -all we wants, with bread and molasses t' go with un," suggested David. - -"Oh, but won't that be eatin' now!" enthused Andy. "And there'll be -plenty o' trout, too, when we gets out, and salmon'll be runnin' th' -middle o' July! I could eat half a salmon now if I had un!" - -The wind had died out, though all that night the snow fell, but in -mid-forenoon of the following day the clouds lightened, and shortly -after noon the sun broke out, warm and brilliant. - -"We can start now!" exclaimed Andy, "and we'll make th' narrows tilt -before midnight, _what_ever, and have a good supper." - -"We can try un," said David dubiously, "but I'm fearin' we'll find th' -fresh snow more than we can manage. There's been no wind for a day t' -drive un off th' ice, and yesterday and last night it snowed wonderful -hard." - -David was correct. They had found the river bed badly clogged on their -journey down from the Lake Namaycush tilt. Now it was vastly worse. -They sank to their waists, the moment they attempted to leave the -tilt, and finally, quite satisfied that travel was impossible, they -retreated disconsolate and discouraged to the tilt. - -"We'll starve now," said Andy, in a tone almost of resignation. -"There's no way out." - -"'Tis a wonderful bad fix," David admitted. - -"I'm growin'--wonderful weak--in th' knees," Andy confessed. - -"I feels a weakness, too," said David, "but not so much hunger as -yesterday." - -"'Tis queer, now, but I'm not feelin' th' hunger so bad, either. But I -feels sleepy and weak," Andy agreed. "I wonders, now, why 'tis? I were -thinkin' we'd grow hungrier and hungrier, till we couldn't stand un." - -"'Tis strange," admitted David, "not bein' so hungry. But I feels like -I could eat anything that could be et, and I'm sleepy, too." - -That is the way with folk who starve. While there's a bit of food to -be had the appetite remains keen, and troublesome, but when the food -is gone, a day or two of fastin' finds the appetite waning, and the -eyes growing heavy and drowsy, and over the body steals lassitude and -weariness. - -David and Andy were prisoners, but it was not their nature to give up -and resign themselves to their fate until every expedient had been -tried. Thomas had said there was a way out of every fix. This was a -bad fix--the worst they had ever been in, they were sure, but if there -was a way out of it they must try to discover the way. - -"There _must_ be a way, now, Davy!" Andy declared, after a long -discussion. "Pop says there's _no_ fix so bad we can't get out of un -if we only thinks out how." - -"If we had any lashin'," suggested David, "we might fix up somethin' -that would do for snowshoes. But there's no deerskin, and there's -nothin' else, I'm thinkin', would do." - -"There's th' rope on th' flatsled," said Andy hopefully. - -"That wouldn't make th' net for one snowshoe," objected David. - -"Let's get some sticks and bend un into snowshoe frames, and maybe -we'll think o' some way t' net un," suggested Andy. "'Twill be -_tryin'_, whatever!" - -"Aye," agreed David, "'twill be doin' somethin', but I'm seein' no way -t' make th' nettin'." - -And so, though it seemed futile enough so far as solving their problem -was concerned, they cut the necessary sticks close by the tilt door, -and set about their task. With an Indian crooked knife David squared -and trimmed the sticks into shape, and, steaming them over the kettle, -rendered them pliable. Then they bent and tied them. - -All that afternoon and next forenoon they worked unceasingly at their -task, and at length the frames of two pairs of bear's paw snowshoes, -each snowshoe with one crossbar to stiffen it, were ready for netting. - -But think as they would, that seemed the end. There were no deerskin -thongs, and not even rope with which to improvise the netting. The -boys were steadily growing weaker, and they had almost decided that -after all they were in a "fix" from which there was no possible -escape, when Andy made a suggestion that revived their hope. - - - - -XXIV - -UNCLE BEN APPEARS - - -"Davy, I've got un! I've got un!" Andy suddenly shouted, seizing his -sleeping bag with a display of frenzied joy. - -"Got what?" asked David anxiously. - -"Th' sleepin' bags! Th' sleepin' bags!" said Andy excitedly. "Don't -you see, Davy?" - -"Aye, that's a sleepin' bag, I sees," admitted David, quite startled -by Andy's unusual behavior, and certain enough the lad had gone stark -mad, as sometimes happens with starving people. - -"And we never thought of un!" explained Andy. "We never thought of un, -and they right before our eyes all th' time! We can cut un into strips -and net th' snowshoes with un!" - -"Why didn't we ever think o' that, now!" exclaimed David, springing up -and seizing his sleeping bag, now no less excited than was Andy -himself. - -It is the obvious that most of us overlook. The simple things that are -before us are the things we never see. There, to be sure, were the -sleeping bags. Cut into strips, the sealskins of which they were made -would serve very well indeed for netting the snowshoes. - -"A skin or two out of one of un'll be plenty," said David, opening his -jackknife and proceeding at once to cut the sinew with which the bag -was sewn. "One skin out'n my bag'll be enough, Andy, don't cut yours. -You're wonderful at thinkin' up things, Andy. I never would have -thought of un!" - -"I just happened t' think of un first," said Andy, unwilling to take -to himself all the credit. - -Presently one of the sealskins was freed from the bag, and while Andy -held it, David, working carefully with his jackknife, cutting around -the edge in a spiral, soon reduced it into a single long string. - -"Now we'll have to soak un to make un soft," said David, dropping the -lashing into a kettle of water. "'Twon't take long." - -Weaving the web upon the frames demanded patience, but late that night -the snowshoes were finished, and though they were crude and roughly -made, they were strong and serviceable enough for the purpose for -which they were required. - -"Pop always says right," remarked Andy, when they hung the four -snowshoes on the tilt wall to dry, and stood for a moment surveying -their handiwork. "There is always a way out o' the worst fix ever -happened, if we only finds out what 'tis." - -"Aye," agreed David, "out of _any_ fix!" - -"They'll save our lives," said Andy. "I--I feels almost like cryin', -Davy." - -"Th' Lard put un into your head t' try th' sealskin, Andy," David -spoke reverently. "Th' Lard always seems t' be watchin' and helpin' -us, whatever happens, and we does what we can t' help ourselves." - -"Aye," said Andy, "He does that." - -And all in all the boys were right. He never does much for those who -simply pray to Him, and then sit idly with folded hands and expect Him -to do the rest. He gave us eyes to see and hands to work and planted -in us the power to reason, and He filled the earth with all things -necessary for the support of life. He expects us to do our best at all -times--to use our brains, and hands and eyes and all our -faculties--and then if we have faith He helps us to success, and our -success in big things and little things alike depends upon how far we -do our best. - -It was scarce daybreak when, weak from their long fast, but happy in -the assurance that their imprisonment was at an end and that safety -was promised them, the boys donned their new snowshoes, and set out to -the Narrows tilt. - -The snowshoes proved over-small, and sank deeply into the new, soft -snow. This held the boys to a slow pace, with the tedious and -wearisome effort it demanded, and the sun had set before they made the -last turn in the river above the tilt. David was hauling the toboggan, -laden with their belongings, while Andy trudged in advance, both -dragging their feet with painful effort. Suddenly Andy stopped, -peering at the tilt, and shouted excitedly to David: - -"Look! Look, Davy! There's some one at the tilt!" - -And David, looking, discovered smoke curling cheerfully up from the -stovepipe. - -Hurrying forward they were met at the door by a welcoming: - -"Good gracious! Good gracious! And here you are! Both of you safe and -sound. Dear eyes!" and a hearty handshake from Uncle Ben Rudder and -Hiram Muggs. - -Tears filled the eyes of both the lads as they grasped the big strong -hands of their rescuers. The two men were a connecting link with The -Jug and home, and with their appearance a vast load of responsibility -rolled from the shoulders of David and Andy. Their lonely struggle -with the wilderness was at an end. - -"Where's Indian Jake? Good gracious, where's Indian Jake?" Uncle Ben -exploded. - -"We're starvin'. We haven't had anything to eat in days and days," -said David, irrevelantly. - -Uncle Ben and Hiram were solicitous at once. They hurried the boys -into the tilt, and would not permit them to talk or explain until they -had eaten a supper of boiled partridges and camp bread and tea which -Hiram had already prepared for himself and Uncle Ben. - -"Don't talk, now, but eat! Good gracious! starvin'! Eat, now, lads! -Fill up! Fill up!" Uncle Ben kept repeating, though the manner in -which the boys ate made it manifestly unnecessary for him to urge -them. - -When they had eaten until they could eat no more, and altogether more -than was well for them, David recounted the events of the preceding -weeks, while Uncle Ben interjected at frequent intervals one or all of -his favorite exclamations: - -"Good gracious! I told you so! D-e-a-r eyes!" - -"And," added David at the conclusion of his narrative, "'twas -wonderful fine for you t' come here t' help us out." - -"And so Indian Jake has gone!" said Uncle Ben. "Good gracious! I -warned Thomas Angus not t' trust that half-breed!" - -"But--but don't you suppose now he's gone home with th' fur?" asked -David anxiously. - -"Gone home with un? Good gracious, no! I'd never go home with un!" -declared Uncle Ben. "And you saw no tracks which way he were goin'?" - -"No," answered David dejectedly, "th' snow had covered un before we -gets here." - -"Hum-m-m! Hum-m-m!" grunted Uncle Ben several times. "He's well out o' -th' country by now. Good gracious, yes! No catchin' him now. And gone -with all th' fur! Good gracious! Good gracious me, with all th' fur!" - -Then he explained that he and Hiram had gone directly to his home at -Tuggle Bight after his visit at The Jug in the fall, and all the way -home they had talked of how foolish and headstrong Thomas Angus was -in sending Indian Jake to the trails with David and Andy. - -"And I says t' Hiram: 'Hiram,' says I, 'Thomas Angus and Doctor Joe -has got t' have th' fur them lads gets, t' have th' little lad cured, -and we got t' see to it that Indian Jake don't steal un!' Good -gracious, yes! I says that t' Hiram. Didn't I, Hiram?" - -"You did, now," agreed Hiram. - -"Then we fixes it up t' trap along the Nascaupee th' winter, where no -one could get out o' th' country without our seein' 'em," continued -Uncle Ben. "Dear eyes, we had un all fixed right, but our plan missed -fire! Good gracious! She missed fire! Indian Jake must ha' seen our -tilt with his Indian eyes, and sneaked past down t'other side o' th' -river in th' night, and we never see him! Good gracious, never seen -hide or hair or feather of him! He must ha' done that, Hiram?" - -"He must ha' done it," said Hiram solemnly. - -"I were expectin' he'd try t' steal Tom Angus's third o' th' fur he -hunted, _what_ever," declared Uncle Ben, "but I weren't certain he'd -steal your fur, too, lads. Good gracious, no! I knew he were bad, but -I didn't think he'd do _that_! And he's gone with un all, lock, stock -_and_ barrel! And we'll never see him again. The _scamp_! Good -gracious, yes, a _scamp_! Nothin' else but a scamp, and such a scamp -as I never thought lived! D-e-a-r eyes!" - -"A _wonder_ful scamp!" agreed Hiram. - -Uncle Ben and Hiram had struck up their traps, and then come up the -river to Seal Lake to "keep an eye," as Uncle Ben said, on Indian Jake -until the break-up. They had expected to return with the boys and -Indian Jake, stopping at their tilt for their own furs as they passed -down the Nascaupee, and then, still acting as guard, continue with the -boys until the furs were safely delivered to Thomas at The Jug. - -"You lads need us now to cheer you a bit! Dear eyes! You _needs_ -cheerin'," Uncle Ben declared. "We'll wait here for th' break-up and -all go home together, and _we'll_ cheer you. Good gracious, yes!" - -But now that David and Andy were assured their precious furs were -really gone they felt anything but cheered. And that night, and for -many nights that followed, their hearts were heavy indeed. - -"What, now, would become of Jamie?" was the question always on their -mind, and they could not answer it, and they even forgot Doctor Joe's -cheerful song. - -They could picture Jamie, and their father, and Margaret, and Doctor -Joe, with loving and abiding confidence and faith in them waiting at -home for their return. Jamie's lifelong happiness depended upon the -furs that had been stolen. Doctor Joe had said that Jamie would become -blind if he did not go to the great doctor for the cure. Now Jamie -could not go, and the ordeal of their homecoming empty-handed, and the -disappointment of Jamie and the others, seemed to them more than they -could bear. And when they thought of all this they almost regretted -that they had not indeed perished in the blizzard, or starved in the -tilt. - - - - -XXV - -"TROUBLES THAT NEVER CAME TRUE" - - -With the coming of May the sun grew bold, and fearlessly poured forth -his genial warmth. The end of the reign of the once mighty frost -monarch, who had so long ruled the world, was at hand. The snow began -rapidly to shrink, rains fell, and presently the ice-clogged river and -lake were open and free again. - -With the break-up immediate preparations were made for departure, and -one day the boat was loaded, and the homeward journey was begun. - -The descent of the river was much more rapid than the ascent had been, -for now they had the current with them. Below the carry around the big -rapids was the tilt where Uncle Ben and Hiram had spent the winter. -Here the two men transferred their belongings to their own boat, and -three days later the two boats passed out of Grand Lake, and in -mid-afternoon reached the Post. - -Zeke Hodge met them at the landing with vociferous greetings and -welcome, but he could offer no comfort. He had seen nothing of Indian -Jake since the day he had observed the half-breed and the boys on -their way to the trails the previous autumn. - -"Of course not! Good gracious, no!" observed Uncle Ben. "To be sure -you didn't see him. He wouldn't come this way. He wouldn't go where -folks could see him. The scamp has run out o' th' country with all th' -furs!" - -And thus, their last hope that Indian Jake might, after all, have -returned to The Jug banished, and with no possibility that the -half-breed could be overtaken and the furs recovered, David and Andy -said good-bye to Uncle Ben and Hiram, and continued upon their journey -home with sorrowful and heavy hearts. - -The sun was setting when they approached the entrance of The Jug. -Evening shadows were already stealing down over the hills when they -turned into the bight and the cabin came into view, and the voice of -Roaring Brook, shouting a welcome, fell upon their ears. - -And then they saw their father and Doctor Joe come hurrying down to -meet them at the landing, and Margaret running to join them, as -excited as she could be, and finally Jamie--poor, pathetic little -Jamie--groping his way more slowly, and shouting to them at the top of -his voice. - -A moment later they were ashore with Jamie clinging to them, and -Margaret hugging them and laughing and crying at the same time, and -Thomas and Doctor Joe looking as pleased as ever two men could look. - -Then the pent-up sorrow and disappointment in their hearts burst -bounds, and these two lads who had fearlessly faced a wolf pack, and -braved the wild blizzards and bitter cold of an arctic winter in the -wilderness, broke down and wept. - -In the cozy shelter of the cabin, in the long twilight, David and Andy -told their story. And everybody praised their courage, and nobody -blamed them, for they were guilty of no blame. - -"You kept plenty o' grit," soothed Jamie, "and _you_ couldn't help -Indian Jake's takin' th' fur, and--and maybe it won't be so bad goin' -blind--when I gets used to un." - -Oh, but Jamie, too, had grit, and grit a-plenty. - -They tried now, one and all--save Doctor Joe, perhaps--to become -reconciled to Jamie's coming blindness. The great doctor and the -marvelous cure were no longer mentioned. Thomas and the boys got the -fishing nets out, and methodically went about their duties. - -Doctor Joe did not return at once to Break Cove. He seemed to have -lost heart and ambition. He ceased to sing his cheerful songs, and he -would go out alone and for hours wander away into the forest, or pace -up and down the gravelly beach of The Jug, and sometimes, with a -frightened look in his face, he would sit and stare at Jamie. - -On one of these occasions, on an afternoon a fortnight after the -return of David and Andy, Doctor Joe, after watching Jamie for a long -while, sprang suddenly to his feet, and, standing a dozen feet from -Jamie, held out three fingers of his right hand and asked Jimmie to -count them. - -"I can't make un out," said Jamie. "They're in a heavy mist." - -"Now count them," and Doctor Joe moved nearer. - -"I can't make un out," repeated Jamie. - -And Doctor Joe must needs approach within six feet of Jamie before the -lad could see them sufficiently well to count them. - -When the test was made, Doctor Joe without a word donned his cap and -passed out of doors and strode away, up the path and into the forest, -and on and on. - -Suddenly he stopped, and holding his clenched fist out at arm's length -watched it closely. - -"As steady as ever it was!" he said at length. "Perhaps I can do it! -If only I haven't lost my skill! If only I could forget those years -and that horrible failure." - -For a little he stood silent, beads of perspiration on his forehead. - -"I can't do it," he said at length, and turning slowly retraced his -steps toward The Jug. - -He stopped again, however, as the cabin came into view, and for a long -time stood deep in thought. - -"But I _must_ do it--there's no other way!" he finally exclaimed with -determination. And, turning his back on The Jug, he strode rapidly -away toward Break Cove. - -It was nearly four hours later when Doctor Joe reappeared at The Jug, -with a packet under his arm. - -"We were missin' you," greeted Thomas, as Doctor Joe entered the -cabin. "Set in and have supper with Margaret. She's kept un on th' -stove for you, and she's waited t' eat with you." - -"It's kind of you, but can you wait a little, Margaret? There's -something I must say to your father before I eat," and there was a -new, strong note in Doctor Joe's voice. - -"Oh, yes," agreed Margaret cheerfully, "I'm in no hurry." - -"Thomas," said Doctor Joe, looking straight into Thomas's face and -plunging immediately into the matter, "Jamie's eyes have reached a -point where they must be operated upon at once or he will be beyond -human help. I know you're resigned to this, but I'm not. So long as -there is the possibility of saving his sight we must do what there is -to do. Thomas, _I_ shall operate on them, with your consent. I have -fetched my instruments from Break Cove." - -"Can--can _you_ do un then?" and Thomas's face brightened with fresh -hope. - -"There is none but me to do it, and we cannot see the lad go blind -without an effort to save his eyes. Thomas, do you believe in me?" -There was pathetic pleading in Doctor Joe's voice. - -"Believe in you! There's nary a man I believes in more!" and Doctor -Joe knew that Thomas was sincere. - -"Thank you, Thomas," said Doctor Joe, a quaver in his voice. "That -means more to me than you will ever understand. But I must tell you -about myself, for I want you to know all about me before I operate -upon Jamie's eyes, and when you have heard what I have to say you may -not wish to trust me. - -"I was once a skilful eye surgeon in New York," he began, after a -moment's silence, "and I performed many difficult operations. The one -ambition of my life was to be known as the greatest eye surgeon in my -country, and my ambition was finally realized. - -"But I had become addicted to liquor, which I first took to stimulate -me when I was very tired, and to steady my nerves, usually on -occasions when I had denied myself proper rest, or when weary from -overwork. At length there came a time when I could not do without it, -and I always fortified myself with a dose before beginning an -operation. Sometimes in the midst of long operations it would lose its -stimulating effect to such an extent that my hand would become -uncertain and unsteady. One day, because of this, I ruined a patient's -sight. - -"That was the last operation I ever performed. I turned my patients -over to a young surgeon who had assisted me, and he is the great -doctor I hoped might operate on Jamie's eyes, for he has taken the -place I once held. - -"I made a desperate effort to break myself of the liquor habit, but I -soon discovered this to be impossible so long as I remained where -liquor could be had. It had broken my will and power of resistance, -and shattered my nerves to such an extent that I could not again trust -myself with the surgeon's knife. The desire for liquor had become a -disease with me, as it is with many a man, and in its presence I was -irresponsible. Liquor, you know, is a poisonous drug, just as opium -is, and the man who becomes addicted to its use is to be pitied. - -"There was but one cure for me, and that was to go where it was not to -be had. So in desperation I came north to The Labrador, and left the -mail boat at Fort Pelican, where I bought the old boat which I was -sailing up the bay when you hailed me that day eight years ago. Do you -remember, Thomas, how nervous and restless I was?" - -"Aye, you were a bit shaky, and we were sayin' you had been sick," -admitted Thomas. - -"I _was_ sick then. If you had not taken me in, a stranger of whom you -knew nothing, and had not helped me with your friendship, I should -have returned to New York and ruin. I felt that if I could remain -until the freeze-up came that year, and the mail boat stopped running, -I would have my longings conquered before another summer came around. -God knows how hard it was, even then, for me to stay. More than once -that fall I said to myself of a night, 'I can't stand it any longer! I -must go!' But each morning you held me with kindness, and your sturdy, -wholesome life, and each morning I resolved to stay, whatever my -suffering might be. - -"And so it came to pass that you cured me by reaching out to me a -helping hand when I needed it, and so I have remained on The Labrador -year after year, until I am cured of my old thirst and no longer feel -a desire for liquor. I shall never regain my old position as the -greatest eye surgeon in my country, Thomas, but, thank God, I am more -than that. I am a sane, strong man again, and after all, man is the -greatest thing God ever created." - -Doctor Joe, his face beaming, held out his clenched fist, as he had -done before in the forest. - -"See!" he exclaimed. "There's no shake to that! I've a man's steady -nerve, because you cured me, Thomas Angus, by making it possible for -me to live as a clean man should." - -"'Tis wonderful steady!" said Thomas, quite astonished and moved by -Doctor Joe's story. - -"And now that you've heard who I am, and what I've been," and there -was an anxious look in Doctor Joe's face, "are you willing to trust -Jamie's sight with me, Tom? Any doctor might fail, and my hand might -not work true, and if I fail, or if I make a mistake, Jamie will never -see again. But on the other hand, unless something is done, and done -at once, Jamie will surely go blind." - -"Doctor Joe," said Thomas in a strangely husky voice, "I'd rather have -you do th' cuttin' than the other doctor, _what_ever. I knows what -you says is right, and you'll do un better than any other doctor could -because you're fond of Jamie and he's fond of you, and you're my -friend. Whatever comes of un will be th' Almighty's will, and if Jamie -goes blind after th' cuttin' I'll never be complainin'." - -"Oh, Doctor Joe!" said Margaret, who had been listening, fascinated by -Doctor Joe's story, and whose eyes were moist with tears, "we all -trusts you! We trusts you more than we trusts anybody else in the -world!" - -And Doctor Joe's emotions nearly got the better of him when Jamie came -over and put his hand in his. - -"To-morrow, then," said Doctor Joe, "we'll operate. Jamie, are you -afraid to have me cut the mist away?" - -"No," said Jamie stoutly, "I'd never be afraid t' have _you_ cut un -away." - -"But you _have_ got grit, now!" exclaimed Doctor Joe. - -And so, with much hope and much foreboding, Jamie was prepared for the -operation the following morning, and he was as brave as ever a little -lad could be when, quite unassisted, he climbed upon the operating -table which Doctor Joe had improvised. - -Then Thomas, under Doctor Joe's direction, applied the ether, while -Doctor Joe watched its effect, and quickly Jamie passed into -unconsciousness. - -Deftly, and with a feather-like touch, Doctor Joe with a delicate -instrument made a triangular incision upon the membrane which covered -the white of one of Jamie's eyes, and turning the membrane back -removed a minute button-shaped piece from the exposed eyeball. -Immediately this was done a fluid began to drain through the slight -opening, and Doctor Joe spread the membrane back into place. - -The other eye was treated in similar manner, and the eyes quickly -bandaged by Doctor Joe. And then the unconscious Jamie was gently -lifted into Thomas's bunk, which Margaret had prepared for him. - -Not a word had been spoken during all this time save by Doctor Joe, as -he issued sharp, crisp directions to Thomas or Margaret. And now, when -he looked up, there was a new alert enthusiasm in his face--a -something they had never seen there before. - -"We never can tell the result," said he, "until the bandage is -removed, but I never operated more skilfully. Sometimes it doesn't -cure, but it is the only thing to be done in such cases, and we'll -hope we have succeeded." - -They were still standing by the side of Jamie's bed when the door -opened, and David, turning to see who was entering, cried, excitedly: - -"Jake! 'Tis Jake! Here's Jake!" - -And sure enough it was Indian Jake, with the bags of furs, and when he -beheld David and Andy he stood staring at them quite as though they -were not boys at all, but ghosts. - -Thomas and all greeted Indian Jake as cordially as they could have -done had there never been a suspicion of his honesty, and he was -contrite and sorry enough that his delay had caused them pain and -worry. - -"When I thought the lads had perished," said he, "I knew that I'd have -t' get out of th' country on snowshoes, so I could haul my load on a -flatsled, for I never could have managed the boat over the portage -without help, and I started right off. The break-up caught me at the -mouth of th' Nascaupee, where I stopped t' hunt bear. Then I waited -till th' Injuns came along with canoes yesterday, and gave me a -passage down." - -Then he handed David and Andy the furs over the loss of which they had -spent so many unhappy days, and opening his own bag of furs he drew -forth the better of the two silver foxes, and shaking the pelt well, -as he had done in the tilt, held it up for admiration, and when all -had marveled at its beauty strode over to the bed of the unconscious -Jamie, and laid it upon the blanket. - -"It's for the little lad," said he. "Tom, when I heard Uncle Ben -tellin' you not t' trust me, and you said you'd promised me th' trail, -and a man's word was a man's word, I said t' myself, th' best skin I -get this winter goes t' th' little lad that's goin' blind,' and there -it is. I didn't tell th' lads because I wanted t' surprise 'em. I -like t' surprise folks. It makes me feel good, somehow, inside. I -always tries t' be honest, Tom. When I left th' country before with my -furs it was because I had word my mother was sick, and I had t' have -th' furs t' help her. She died last winter, and then I came back t' -th' Bay t' pay my debts." - -And so it came about that Indian Jake proved himself an honest man -after all, and that every one had misjudged him because they did not -understand his motives. So it is too often with all of us. We jump at -conclusions, and misjudge people because we do not understand the -circumstances that move them to do things of which we do not approve. - -They must wait four weeks, Doctor Joe said, before the bandage could -be removed from Jamie's eyes, and before they could know whether he -was ever to see again. Those were four anxious weeks indeed, but Jamie -was patient and confident, and never was there a gentler nurse, or a -better one either, Doctor Joe declared, than Margaret. - -But at last, in the twilight of an evening, Thomas, Margaret, David -and Andy gathered around Jamie, who was sitting in a chair almost too -excited to control himself, and every one held his breath as Doctor -Joe undid the fastenings of the bandage. For a moment Jamie sat -winking and blinking, and then cried out in sheer glee: - -"Oh, I sees! I sees you all! th' mist is gone. I sees you all plain!" - -The joy of that moment cannot be described, but perhaps we can imagine -and feel it. The world that opened to Jamie after the long darkness -was a more beautiful world than ever it had been before. His loved -mountains had never seemed so big and brave as when he was permitted -to look at them again, and he was quite sure that never before had the -peaks, lighted by the setting sun, been so bright and glorious with -heavenly beauty at the moment when God stooped down to kiss the world -good night. - -And so, after all, they had worried a great deal over troubles that -never came true. But nevertheless it had required grit a-plenty to -carry them bravely over the dark days when the mists hung low. - - - _Printed in the United Stated of America_ - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Grit A-Plenty, by Dillon Wallace - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GRIT A-PLENTY *** - -***** This file should be named 42396.txt or 42396.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/2/3/9/42396/ - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Rod Crawford, Dave Morgan, -Matthew Wheaton and the Online Distributed Proofreading -Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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