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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d78f649 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #68506 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/68506) diff --git a/old/68506-0.txt b/old/68506-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 82c2fb2..0000000 --- a/old/68506-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4288 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Forest Pilot, by Edward Huntington - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: The Forest Pilot - A Story for Boy Scouts - -Author: Edward Huntington - -Release Date: July 11, 2022 [eBook #68506] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Roger Frank and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at - https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images - generously made available by The Internet Archive) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FOREST PILOT *** - - - THE FOREST PILOT - - - - -[Illustration: “Shoot! Shoot! For God’s sake shoot, Larry!”] - - - - - THE FOREST PILOT - A STORY FOR BOY SCOUTS - - BY EDWARD HUNTINGTON - - NEW YORK - HEARST’S INTERNATIONAL LIBRARY CO. - 1915 - - - - - Copyright, 1915, - By HEARST’S INTERNATIONAL LIBRARY CO., Inc. - - All rights reserved, including the translation into foreign - languages, including the Scandinavian. - - - - - CONTENTS - - I The Storm - II The Home on the Rocks - III The First Supper - IV Lessons in Piloting - V The Story of Weewah the Hunter - VI Final Preparations - VII The Journey Through the Forest - VIII The Blizzard - IX The Timber Wolves - X The Wounded Moose - XI The Return to the Wreck - XII The Early Morning Visitor - - - - - CHAPTER I - - THE STORM - - -The November sun that had been red and threatening all day, slowly -disappeared behind a cloud bank. The wind that had held steadily to -the south for a week, now shifted suddenly to the northeast, coming -as a furious blast. In a moment, it seemed, the mild Indian Summer -breeze was changed to a fierce winter gale. - -The little schooner yacht that had been riding in the bay not more -than a half mile from the jagged, rocky shore line, began dancing -about like a cork. For a swell had come driving in from the ocean -just as the wind changed, and now the two tall masts waved back and -forth, bending in wide sweeps before the gale. Unfortunately for the -little craft the change of the direction of the wind exposed it to -the storm’s full fury. - -The captain, a weatherbeaten old Yankee who had sailed vessels of -his own as well as those belonging to other people for forty years, -was plainly worried. With a glass in his hand he scanned the shore -line of the bay in every direction, occasionally giving a sharp -order to the four sailors who hurried about the deck to carry out -his commands. - -The only other persons on the yacht were a man and a boy who had -been sitting together beside the forward mast when the wind changed. -The man was a tall, straight figure, with the erect carriage that -sinewy, muscular men who are accustomed to hard work retain well -into old age. His face, with its leathery skin, which contrasted -sharply with his iron gray beard, was softened by a pair of deep -blue eyes--the kind of blue eyes that can snap with determination on -occasion, in contrast to their usually kindly expression. - -Obviously this man was past his prime, or, better perhaps, was past -that period of life reckoned in years that civilized man has become -accustomed to speaking of as “prime.” Yet he was old only in years -and experience. For his step was quick and elastic, and every -movement showed the alertness of youth. Were it not for the gray -hairs peeping out from under his hat and his grizzled beard, he -might have passed for a man of forty. Martin MacLean was his name, -and almost any one in the New Brunswick forest region could tell you -all about him. For Martin was a famous hunter and guide, even in a -land where almost every male inhabitant depends upon those two -things for his livelihood. - -Needless to say, then, this man was something quite out of the -ordinary among woodsmen. When the woods people gossiped among -themselves about their hunting and trapping experiences, old Martin -was often the theme of many a story. And the story was always one of -courage or skill. - -But you must remember that in this land, deeds of courage and skill -were every-day occurrences. So that the man who could earn the -admiration of his fellow woodsmen must possess unusual qualities. -Martin had repeatedly demonstrated these qualities. Not by any -single act at any one time, but by the accumulated acts of many -years had he earned his title of leader in his craft. - -The older woodsmen would tell you of the terrible winter when Martin -had made a journey of fifty miles through the forests to get -medicines from the only doctor within a hundred miles for a boy -injured by a falling tree. They would tell you of the time that a -hunting party from the States were lost in the woods in a great -November blizzard, and how Martin, frost-bitten and famished, had -finally found them and brought them back to the settlement. They -could tell of his fight with a wounded moose that had gored another -hunter, and would have killed him but for the quick work of Martin’s -hunting knife. Indeed, once the old hunter became the theme of their -talk, there was no end to the tales the woodsmen would tell of his -adventures. - -The boy who was with him on the yacht was obviously from an entirely -different walk of life. Any woodsman could have told you that he had -been reared far from the country of lakes and forests. He was, -indeed, a city boy, who except for one winter spent in the -Adirondacks, had scarcely been beyond the suburbs of his native -city. In the north country he would have passed for a boy of twelve -years; but in reality he was just rounding his fifteenth birthday. - -He was a medium sized boy for his age, with bright red hair, and a -rosy complexion. He had the appearance of a boy just outgrowing a -“delicate constitution” as one of the neighbor women had put it, -although he had every appearance of robustness. Nevertheless it was -on account of his health that he was now on the little schooner -yacht rolling in the gale of a bleak Labrador inlet. His neighbor in -the city, Mr. Ware, the owner of the yacht, thinking that a few -weeks in the woods and on the water would be helpful to him, had -made him a member of his hunting party into the northern wilderness. - -The old guide was obviously apprehensive at the fury of the gale -that had struck them, while the boy, Larry, seemed to regard it as a -lark designed for their special amusement. Noticing the serious -expression of Martin’s face, and mistaking its meaning, he could not -help jibing the old fellow, boy fashion, at his solicitude. - -“You look as if you thought we were going to the bottom sure enough, -Martin,” Larry laughed. “Why, there isn’t any more danger on this -boat than there is on an ocean liner. You’re no seaman, I can see -that.” And he threw back his bushy head and laughed heartily at his -companion’s serious face. - -“Besides,” he added, “there’s the land only half a mile away even if -we did spring a leak or something. It’s only a step over there, so -we surely could get ashore.” - -“That’s just the trouble,” said a deep voice beside him. “That’s -just the trouble. And if you knew the first thing about a ship or -the ocean you would know it.” And the captain strode aft, giving -orders to his seamen as he went. - -“What does he mean?” Larry asked of Martin, clinging to a brass -stanchion to keep from being thrown into the scuppers as the little -boat rolled heavily until the rail dipped the water. - -“Why, just this,” Martin told him. “The real danger to us now is -that we are so near the shore. Out in the open sea we could roll and -tumble about and drift as far as we liked until the storm blew over. -But here if we drift very far we will go smash against those -rocks--and that would be the end of every one of us.” - -“Well, if we went ashore why couldn’t we just jump and swim right to -land a few feet away?” Larry asked, looking serious himself now, his -blue eyes opening wide. - -Martin’s little laugh was lost in the roar of the wind. - -“That shows how much of a landlubber you are, Larry,” he said. “If -you had been brought up near the ocean you would know that if this -boat struck on this shore where all the coast is a lot of jagged -rocks, it would be smashed into kindling wood. And no man can swim -in the waves at the shore. They pick a man up like a cork; but they -smash him down on those rocks like the hammer of the old Norse Sea -god. That is why the sailor prays for the open sea.” - -All this time Martin had been clinging to the rail with one hand, -and trying to scan the shore line with his hunting glasses. But the -blinding spray and the ceaseless rolling and pitching made it -impossible for him to use them. - -“But I’m not worrying about what may happen to this boat,” he -shouted presently, putting the glasses in his pocket. “Either we -will come out all right or else we won’t. And in any case we will -have to grin and take what comes. What I’m worried about is Mr. Ware -and the fellows in the boat with him. If they have started out from -shore to come aboard before this gale hit us they are lost, sure. -And I am certain they had started, for I caught a glimpse of the -boat coming out of a cove fifteen minutes before the storm broke.” - -For a minute Larry stared at the old man, comprehending the -seriousness of the situation at last. “You mean then--” he asked, -clutching the brass rail as the boat lurched forward,--“You mean that -you think they will be drowned--really drowned, Martin?” - -“That’s it, Larry,” Martin replied, seriously. “They haven’t one -chance in a thousand, as I see it. Even if they could reach us we -couldn’t get them aboard; and if they are blown ashore it will end -everything. They haven’t a chance.” - -As if to emphasize the seriousness of the situation the yacht just -then dug her nose deep into the trough of a great wave, then rose, -lifting her bowsprit high in the air like a rearing horse tugging at -a restraining leash. It was a strain that tested every link of the -anchor chain to its utmost. But for the moment it held. - -“A few more like that, Larry,” Martin shouted above the gale, “and -that chain will snap. The anchor is caught fast in the rocks at the -bottom.” - -Meanwhile the sailors and the captain were working desperately to -cut loose the other anchor and get it over the side as their only -chance of keeping the boat off the rocks. The gale, the rolling of -the vessel, and the waves buffeted them about, however, so that -before they could release the heavy mass of iron, the yacht again -plunged her nose into the waves, then rose on her stern, trembling -and jerking at the single anchor chain. For a moment it held. Then -there was a sharp report, as a short length of chain flew back, -knocking two of the sailors overboard, and gouging a great chunk of -wood from the fore mast. At the same time the boat settled back, -careening far to port with the rail clear under. - -The violence of the shock had thrown Larry off his feet, but for a -moment he clung to the railing with one hand. Then as the boat -righted herself, quivering and creaking, the flood of water coming -over the bow tore loose his hands, and hurled him blinded and -stupified along the deck. The next thing he knew he found himself -lying in a heap at the foot of the narrow companionway stairs down -which he had been thrown by the waves. - -He was dazed and bruised by the fall, yet above the roar of the -storm, he heard faintly the howling of the huskie dogs, confined in -a pen on the forward deck. Then there was the awful roar of the -waves again, the crash of breaking timbers, and again a deluge of -water poured down the companionway. At the same time Larry was -struck with some soft, heavy object, that came hurtling down with -the torrent of water. Gasping for breath and half choked with the -water, he managed to cling to the steps until the water had rushed -out through the scuppers as the boat heeled over the other way. Then -crawling on hands and knees he succeeded in reaching the cabin door, -the latch of which was not over six feet away. - -With a desperate plunge he threw it open and fell sprawling into the -room. At the same time two great malamoot dogs, who had been washed -down the companionway with the preceding wave, sprang in after him, -whining and cowering against him. Even in his fright he could not -help contrasting the present actions of these dogs with their usual -behavior. Ordinarily they were quiet, reserved fellows, given to -minding their own business and imparting the general impression that -it would be well for others to do the same. Now all their sturdy -independence was gone, and cowering and trembling they pressed close -to the boy for protection, apparently realizing that they were -battling with an enemy against whom they had no defence. - -But the storm gave Larry little time to think of anything but his -own safety. Even as he struggled to rise and push the cabin door -shut, the boat heeled over and performed that office for him with a -crash. The next moment a torrent of water rushed down the -companionway, but only a few drops were forced through the cracks of -the door casing, fitted for just such an occasion, so that the cabin -remained practically dry. Over and over again at short intervals -this crash of descending waters shook the cabin and strained at the -door casing. And all the time the movements of the boat kept Larry -lying close to the floor, clinging to the edge of the lower bunk to -keep from being thrown violently across the cabin. - -The dogs, unable to find a foothold when the cabin floor rose -beneath them, were often thrown violently about the room, their -claws scratching futilely along the hard boards as they strove to -stop the impetus of the fall. But the moment the boat righted -itself, they crawled whimpering back and crouched close to the -frightened boy. - -Little enough, indeed, was the protection or comfort Larry could -give the shivering brutes. He himself was sobbing with terror, and -at each plunge and crash of the boat he expected to find himself -engulfed by the black waters. Now and again, above the sound of the -storm, he heard the crash of splintering timbers, with furious blows -upon the decks and against the sides of the hull. He guessed from -this that the masts had been broken off and were pounding for a -moment against the hull, held temporarily by the steel shrouds until -finally torn away by the waves. - -Vaguely he wondered what had become of Martin, and the Captain, and -the two remaining members of the crew. Perhaps they had been washed -down the after companionway as he had gone down the forward one. But -far more likely they were now in their long resting place at the -bottom of the bay. There seemed little probability that they had -been as lucky as he, and he expected to follow them at any moment. -Yet he shut his teeth and clung fast to the side of the bunk. - -It was terribly exhausting work, this clinging with one’s hands, and -at each successive plunge he felt his grip weakening. In a very few -minutes, he knew he should find himself hurled about the cabin like -a loose piece of furniture, and then it would only be a matter of -minutes until he was flung against some object and crushed. He would -not be able to endure the kind of pounding that the dogs were -getting. The protection of their thick fur, and the ability to relax -and fall limply, saved them from serious injury. - -Little by little he felt his fingers slipping from the edge of the -bunk. He shut his teeth hard, and tried to get a firmer grip. At -that moment the boat seemed to be lifted high into the air, and -poised there for a breathless second. Then with a shock that bumped -Larry’s head against the floor, it descended and and stopped as if -wedged on the rocks at the bottom, with a sound like a violent -explosion right underneath the cabin. - -Larry, stupified by the crash, realized vaguely that the boat had -struck something and was held fast. In his confusion he thought she -had gone to the bottom, but he was satisfied that he was no longer -being pounded about the cabin. And presently as his mind cleared a -little, and he could hear the roar of the waves with an occasional -trickle of water down the companionway, he reached the conclusion -that they were not at the bottom of the sea. Nor did he care very -much one way or the other at that time. It was pitch dark in the -cabin, and as he was utterly worn out, he closed his eyes and lay -still, a big trembling dog nestling against him on either side. And -presently he and his two companions were sleeping the dreamless -sleep of the exhausted. - - - - - CHAPTER II - - THE HOME ON THE ROCKS - - -It seemed only a moment later that Larry was roused by a thumping on -the planks over his head. Half awake, and shivering with cold, he -rubbed his eyes and tried to think where he was. Everything about -the cabin could be seen now, a ray of light streaming in through the -round port. For a little time he could not recall how he happened to -be lying on the cold floor and not in his bunk; but the presence of -the two dogs, still lying beside him, helped to freshen his memory. - -The thumping on the deck seemed to have a familiar sound; there was -somebody walking about up there. Some one else must have been as -lucky as he in escaping the storm. And presently he heard some one -come clumping down the companionway stairs. The dogs, who had been -listening intently with cocked ears to the approaching footsteps, -sprang across the cabin wagging their tails and whining, and a -moment later old Martin stood in the doorway. He greeted the dogs -with a shout of surprise and welcome, followed by another even -louder shout when his eyes found Larry. For once the reserved old -hunter relaxed and showed the depths of his nature. He literally -picked the astonished boy up in his arms and danced about the little -room with delight. - -“Oh, but I am sure glad to see you, boy,” he said, when he finally -let Larry down on his feet. “I didn’t suppose for a minute that I -should ever see you or any one else here again--not even the dogs. I -thought that you and everybody else went over the side when the -first big wave struck us.” - -“Why, where are all the rest of them, and why is the boat so still?” -Larry asked, eagerly. - -The old man’s face grew grave at once at the questions. - -“Come out on deck and you can see for yourself,” he said quietly, -and led the way up the companionway. - -With his head still ringing, and with aching limbs and sore spots -all over his body from the effects of bumping about the night -before, Larry crawled up the companionway. He could hear the waves -roaring all about them, and yet the boat was as stationary as a -house. What could it mean? - -When he reached the deck the explanation was quickly apparent. The -boat was wedged hard and fast in a crevice of rock, her deck several -feet above the water, and just below the level of the rocky cliff of -the shore. She had been picked up bodily by the tremendous comber -and flung against the cliff, and luckily for them, had been jammed -into a crevice that prevented her slipping back into the ocean and -sinking. For her bottom and her port side were stove in, and she was -completely wrecked. - -For a few minutes the boy stood gazing in mute astonishment. Old -Martin also stood silently looking about him. Then he offered an -explanation. - -“’Tisn’t anything short of a miracle, I should say,” he explained to -Larry. “I have heard of some such things happening, but I never -believed that they did really. You see the waves just washed -everything overboard--captain, crew, masts, everything--except you and -me, and the two dogs. It washed me just as it did you, but I went -down the after hatchway by luck, and I hung on down there in the -companionway until the thing struck. But all the time that the waves -were washing over us we were being driven along toward this ledge of -rock full tilt. And when we were flung against this rock we should -by good rights, have been battered to kindling wood at one blow, and -then have slipped back into the water and sunk. - -“But right here is the curious part of it all. Just as she got to -the foot of this cliff, an unusually big comber must have caught -her, raised her up in its arms fifteen or twenty feet higher than -the usual wave would have done, and just chucked her up on the side -of this bluff out o’ harm’s way--at least for the time being. The -sharp edge of the ledge happened to be such a shape that it held her -in place like the barb of a fish-hook. And all that the smaller -waves could do was to pound away at the lower side of her, without -hurting her enough to make her fall to pieces. - -“But of course they’ll get her after a while--almost any hour for -that matter; for this storm is a long way from being blown out yet, -I’m afraid. And so it’s up to us to just get as much food and other -things unloaded and up away from this shore line as fast as we can. -Most of the stores are forward, and that is where she is stove in -the least. - -“I suppose we’ve got to take off five minutes and cram a little cold -food into ourselves, so that we can work faster and longer. For we -surely have got to work for our lives to-day. If this boat should -suddenly take it into her head to slide off into the ocean again, as -she may do at any minute, we’re goners, even if we are left on -shore, unless we get a winter’s supply unloaded and stored on the -rocks. For we are a long way from civilization, I can tell you.” - -With that Martin rushed Larry to the galley, dug out some bread, -cold meat, and a can of condensed milk. And, grudging every minute’s -delay, they stood among the wreckage of the once beautiful cabin, -cramming down their cold breakfast as hastily as possible. In the -excitement Larry forgot his bruises and sore spots. - -As soon as they had finished Martin hurried the boy to the forward -store-room door, bursting it open with a heavy piece of iron. - -“Now pick up anything that you can handle,” he instructed, “run with -it up on deck, and throw it on to the bank. I’ll take the heavier -things. But work as hard and as fast as you can, for our lives -depend upon it.” - -For the next two hours they worked with furious energy rushing back -and forth from the store-rooms, staggering up the tilted steps to -the deck, and hurling the boxes across the few feet that separated -the boat from the ledge. Every few minutes Martin would leap across -the gap, and hastily toss the boxes that had been landed further up -on the shore, to get them out of the way for others that were to -follow. - -The enormous strength and endurance of the old hunter were shown by -the amount he accomplished in those two hours. Boxes and kegs, so -heavy that Larry could hardly budge them, he seized and tossed -ashore in tireless succession, only pausing once long enough to -throw off his jacket and outer shirt. For the perspiration was -running off his face in streams, despite the fact that the air was -freezing cold. - -Fortunately most of the parcels were relatively small, as they had -been prepared for the prospective inland hunting excursion which was -to have been made on sledges. Many of the important articles were in -small cans, and Larry rushed these ashore by the armful. He was -staggering, and gasping for breath at times, and once he stumbled -and fell half way down a stairway from sheer exhaustion. But he had -caught Martin’s spirit of eager haste, and although the fall had -shaken him up considerably, he picked himself up and went on as fast -as his weary limbs would carry him. - -At last Martin paused, wiping his face with his coat sleeve. “Sit -down and rest,” he said to the boy. “We’ve got a whole winter’s -supply on shore there now, if food alone was all we needed. So we -can take a little more time about the rest of the things; and while -you rest I’ll rig up some tackle for getting what we can of the -heavier things ashore. You’ve done pretty well, for a city boy,” he -added. - -Then he went below, and Larry heard the sounds of blows and cracking -timber. Presently Martin appeared, dragging some heavy planks after -him. With these he quickly laid a bridge from the deck to the shore. -Then he hunted out some long ropes and pulleys, and, carrying them -to a tree far up on the bank, he rigged a block and tackle between -this anchorage and the yacht. - -“Now we’re ready for the heavy things,” he said. - -With this new contrivance nothing seemed too big to handle. Martin -and Larry would roll and push the heavy cases into a companionway, -or near a hatch, and then both would seize the rope, and hand over -hand would work the heavy object up to the deck across the bridge, -and finally far out on shore. In this way the greater part of -everything movable had been transferred from the boat by the middle -of the afternoon; but not until the last of the more precious -articles had been disposed of did Martin think of food, although -they had breakfasted at daylight. - -In the excitement Larry, too, had forgotten his hunger; but now a -gnawing sensation reminded him that he was famished. Martin was “as -hungry as a wolf in winter” he admitted. But he did not stop to eat. -Calling the dogs and filling his pockets with biscuit to munch as he -walked, he started out along the rocky shore of the inlet, to see if -by any chance some survivor had washed ashore. Meanwhile Larry built -a big fire at the edge of the woods to act as a signal, and to keep -himself warm. - -In two hours the old man returned from his fruitless search. He had -found some wreckage strewn among the rocks, but no sign of a living -thing. “And now we must get these things under cover,” he said, -indicating the pile of stores. - -For this purpose he selected a knoll some little distance from the -shore above where any waves could possibly reach. Over this he laid -a floor of planks, and spread a huge canvas over the boards. Then -they began the task of piling all the landed goods on top of this, -laying them up neatly so as to occupy as little space as possible, -and over this great mound of food-boxes, gun-cases, canned goods, -and miscellaneous objects, they pulled a huge canvas deck covering. - -By the time they had finished the daylight was beginning to wane. -Taking the hint from the approaching darkness, Martin dug into the -mass of packages and produced a small silk tent, which he set up -under one of the scrub trees which was sheltered by a big rock well -back from the shore. - -“Take that axe,” he told Larry, pointing to a carefully forged -hunting axe that had been landed with the other things, “and collect -all the wood you can before dark.” - -Larry, scarcely able to stand, looked wistfully at the yacht. “The -cabin is dry in there,” he suggested, “why don’t we sleep in there -to-night?” - -Old Martin shook his head. “I don’t dare risk it,” he said. “I am -tired, and I’d sleep too soundly. I don’t think I’d wake up, no -matter what happened. And something may happen to-night. The storm -is still brewing, and the waves are still so high that they pound -the old hull all the time. A little more hammering and she may go to -pieces. We couldn’t tell from the noise whether the storm was coming -up or not, because there is so much pounding all the time anyway. -And wouldn’t it be a fine thing for us to find ourselves dropped -into the ocean after we have just finished getting ourselves and our -things safely ashore? No, you get the wood and I’ll give you a -sample of the out-door suppers that we are likely to have together -every night for the next few months.” - -Larry picked up the axe and dragged his weary feet off to the -thicker line of trees a short distance away. There was really little -use for the axe, as the woods were filled with fallen trunks and -branches that could be gathered for the picking up. So he spared -himself the exertion of chopping and began dragging branches and -small logs to the tent. - -He found that the old hunter, while he was collecting the wood, had -unearthed a cooking outfit, and had pots, pans, and kettles strewn -about ready for use. Best of all he had hunted out two fur sleeping -bags, and had placed a pile of blankets in the little tent, which -looked very inviting to the weary boy. - -Martin saw his wistful look and chuckled. “Too tired to eat I -suppose?” he inquired. - -“Well, pretty near it,” Larry confessed. “I was never half so tired -in my whole life.” - -“All right,” said Martin; “you’ve worked like a real man to-day. So -you just crawl into those blankets and have a little snooze while I -and the doggies get the supper. I’ll call you when the things are -ready.” - -“Don’t you ever get tired, _ever_, Martin?” Larry asked as he flung -himself down. But if Martin answered his question he did not hear -it. He was asleep the moment he touched the blankets. - - - - - CHAPTER III - - THE FIRST SUPPER - - -The next thing Larry knew he was being roused by old Martin’s -vigorous shakes. Something cold was pressing against his cheek,--the -black muzzle of one of the malamoots. Martin and the big dog were -standing over him, the man laughing and the dog wagging his bushy -tail. It seemed to the boy that he had scarcely closed his eyes, but -when he had rubbed them open he knew that he must have been asleep -some little time, for many things seemed changed. - -It was night now, and the stars were out. But inside the tent it was -warm and cozy, for before the open flap a cheerful fire was burning. -The odor of coffee reached his nostrils and he could hear the bacon -frying over the fire, and these things reminded him that he was -hungry again. - -“Sit right up to the table and begin,” Martin said to him, pointing -to a row of cooking utensils and two tin plates on the ground in -front of the tent. “Every one for himself, and Old Nick take the -hindmost.” - -No second invitation was necessary. In a moment he was bending over -a plate heaped with bacon and potatoes, while the big malamoots sat -watching him wistfully keeping an expectant eye on Martin as he -poured the coffee. Such potatoes, such bacon, and such coffee the -boy had never tasted. Even the soggy bread which Martin had improved -by frying in some bacon fat, seemed delicious. This being -shipwrecked was not so bad after all. - -Old Martin, seated beside him and busy with his heaping plate seemed -to read his thoughts. - -“Not such a bad place, is it?” he volunteered presently. - -“Bad?” the boy echoed. “It’s about the best place I ever saw. Only -perhaps it will get lonesome if we have to wait long,” he added -thoughtfully. - -“Wait?” repeated Martin, poising his fork in the air. “Wait for who -and for what, do you suppose, boy?” - -“Well, aren’t we going to wait for some one to come for us?” the boy -inquired. - -Old Martin emptied his plate, drank his third cup of coffee, and -threw a couple of sticks on the fire before answering. - -“If we waited for some one to come for us,” he said presently and in -a very serious tone, “we’d be waiting here until all these -provisions that we landed to-day are gone. And there’s a good full -year’s supply for us two up there under the canvas. Did you suppose -we are going to _wait_ here?” - -The boy looked thoughtful. - -“But we can’t get the yacht off the rocks, and she’d sink if we did. -And anyhow you couldn’t sail her home. You told me only yesterday -that you didn’t know a yacht from a battleship, Martin.” - -“I told you the truth, at that,” Martin chuckled. “But I’m something -of a navigator all the same. I can navigate a craft as well as poor -old Captain Roberts himself, only I use a different craft, and I -navigate her on land. And, what’s more to the point, I’ve got the -land to do it on, the craft, and the crew.” And Martin pointed -successively at the pile of supplies in the distance, the two dogs, -and Larry. - -“I don’t understand at all what you mean,” the boy declared; “tell -me what you intend to do, Martin, won’t you?” - -“Why, boy, if I started in to tell you now you’d be asleep before I -could get well into the story,” said the old hunter. - -“No, I wouldn’t,” the boy protested. “I never was more wide awake in -my life. I feel as if I could do another day’s work right now.” - -“That’s the meat and potatoes and coffee,” old Martin commented. -“It’s marvellous what fuel will do for a tired engine. Well, if you -can keep awake long enough I’ll tell you just what we are going to -do in the next few weeks--or months, maybe. - -“Here we are stranded away up on the Labrador coast, at least two or -three hundred miles from the nearest settlement, perhaps even -farther than that. And the worst of it is that I haven’t the least -idea where that nearest settlement is. It may be on the coast, -somewhat nearer than I think; and then again it may be ’cross -country inland still farther away than I judge. What we’ve got to do -is to make up our minds where we think that settlement is, and find -it. And we’ve got to go to it by land and on foot.” - -“On foot!” Larry cried in amazement. “Three or four hundred miles on -foot in the winter time in a strange country where nobody lives!” - -“That’s the correct answer,” the hunter replied: “and we’re two of -the luckiest dogs in the world to have the _chance_ to do it in the -style we can. If we hadn’t been given the chance to save all that -plunder from the ship to-day we would be far better off to be in the -bottom of the ocean with Mr. Ware and the other poor fellows. But we -had the luck, and now we have a good even fighting chance to get -back home. But it means work--work and hardships, such as you never -dreamed of, boy. And yet we’ll do it, or I’ll hand in my commission -as a land pilot. - -“Did you notice those cans of stuff that you were throwing ashore -to-day--did you notice anything peculiar about those cans?” Martin -asked, a moment later. - -“E--er, no I didn’t,” Larry hesitated. “Unless it was that some of -the bigger ones seemed lighter than tin cans of stuff usually do.” - -“That’s the correct answer again,” the old man nodded; “that’s the -whole thing. They _were_ lighter, for the very good reason that they -are not made of tin. They are aluminum cans. They cost like the very -sin, those cans do, many times more than tin, you know. But Mr. Ware -didn’t have to think about such a small thing as cost, and when he -planned this hunting trip, where every ounce that we would have to -haul by hand or with the dogs had to be considered, he made -everything just the lightest and best that money could get it made. -If there was a way of getting anything better, or more condensed, -whether it was food or outfit, he did it. And you and I will -probably owe our lives to this hobby of his, poor man. - -“Among that stuff that we unloaded to-day there are special -condensed foods, guns, tents, and outfits, just made to take such a -forced tramping trip through the wilderness as we are to take. You -see Mr. Ware planned to go on a long hunt back into the interior of -this land, a thing that has never been done at this time of year to -my knowledge. And as no one knows just what the conditions are -there, he had his outfit made so that he could travel for weeks, and -carry everything that he needed along with him. - -“So it’s up to us to take the things that Mr. Ware had made, and -which we are lucky enough to have saved, and get back to the land -where people live. In my day I have undertaken just as dangerous, -and probably difficult things in the heart of winter; only on those -trips I didn’t have any such complete equipment as we have here. - -“Why, look at that sleeping bag, for example,” the old man -exclaimed, pointing to one of the bags lying in the tent. “My -sleeping outfit, when I hiked from upper Quebec clear to the shore -of old Hudson’s Bay in the winter, consisted of a blanket. Whenever -my fire got low at night I nearly froze. But mind you, I could lie -out of doors in one of these fur bags without a fire on the coldest -night, and be warm as a gopher. They are made of reindeer skin, fur -inside, and are lined with the skin of reindeer fawn. So there are -two layers of the warmest skin and fur known, between the man inside -and the cold outside. Those bags will be a blessing to us every -minute. For when we strike out across this country we don’t know -what kind of a land we may get into. We may find timber region all -the way, and if we do there will be no danger of our freezing. But -it’s more than likely that we shall strike barren country part of -the time where there will be no fire-wood; and then we will -appreciate these fur bags. For I don’t care how cold it gets or how -hard it blows, we can burrow down into the snow and crawl into the -bags, and always be sure of a warm place to sleep. - -“Then again, the very luckiest thing for us was the saving of those -two dogs,” Martin continued. “If they had gone overboard with the -other twelve I should be feeling a good deal sadder to-night than I -am. For there is nothing to equal a malamoot dog for hauling loads -through this country in winter. Look at this fellow,” he said -indicating one of the big shaggy dogs curled up a few feet from the -tent, caring nothing for the biting cold. “There doesn’t seem to be -anything very remarkable about him, does there? And yet that fellow -can haul a heavier load on a sled, and haul it farther every day, -than I can. And his weight is less than half what mine is. - -“The dogs that Mr. Ware had selected were all veteran sledge dogs, -and picked because they had proved their metal. So we’ll give this -fellow a load of two hundred and fifty pounds to haul. And he could -do better than that I know if he had to.” - -The wind, which had died down a little at dusk, had gradually risen -and was now blowing hard again, and fine flakes of snow and sleet -hissed into the camp-fire. The rock which sheltered the tent -protected it from the main force of the blast, but Larry could hear -it lashing its way through the spruce trees with an ominous roar. -Martin rose and examined the fastenings of the tent, tightened a -rope here and there, and then returned to his seat on the blankets. - -“We can’t start to-morrow if it storms like this,” Larry suggested -presently. - -“Well, we can’t start to-morrow anyhow,” the old trapper answered. -“And we surely can’t start until there is more snow. How are we -going to haul a pair of toboggans over the snow if there is no snow -to be hauled over, I’d like to know? But there is no danger about -the lack of snow. There’ll be plenty of it by the time we are ready -to start.” - -“And when will that be?” the boy asked. - -“In about ten days, I think,” Martin answered, “----that is, if you -have learned to shoot a rifle, harness the dogs, pitch a camp, set -snares, walk on snow-shoes, and carry a pretty good-sized pack on -your back,” he added, looking at Larry out of the corner of his -eyes. “Did you ever shoot a rifle?” - -“Sure I have,” the boy answered proudly; “and I hit the mark, -too--sometimes.” - -“I suppose you shot a Flobert twenty-two, at a mark ten feet away,” -Martin commented with a little smile. “Well, all that helps. But on -this trip you are not going to hit the mark sometimes: it must be -every time. And the ‘mark’ will be something for the camp kettle to -keep the breath of life in us. I’ve been turning over in my mind -to-day the question of what kind of a gun you are going to tote on -this trip. We’ve got all kinds to select from up there under the -canvas, from elephant killers to squirrel poppers, for Mr. Ware did -love every kind of shooting iron. I’ve picked out yours, and -to-morrow you will begin learning to use it--learning to shoot quick -and straight--straight, every time. For we won’t have one bullet to -waste after we leave here.” - -Larry fairly hugged himself. Think of having a rifle of his very -own, a real rifle that would kill things, with the probability of -having plenty of chances for using it! One of his fondest dreams was -coming true. The old hunter read his happiness in his face, and -without a word rose and left the tent. When he returned he carried -in his hand a little weapon which, in its leather case, seemed like -a toy about two feet long. Handing this to Larry he said, simply: -“Here’s your gun.” - -The boy’s countenance fell. To be raised to the height of bliss and -expectation, and then be handed a pop-gun, was a cruel joke. Without -removing the gun from its case he tossed it contemptuously into the -blankets behind him. - -“Mr. Ware killed a moose with it last winter,” the old hunter -commented, suspecting the cause of the boy’s disappointment. “And it -shoots as big a ball, and shoots just as hard as the gun I am going -to carry,” he added. “You’d better get acquainted with it.” - -There was no doubting the old man’s sincerity now, and Larry picked -up the gun and examined it. - -It was a curious little weapon, having two barrels placed one above -the other, and with a stock like a pistol. Attached to the -pistol-like handle was a skeleton stock made of aluminum rods, and -so arranged that it folded against the under side of the barrels -when not in use. The whole thing could be slipped into a leather -case not unlike the ordinary revolver holster, and carried with a -strap over the shoulder. When folded in this way it was only two -feet long, and had the appearance of the toy gun for which Larry had -mistaken it. - -Yet it was anything but a toy. The two barrels were of different -calibre, the upper one being the ordinary .22, while the lower one, -as Martin had stated, was of large calibre and chambered for a -powerful cartridge. - -The old hunter watched the boy eagerly examining the little gun, -opening it and squinting through the barrels, aiming it at imaginary -objects, and strutting about with it slung from his shoulder in the -pure joy that a red-blooded boy finds in the possession of a fire -arm. Then, when Larry’s excitement cooled a little, he took the gun, -and explained its fine points to his eager pupil. - -“From this time on,” he began, “I want you to remember everything I -am going to tell you just as nearly as you can, not only about this -gun, but everything else. For you’ve got to cram a heap of knowledge -into your head in the next few days, and I haven’t time to say -things twice. - -“This gun was made specially for Mr. Ware after his own design and -to fit his own idea. He wanted a gun that was as light as possible -and could be carried easily, and at the same time be adapted to all -kinds of game, big and little. This upper barrel, the smaller one -you see, shoots a cartridge that will kill anything up to the size -of a jack rabbit, and is as accurate a shooter as any gun can be -made. Yet the cartridges are so small that a pocket full will last a -man a whole season. - -“Now the best rule in all hunting is to use the smallest bullet that -will surely kill the game you are aiming at, and in every country -there are always ten chances to kill small things to one chance at -the bigger game. Up in this region, for example, there will be -flocks of ptarmigan, the little northern grouse, and countless -rabbits that we shall need for food, but which we couldn’t afford to -waste heavy ammunition on. And this smaller barrel is the one to use -in getting them. - -“If you used the big cartridge when you found a flock of these -ptarmigans sitting on a tree, the noise of the first shot would -probably frighten them all away, to say nothing of the fact that the -big ball would tear the little bird all to pieces, and make it -worthless for food. With the .22 you can pop them over one at a time -without scaring them, and without spoiling the meat. - -“But suppose, when you were out hunting for ptarmigan or rabbits you -came upon a deer, or even a moose. All right, you’ve got something -for him, too, and right in the same gun. All you have to do is to -shift the little catch on the hammer here which connects with the -firing-pin in the lower barrel, draw a bead, and you knock him down -dead with the big bullet--as Mr. Ware did last fall up in New -Brunswick. There will be a louder report, and a harder kick, but you -won’t notice either when you see the big fellow roll over and kick -his legs in the air.” - -The very suggestion of such a possibility was too much for the boy’s -imagination. “Do you really think that I may kill a deer, or a -moose, Martin?” he asked eagerly. “Do you, Martin?” - -“Perhaps,” the old man assented, “if you will remember all I tell -you. But first of all let’s learn all we can about the thing you are -going to kill it with. - -“Mr. Ware and I had many long talks, and tried many experiments -before he could decide upon the very best size of cartridge for this -larger barrel. You see there scores of different kinds and sizes to -choose from. There are cartridges almost as long and about the same -shape as a lead pencil, with steel jacketed bullets that will travel -two or three miles, and go through six feet thickness of wood at -short range. It is the fad among hunters these days to use that -kind. But if a man is a real hunter he doesn’t need them. - -“Mr. Ware was a real hunter. When he pulled the trigger he knew just -where the bullet was going to land. And when a man is that kind of a -shot he doesn’t have to use a bullet that will shoot through six -feet of pine wood. So he picked out one of the older style of -cartridges, one that we call the .38-40, which is only half as long -as the lead-pencil kind. By using a steel jacketed bullet and -smokeless powder this cartridge is powerful enough to kill any kind -of game in this region, if you strike the right spot. - -“So don’t get the idea, just because this gun won’t shoot a bullet -through an old fashioned battleship, that it’s a plaything. It will -penetrate eighteen inches of pine wood, and the force of its blow is -very nearly that of a good big load of hay falling off a sled. This -little three-pound gun--just a boy’s sparrow gun to look at--shoots -farther and hits harder than the best rifle old Daniel Boone ever -owned. And yet Boone and his friends cleaned out all the Indians and -most of the big game in several States. So you see you’ve got the -better of Boone and all the great hunters and Indian killers of his -day--that is, as far as the gun is concerned. To-morrow I will begin -teaching you how to use it as a hunter should; but now we had better -turn in, for there are hard days ahead of us.” - -And so Larry crawled into his snug fur-lined bag, too excited to -wish to sleep, but so exhausted by the hard day’s work that his eyes -would not stay open. - - - - - CHAPTER IV - - LESSONS IN PILOTING - - -At daylight the next morning old Martin roused the boy, reminding -him that he “was to begin learning his trade” that day. “And there -are many things to learn about this land-piloting, too,” he told -him. Meanwhile the old hunter took the axe and went into the woods -for fuel while Larry was putting on his shoes and his coat--the only -garments he had removed on going to bed the night before. - -The air was very cold and everything frozen hard, and Larry’s teeth -were chattering before Martin returned and started the fire. “Now -notice how I lay these sticks and make this fire,” Martin -instructed. “I am making it to cook our breakfast over, so I’ll -build it in a very different way from what I should if I only wanted -it for heating our tent. Learning how to build at least three -different kinds of fires is a very important part of your -education.” - -The old man selected two small logs about four feet long and seven -inches in diameter. He laid these side by side on the ground, -separating them at one end a distance of about six inches and at the -other end something over a foot. In the space between the logs he -laid small branches and twigs, and lighted them, and in a jiffy had -a hot fire going. - -Larry noticed that Martin had placed the logs so that they lay at -right angles to the direction from which the wind was blowing; and -now as the heat thawed out the ground, the hunter took a sharp -pointed stick and dug away the earth from under the log almost its -whole length on the windward side. The wind, sucking in under this, -created a draught from beneath, which made the fire burn fiercely. - -Then Martin placed two frying pans filled with slices of ham and -soggy, grease-covered bread over the fire, the tops of the two logs -holding the pans rigidly in place. Next he took the wide-bottomed -coffee pot, filled it with water, threw in a handful of coffee, and -placed the pot at the end where the logs were near enough together -to hold it firmly. - -“Pretty good stove, isn’t it,” he commented, when he had finished. - -“You see that kind of a fire does several things that you want it -to, and doesn’t do several others that you don’t want. It makes all -the heat go right up against the bottom of the pans where you need -it most, and it only takes a little wood to get a lot of heat. What -is more, the sides of the logs keep the heat from burning your face -and your hands when you have to stir things, as a big camp-fire -would. You can always tell a woodsman by the kind of fire he -builds.” - -Presently the coffee boiled over and Martin set it off, and by that -time the ham and the bread were ready. And while they were eating -their breakfast he set a pail of water on the fire to heat. “That’s -to wash the dishes in,” he said. “A real woodsman washes his dishes -as soon as he finishes each meal--does it a good deal more -religiously than he washes his face or his hands, I fear.” - -When breakfast was finished, and the last dish cleaned, Martin said: -“Now you’ll have an hour’s practice at target-shooting. Take your -gun and come along.” - -He led the way to the pile of boxes, and hunted out three or four -solid looking cases. These were filled with paper boxes containing -cartridges--enough to supply an army, Larry thought. Tearing some of -these open, Martin instructed the boy to fill the right hand pocket -of his jacket with the little twenty-twos. “And always remember that -they are in that pocket and nowhere else,” he instructed. - -Next he opened a bundle and took out a belt on which there were a -row of little leather pockets with snap fasteners. He filled these -pockets with the larger calibre cartridges, six to each pocket, and -instructed Larry to buckle it on over his coat. Then he led the way -to a level piece of ground just above the camp, and having paced off -fifty yards he fastened the round top of a large tin can against a -tree and stepped back to the firing line. - -“I’ll try one shot first to see if the sights are true,” he said, as -he slipped a cartridge into each barrel. Then raising the gun to his -shoulder he glanced through the sights and fired. “Go and see where -that hit,” he told the boy. - -Larry, running to the target, found the little hole of the .22 -bullet almost in the center of the tin, and shouted his discovery -exultantly. Martin had fired so quickly after bringing the gun to -his shoulder that the boy could scarcely believe his eyes, although -the result of the shot did not seem to surprise the old hunter. - -“Don’t try the .38 yet,” he instructed, handing Larry the gun. “Fire -twenty shots with the .22, and go and see where each shot strikes as -soon as you fire and have loaded. And don’t forget to bring the gun -to half-cock, and to load before you leave your tracks. That is one -of the main things to remember. After a little practice you will do -it instinctively, so that you will always have a loaded gun in your -hands. It may save your life sometime when you run up to a buck that -you have knocked over and only stunned.” - -The boy took the gun and began his lesson, the hunter leaving him -without waiting to see how he went about it. A few minutes later, -when Larry had finished the twenty rounds, he found the old man -going through the dismantled yacht. - -“Just making a final inspection to see if there is anything left -that we may need,” the old hunter said. “There’s a king’s ransom in -here yet, but we can’t use it on our trip, and in another -twenty-four hours it may be on the bottom of the ocean.” - -Larry, trying to conceal the pride he felt, handed Martin the tin -target he had brought with him. The old hunter examined it gravely, -counting the number of bullet holes carefully. There were ten of -them, including the one Martin had made. - -“Eleven misses in twenty shots,” he commented, simply. - -The boy, who was swelling with pride, looked crestfallen. - -“But the last five all hit it,” he explained. “At first I hit all -around it, and then I hit it almost every other time, and at last I -hit it five times straight.” - -“Put up a new target and try ten more,” was Martin’s only comment. -But when Larry had gone he chuckled to himself with satisfaction. -“Some shooting for a city boy!” he said to himself; “but I won’t -spoil him by telling him so.” - -When Larry returned with the second target there were seven bullet -holes in it; but still the old hunter made no comment on the score. -“Now go back and try ten of the big ones, and remember that you are -shooting at big game this time,” he admonished. - -Larry returned slowly to his shooting range. Martin was a very hard -and unreasonable task-master, he decided. But, remembering that he -had hit the mark so frequently before, he resolved to better his -score this time. This was just the resolution Martin had hoped he -would make. - -So the boy fastened the target in place, adjusted the hammer for -firing the larger cartridge. Then he shut his teeth together hard, -took a careful but quick aim, for Martin had explained that slow -shooting was not the best for hunting, and pulled the trigger. The -sound of the loud report startled him, and his shoulder was jerked -back by the recoil. It didn’t hurt, exactly, for the aluminum butt -plate was covered with a springy rubber pad; but it showed him very -forcibly what a world of power there must be in those stubby little -cylinders of brass and lead. - -He forgot his astonishment, however, when on going to the target, he -found that the big bullet had pierced the tin almost in the center; -and as he stood gazing at the hole he heard a low chuckle that -cleared away all his dark clouds. Old Martin had slipped up behind -him quietly; and there was no mistaking the old hunter’s wrinkled -smile of satisfaction. - -“Now you see what you can do with her,” the old man said, his eyes -twinkling. “If that tin had been a moose’s forehead he’d be a dead -moose, sure enough. Did the noise and the kick surprise you?” - -“Yes, it did,” Larry admitted honestly; “but it won’t next time--it -never will again. And I am going to kill just nine more moose with -these cartridges.” - -“That’s the way to talk,” said Martin, with frank admiration; “after -a few more shots you’ll get used to the recoil, and pretty soon you -won’t even feel it. But you musn’t expect to make nine more -bull’s-eyes just yet.” - -The old hunter went back to his work at the pile of plunder under -the big canvas, and Larry fired his nine remaining rounds. Then he -sought the old man again, but as Martin asked no question about the -result of the shots, Larry did not volunteer any information. -Presently Martin looked up from his work. - -“I suppose you’ve cleaned the rifle now that you have finished -practice for the morning?” he inquired. - -Larry shook his head. - -“Well that’s the very first thing to do, now, and always,” said the -hunter. - -It took quite a time for the boy to clean and oil the gun so that he -felt it would pass inspection, and when he returned to Martin the -old man was busy with an assortment of interesting looking parcels, -placing them in separate piles. He was making notes on a piece of -paper, while both the dogs were sniffing about the packages, greatly -interested. - -The old hunter sent Larry to bring two of the toboggans that he had -saved from the yacht. They looked like ordinary toboggans to the -boy, but Martin called his attention to some of their good points -which he explained while he was packing them with what he called an -“experimental load,” made up from the pile of parcels he had been -sorting. - -Each of the toboggans had fastened to its top a stout canvas bag, -the bottom of which was just the size of the top of the sled. The -sides of the bag were about four feet high, each bag forming, in -effect, a canvas box fastened securely to the toboggan. Martin -pointed out the advantages of such an arrangement in one terse -sentence. “When that bag is tied up you can’t lose anything off your -sled without losing the sled itself,” he said. “And if you had ever -done much sledging,” he added, “you’d know what that means.” - -“The usual way of doing it,” Martin explained, “is to pack your sled -as firmly as you can, and then draw a canvas over it and lash it -down. And that is a very good way, too. But this bag arrangement -beats it in every way, particularly in taking care of the little -things that are likely to spill out and be lost. With this bag there -is no losing anything, big or little. You simply pack the big things -on the bottom, and then instead of having to fool around half an -hour fastening the little things on and freezing your fingers while -you do it, you throw them all in on top, close up the end of the -bag, and strap it down tight. You see it will ride then wherever the -sled goes, for it is a part of the sled itself.” - -Larry noticed that most of the larger parcels on the sled were done -up in long, slender bags, and labeled. Martin explained that the -bags were all made of waterproof material, and carefully sealed, and -that narrow bags could be packed more firmly and rode in place -better than short, stubby ones. A large proportion of these bags -were labeled “Pemmican” and the name excited the boy’s curiosity. - -“It’s something good to eat, I know,” he said; “but what is it made -of, Martin?” - -“It’s an Indian dish that made it possible for Peary to reach the -Pole,” Martin assured him. “It is soup, and fish, and meat and -vegetables, and dessert, all in one--only it hasn’t hardly any of -those things in it. If you eat a chunk of it as big as your fist -every day and give the same sized chunk to your dog, you won’t need -any other kind of food, and your dog won’t. It has more heat and -nourishment in it, ounce for ounce, than any other kind of food ever -invented. That’s why I am going to haul so much of it on our sleds.” - -While he was talking he had slit open one of the bags and showed -Larry the contents, which resembled rather dirty, tightly pressed -brown sugar. - -“Gee, it looks good!” the boy exclaimed. “Let’s have some of it for -supper.” - -“You needn’t wait for supper,” Martin told him. “Eat all you want of -it, we’ve got at least a ton more than we can carry away with us.” -And he cut off a big lump with his hunting knife and handed it to -the boy. - -Larry’s mouth watered as he took it. He had visions of maple-sugar -feasts on this extra ton of Indian delicacy close at hand, as he -took a regular boy’s mouthful, for a starter. But the next minute -his expression changed to one of utmost disgust, and he ran to the -water pail to rinse his mouth. He paused long enough, however, to -hurl the remaining piece at the laughing hunter. But Martin ducked -the throw, while Kim and Jack, the dogs, raced after the lump, Kim -reaching it first and swallowing it at a gulp. - -“What made you change your mind so suddenly?” the old hunter asked -when he could get his breath. “You seemed right hungry a minute ago, -and I expected to see you eat at least a pound or two.” - -“Eat that stuff!” Larry answered, between gulps from the water -bucket. “I’d starve to death before I’d touch another grain of it.” - -“That’s what you think now,” the old man answered, becoming serious -again;--“that’s what I thought, too, the first time I tasted it. It -tasted to me then like a mixture of burnt moccasin leather and boot -grease. But wait until you have hit the trail for ten hours in the -cold, when you’re too tired to lift your feet from the ground, and -you’ll think differently. You’ll agree with me then that a chunk of -this pemmican as big as your two fists is only just one third big -enough, and tastes like the best maple sugar you ever ate.” - -But the boy still made wry faces, and shook his head. “What do they -put into it to make it taste so?” he asked. “Or why don’t they -flavor it with something?” - -“Oh, they flavor it,” Martin explained, laughing. “They flavor it -with grease poured all over it after they have dried the meat that -it is made of, and pounded it up into fine grains. But take my word -for it that when you try it next time, somewhere out there in the -wilderness two or three weeks from now, you’ll say that they flavor -it just right.” - -“But we needn’t worry about that now,” he added. “What we need more -than anything else for to-night is a big lot of fire-wood, green and -dry both. Take the axe and get in all you can between now and night. -I want plenty of wood to use in teaching you how to make two other -kinds of fires. Do you suppose you could cut down a tree about a -foot in diameter?” - -Larry thought he could. Some lumbermen in the Adirondacks had shown -him how a tree could be felled in any direction by chopping a deep -notch low down, and another higher up on the opposite side. He knew -also about stepping to one side and away from the butt to avoid the -possible kick-back of the trunk when the tree fell. - -So he selected a tree of the right size as near the tent as he could -find one, felled it after much futile chopping and many rests for -breath, and cut it into logs about six feet long. When he had -finished he called the two dogs, put a harness on each, hitched them -up tandem, and fastened the hauling rope to the end of one of the -logs. Martin had suggested that he do this, so as to get accustomed -to driving the dogs, and get the big fellows accustomed to being -driven by him. - -The dogs, full of energy were eager for the work, and at the word -sprang forward, yelping and straining at the straps, exerting every -ounce of strength in their powerful bodies. The log was a heavy one, -and at first they could barely move it; but after creeping along for -a few inches it gradually gained speed on the thin snow, and was -brought into camp on the run. Even in the excitement of shouting to -the struggling dogs and helping with an occasional push, Larry -noticed the intelligence shown by the animals in swinging from one -side to the other, feeling for the best position to get leverage, -and taking advantage of the likely places. - -They seemed to enter into the spirit of the work, too, rushing madly -back to the woods after each log or limb had been deposited at the -tent, and waiting impatiently for Larry to make up the bundles of -wood and fasten the draw rope. Working at this high pressure the boy -and dogs soon had a huge pile of fire-wood at Martin’s disposal, and -by the time the old hunter had finished his task, had laid in a -three days’ supply. - -“Now you build a ‘cooking fire,’ such as I made this morning, and -get supper going,” said Martin, coming over to the tent; “and while -you are doing that I’ll be fixing up another kind of a fire--one -called a ‘trapper’s fire,’ which is built for throwing heat into a -tent.” - -The old hunter then drove two stakes into the ground directly in -front of the opening of the tent and six feet from it, the stakes -being about five feet apart and set at right angles to the open -flaps. Against these stakes he piled three of the green logs Larry -had cut, one on top of the other like the beginning of a log house, -and held them in place by two stakes driven in front, opposite the -two first stakes. Next he selected two green sticks about four -inches in diameter and three feet long, and placed them like the -andirons in a fireplace, the wall of logs serving as a reflecting -surface like the back wall of a chimney. Across these logs he now -laid a fire, just as one would in a fireplace. - -Larry all this time had been busy getting the supper, Martin -offering a suggestion now and then. When he saw that the meal was -almost ready the old man spread a piece of canvas on the ground just -inside the opening of the tent and before the log fire he had laid, -and set out the plates and cups, and when Larry announced that the -feast was ready Martin lighted the fire in front of the logs. - -He had a double motive in this--to show the boy how to make a heating -fire and to furnish heat for the evening. For the weather was -growing very cold, and he had some work that he wished to do which -would require light to guide his fingers and heat for keeping them -warm. - -With the protection of the tent back of them and the roaring fire in -front they toasted their shins and ate leisurely. To Larry it all -seemed like one grand lark, and he said so. - -“I’m afraid you will change your mind about it being such a lark -before we are through with it,” the old man said presently. “It -won’t be a lark for either of us. But I’m beginning to feel more -hopeful about it, now that I see that you can learn things, and are -willing to try.” - -He lighted his pipe and smoked thoughtfully for a few minutes. Larry -too, was thoughtful, turning over in his mind the old hunter’s last -remark. - -“And so you have been thinking all this time that I might be in the -way--that perhaps you would be better off if you were alone, and -didn’t have a boy like me on your hands?” the boy asked presently. - -For a little time the old man did not answer, puffing his pipe and -gazing silently at the fire. At last he said: - -“I couldn’t help feeling a little that way at first, Larry. The job -on our hands is one for a strong man, not for a city boy. But I’m -feeling different now that I see how you take hold and are willing -to work, and try to learn all the things I tell you. And wouldn’t it -be funny,” he added, with a twinkle in his kindly eye, “if, -sometime, I should get into trouble and you have to help me out of -it instead of my helping you all the time? A fellow can never tell -what strange things may happen on the trail; and that is one reason -why no man should start on a journey through the woods in the winter -time alone.” - -Presently the old man knocked the ashes from his pipe and set about -cleaning the dishes, Larry helping him; but neither of them were in -talking mood, each busy with his own thoughts. When they had -finished the hunter said: - -“Now I’ll show you how to make an Indian fire, the kind the Indian -still likes best of all, and the best kind to use when wood is -scarce or when you want to boil a pot of tea or get a quick meal.” - -The old hunter then gathered an armful of small limbs, and laid them -on the ground in a circle like the spokes of a wheel, the butts -over-lapping at the center where the hub of the wheel would be. With -a few small twigs he lighted a fire where the butts joined, the -flames catching quickly and burning in a fierce vertical flame. - -“This fire will make the most heat for the least amount of wood and -throw the heat in all directions,” Martin explained. “And that is -why it is the best kind of a fire for heating a round tent, such as -an Indian tepee.” - -“But why did the Indian have to care about the amount of wood he -burned?” Larry asked. “He had all the wood he wanted, just for the -chopping of it, didn’t he?” - -The old man smiled indulgently. “Yes, he surely had all the wood he -wanted just for the chopping--millions of cords of it. But how was he -going to chop it without anything to chop it with, do you think? You -forget that the old Indians didn’t have so much as a knife, let -alone an axe. And that explains the whole thing: that’s why the -Indian made small fires and built skin tepees instead of log houses. - -“If you left your axe and your knife here at the tent and went into -the woods to gather wood, Larry, how long do you suppose it would -take you to collect a day’s supply for our big fire? You wouldn’t -have much trouble in getting a few armfuls of fallen and broken -branches but very soon you’d find the supply running short. The logs -would be too large to handle, and most of the limbs too big to -break. And so you would soon be cold and hungry, with a month’s -supply of dry timber right at your front dooryard. - -“But it’s all so different when you can give a tap here and there -with your axe, or a few strokes with your hunting knife. And this -was just what the poor Indian couldn’t do; for he had no cutting -tool of any kind worth the name until the white man came. So he -learned to use little sticks for his fire, and built his house of -skins stretched over small poles. - -“It is hard for us to realize that cutting down a tree was about the -hardest task an Indian could ever attempt. Why the strongest Indian -in the tribe, working as hard as he could with the best tool he -could find, couldn’t cut down a tree as quickly as you could with -your hunting knife. He could break rocks to pieces by striking them -with other rocks, and he could dig caves in the earth; but when it -came to cutting down a tree he was stumped. The big trees simply -stood up and laughed at him. No wonder he worshipped the forests and -the tree gods! - -“Of course when the white man came and supplied axes, hatchets, and -knives, he solved the problem of fire-wood for the Indian. But he -never changed the Indian’s idea about small fires. Too many thousand -generations of Indian ancestors had been making that kind of a fire -all their lives; and the Indian is a great fellow to stick to fixed -habits. He adopted the steel hatchet and the knife, but he stuck to -his round fire and his round tepee. - -“And yet, although he had never seen a steel hatchet until the white -man gave him one, he improved the design of the white man’s axe -right away. The white man’s hatchet was a broad-bladed, clumsy -thing, heavy to carry and hard to handle. The Indian designed a -thin, narrow-bladed, light hatchet--the tomahawk--that would bite -deeper into the wood and so cut faster than the white man’s thick -hatchet. And every woodsman now knows that for fast chopping, with -little work, a hatchet made on the lines of the tomahawk beats out -the other kind.” - -The old man took his own hunting axe from the sheath at his belt and -held it up for inspection. - -“You see it’s just a modified tomahawk,” he said, “with long blade -and thin head, and only a little toy axe, to look at. But it has cut -down many good-sized trees when I needed them, all the same. And the -axe you were using this afternoon, as you probably noticed, is -simply a bigger brother of this little fellow, exactly the same -shape. It’s the kind the trappers use in the far North, because it -will do all the work of a four-pound axe, and is only half as heavy. -We’ve got some of those big axes over there under the tarpaulin, but -we’ll leave them behind when we hit the trail, and take that small -one with us.” - -While they were talking Martin had been getting out a parcel -containing clothing and odds and ends, and now he sat down before -the fire to “do some work” as he expressed it. - -“If you’re not too sleepy to listen,” he said, “I’ll tell you a -story that I know about a little Algonquin Indian boy.” - -Larry was never too tired to listen to Martin’s stories; and so he -curled up on a blanket before the fire, while the old man worked and -talked. - - - - - CHAPTER V - - THE STORY OF WEEWAH THE HUNTER - - -It had been a hard day’s work for both of them, and strange as -everything was to Larry, and awful as the black woods seemed as he -peeped out beyond the light of the fire, he had a strange feeling of -security and contentment. It might be that there were terribly hard -days of toil and danger and privations ahead, but he was too cozily -situated now to let that worry him. - -Besides he was feeling the satisfaction that every boy feels in the -knowledge that he has done something well. And even the exacting old -Martin, always slow to praise or even commend, had told him over his -cup of tea and his soup at supper, that he “would make a hunter of -him some day.” And what higher praise could a boy hope for? - -“Nobody knows just how old Weewah was when he became a mighty -hunter,” Martin began presently, without looking up from his sewing, -“because Indians don’t keep track of those things as we white folks -do. But he couldn’t have been any older than you are, perhaps not -quite so old. - -“He was old enough to know how to handle his bow and arrows, though, -to draw a strong enough bow to shoot an arrow clean through a -woodchuck or a muskrat, or even a beaver, although he had never -found the chance to try at the beaver. He carried his own tomahawk, -too--a new one that the factor at Hudson Bay Post had given him,--and -was eager to show his prowess with it on larger game. - -“But the hunting was done by the grown up men of the village, who -thought Weewah too small to hunt anything larger than rabbits. Yet -there were other boys of his own age who found more favor in the -hunters’ eyes because they were larger than he. ‘Some day you will -be a hunter,’ they told him, ‘but now you are too small.’ - -“Weewah’s heart was big, even if his body was small. And so one day -he took all his long arrows, his strongest bow, and his tomahawk and -resolved to go into the big woods at some distance from the village, -and do something worthy of a hunter. - -“It was winter time, and the snow on the ground was knee-deep with -just a little crust on it. On his snow-shoes Weewah glided through -the forest, noticing everything he passed and fixing it in his -memory instinctively so that he could be sure of finding the back -trail. For this day he meant to go deep, deep into the spruce swamp -in his hunting. There he would find game worthy of the bow of the -mighty hunter he intended to prove himself. - -“The tracks of many animals crossed his path, little wood dwellers -such as rabbits and an occasional mink. But these did not interest -him to-day. He had brought his snares, of course, for he always -carried them; but to-day his heart was too full of a mighty ambition -to allow such little things as rabbit snares to interrupt his plans. - -“Once he did stop when he saw, just ahead of him on the snow, a -little brown bunch of fur with two big brown eyes looking at him -wonderingly. In an instant he had drawn the poised arrow to his -cheek and released it with a twang. And a moment later the little -brown bunch of fur was in Weewah’s pouch, ready for making into -rabbit stew in the evening. - -“Weewah took it as a good omen that he had killed the rabbit on the -very edge of the spruce swamp that he had selected for his hunting -ground. Soon he would find game more worthy of his arrows or his -axe. And so he was not surprised, even if his heart did give an -extra bound, when presently he came upon the track of a lynx. It was -a fresh track, too, and the footprints were those of a very big -lynx. - -“Weewah knew all this the moment he looked at the tracks, just as he -knew a thousand other things that he had learned in the school of -observation. He knew also that in all probability the animal was not -half a mile away, possibly waiting in some tree, or crouching in -some bushes looking for ptarmigan or rabbit. He was sure, also, that -he could run faster on his snow-shoes than the lynx could in that -deep soft snow. - -“So for several minutes he stood and thought as fast as he could. -What a grand day for him it would be if he could come back to the -village dragging a great lynx after him! No one would ever tell him -again that he was too small to be a hunter. - -“But while he was sorely tempted to rush after the animal with the -possibility of getting a shot, or a chance for a blow of his axe, he -knew that this was not the surest way to get his prey. He had -discovered the hunting ground of the big cat, and he knew that there -was no danger of its leaving the neighborhood so long as the supply -of rabbits held out. By taking a little more time, then, Weewah knew -he could surely bring the fellow into camp. And so he curbed his -eagerness. - -“Instead of rushing off along the trail, bow bent and arrow on the -string, he opened his pouch and took out a stout buckskin string--a -string strong enough to resist the pull of the largest lynx. In one -end of this he made a noose with a running knot. Next he cut a stout -stick three inches thick and as tall as himself. Then he walked -along the trail of the lynx for a little distance, looking sharply -on either side, until he found a low-hanging, thick bunch of spruce -boughs near which the animal had passed. Here the boy stopped and -cut two more strong sticks, driving them into the ground about two -feet apart, so that they stood three feet above the snow and right -in front of a low-hanging bunch of spruce boughs. - -“At the top of each he had left a crotch, across which he now laid -his stick with the looped string dangling from the center. The -contrivance when completed looked like a great figure H, from the -cross-bar of which hung the loop just touching the top of the snow. - -“Now Weewah carefully opened the loop of the noose until it was -large enough for the head of any lynx to pass through, and fastened -it deftly with twigs and blades of dead grass, so as to hold it in -place firmly. From its front the thing looked like a miniature -gallows--which, indeed, it was. - -“Next Weewah took the rabbit from his pouch, and creeping under the -thicket carefully so as not to disturb his looped string, he placed -the still warm body an arm’s length behind the loop, propping the -head of the little animal up with twigs, to look as lifelike as -possible. In an hour, at most, the rabbit would freeze and stiffen, -and would then look exactly like a live rabbit crouching in the -bushes. - -“Then the little Indian broke off branches, thrusting them into the -snow about the rabbit, until he had formed a little bower facing the -snare. Any animal attempting to seize it would thrust its own head -right through the fatal hangman’s loop. - -“When Weewah had finished this task he gathered up his tomahawk and -bow and arrows, and started back along his own trail. He made no -attempt to cover up the traces of his work, as he would if trapping -a fox; for the lynx is a stupid creature, like all of his cousins of -the cat family, and will blunder into a trap of almost any kind. - -“The little Indian hurried along until he reached the point from -which he had first crossed the lynx tracks. Here he turned sharply, -starting a great circle, which would be about a mile in diameter. He -did this to make sure that the lynx had not gone on farther than he -thought. If he found no sign of fresh tracks he could feel certain -that the animal was still close at hand. - -“This took him several hours, and it was almost dark when he pulled -back the flap and entered his home lodge in the village. He was -tired, too, but his eyes shone with suppressed emotion. - -“As soon as he entered his mother set before him a smoking bowl of -broth without a word of comment or a question as to what his luck -might have been in his rabbit hunting. His father was there, gorging -himself on fat beaver meat that he had just brought in; but neither -he, nor Weewah’s brothers and sisters, offered any comment at the -little boy’s entrance. - -“It is not correct etiquette, in Algonquin families, to ask the -hunter what luck he has had until he has eaten. Even then a verbal -question is not asked. But when the repast is finished the Indian -woman takes a pouch of the hunter and turns its contents out upon -the floor. - -“The emptiness of Weewah’s pouch spoke for itself, for he had flung -it upon the floor on entering, where it lay flat. His father scowled -a little when he noticed it; for he wanted his son to be a credit to -him as a hunter. But his scowl turned into a merry twinkle when he -saw how radiant his son’s face was despite his ill luck, and what a -small, delicately formed little fellow he was. Besides the old -warrior was in an unusually good humor. Had he not killed a fat -beaver that day? And was not beaver tail the choicest of all foods? - -“In a few hours Weewah’s brothers and sisters, rolled in their warm -Hudson Bay blankets, were breathing heavily, and his father and -mother were far away in dreamland. Weewah was in dreamland, too; but -not the land that comes with sleep. He was in the happy state of -eager expectation that comes when to-morrow is to be a great day in -one’s life. And so he lay, snugly wrapped in his blanket, his black -eyes shining as he watched the embers of the fire in the center of -the tepee slowly grow dim and smoulder away. Meanwhile the very -thing he was dreaming about was happening out in the dark spruce -swamp. - -“The great lynx, whose tracks Weewah had seen, started out just at -dusk on his nightly rabbit and grouse hunt. He had spent the day -curled up under the protecting boughs of a drooping spruce almost -within sound of Weewah’s hatchet where the snare was being set. Now -he took his way leisurely along his former trail, sniffing the air, -and examining every likely looking nook that might hide the material -for his supper. His great, fur-padded feet gave out no sound as he -glided along over the now frozen crust, and he was the embodiment of -stealth as he glided forward with ears erect, and stubby tail -straight out. - -“Suddenly he stopped, raised his head and distended his nostrils, -drinking in the familiar odor wafted to him from some point near at -hand. Then he dropped low, his long fur dragging noiselessly on the -snow crust, as he wormed snake-like along toward a clump of -low-hanging spruces. His keen, yellow eyes had caught sight of the -crouching rabbit held in place at first by the twigs that Weewah had -placed there, but now stiff and rigid as iron. - -“Closer and closer crept the lynx, until he was within six feet of -his victim. And still the rabbit did not move. The great body, -quivering with suppressed energy, now slowly lowered itself and the -hind legs were carefully drawn under for the spring. Then like a -flash the gray body shot forward and with a snarl the dagger-like -teeth closed upon the bunch of fur. - -“At the same time the lynx felt a violent tug at his throat, and a -heavy club dealt him a sharp blow across the back as it fell from -overhead. In amazement the great brute dropped the rabbit, springing -violently backward as he did so. But the leather thong about his -neck and the club attached to it followed him in the spring, the -noose tightening about his neck. - -“With a scream of rage he pulled violently to free himself, bracing -with his great fore feet against the club as he did so. But instead -of freeing himself he felt a quick tightening of the noose at his -throat. Frantic with rage and fright he continued to jerk and pull, -sometimes changing his attack to viciously biting the stick. But the -only effect produced was to gradually tighten the noose, which was -now tangled with the thick throat hair, and did not relax. - -“Time and again he returned furiously to the attack, bracing his -feet against the stick, and pulling with all his strength. -Inevitably he would have choked himself to death, as Weewah had -planned he should, but for the fact that the little Indian had made -the loop a little too long, so that the pulling produced a violent -but not fatal choking. Many a lynx commits suicide in this way just -as the trapper plans it. - -“For hours the lynx wrestled vainly to free itself, varying the -attacks on the club by trying to run away from it. But running away -from it was quite as much out of the question as tearing it loose. -For when the animal attempted to run the club was jerked about its -limbs, tripping it, and frequently becoming entangled in brush and -bushes. At last, exhausted, and thoroughly sulky, the great cat -laboriously climbed a tree, and extended itself along one of the -lower limbs, the club still dangling at one side from its neck. In -all its struggles it had not gone more than two hundred yards from -where the trap had been set. - -“An hour before daylight the next morning, Weewah, who had been -waiting for the first indications of morning, stole silently out of -the tepee without awakening even the light-sleeping members of his -family. He carried with him his own tomahawk, and his bow and arrow; -but also he carried the heavy axe that his mother used for cutting -the wood for the fire. She would miss it, he knew, and also he knew -that he would be in for a solid whack from the first stick that lay -handy when he returned; but he was willing to brave all this. The -axe must be had at any cost. - -“The sun was just pushing its blood red rim above the low hills in -the east when he reached the edge of the spruce swamp. And it was -still only an oval, fire red ball when the little Indian approached -the place where he had set the snare the day before. He had swung -along lightly and swiftly over the beginning of the trail, but now -as he approached the goal his heart beat hard against his chest, -just as any white boy’s would have done under the circumstances. But -long before he actually reached the spot where the trap had been -left he knew that he had been successful. Successful, at least, in -having lured the prey into his snare. - -“He could tell this by the condition of the snow, which had been dug -up and thrown about by the wild struggle of the lynx. He loosened -his tomahawk, therefore, held his arrow in readiness on the string, -and approached the scene of turmoil. - -“One glance at the trampled snow, the dead rabbit still lying where -the lynx had dropped it, and the broad twisting trail leading -further into the swamp, told him the story of what had taken place -more completely than any white man could write it. And almost -without pausing he began following this trail cautiously forward, -his arrow still poised; for one never knows what a captive animal -may do when driven to desperation. - -“Suddenly the little Indian stopped, his eyes snapping as he drew -the arrow to the head with every ounce of strength in his arms and -back. There, crouching on an upper limb of a tree perhaps a foot in -diameter, was the huge lynx, watching him with curling lips, -crouching ready to spring. - -“Weewah’s first impulse was to send the finishing shaft through the -great body on the limb. It would be a great triumph for Weewah--the -little Indian boy, too small yet to be a hunter--to drag into his -father’s tepee early that morning a great forest cat killed with his -own bow and arrow. But after all, would a really great hunter feel -much pride in killing a captive lynx from a safe distance with an -arrow? - -“He knew very well that doing such a thing would not mark him as a -great hunter. And he was determined that he should be called a great -hunter before he was a day older. - -“So he lowered his arrow, removed it from the string, and laid the -bow down beside the tree. He loosened his own tomahawk, also, and -laid that close at hand near the tree trunk. Then he seized the big -axe of his mother that he had brought with him and began chopping at -the trunk, making the chips fly rapidly under his skillful aim. - -“At the first blow of the axe against the trunk the lynx had half -risen, giving a fierce growl of rage. For a moment it hesitated, -ready to spring on the boy. But that moment of hesitancy was -decisive. And as the strokes of the axe continued uninterruptedly -the great animal gradually settled down sulkily on the branch, cowed -by its fruitless battle with the cord and stick. - -“Meanwhile Weewah was swinging his axe to good purpose. Nor was he -directing his blows in a haphazard manner. With practiced eye he had -selected a clear spot where he wished the tree to fall, and now by -cutting half way through the trunk on the side facing in that -direction, and then cutting on exactly the opposite side a little -higher up he knew that the tree would fall precisely as he wished. - -“Presently the tree began to waver slightly. It was sufficient, -however, to make the great cat on the bough crouch and whine with -fright. A few more sharp blows of the axe made the top limbs tremble -ominously. A puff of wind now would have toppled it over; but there -was not a breath of air stirring. Another axe stroke or two and it -would bring it to the ground. - -“But before delivering the finishing strokes Weewah paused long -enough to replace his snow-shoes which he had removed before he -began chopping. He also picked up his tomahawk and thrust it half -way into his belt, where he could seize it instantly. Then he took -the axe and gave three vigorous, carefully directed finishing blows. - -“And still the lynx did not leap. When the creature felt the limb -quivering beneath it, it rose as if to jump; then, confused and -uncertain, it crouched low again, clinging tightly to the branch as -if for protection. Just before the limb reached the ground, however, -it sprang far out into the snow, making violent leaps with the club -whirling about it, and quickly becoming entangled. - -“Weewah, with tomahawk raised, was close upon its heels. Another -stride and he would have buried the blade in the animal’s skull. But -at that moment the lynx wheeled suddenly, dodging the blow aimed at -its head, and sprang toward its pursuer. Its great claws as it -struck at him cat fashion, scratched Weewah’s cheek, and cut two -deep grooves in his shoulder. It was a blow that would have been -disastrous had not the entangled club jerked the animal to one side. - -“With a yell the little Indian sprang toward the crouching, snarling -animal, thrusting out his right snow-shoe as he did so. Instantly -the frame and lacings of the shoe were crushed in the savage jaws of -the lynx. But at the same moment the tomahawk blade flashed through -the air and buried itself deep in the thick skull. - -“Without a sound the great fur-covered body relaxed, quivered, and -then lay still with the teeth still buried in the snow-shoe frame -only an inch from Weewah’s foot. - -“The little Indian stood for a few moments looking at his victim. -Then he reached down and tried to pry loose the fixed jaws. It was -no easy task. For the muscles had set in the last convulsive death -grip and it was only with the aid of his tomahawk blade that they -could finally be relaxed. - -“Weewah now lashed the forepaws to the dead animal’s lower jaw to -prevent them from catching against things as he dragged the body -over the snow. Then he unfastened the strap from the club, and -taking the line over his shoulder started for home, scuffing along -as best he could on his broken snow-shoe, towing the big cat after -him. - -“All that morning Weewah’s mother had scolded about the missing axe. -Weewah was missing too, but she felt no solicitude about that. With -the axe it was different: people who took away axes were not always -particular about returning them, whereas boys always came back. It -hadn’t occurred to her that the boy and the axe had gone away -together. - -“She had grumblingly gathered wood for the fire without the aid of -her usual implement, and now was busily engaged in boiling roots and -meat in a great pot, while her husband smoked his pipe, paying no -attention to his spouse’s complaints. Some of the smaller children -were playing noisy games, running in and out of the tepee, shouting -and laughing like a pack of white school children. - -“Presently one of Weewah’s younger sisters, squatted on a stump, -raised a shrill cry, ‘Weewah, Weewah is coming!’ - -“The playing stopped at once, the children gathering in front of the -tepee to gaze in mute astonishment at their older brother. Tired as -he was from dragging the load, and leg weary from stumbling along -with his broken snow-shoe, he now held his head erect and his chin -high. Without a word he strode into the open flap of the tepee, -dragging the dead lynx after him. In front of his father he stopped -and dropped his burden; then he drew the blood-stained tomahawk from -his belt and laid it beside the dead animal, and stood silently -before his parent with folded arms. - -“For several minutes the warrior smoked his pipe in silence. Then he -gave a grunt of satisfaction, laid his pipe aside, and ran his hand -deliberately over the body of the dead animal. He found no arrow -holes. Next he turned the great head and examined the clean wound, -and then the blood-stained blade of the tomahawk, and the tightened -cord of buckskin about the neck. - -“His examination told him the story of what had happened out there -in the woods. He knew that Weewah had first caught the lynx in his -snare, and then had killed it with a blow from his tomahawk instead -of shooting it with an arrow. And he was proud of his son. But no -one but an Indian would have known it. - -“With another grunt of satisfaction, however, he drew his hunting -knife from the sheath in his belt. By a few deft strokes he severed -two toes from the forepaw of the lynx, with the long curved claws -protruding, leaving a strip of fur at the back. Then he quickly -fashioned a loop in the skin so that the claws hung as a pendant -from it. When this was finished to his satisfaction he stood up and -beckoned to the boy; and when Weewah stepped forward the old Indian -placed the fur string about his neck with the lynx claws suspended -in front. - -“Then he placed his hands on the little fellow’s shoulders and -looked sharply into his eyes, the little Indian returning the gaze -with quiet dignity. - -“‘Weewah, the mighty hunter,’ the old Indian said slowly. - -“Then he seated himself and resumed his pipe as if nothing had -happened.” - -Martin knocked the ashes out of his pipe and threw an extra chunk of -wood on the fire. - -“Time we were turning in,” he said. - -“But tell me,” Larry asked; “did Weewah’s mother give him the -beating for taking her axe?” - -“What, beat a mighty hunter like Weewah?” Martin asked in feigned -surprise. “No indeed! No more beatings for him. From that day on no -woman, not even his mother, would ever give him a blow. And his -father would now take him with him on his hunting trips, even into -the most dangerous places, just as he would any other hunter. For he -had proved his title, you see.” - -Then the old man took his pipe from his lips, and said to the boy -earnestly: - -“You see I am the old Indian and you are Weewah in this case. Only -you haven’t had a chance to kill your lynx yet. But we are going -right into that country where the lynx lives, and sooner or later -you’ll have a chance to show your metal. When that time comes -remember the story of little Weewah. - -“And now you must turn in for the night.” - - - - - CHAPTER VI - - FINAL PREPARATIONS - - -Sometime in the middle of the night Larry was awakened by flakes of -snow driven into his face, and by the sound of the storm howling -around the tent. The flakes sputtered in the fire which still flared -and struggled to keep burning. The boy was warm and comfortable in -the fur bag, however, and after pulling the flap over his head to -keep out the snow, he was soon sleeping soundly. When he opened his -eyes again it was daylight, and Martin was plodding about in the -storm, building a fire close to the tent where the wind struck it -least. The snow was still falling and was even then a foot deep on -the level. - -The old hunter was in high spirits: he had been hoping for the -storm, and the fact that it was a roaring blizzard made no -difference to him so long as the snow kept falling. - -The inside of the tent was warm and the boy crawled out of the fur -bag reluctantly and reached for his shoes. - -“Not that pair,” old Martin said; “there are your things over at the -foot of your bed. No more city clothes from now on. I nearly worked -my fingers off last night getting things ready for you.” - -Larry wondered how much time the old hunter had found for sleep when -he examined the pile of clothing the hunter had laid out for him. -For most of the pieces had been altered in some way to make them so -that the boy could wear them, cut down from some of the larger -garments from the hunting outfit. Sleeves and trouser-legs had been -cut off or turned up, and buttons set over to take up the slack of -the bagging jacket in a way that showed how handy the old hunter was -with the needle. His most laborious task had been in reducing the -size of a pair of moose-skin moccasins, although he had simplified -this operation by taking in the back seam. At that they were at -least three sizes too large, as Larry pointed out. - -“But when you have on two, or three, or four pairs of thick German -socks,” Martin assured him, “you won’t notice a little thing like -that. And you’ll fill out the rest of the clothes with underwear the -same way.” - -Beside the pile of clothing Martin had placed some other things -which he told the boy were to be his personal belongings that were -to be carried with him all the time except when he slept. But the -hunter told him not to put them away until after they had had -breakfast, and made things a little more secure about the tent. So -Larry left the things as he found them, and went to help Martin. - -He soon discovered the difference between his new clothes and the -“city” ones he had discarded. Even the fury of the blizzard could -not force the piercing cold through the thick, soft Mackinaw cloth; -and with the exception of the end of his nose, he was as warm as -toast as he worked under the hunter’s directions. - -One side and the back of their tent was protected from the wind by -the wall of rock, and the fire checked the fury of the storm from -the front; but the snow drifted in on them from the unprotected -side, and they remedied this by stretching a piece of canvas across -the gap. It was no easy task, and several times the wind tore it -away before they could get it anchored securely, but when it was -finally made storm proof the enclosure before the roaring fire was -almost as warm and comfortable as a house. - -“Now for your equipment,” Martin announced, when everything was -secured to his complete satisfaction. - -Larry found that a light hunting hatchet and a stout hunting knife -had been added to his belt of cartridges, suspended in leather -sheaths from loops slipped over the belt. The belt itself was passed -through the loops in the jacket, so that the weight came upon his -shoulders instead of his waist, and when buckled, drew the coat -snugly around him. The gun in its sheath was slung over his shoulder -and hung at his left side. His fur mittens were fastened with -leather strings to the coat sleeves so that there was no possibility -of losing them even when slipped off. - -There was a pocket compass in a hunting case about the size of a -watch which fitted into an upper pocket of his jacket which had a -button flap for holding it. As an additional precaution against -losing it a leather string reached from the inside of the pocket and -was fastened to the ring. And Larry found that his watch was secured -in his watch-pocket in a similar manner. - -“We can’t take a chance on losing anything,” the hunter explained; -“for there are no jewelry stores along the road that we are going to -travel.” - -Larry found that there were three water-proof match boxes to be -distributed in his trousers’ pockets, and a pocket knife that -combined several kinds of useful tools. The matches seemed to be the -ordinary parlor kind. But Martin surprised him by taking one, -dipping it in a cup of water, and then after wiping it off, lighting -it like an ordinary dry match. Even after a match had been floating -in the water for several minutes it would light and burn readily. - -“They’ve all been dipped in shellac,” Martin explained. “The shellac -forms a water-proof coating that keeps out moisture but doesn’t -interfere with lighting or burning. So even if your match safe leaks -you won’t have to go without a fire.” - -In one box which Larry thought contained matches he found six little -cubes looking like wax run into little square aluminum cups. Martin -explained their use by a simple demonstration. He placed one of them -on the ground where he had scraped away the snow, laid a handful of -sticks over it, struck a match and touched the wax-like substance. -It burst into a bright flame at once, and continued to burn fiercely -for several minutes, igniting the sticks about it and helping to -keep their struggling flames going until enough heat had been -generated to make a steady fire. - -“That’s a new fangled thing called ‘solid alcohol,’ used to start a -tenderfoot’s fire when he is wet and cold and has no little dry -twigs at hand,” said Martin. “An old woodsmen like me ought to throw -the stuff away and scorn to use it; and forty years ago I would have -done so. But I am wiser now, I hope, and I don’t despise some of the -new things as I did then. And I remember two different occasions -when I came near losing my life in the snow because my hands were so -cold and numb, and the small wood was so scarce, that I came near -not getting my fire started at all. So now I am going to take along -a few packages of these cubes, and you must do the same. We’ll never -use it except as a last resort; but sometime it may come in handy -for starting a fire or boiling a cup of tea. - -“You know we will only use two matches a day after we leave here--one -match to start our fire at noon and at night. There will be coals -from the night next morning to cook our breakfast by. It’s a mark of -bad woodsmanship to have to use more than one match to start a fire, -no matter what kind of weather is going.” - -“But how about your pipe?” Larry asked. For the old man smoked -almost continually during his waking hours. - -Old Martin sighed and shook his head. “No more pipe for me after we -leave here,” he said, with a little laugh. “The weight in pemmican -that I’ll take instead of the tobacco may be just the amount that -will decide the question of our getting through alive. Smoking isn’t -a necessity, but eating is.” - -Larry looked at the old man to see if he were not joking; but he saw -that he was thoroughly in earnest. It made the boy realize the -serious nature of the task before them to know that the old man was -going to sacrifice the greatest solace of his life. But it roused -his determination, and his spirits were too buoyant to be long -depressed. - -All day long Martin kept him busy helping at various things that -must be completed before their departure. The toboggans were hauled -into the canvas enclosure, where he and the old man packed and -unpacked the loads, adding something here, or leaving out something -there, working in the glow of the warm fire. Dog harnesses had to be -altered and extra ones tucked away on the sleds, snow-shoe lacings -examined and re-lashed, and a dozen things attended to that Larry -recognized as important when Martin pointed them out. The fire, too, -needed considerable tending to keep a huge kettle of beans cooking -which Martin declared must simmer all day if they were to be cooked -properly. - -Toward night the wind subsided, and the clouds cleared away, so that -by the time they had finished their heaping plates of pork and beans -the stars were out glistening like steel points in the frosty air. -Later in the evening they heard howling in the distance--terrifying -sounds to the boy, made by a pack of big timber wolves out on a -hunt, as Martin explained. And for fear the dogs might start an -independent wolf hunt on their own account, Martin tied up the big -malamoots after he had fed them. - -During the day Martin had brought several armfuls of packages into -the tent from the stores under the tarpaulin as he went back and -forth at his work. Now that supper was over and the dishes cleaned -he lighted his pipe and and seated himself beside the packages. He -was always talkative when working by the evening fire, and seemed to -find great pleasure in imparting bits of information to the boy from -his inexhaustible store of woodland experiences. - -To-night as he began fumbling among the packages, he asked: - -“Larry, have you decided what you are going to carry in your ditty -bag?” - -“Ditty bag?” Larry repeated; “I’d know better what I was going to -carry in it if I knew what a ‘ditty bag’ was.” - -“What, a veteran forest pilot like you not know what a ditty bag -is!” Martin asked in mock astonishment. “Then it’s high time for you -to learn. A ditty bag is the thing that does for the woodsman what -all the pockets in a suit of clothes do for a boy--it carries the -forty and one indispensable things that can’t be carried in some -other place. You’d better sit over here beside me and make yours up -to-night while I am fitting out mine.” - -So the boy moved over to the little pile of packages ready for -instructions. - -The hunter handed him a little bag made of tough water-proof -material with a string at the top for tying securely. Then he -rummaged through the packages, taking out what he wanted and placing -them in the bag. At his suggestion Larry duplicated this selection -of things for his own bag, so that in case one bag should be lost -they would still have the other. “But,” said Martin, “you must put -in some little thing for luck--anything that strikes your fancy, -after the other things are in. That’s a hunter’s superstition, like -the Indian’s ‘medicine.’” - -The first useful article selected was a neat Red Cross package -containing a few useful medicines and surgical dressings for an -emergency. Next came needles of all sizes, with several skeins of -thread, and a wooden handle in which were several awls, neatly -stored in a hollow bobbin on which was wound many lengths of strong -waxed cord. A can of gunoil found a place, and a small whetstone, -rough on one side for sharpening the axes, and smooth on the other -for the knives. A tool case, containing a “good-sized carpenter -shop,” as Martin explained and made of aluminum after Mr. Ware’s own -design, found especial favor; and a broken shell extractor was -considered indispensable. - -Buttons and skeins of twine of various sizes went into the bag as a -matter of course; but when the old hunter selected three packages, -each containing a dozen yards of the kind of twisted wire used for -hanging pictures of different sizes, the boy burst out laughing and -rolled on the blankets. He suspected Martin of trying to play off a -quiet hoax on him, and did not intend to be caught in the trap. - -Nothing was farther from Martin’s thoughts, however, as Larry -discovered when the use of the wire was explained. It was to be used -for making the snares for catching small animals, particularly -rabbits, the hunter said, and for that purpose was unequaled. And -the old man assured him that for securing food on the march in a -snow-bound country snares were far more useful than rifles. Indian -families in many northern regions depended almost entirely upon -their snares for their supply of winter food. - -“Rabbits are the bread and butter of the woodsman in the winter,” -Martin said. “The rabbits make little narrow paths in the -snow--thousands of them, running in all directions--and when they are -not disturbed and going about their business, they always follow -these paths. Now when the rabbit comes to a fallen limb lying across -his path a few inches above the ground, he likes to go under the -limb rather than hop over it. This simplifies matters for the -Indian. He simply hangs his snare in front of the hole under the -limb, and is almost sure to catch the first rabbit that comes -hopping along that particular path. - -“The snare is just a simple slip-noose made large enough to let the -rabbit’s head pass through easily. If the wind is blowing the snare -can be held open and in place by tying it with blades of dead grass, -which are strong enough to hold it in place until the rabbit gets -his head through. - -“The other end of the snare string is tied to a limb that is bent -down and fastened in a notch cut in a stick or a small sapling if it -happens to be in the right place. The notch is cut deep enough to -hold the bent limb, but not firmly enough but what it can be jerked -loose pretty easily. - -“Now when the rabbit comes hopping along the path and starts to go -under the limb, he runs his head through the snare. When he feels -something around his neck he pulls back to get out of its way; but -that tightens the noose about his neck, and he begins leaping about -frantically to get loose. In this way he jerks the bent limb out of -the notch that holds it down, the limb flies back, and swings him up -into the air where he smothers in short order. - -“Of course if the snare was simply fastened to the limb over the -path the rabbit would choke himself to death for a certainty, -because he never stops pulling and tugging at the noose while he has -a kick left in him. But then some fox or weasel would probably come -along and get him. But neither of them will get him if he is -dangling in the air: the weasel can’t reach him, and the fox is such -a crafty fellow, always looking out for traps and tricks, that he -won’t go near a dead rabbit hanging on a string, even if he is -starving. - -“Now that the snow has stopped falling the rabbits will be out -to-night making paths, and to-morrow night we’ll put out some snares -just for practice. I’ll teach you a dozen ways to make snares for -different kinds of game, but the principle of all of them is the -same as the one for catching Mr. Rabbit. And he’s the boy we’re -interested in mostly.” - -The old hunter rose and went out to “have a look at the snow,” as he -put it. He came back well pleased with his inspection. - -“The crust will form and set hard to-night,” he said to Larry, “and -to-morrow you’ll begin your hardest and most important -lesson--learning to walk on snow-shoes. You can look forward to -taking some of the grandest headers you have ever taken in your -life,” he added, grinning. - -“But--” Larry began, and then stopped. - -“‘But’ what?” Martin asked. - -“Oh, nothing,” Larry answered evasively. “I was just thinking of -those headers that I am going to take to-morrow, that’s all.” - -“Well, go to bed and dream about them then,” the old hunter -instructed. - - - - - CHAPTER VII - - THE JOURNEY THROUGH THE FOREST - - -“My goodness, boy,” the old hunter said the next morning at -breakfast, “I do wish you could handle a pair of snow-shoes. We’d -start for home to-morrow, if you could. For the crust is perfect, -and the weather is settled for a spell I think. But there’s no use -starting until we can make good time every hour, so we’ll spend -another week letting you learn to use the snow-shoes, and getting -the kinks out of your legs.” - -Larry made no reply but munched his bacon and biscuit, occasionally -handing a bit to Kim who sat near, watching expectantly. As soon as -breakfast was finished, Martin brought our two pairs of snow-shoes -and strapped one pair to his own feet, instructing Larry to follow -his example. Then he showed the boy how to take the swinging, -gliding steps, sliding one shoe past the other with the peculiar leg -motion that shot the shoe ahead without getting tangled up with its -mate. - -“Now watch me while I run out to that tree and back, and try to do -as I do when you start,” he instructed. And with that he struck out, -the two dogs running beside him, barking excitedly, for they seemed -to know the significance of snow-shoes, and were eager for a run -through the woods. - -The tree Martin had indicated was about a hundred yards away, and -the old hunter covered the distance at top speed, exhilarated as a -boy trying his skates on the first ice of the winter. He did not -stop when the tree was reached, but turned sharply to one side so as -to circle it. As he did so Larry passed the tree on the other side, -running like a veteran, trying to beat him, and bursting with -suppressed laughter. “I’ll race you to the top of the hill and -back,” the boy shouted exultantly. - -But the old man, in his astonishment, bumped into a sapling and came -to a full stop. - -“Where in the world did you learn to use snow-shoes like that?” he -asked, when Larry had swung around to him. - -“Oh, in the Adirondacks that winter,” Larry answered, trying to seem -as if knowing how to use snow-shoes was the most ordinary thing in -the world. - -“But why didn’t you _say_ so?” Martin persisted, his face beaming. - -“Well, you never asked me,” said Larry. “I came within one of -telling you last night, but I just thought I’d save it and surprise -you.” - -“Well, you sure did surprise me,” the old hunter said; “the very -best surprise I have had since I can remember. Why, I woke up half a -dozen times last night worrying because we would have to wait so -long because you had to learn to use the shoes before we could -start. And here you knew how all the time. You can run like an -Indian, Larry.” - -“Well, I can run pretty good,” Larry admitted modestly. “I beat all -the boys in the Christmas races up there last year, and one of them -was an Indian boy, at that.” - -“I’ll bet you did,” Martin exclaimed with admiration. “Why, I was -going at a pretty good clip myself just now, and yet you were at my -heels. Face about and back to the tent we go, for now we have a new -day’s work before us, and to-morrow we head for home.” - -Saying this Martin turned and ran for the camp, Larry doing his best -to keep up; but he finished twenty feet behind. It is one thing to -beat a crowd of boys on snow-shoes, but quite another to have a -competitor who could show his heels to every man in the whole North -Country. - -And now everything was arranged exactly as if they were making their -start in earnest. The sledges were loaded with infinite care, and -the dogs harnessed in their places, one dog to each toboggan. Larry -was to have Kim under his charge, and to pull in harness with the -dog; for Kim was not only the stronger dog of the two, but also the -one most easily managed. - -Martin had made harnesses for himself and Larry, with broad draw -straps over the shoulders and across the chest, so that the weight -of the body was thrown into the harness as they bent forward in -walking. The old hunter harnessed himself in front of his dog, so as -to choose the course, set the pace, and break the trail all at the -same time. But he instructed Larry to harness himself next his -toboggan and behind Kim. - -By this arrangement the old man worked out a shrewdly conceived -plan. He knew that Kim would always strive to keep up with the sled -just ahead of him, for that is the nature of the malamoot when -sledging. This would force the boy to keep up the pace, no matter -how tired and leg weary he might be. At the same time it gave Larry -the benefit of a thoroughly broken-out trail every step of the way--a -thing the boy learned to appreciate within an hour. - -Before starting Martin built up a rousing fire to keep the camp -kettle boiling, and then with a shout struck out into the forest. At -first he went almost in a straight course, and at a pace that made -Larry open his eyes in amazement. Was _this_ the speed they would -have to keep up hour after hour? Then the old man made wide circles, -bending first one way and then the other, until they had been going -about an hour and a half. Now he stopped and asked the panting, -perspiring Larry, how he would take a short-cut to camp. - -“Good gracious, I don’t know!” said the boy. - -“Well, I didn’t expect you would,” Martin said quietly; “but I’m -going to let you steer us back to it all the same. Take your compass -and lead us straight northeast and you’ll land us there. It will be -good practice for you. And mind you, keep up the pace.” - -Larry now changed places with Kim, taking the lead as Martin had -done, got out his compass, and they were off again. The country was -fairly open, so that while he was guided by the little instrument, -he really steered by landmarks, as Martin had instructed him. -Usually the landmark was some tree some distance away that stood -exactly in line with the northeast mark indicated by the compass. -This tree would then be the boy’s goal until he reached it, when -some other mark further on would be selected. In this way the -instrument was only brought into use every half mile or so, a much -easier method than constantly watching the dial. - -The old hunter offered no suggestions about the route, he and Jack -simply plodding along in the procession. But Larry, upon whom the -brunt of everything had now fallen, had hard work to keep his -flagging legs moving along at a rate that would satisfy the members -of his rear guard. He was surprised that they did not come across -some marks of the trail they had made on the way out even after they -had been plodding for a full three-quarters of an hour. This made -him apprehensive that Martin was letting him take them out of their -course, for some reason of his own. He was astonished, therefore, -suddenly to come in sight of their camp dead ahead, and not over a -quarter of a mile away. The compass had given him a short-cut from -Martin’s purposely bending course. - -As soon as the dogs sighted the camp they began barking wildly and -tugging at the traces in their eagerness to reach it; and Larry, -whose legs were flagging sadly, felt all weariness disappear in the -excitement of finishing the run. So, shouting and laughing, with -both dogs leaping and barking, the two teams raced into camp neck -and neck. - -They rested a few minutes, and then began making final preparations -for an early start the next day. They visited the yacht and found -that she was packed thick in a huge bank of ice that had formed upon -her, and been banked about her by the waves, so that she was -practically frozen in for the winter. Then they strengthened all the -fastenings of the canvas under which the provisions and supplies -were stored, and Martin cut several strips of canvas and tied them -with short pieces of rope to trees a few feet away and all about the -heap, where they would blow about in the wind and frighten any -inquisitive prowlers, particularly foxes. - -“But what is the use of going to all that trouble, Martin?” Larry -asked. “We will never come back to this place, and probably no one -else will come here, so all this work is for nothing it seems to -me.” - -The old hunter smiled and shook his head. “That’s the way I should -have talked at your age,” he said. “But I have learned that many -things in this world turn out very differently from what we expect, -and so I always plan for the very worst that can possibly happen. -And it will be a comfort for me to know that there is a big cache of -supplies waiting here in case we have to come back, although I -haven’t the faintest idea of doing so.” - -When the canvasses had been secured to Martin’s satisfaction he made -the fastenings all about their camp secure in the same way. For he -had decided not to take their present tent with them, but in its -place a smaller one, made with a stout canvas bottom sewed fast to -the rest of the tent, so that the whole thing resembled a huge bag. -There were several advantages in this arrangement. It provided a -dry, clean floor, kept the wind from creeping in, and obviated the -likelihood of losing small articles at the camp site that might -otherwise be overlooked and left behind on breaking camp. Moreover, -it insured the tent not being blown from over their heads in a gale -should the fastenings give way--a very important thing when passing -through a barren, windswept country. - -Then they made a final inspection of the toboggan loads, unpacking -them and re-packing them carefully, Martin enjoining the boy to -memorize every article and where it could be found on each sledge. -This would save them much useless hunting, and overhauling, and -disarranging of the loads. And so when night came they were all -ready for the early start the next morning. - -At daylight they were off on their race for life--just how grim and -serious an undertaking Larry was to learn before the day was over. -For now it was plod, plod, plod, Martin setting the pace and -breaking the trail, keeping up an even swing forward regardless of -obstacles. Long before midday Larry realized the magnitude of their -undertaking; for Martin allowed no pause, no resting to catch up -lost breath. It was on, and on, every step ahead being counted -precious gain through the unknown stretch of wilderness. - -At noon they stopped, the dogs dropping in their tracks, and Larry -stretched his aching legs on his load while Martin boiled a pot of -tea and heated up their lunch. But in half an hour they were back in -the harness again, trudging on silently. Even the dogs seemed to -realize that they must do their utmost, straining at the traces all -the time, with noses pointed straight ahead, but wasting no energy -in useless looking about at interesting objects along the trail as -they had always done on their previous journeys. - -By the middle of the afternoon even the dogs showed signs of -fatigue, as the loads were heavy, and despite every effort he could -make, Martin’s speed was gradually slackening. By this time Kim was -obliged to haul his load practically without aid from Larry, whose -legs were tottering. Yet the boy pushed his feet ahead mechanically, -watching the slowly descending sun, and hoping the old hunter would -soon decide to stop for the night. But it was not until just before -sunset that the old man halted and selected a place for their camp. - -His first provision for the night was to help Larry set up the tent; -then he took his snares and went off into the woods to set them, -instructing Larry to get in a good supply of wood and a big heap of -boughs for their bed. “We can cook and eat after dark, you know,” he -said, “but these other things have to be done in daylight.” - -Fortunately for the boy boughs and wood were close at hand, for he -was fagged and exhausted beyond expression. He knew what Martin had -said to him about “getting accustomed to it in a few days” was -probably true, and this helped him keep up his courage; but there is -a limit to muscular endurance even when backed by the highest -quality of will-power. He managed to collect the wood and the -boughs, however, by the time Martin returned, and the old man found -him lying on the heap of boughs, sleeping the sleep of complete -exhaustion. - -The six days following were practically repetitions of the first--a -ceaseless grind of hard work through the timber. Martin, although a -tough and seasoned veteran, began to show the effects of the strain, -while Larry had become an automaton, who performed the three -functions of working, eating, and sleeping mechanically. There were -no talks beside the camp-fire now before turning in, neither man nor -boy having enough surplus energy left at the end of the day to -indulge in more conversation than was absolutely necessary. Both had -settled down to their grim work, more and more of which Martin had -taken upon himself as they proceeded; and every day the boy had -reason to be thankful to the tough old woodsman for little acts of -kindness and thoughtfulness. But his efforts left the old man too -tired for useless conversation even if Larry had cared to listen. - -At noon on the seventh day the woods thinned out into scraggly -trees, and an hour later the travelers emerged upon a flat, and -apparently treeless plain. Here Martin called a halt and left Larry -and the dogs while he took observations. In a few minutes he -returned, but instead of fastening on his harness he sat down beside -Larry on the sled. - -“It isn’t as bad as it might be,” he said, “but it is bad enough, at -that. I can make out the outline of the fringe of trees on the other -side from the top of a big rock over yonder, and I think it is only -ten miles over to them. But I’m not sure, for distances are -deceptive in this country. So we’ll camp here now and get an early -start in the morning.” - -Then he added, with a grim smile, “I guess you won’t mind the six -hours’ extra rest.” - -They made their camp accordingly in a clump of trees, and Larry and -the dogs slept and rested, while the old hunter arranged for the -next day’s run. This consisted in rearranging the loads, examining -and mending harnesses and sled lashings, besides performing Larry’s -usual task of gathering wood and boughs, not rousing the tired boy -until a hot supper was ready. And when Larry had gorged himself, -Martin sent him back to his sleeping bag to get more rest without -waiting to help about cleaning up the supper pans and pots. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII - - THE BLIZZARD - - -Even after the dogs were harnessed and ready to start the following -morning Martin hesitated. - -“There’s a storm brewing,” he said. “The moon and the stars showed -it last night, and I can feel it in the air this morning. But we may -be able to get across before it strikes us, and I suppose we’ve got -to chance it.” - -To Larry the old hunter’s apprehensions seemed absurd. The sun was -glaring brightly over the tree tops, and across the glistening crust -of the open plain the trees on the other side could be seen as a low -gray line, apparently close at hand. Surely those trees would be -reached before any storm settled over this clear day. - -The hauling was much easier, too, on the smooth, level crust, so -different from the rough woodlands. Indeed, Larry’s toboggan seemed -to move so lightly that the boy stopped and examined his load after -he had been traveling a few minutes. He found, to his surprise, that -fully half his load had been transferred to Martin’s toboggan. The -discovery made his heart go out anew to the old man now rushing -ahead in feverish haste over the crust, and he put every ounce of -strength into keeping up the pace. - -At the end of two hours the gray line ahead had become broad and -well-defined, while the line of trees behind them had dwindled to a -low gray streak on the horizon. But meanwhile the sun had turned to -a dull red ball and the wind had shifted into their faces. It took -no practiced eye now to see that a storm was approaching. But no one -unfamiliar with an arctic blizzard could conceive the fury of such a -storm as the one that broke half an hour later. - -Squarely in their faces the wind struck them with such force that -even the dogs turned instinctively to avoid it, and to shield -themselves from the cutting, sand-like snow that was driven before -it. The temperature, too, dropped with inconceivable rapidity, and -the cold penetrated Larry’s thick clothing so that his skin tingled -despite the fact that he was exerting himself to the utmost, and a -moment before had been hot from his efforts. He closed his eyes for -a moment to shield them, and instantly the lashes were frozen -together. Unable to proceed he turned his back to the blast to rub -them open, and when he succeeded in doing so he found that Martin’s -sledge was completely blotted out by the storm, so that he was not -sure even of its location. - -In a panic he realized the seriousness of his situation and rushed -forward in a frenzied effort to overtake his leader, shouting as he -struggled with the load. But his voice scarcely carried to the -struggling Kim, being drowned in the howl of the storm. He still had -enough command of his senses to remember that the wind was blowing -from dead ahead. But now, for some reason he did not understand, Kim -refused to face the blast squarely, but persisted obstinately in -turning almost at right angles to the left. In vain Larry shouted, -and kicked at the dog in desperation with his snow-shoe, but the -wind caught the clumsy framework, tripping the boy face downward -into the icy snow which cut and bruised his face. - -Choking and gasping for breath he struggled to his feet again now -forcing his way forward blindly in the vague hope of stumbling upon -the elusive Martin. He was numb with the cold and exhausted by his -violent efforts; and while he strove to face the blast, he found -himself turning instinctively from it, while Kim, with seeming -perversity strained at the traces, first in one direction and then -another. - -For a few minutes this struggle continued, and then a feeling of -irresistible drowsiness came over the boy. Standing with his back to -the wind he no longer felt the keen bite of the cold; and as he was -able to accomplish nothing by trying to go forward, he crouched down -behind the toboggan, mindful of Martin’s oft-repeated instructions -to keep moving to avoid freezing, but too much overcome to heed it. - -Meanwhile the old hunter was in a far more distressed state of mind. -When the storm struck he had turned and shouted to Larry to keep -close to the tail of his toboggan, meanwhile fumbling to get his -compass from his pocket, for he knew that only the needle could hold -him to his course. It was just at this time that Larry’s lashes had -frozen together, and he had stopped to rub them open, so that he did -not overtake Martin’s sledge as the old man expected. And when the -old hunter looked up from fumbling with the compass a moment later, -the storm had blotted out the boy completely. - -Instantly the old man brought his dog about to return to the other -sled, which was at most thirty yards away; but the heavy load, -clogged by the snow, moved slowly, and by the time he reached what -he felt sure must be the spot where Larry had stood the boy had -vanished. He was indeed only a few feet away, struggling desperately -with Kim who instinctively was striving to reach the other toboggan; -but in that storm an object thirty feet away was as completely -blotted out as if the interval had been miles instead of feet. - -Martin knew that in a very short time the boy, struggling aimlessly -in the storm, would be overcome and frozen, and he realized that his -chance of finding him was desperate, as he could neither hear nor -see anything two yards ahead. His only hope lay in the sagacity of -the dog. So without a moment’s hesitation at the terrible risk he -was taking he cut the traces freeing the dog from his sled, and, -leaving the load of precious supplies standing where it was, sent -the animal ahead, holding the leash to restrain it. Guided by the -compass he began walking in narrowing circles, trusting to the dog -to find its mate should they pass near it. If he succeeded he could -weather the storm by the aid of the supplies on the boy’s toboggan. -If he failed?--well, the storm would shorten the end mercifully; and -the boy would have gone on before him. - -For half an hour he fought his circular course through the storm, -Jack plodding ahead, crouched down to resist the blast. Then the -animal suddenly straightened up on its legs, and plunged off to one -side barking excitedly, and jerking Martin after him. A few short -leaps brought them to where Larry lay curled down behind the -toboggan. - -Kim, who had been curled up beside the boy, sprang up to meet his -mate, jerking Larry about in his excitement, as they were still -fastened together in harness. But even this violent shaking only -roused the boy for a moment, who dropped back into a doze -immediately. - -The situation confronting Martin was desperate. Larry was rapidly -freezing, and as the nearest shelter of the woods was several miles -away, it was useless to attempt to reach it. The only alternative -was to try to make such shelter as he could with the supplies on -Larry’s sled. Fortunately in distributing the packs the day before -he had put the tent on Larry’s toboggan, and now he conceived a plan -for using it, although it would be sheer madness to attempt to pitch -it in a gale that almost blew the dogs off their feet at times. - -First of all he pulled out Larry’s fur sleeping bag and, crouching -behind the load, managed to get the stupified boy into it, twisting -the top of the bag over his head so that the boy’s own breath would -help warm him. Then he took out the tent, standing with his back to -the blast and with the toboggan load in front of him, he gradually -worked it over one end of the load and under the sled. - -It will be remembered that this tent was made with the floor cloth -sewn firmly to the side walls so that it was in effect a great bag. -Martin worked the opening of this bag around the sled, fighting -fiercely against the gale, and then forced the sled into the bottom, -turning it at right angles to the wind. In this way he formed a -barrier on the inside of the low tent. Then he pushed Larry in his -sleeping bag inside, and he and the dogs crawled in and huddled -together. Next he gathered together the loose edges of the opening -of the tent and tied them with the guy ropes, thus shutting out the -storm on every side and amply protected on the side where the wind -was fiercest by the loaded sled. - -The old hunter, accustomed to severe cold, and heated by his -exertions, was warm and comfortable for the moment, at least, in -this nest; and the dogs found their lodgings so agreeable that they -licked the snow from between their toes, and soon curled up for a -nap. But Larry still remained motionless, and when Martin felt -inside the bag he found his face cold. Evidently the little warmth -left in the boy’s body was not sufficient to warm him back to life, -even in the sleepng bag. - -Closing the bag again to retain what warmth there was inside, Martin -ripped open the lacings of the sled, and fumbling about found -Larry’s tin cup, a tin plate, and the little box containing the -cubes of “solid alcohol.” Placing one of these on the bottom of an -overturned tin plate the old hunter struck a match and lighted it, -keeping the dish between his outspread knees to prevent the dogs -knocking against it, and using his rifle as a tent pole to raise the -canvas as high as possible. It was a hazardous thing to do, as they -were all crowded into a space so small there was scarcely room for -all of them to curl up together, to say nothing of space for -starting a fire. But Larry’s case was desperate: Martin must find -some way of warming him. And even a very tiny flame in that closely -packed space would soon do this. - -As the little blue flame grew larger and flickered upwards, the dogs -instinctively drew away from it, crowding close to the tent walls, -in this way leaving Martin a little more elbow room. It also gave -him an opportunity carefully to work loose part of the fastening so -as to make an opening a few inches long on the leeward side of the -tent for ventilation. For as the tent cloth was practically air -tight the flame and the breath from four pairs of lungs quickly made -the atmosphere stifling. But Martin did not wait for this warmth -alone to start up the boy’s flagging circulation. He scooped a tin -cup full of snow, reaching through the ventilating slit, and holding -this over the flame, melted and warmed it. - -Each little cube was supposed to burn for ten minutes, and give out -an amount of heat entirely disproportionate to its size. But the -first cube had burned itself out and a second one was half consumed -before Martin secured half a cup of steaming hot water. Meanwhile -Larry had not roused, although his face was warmer and he was -breathing more naturally. A few sips of the hot water forced between -his lips, however, roused him quickly; and by the time he had -swallowed the contents of the cup the color had come back to his -cheeks. - -The hot water warmed his tingling body like magic, and by the time -the third cube was burned out his cheeks were pink and even the tips -of his fingers warm. But Martin was not satisfied with this. He dug -out some lumps of pemmican, heated them in the flame, and fed him -the bits as they became warm, occasionally taking a mouthful -himself, and giving some to the dogs as a reward for good behavior. -By the time the last cube had burned itself out they had all made a -hearty meal, and Larry was feeling like himself again, warm and -comfortable in the fur bag. - -But now Martin found himself in a dilemma. His own sleeping bag was -somewhere on his sled lost in the blizzard; and while his clothing -was warm, he soon realized that it would not be enough protection to -keep him from freezing in a few hours, now that the cubes were all -gone. There was only one thing to be done: he must wedge himself in -beside the boy and share his warm bag until the storm subsided. -Luckily for him the bag was a full-sized one like his own. So that -by dint of much wriggling and squeezing he managed to crawl in -beside the boy and pull the folds over his head, although it was -such a tight fit that neither of them could move when it was finally -accomplished. - -They were warm, however, and other discomforts were a minor -consideration. And in a few moments all hands were sleeping soundly -while the storm raged about their little tent. All the rest of that -day and well into the night it roared incessantly. Then gradually it -began to abate in fury, and finally “blew itself out” as Martin -said. By sunrise there was scarcely a breath of air stirring, but -everything creaked and sparkled in the cold. - -Getting out of the bag proved to be almost as hard a task as getting -into it, but the old hunter finally worked his arms free and then -crawled out, pulling the boy after him. Both were stiff and lame -from lying in the cramped position, but they were soon limbered up -by dancing about to keep warm while they gnawed at the frozen -pemmican and packed the sled. - -Fortunately the fury of the wind had swept the plain clear of new -snow as fast as it had fallen on the glassy crust, so that the few -elevations on its surface were easily seen. One of these a quarter -of a mile away proved to be Martin’s sled, clear of snow on the -windward side, with a long pointed bank slanting off to leeward. So -that in half an hour’s time they had recovered it, harnessed the -dogs, and were making their way as quickly as possible to the edge -of the woods for which they were aiming the day before. - -The distance proved to be short--only a scant three miles. But Larry -was still weak, and was tottering and almost exhausted when they -finally wallowed through the snowbanks at the edge of the great -spruce forest. He had said nothing to Martin of his weakness, but -the old man had been watching him out of the corner of his eye and -was well aware of his condition. - -As soon as they reached an open space among the trees, therefore, -Martin stopped and made a roaring fire, while Larry sat on his sled -and rested, watching the old man brewing tea and cooking a hot meal. -His legs ached and his head swam a little, although he was beginning -to feel more like his old self by the time their breakfast was over. -But the thought of the weary hours of toil through the woods was -almost intolerable; and he was ready to cry for joy when Martin -announced that he “was going to look around for a camp,” leaving the -boy to toast his shins by the fire. “And I may find something to -shoot while I’m looking,” the old hunter added as he started on his -search. - -In half an hour Martin returned fairly beaming at his success. He -had found no game, but he had stumbled upon a camping place which he -announced was “the best in all Canada.” “And these woods are full of -game, too,” he added. - -The camping place which Martin had discovered was indeed an ideal, -as well as a very unusual one. It was a natural excavation under the -south side of an overhanging ledge of rock which was so protected -from the wind that only a thin layer of snow covered its rock floor. -A roaring fire built at the entrance warmed the hollowed out space -like a great room, and Larry found that the old hunter had started -such a fire and left it to warm things up while he returned for the -toboggans. It seemed a sylvan paradise to the exhausted boy. - -The hunter watched the boy slyly as they stood in the warm glow by -the fire. “Perhaps you’d rather go on than to stop here over -to-morrow,” he suggested with a twinkle in his eye. - -For answer the boy threw off his heavy coat, went over to his -toboggan, and began unfastening Kim and unpacking his load. And -Martin with a little laugh followed his example. - -“You’ll stay and keep house to-morrow,” he explained as he worked, -“while I go out and have a try at some of this fresh meat that is -running loose around here. We need a supply to take the place of -what we’ve eaten in the last week, and I never saw a likelier place -for getting it, judging by the signs.” - -All the afternoon the tireless old man worked laying in a supply of -fuel and making things snug, not allowing the boy to help, but -making him “tend camp” lying on a pile of warm furs beside the fire. - - - - - CHAPTER IX - - THE TIMBER WOLVES - - -Early the next morning Martin roused Larry for breakfast. The old -man had been up an hour and was ready to start on his hunt as soon -as breakfast was finished, but he had let the boy sleep as long as -possible. While they ate Martin gave Larry final instructions as to -what he was to do during the day. - -“Rest all you can,” he instructed, “and don’t go far from camp under -any circumstances. Don’t let the dogs loose even for a minute. It -isn’t likely that they would wander off, but they might get started -after a rabbit and wind up chasing caribou or fighting wolves. -Anyhow don’t give them a chance.” - -At the mention of wolves the boy looked anxious. “What if the wolves -came near here--came right up to the camp and wanted to fight Jack -and Kim?” he asked. - -The old man pointed to the little rifle standing against the wall. -“Give ’em the thirty-eight,” he said. “But they won’t come very -near,” he added. “They’ll be howling around in the distance of -course, because they will scent our cooking. But at worst they -wouldn’t dare come near until night; and I’ll be here by that time. -And always remember this: a wolf is a coward; and your thirty-eight -will knock dead in his tracks the biggest wolf that ever lived. Just -keep the little gun strapped on you all day and you won’t be afraid -or feel lonesome. Next to a man a gun is the most comforting -companion in the world.” - -Larry followed Martin’s instructions almost to the letter. He -strapped on the gun and loafed about the camp-fire all the long -forenoon, varying the monotony by patting and talking to the dogs, -who lolled luxuriously beside the fire where Martin had tied them -with double leashes. By noon the period of idleness palled on the -boy who had entirely recovered from the exhaustion of the day -before. So he took his axe and spent a couple of hours gathering -fuel although Martin’s huge pile was still more than sufficient for -another day. - -At intervals he heard wolves howling at a distance, but that had now -become a familiar sound, and he paid little attention to it. When -the sun was only an hour high he began getting supper ready, keeping -a sharp lookout for Martin who might appear at any minute. He had -planned an unusually elaborate meal to surprise and cheer the old -man when he returned, and he was so occupied with the work that he -was oblivious to everything else, until the dogs startled him by -springing up, bristling and snarling fiercely. Thinking that they -had scented or sighted the returning hunter Larry ran out to look -for him, shouting a welcome. But there was no sign of the old man. - -In dismay he noticed that the sun was just setting, and on looking -through the trees in the direction indicated by the dogs’ attitude -he saw the silhouettes of four huge, gaunt wolves skulking among the -trees. The odor of his elaborate cooking had reached them, and as -night was coming on they were emboldened to approach. - -The sight of the great creatures snarling and snapping in the gloomy -shadows made the “goose flesh” rise on the boy’s skin. And while the -presence of the dogs was a comfort, their attitude was not -reassuring. They pulled and strained at their leashes, bristling and -growling, but sometimes whining as if realizing that in a pitched -battle they would be no match for the four invaders. - -The realization that he was utterly alone in the great wilderness -with darkness at hand, and a pack of wolves howling at his open door -made the boy chill with terror. Instinctively he sought shelter -behind the fire near the dogs, who welcomed him with appreciative -whines. They looked upon him as a protector, and their faith helped -his courage. Martin’s instruction to “give ’em the thirty-eight” -also cheered him, and he took out the little gun and prepared for -battle. - -“Every wolf is a coward,” the old hunter had said; but these wolves -were not acting like cowards at all. They did not rush forward -boldly, it was true, but they were stealthily drawing nearer, -snarling and bristling. They would stand pawing and sniffing the -snow for a few moments as if the object of their visit was entirely -forgotten. Then one of them would suddenly spring forward two or -three short steps, and the whole crew would stand snapping their -jaws and glaring savagely at the camp. In this way they were -deliberately closing in upon it. - -This method of approaching by short rushes was most disconcerting -and terrifying, and several times Larry decided to open fire without -waiting for the wolves to emerge from the shelter of the trees. But -each time his better judgment restrained him. - -When they had approached to within the circle of the nearest trees, -however, he decided to act. Holding some cartridges in his left hand -for quick loading, as Martin had taught him, he knelt beside the -fire, rested his elbow on his knee, and tried to take careful aim. -But his hand trembled, and his heart pounded so hard, that the -sights of his rifle bobbed all about the mark he had selected. The -more he tried to steady the rifle the more it seemed to waver and -dance about, so that he knew it would be useless to fire. - -At that moment the story of Weewah, the Indian boy, flashed into his -mind--the little savage who fought with a hatchet, while he, the -white boy, had his hard-hitting rifle and plenty of cartridges. He -lowered the gun for a moment, and steadied himself with a few deep -breaths, shutting his eyes and summoning all his courage. When he -opened them he found that his hand was steadier and the pounding in -his breast had almost ceased. - -Meanwhile the wolves had spread out forming a restless semicircle -before the camp. There were three gray ones, and one huge fellow -almost pure white. Larry selected this white one for his first -victim. Resting his elbow again on his knee he took careful aim, -waiting for the restless wolf to pause for an instant. The moment -the huge animal stopped to snarl fiercely at the camp, Larry pressed -the trigger and fired. - -At the sound of the report three of the wolves gave a startled leap -sidewise, and then crouched forward again as they recovered from -their surprise. But the white wolf sank in the snow where it stood, -and lay still: the little bullet had “knocked him dead in his -tracks” sure enough. With a gulp of exultation Larry slipped in a -fresh cartridge and aimed carefully at a wolf that was a little in -advance of the other two. Again his aim was true; but this wolf did -not drop silently as had the white one. Instead he gave a howl of -pain and rolled in the snow, turning it red all about him in his -death struggles. - -The other two wolves had leaped back at the flash and sound of the -rifle as before. But at the sight and smell of their companion’s -blood they rushed upon him, tearing and gashing him in their lust, -and sucking his blood ravenously. Jack and Kim, made frantic by the -struggle, added their furious but impotent howls to the uproar in -their frenzied efforts to free themselves. While Larry, forgetful of -personal danger in the excitement, sprang up and approached the -struggling group, meanwhile inserting a fresh cartridge, and -despatched the third wolf as he crouched wallowing in his -companion’s blood. - -The remaining wolf had paid no attention to the report that struck -down his mate; but now as the boy paused to take careful aim, the -huge creature, maddened by the taste of blood, turned suddenly and -rushed upon him. There was no time to retreat, even if Larry had -wished to do so. But he had no such intention, for the hot blood of -fighting ancestors was now surging through his veins. With the -coolness of a veteran the boy aimed and fired just as the gray -monster shot through the air in his final spring toward him. The -next instant his coat sleeve was ripped open clean to the shoulder -by the furious snap of the animal’s jaws, and he was knocked -headlong by the impact of the creature’s body. - -Fortunately for him his bullet had found its mark, breaking the -wolf’s back just as the animal leaped from the ground, and thus -diverting the aim of its deadly jaws, while the force of its spring -knocked Larry out of the wounded creature’s reach. Its hind legs -were paralyzed and useless, but its jaws snapped viciously as it -struggled to reach its foe on its fore legs. - -The boy was up in an instant, maddened by his fall, and full of -fight. Without trying to recover his gun which had fallen several -feet away, he rushed to the pile of fire-wood, seized a heavy club, -and brought it down again and again on the head of the crippled -beast, until he had pounded out the last spark of life. Then, when -it was all over, he stood trembling and weak, overcome by his -efforts and the excitement. - -A moment later he ran to the dogs and, regardless of Martin’s -orders, turned them loose. He wanted them to share his victory, and -stood laughing and gulping hysterically as he watched them rush upon -the lifeless victims, and tear and maul them with wolfish ferocity. -It was no fault of theirs that they had not shared the fight, and -they vented their animosity by rushing from one victim to another, -jerking the limp carcasses about, and shaking them like rats. - -Meanwhile it had grown dark; and still no sign of Martin. For a -little time after the battle Larry had stood forgetful of the old -man’s absence, reveling in the thought of the story he should have -to tell. But presently he realized the seriousness of his position. -He no longer feared for his own safety: he and his little gun could -“tend camp” against all comers he felt sure. But what was keeping -Martin away so long? - -He consoled himself with the thought that probably the old man had -followed some game trail farther than he intended and was unable to -get back before nightfall. So when the dogs had tired themselves out -worrying the dead wolves, Larry tied them up and ate his cheerless -supper. This revived his spirits a little, and he put into effect a -plan he had made for surprising Martin. For this purpose he dragged -the carcasses of the wolves together and covered them with boughs so -that the old man would not notice them when he returned. At the -right time the boy would tell his story and revel in Martin’s -astonishment. - -Then he built up a roaring fire, crawled into his sleeping bag and -tried to sleep. But after two hours of restless tossing about, his -mind filled with gloomy forebodings, he got up and seated himself -beside the fire for his long vigil. - -It was a terrible night for the boy. The thought that Martin might -have been injured, or even killed, kept obtruding itself, and he -shuddered at the awful consequences of such a calamity. He reassured -himself over and over by the more probable explanation that the old -man had gone farther from camp than he intended. But the other -possibility could not be banished from his thoughts. And so he sat -before his roaring fire, a big dog snuggling against him on either -side, comforting his loneliness. - - - - - CHAPTER X - - THE WOUNDED MOOSE - - -In this way he passed the long, terrible hours of the night. But as -soon as it began to grow light he untied the dogs, and took a circle -of several miles through the woods, hoping that he might find some -trace of the missing hunter. But he remembered the old man’s -instruction that he was not to leave the camp to go any very great -distance, and after two hours of futile search he returned in -despair. - -The dogs, seeming to realize that something was wrong, were alert to -every unusual sound; and when Larry would spring up and peer through -the trees expectantly, they would leap about and bark excitedly. But -the sun rose higher and higher, and still Martin did not come. - -At last the boy could stand the suspense no longer. In defiance of -Martin’s explicit instructions he decided to leave the camp and try -to find him. The thought that the old man must have been injured, or -taken ill, kept forcing itself into the boy’s mind. An experienced -hunter like Martin would not lose his way; and moreover, if he -should become confused, he would still have his own trail to follow -back to camp; for this trail was well marked in the snow. In any -event, Larry could not remain inactive any longer with these -terrible fears tearing at his heart. - -So he harnessed the dogs tandem to one of the empty toboggans, -strapped on his snow-shoes, and started out following Martin’s trail -of the day before. At first he took the lead, running at top speed; -but presently he found that, since the trail had been broken out by -Martin, he could make better time by letting the dogs haul him on -the toboggan. His weight was so much less than the load they were -accustomed to haul that now they ran along the trail at high speed, -following Martin’s tracks without any guiding instructions. - -For two hours they went forward, Kim leading, his nose close to the -snow, and both dogs keenly alert. The tracks wound in and out among -the thickets, indicating where Martin had explored likely looking -places for game, but their general direction was toward the -southwest, the course the old hunter had said he should take. Once -the snow-shoe trail had followed the track of a deer for half a -mile; but evidently the animal was not overtaken, for presently they -found where Martin turned off into his original course again. - -By noon the dogs had begun to slacken their pace a little, and -Larry, thoroughly discouraged, had decided that he would retrace his -course, when they reached the crest of a low hill a short distance -ahead, which seemed to command a view of the country for some -distance around. If nothing could be seen of Martin from this hill, -he would face about and return to camp; and more than likely he -should find the old man there waiting for him. Hardly had he reached -this decision, however, when Kim stopped so suddenly that Jack and -the toboggan bumped into him, and stood with bristling hair and -stiffened muscles for a moment, and then made a frantic leap -forward, snarling and barking. - -At the same time Jack seemed to have discovered the cause of his -mate’s excitement, and it was only by twisting the sled rope about a -sapling that Larry prevented them from dashing madly off into the -woods. Yet he was unable to discover the cause of their actions, -although he peered intently through the trees in all directions. But -whatever the cause, he knew that they had scented something quite -out of the ordinary; and as a precaution he drew the little rifle -from its case and made sure that the firing-pin was set for the -heavy cartridge. - -Then he took a firm grip on Kim’s collar, putting all his weight -against the dog’s strength, and advanced cautiously through the -trees toward the top of the hill. - -The crest of this hill had been cleared of large timber years before -by a forest fire, and there was an open space for several hundred -yards beyond. When Larry reached this cleared space he saw a sight -that made his heart leap into his throat and his hair seem to lift -his cap. His hand trembled so violently that he came near dropping -his rifle, and his breathing ceased altogether for a moment. - -For at the opposite side of the clearing stood a huge animal, tall -and gaunt, its thick neck supporting a head like a great black -barrel crowned with a pair of thickly pointed horns that seemed as -long as the toboggan from tip to tip. The great creature stood -facing him, the long, coarse hair about its head and neck standing -out straight, its fore legs wide apart, its hind legs slightly bent -ready for a spring forward. All about it for a space of several -yards the snow was trampled into a hard bed and blotched with blood. - -In the center of this trampled space was a huge boulder, and just -beside it a sapling perhaps six inches in diameter. Perched on the -top of the boulder and only a few inches out of reach of the great -antlers, old Martin lay huddled. Or, to be more exact, what appeared -to be a bundle of Martin’s clothes that looked as if they might have -been hurled there by the infuriated animal. The mystery of the old -man’s failure to return to camp was explained. - -At the sight of the huge animal so close at hand the dogs became -absolutely frantic; and knowing that it would be folly to try to -control them further, and wishing to give them every possible -advantage in the fight that was now inevitable, the boy slipped the -harness from each. - -As the dogs bounded toward the wounded animal, the moose sprang -forward to meet them, snorting fiercely; but in doing this the heavy -creature put itself at once at a disadvantage. For its hoofs broke -through the crust at every step, while the dogs kept their footing -on the surface, darting in and out, snapping fiercely at legs and -flank. - -The noise of this battle roused Martin from the stupor into which he -had fallen, so that he raised his head, and then gradually dragged -himself into a sitting posture. Then, as he recognized the dogs, and -saw Larry hurrying forward, new life thrilled the old man, and he -began waving his hand and shouting feebly to the boy. - -At first his voice was so low that the boy could not hear it above -the din; but as he approached the rock, waiting for a favoring -moment to place his one shot in some vital spot, he could make out -some of Martin’s instructions shouted through his trumpeted hands. - -“Steady, boy, steady!” the old man shouted. “Wait till he turns his -head, and shoot between the eyes! Not now--wait till he turns--not -yet--!” - -Just then the moose, frantic with pain and anger, caught sight of -the boy approaching him. At this discovery the huge animal seemed to -forget the dogs, and wheeling, made straight for Larry, head down, -bristles standing, and bloody foam blowing from its nose and mouth. - -“Shoot! Shoot! For God’s sake shoot, Larry!” the old man screamed, -half rising, and then toppling back upon the rock. - -But Larry needed no instructions. He had proved himself and his -weapon only yesterday, and he had the courage born of experience. -The first terror inspired by the huge animal had passed, and now he -stood with his feet braced wide apart on his snow-shoes, the rifle -at his shoulder and his eye fixed on the little bead of the front -sight as the huge animal plunged toward him. Kim and Jack, realizing -the impending danger to their master, buried their teeth in the -moose’s flanks on either side and hung on grimly causing the animal -to pause momentarily. This was Larry’s chance. There was a flash and -report, and the big animal, rearing upwards and sinking on its hind -legs, plunged sidelong into the snow and lay still. The heavy -steel-jacketed bullet had crashed into its brain, killing it -instantly. - -Before the huge head fairly reached the ground both dogs were at the -animal’s throat, tearing and mangling, mad with the lust of battle. -Larry, reacting from the tense excitement, felt his knees sag under -him as he realized the result of the shot. But even this did not -make him forget to load his gun again instantly--a thing that becomes -automatic with the hunter--and approach the beast cautiously, ready -for another shot. But the dogs, with fangs buried in the creature’s -throat, gloating in the hot blood, bore silent witness that more -shots were unnecessary. - -Then Larry’s pent-up emotions found expression in a wild shout as he -rushed to where old Martin lay. - -But his feeling changed to dread apprehension when he reached the -base of the rock, saw where the blood had trickled down over the -side, and found that the old man had fallen back unconscious. -Perhaps his triumph had come too late after all! In an instant he -had kicked off his snow-shoes, climbed the sapling that rose beside -the rock, and was kneeling over the still, crumpled figure, his warm -hands caressing the white cheeks, his voice choked with emotion. - -His warm touch revived the hunter, who opened his eyes slowly, and -then smiled faintly up at the boy. - -“I’ll be all right in a minute,” the old fellow whispered; “get me -off this rock and build a fire, quick. I’m frozen.” - -But getting the injured hunter off the rocks without hurting him -proved a difficult task. The sides were almost perpendicular, and -Martin too weak to help himself at all. So, after several futile -attempts, Larry was obliged to get the harnesses from the toboggan, -fasten the draw strap under the hunter’s arms, and in this manner -lower him over the side. Then the boy quickly gathered some sticks -and made a hot fire. - -During most of this time Martin remained inanimate, but he revived -again when Larry had dragged him near the fire; and now he asked -faintly for water. A few gulps of the melted snow water from Larry’s -cup revived him perceptibly, and meanwhile the boy was chafing his -cold hands, and had removed his moccasins and drawn his feet close -to the fire. - -Presently Martin asked feebly for food; but Larry shook his head. -For once he had forgotten one of the old man’s reiterated -instructions--that he should never go anywhere from camp without -taking at least one ration with him. When he started out he had only -expected to be gone a few hours, and in his perturbation he had -forgotten to take anything to eat. - -But the old hunter’s wits had not completely failed him. - -“The moose,” he said faintly. - -And then the boy remembered that a month’s supply of food, upon -which the dogs were still feasting, was lying only a few feet away. -So in a few minutes he had a huge slice of moose steak suspended on -a stick over the fire, from which he cut off thin strips and fed to -the ravenous hunter. - -During this process he had time to observe the nature of Martin’s -injury, although he was not quite sure of its exact location, as the -hunter’s clothes were rent and blood-stained in many places. - -“It’s my left leg,” Martin said, interpreting the boy’s anxious -expression. “It’s all ripped to pieces. But it was the cold that was -killing me. Now I’m getting warm and feeling stronger every minute. -In another half hour I’ll be ready to take a ride home with you -while the sun is high.” - -By the time the steak was consumed Martin was sitting up, taking -sips of hot water out of the tin cup from time to time. Every -movement caused him great pain, but he strove stoically to conceal -this from the boy. - -“Harness up the dogs,” he said presently, “pack me into the -toboggan, and let’s start for camp. We haven’t any time to lose, for -it gets cold on a sled when the sun goes down.” - -So Larry called the dogs, who were loth to leave their feast, packed -the old man into the bag on the toboggan so that only his head -showed above the flaps, and started. - -Several times he had tried to get the old hunter to tell him how it -had all happened; but Martin put him off, assuring him that there -would be plenty of time for talking when they were back in camp -again. - -Once the start was made there was no chance for talking, all Larry’s -energies being required to keep the now lazy dogs up to their usual -speed. And now he realized the wisdom of not feeding them until -their day’s work was done, as was Martin’s inflexible rule. He was -kept busy steering the toboggan around rough places that would jar -his passenger, as the old man’s excruciating pain was accentuated by -every additional shock. Yet Martin would not consider stopping, or -even slackening the pace; and as the dogs warmed to their work after -the first few miles they were able to make the camp just as the sun -was setting, all hands ready to drop from exhaustion. - -They found Larry’s big fire still burning, and in a few minutes he -had warmed up the remains of the feast he had planned for the night -before. Then, when he had wrapped up the injured leg, and propped -the old hunter in a comfortable position before the fire, Martin was -ready to tell his story. - -“Don’t you mind now, and look scared whenever I screw up my face,” -the old man began; “for the pain shoots around pretty bad at times. -But I’ll stand it all right, and I’ll kill many a bull moose to pay -for it, too.” - -Then he chuckled softly in the old familiar manner. - -“What makes me laugh,” he said, “is to think that all this time I -have been letting you think that I am something of a hunter, trying -to show you how to kill game; and here you go out and kill the moose -that came mighty near killing me. This is how it all happened: - -“I came across signs of game after I had left the camp about an -hour, and the signs were good too; but still I didn’t get sight of -anything, and I kept going right on until well after noon. So I -decided to turn about and take the back track home, feeling sure -that I should have better luck on the way in. Sure enough, when I -came near the place where you found me, I found where a moose had -floundered along through the snow, probably scared from some yard by -my scent as I passed. He was standing near the big rock and as the -wind was blowing toward me, he hadn’t discovered me. - -“So I worked around to get the rock between us, and then I sneaked -up so as to get a close shot and make sure of him. I ought to have -tried a longer shot at him, but you see the .38-40 is a pretty small -cartridge for moose except at close range, and I intended to get -him, sure. - -“I sneaked along until I was right behind the rock, and then I -stepped out and shot point blank for his head. But just at the very -second I pulled the trigger the old rascal had to jerk his head -about six inches to one side, so that the bullet ploughed deep into -his neck, just where it would hurt and make him mad, but nothing -more. - -“And then all the trouble happened in about three seconds. I jerked -down the lever to throw in another cartridge, for he was coming -right at me. But Jumping Jee-rusalem! if the old gun didn’t jam. The -head of the empty shell had broken off and stuck in the chamber! I -didn’t have any time for investigating, for the bull was right on -top of me, so I just jumped for the side of that rock. Nothing but a -fly could have gone up it--without help; and I knew that then as well -as I do now. But I hadn’t any choice. And the curious thing is that -the old moose himself furnished the _help_. - -“He was so close to me when I jumped that one of his points caught -my leg and ripped it open as he went along; but at the same time he -flung his head up and threw me clean up the side of the rock. So by -the time he could stop and turn around I was up out of his reach. -But I was his meat, all the same. All he had to do was to sit down -and wait long enough and I’d freeze or starve to death. - -“He had no notion of waiting, though,--that is, not at first. He -planned to come right up there and finish the job. But you see he -didn’t have any friend around to hook him in the leg and give him a -boost as I had, so he couldn’t make it. He tried for a full hour, -getting madder and madder every minute, snorting and pawing up the -snow, and then coming back for another try at me. And there I had to -sit and take it, with my gun lying down below in the snow. - -“Pretty soon I saw that the old scoundrel had settled down for a -regular siege. He gave up trying to reach me, but he never took his -eyes off me, and just walked ’round and ’round that rock hoping I’d -come down. I’ll bet he made that circle a thousand times in two -hours. - -“I thought when night came that he would start off and give it up, -and several times he did go away behind a clump of trees a few rods -away. But the minute I raised my head or moved a finger he was right -back on the job again. - -“Then I knew that my time had come. It wasn’t such a terribly cold -night, you know, but I lay out there in the open with nothing over -me, and I was mighty weak from the blood I’d lost. And I knew that I -was slowly freezing to death. I thought of a dozen things to try, -but all of them were hopeless. There was no use in sliding off and -grabbing the rifle for by the time I could get the broken cartridge -out the moose would have killed me several times over. If it hadn’t -been for the leg I’d have come down and fought it out with the old -brute with my hunting knife. I have done that before with a wounded -bull. But I was so weak that I could hardly raise my body, let alone -my leg. So I just settled down to freeze. - -“But you see I’m a tough old rooster, and when the sun came up this -morning I was still there, with my moose taking good care that I -should _stay_ there. By that time, though, I didn’t care much -whether he stayed or not. It didn’t make any difference. For I -couldn’t have crawled fifty yards if I’d had the chance I was so -stiff and weak. - -“After a while I dozed off; and the next thing I remember I heard -the bull fighting with some wolves. I thought they were wolves then, -but I didn’t even open my eyes to see, although I hoped they’d kill -him. And then something sounded familiar about those wolves’ voices, -and I turned my head. And there was old Jack and Kim trying to even -up my score with the old critter. - -“My God! boy, I never knew what it was to be glad about anything in -my life before! There you were coming with the little gun, and there -was Jack on one side and Kim on the other taking out hunks from the -old moose’s side at every jump, and--” - -The old man stopped, and brushed his arm across his eyes, unable to -go on for a minute, while Larry sat blinking hard at the fire. But -presently the hunter regained his composure a little, and continued: - -“And then when you fired and shot that old devil right between the -eyes, I was willing to die for sheer joy.” - -The old man paused again and tried to force a little laugh. - -“And to think that you had to come and kill him with the little gun, -while the best that I could do was to make him mad.” - -And he patted the boy’s shaggy head affectionately. - -“But you see, Martin, I’ve been having more practice lately than you -have,” the boy said, springing up. “Wait till I show you something.” - -He darted out of the tent and came struggling back hauling the big -white wolf and dropped it before the fire, and then brought the -other three and laid them in a row for Martin’s inspection. His eyes -were shining with pride and the old hunter’s face beamed with -genuine admiration. - -“Just four cartridges--one for each wolf,” Larry said proudly, “and a -little tap with a club thrown in for good measure.” And then he told -the old man the story of the wolves, and exhibited the rip in his -coat sleeves. - -Several times during the recital Larry noticed that Martin’s face -twitched with the agonizing pain he was suffering, although the old -man tried hard to conceal it, protesting that it was a thing too -slight to be worth noticing. - -“It isn’t the pain so much,” the old man said, at last. “I can stand -that all right. But I could stand it just a thousand times better if -I had my old pipe and one pinch of tobacco. Boy, I’d give one long -year of my life if I could have five minutes’ smoke. I’d get up and -fight a moose, or a grizzly, or both, right now for a dozen whiffs -of the old pipe.” - -With a little laugh Larry jumped up, ran to their pile of plunder, -and fumbled in his ditty bag. Then he turned and held up a pipe and -a plug of tobacco for Martin to see. - -“Will this new pipe do?” he asked, laughing, as he handed Martin the -precious articles. - -The old man’s eyes were round with astonishment, and his hands -trembled with eagerness. They trembled so that he could hardly pare -off the shavings of the plug and load the pipe, and light it with -the brand that Larry handed him from the fire. But a few whiffs -steadied him. - -“You see,” Larry explained, “when you told me to put something or -other into my ditty bag for luck, I couldn’t think of anything that -would be luckier than a pipe and some tobacco for you--just to buy -you off some time when you got cranky, you know. So here’s your -bribe to keep you good natured about my running off and leaving the -camp when you told me not to.” - -“Well, this makes twice to-day that you’ve saved my life,” the old -man grinned, “so I’ll forgive you. And now pile some wood near me so -that I can keep the fire going, and then you crawl into bed and get -some sleep. I don’t suppose this moose leg of mine would let me -sleep anyhow, but even if it did I wouldn’t waste my time doing it -when there was a pipe and some tobacco around. I am almost glad now -that the old beast gouged me.” - - - - - CHAPTER XI - - THE RETURN TO THE WRECK - - -Martin was in fine spirits when Larry finally crawled out of his -sleeping bag and set about getting breakfast next morning. The -injured leg was stiff and useless, to be sure, but the acute pain -had subsided and did not bother the old man except when he attempted -to move. “By to-morrow,” he assured the boy, “I’ll be ready to hit -the trail again.” - -Larry, with a perplexed look, turned from his work of frying moose -meat to see if Martin was in earnest. - -“I guess your tobacco has gone to your head, Martin, if you expect -to be able to use that leg much by to-morrow,” he said indulgently. - -“I _don’t_ expect to be able to use it much by to-morrow,” Martin -replied simply, “but we’ll be moving all the same.” - -Larry set the frying pan down beside the fire, and came in and stood -before the old man with his arms akimbo, scanning the old fellow’s -immobile face. For a moment or two they faced each other, neither of -them speaking and both looking very serious. Larry was puzzled but -determined. - -“Now see here, Martin,” he began, “you don’t really suppose that you -are going to be able to travel to-morrow, do you?” - -“I certainly do,” the old man replied without relaxing a muscle; -“and what’s more to the point, I’m going to!” - -“But Martin,” Larry protested, “how do you expect that your leg -which is so sore you can’t even move it to-day, will be so you can -walk on it to-morrow?” - -“I don’t,” Martin replied. - -“Then how do you suppose you are going to stumble on through these -woods mile after mile,” Larry persisted. - -“Who said anything about stumbling through these woods, or any other -woods?” the old hunter asked, with a twinkle in his eye. “You -shouldn’t jump to conclusions, Larry.” And he chuckled at the boy’s -discomfiture. - -Larry gave a defiant toss of his head and returned to his frying -pan. “Kim and Jack and I are going to eat our breakfast now,” he -announced with a grin. “Perhaps you can beg some breakfast too when -you are ready to tell me what you are driving at.” - -“All right,” Martin capitulated; “I’m too hungry to be stubborn. -Bring on the breakfast and we’ll talk while we eat. I’ve been -thinking this thing all out during the night, and here it is: - -“We’re going to travel to-morrow, but I intend to ride. I am going -to have you pack me on the sled with a few days’ stock of food, and -get Kim and Jack to haul me. You can come along as escort, if you -care to. In fact if you don’t care to I shan’t go, and we’ll spend -the winter here and starve, instead of going back to the yacht to -get fat.” - -At this announcement Larry gave a shout that brought the dogs to -their feet in surprise. The idea of returning to their comfortable -quarters on the coast instead of struggling on through the -wilderness seemed a vision of perfect happiness to the boy. - -Martin outlined his plan completely while they ate their breakfast. -They would take the two sleeping bags, the tent, and a supply of -food, harness the two dogs to one of the sleds and “hit the back -trail for ‘home,’” as he called the wreck. He would sit on the -toboggan in one of the sleeping bags and direct the dogs while Larry -would trudge behind helping to steady the sled and prevent it -overturning in the rough places. In this way they could make the -return trip in four days easily unless a storm came up. If a storm -came they would simply “hole up” and wait until it blew over. When -the wounded leg had healed, as it would very shortly in their -comfortable camp, they would make another start for civilization. - -It took Larry the greater part of the day to make the necessary -preparations for this trip. Under Martin’s direction he rigged one -of the toboggans with handles at the back, so arranged that he could -use them for steadying the sled or helping the dogs in the hard -places as he walked behind. He also made a back-piece of twisted -branches for Martin to lean against as he sat on the sled, -strengthening this rough framework with cord and strips of canvas. -When finished Martin declared that it looked like a movable brush -heap; but he admitted that it was strong and serviceable, and made a -comfortable support for his back. - -The second toboggan and the extra provisions were suspended from -limbs high above the ground where they would be out of the reach of -animal prowlers, and available for future use should they ever need -them. - -They broke camp the next day before dawn and headed the dogs out -into the open expanse of glistening crust. There was no need to -direct their course, nor stimulate them to top speed. A trained -sledge dog remembers directions better than a man, and is as keen -for the return trip toward home as his human companions. Indeed Jack -and Kim showed such enthusiasm and found that their load ran so -easily on the hard crust that Larry had difficulty in keeping up -with them at times except by clinging to the handles. Crossing the -plain, which consumed so much time on the outward trip, required -only three hours for the return; and even in the woods that lay -beyond their progress was almost twice as fast as before. - -Despite Larry’s efforts, however, the sled received severe bumps at -times, that made Martin groan with pain. But the old hunter would -not allow any stops or slackening of speed for so trivial a matter -as his personal discomfort. His dominant idea was to get back “home” -as quickly as possible, and his attitude spurred Larry on to exert -himself to the limit of endurance. By sundown they had covered a -quarter of the distance to the coast; and in the afternoon of the -fourth day they came tearing into the home camp, the dogs barking -frantically and Martin and Larry shouting their delight. - -Here they found everything practically as they had left it, so that -they had only to open the tent flaps, light a fire in front, and sit -down to rest and enjoy themselves. - -But it was no part of Martin’s plan to let Larry sit idle during the -long weeks that lay ahead of them, or to remain inactive himself one -hour longer than his injured leg compelled him to. He knew that -idleness and lack of diversions were bad things for the boy, who -would very soon feel the strain of their solitary surroundings if -not kept so fully occupied that the time would pass quickly. He -could offer few diversions, but he had planned plenty of active -work. - -His first move next day, therefore, was to have Larry haul him to a -point where he could inspect the wreck. He found it frozen in where -they had left it, and wedged into a huge mass of ice that would hold -it fast until the warm spring weather. So he transferred their -living quarters temporarily to the after cabin, which Larry made -snug with a little tinkering. Here, warmed by the galley stove, he -could give his wound more effective treatment than in the open tent. -Meanwhile he set Larry to work building a hut made from the wood of -the forward cabin. - -The task of tearing this cabin to pieces was even greater than that -of actually putting it together again, but Larry set about it with -saw, axe, and crow-bar. At first he worked alone; but after a few -days Martin was able to crawl up on deck and superintend things from -his seat in a sleeping bag, while the dogs acted as interested -spectators. The days were very short now in this far northern -latitude, and every hour of daylight was devoted to the wrecking -work, leaving the “housekeeping” work to be done by lamplight. In -this way the boy was kept so completely occupied, doing and -accomplishing, that there was little time left to dwell upon the -loneliness of their situation. So that, on the whole, the time -passed quickly and pleasantly. This was what Martin had hoped to -accomplish. - -By the time the house-building material was secured, the old hunter -could hobble about on extemporized crutches and give directions -about building the hut, and sometimes assist Larry in steadying the -boards that held the frame in place. And when their new home had -reached a stage that called for finishing touches he was able to -handle hammer and saw in performing some of the lighter work. - -The hut was a curious little creation, with round port holes for -windows and a ship’s cabin door, which gave it the appearance of -having been cast up from the sea. It was made of the tight fitting -boards, and rendered doubly wind proof by two thicknesses of canvas -stretched over every part of it and nailed securely. Inside it was -made attractive with all manner of ornaments taken from the yacht. -There were two comfortable bunks arranged cabin-fashion one above -the other at one end, a table and chairs, a case of books, and the -little stove from the galley that kept the room warm even in the -coldest weather. With its complete equipment, even to spring cots -and mattresses, Martin declared it the finest winter home ever owned -by shipwrecked hunters. - -By Christmas day it was completed even to the smallest detail, and -on that day they moved in and formally took possession, deserting -the yacht forever. This day was made one of special merriment and -rejoicing, for Martin was able to dispense with his cane or crutches -for the first time, and use his leg in a natural manner without -assistance. It was still weak, but strengthening so rapidly that it -promised soon to be completely restored to power. So, to celebrate -this combination of happy events, they brought all manner of -delicacies from the pile of stores, and devoted the first part of -the day to preparing for a grand feast. - -In the afternoon they harnessed the dogs tandem to the toboggan, -Martin took his place in the “movable brush heap,” and all went for -a “joy ride” of several miles through the woods in a great circle -that brought them back to the cabin about sundown. In several places -on this journey they crossed caribou tracks, the sight of which made -Martin’s eyes sparkle, and he predicted great hunting trips before -the winter was much older. - -In the evening they had their grand dinner which the dogs attended, -all hands doing full justice to every course. After the feast Martin -and Larry played cards until far past their usual bedtime. Taken all -in all Christmas day proved a very cheerful one in the great -wilderness. - -The old man had cherished the hope that his leg would heal and gain -strength so rapidly that they could make another attempt to reach -the settlements before the winter was over. For he knew that if they -did not do so they must wait until the unsettled weather of spring -was over, and the ground dry enough for reasonably easy traveling. -At that season they would encounter the terrible wood flies and -insects, far more to be dreaded in certain regions than cold and -snow. But it would be madness to attempt to make the winter journey -until his strength had returned fully, and he soon realized that -this would not be until well on toward spring. Very soon he was able -to take fairly long snow-shoe tramps, assisted by the dogs and the -toboggan, but hauling a heavy sled was quite out of the question. So -he finally resigned himself to spending the winter at the cabin. - -Larry had shown such aptitude in learning the many secrets of -woodcraft that he determined to make a “land pilot,” as he called it -facetiously, of him during their exile. As the boy had become -proficient in the use of the rifle, Martin devoted part of the time -to instructions in the art of trapping. They were in the land of the -silver fox,--the most highly prized skin of all the fur-bearers--and -so they concentrated their efforts to catch some of these wary -animals. Meanwhile they made constantly lengthening hunting -excursions after caribou, Larry occupying the position of chief -hunter with the old man playing assistant. But on these hunting -trips the little gun that Larry had carried at first was left -hanging on its peg in the hut. In its place Larry now carried a -repeater similar to Martin’s--a heavy weapon, that gave the boy many -an arm ache. - -Game was not very plentiful, however, and it required constant -efforts to keep their larder supplied with fresh meat. But this -scarcity of game gave the old hunter more opportunities for teaching -the boy all manner of woodland tricks to secure it. Meanwhile he -imparted to his pupil the most important and difficult feature of -woodcraft--the art of “being at home” in the woods--to know directions -instinctively, to observe and interpret every sign, and to take care -of himself under all conditions. - -Several times, when the injured leg was stronger and his pupil more -advanced, Martin made practical tests of the boy’s progress. He -would select a day when snow was falling, harness the dogs to the -toboggan loaded with tent, sleeping-bags, and provisions, and make a -zigzag journey into the heart of the woods. Here they would pitch -camp and wait until the storm ceased. By that time their trail would -be completely obliterated. Then, without any guiding suggestions, he -had Larry take the lead and pilot them back to the cabin. - -At first the boy would become confused, and be obliged to call upon -the old hunter to straighten him out; and sometimes Martin allowed -him to become completely at fault before he would aid him. But -little by little Larry learned to observe and remember -instinctively, until presently Martin found it impossible to confuse -him even on long trips. - -He learned how to interpret the signs of game, also, how to approach -it successfully, and where to expect to find the wood denizens under -the ever varying conditions. And when they were successful with gun -or traps, Martin taught him how to skin and dress the game, and to -care for the pelts. - -“We’ll have to leave all these good furs behind us, I know,” the old -man would say; “but we won’t waste them; and perhaps some other -fellow will come along some day and find them. There’s just one pelt -that we won’t leave, if we get it. That’s the silver fox.” - -But this silver fox is a wily fellow. He seems to realize the value -of his coat; or at least he knows that it is very valuable to -himself, and uses his cunning to retain it. Week after week Martin -used his knowledge and Larry’s increasing skill to trap one of these -fine fellows, only to be disappointed on each occasion. They would -find where Reynard had hovered about their trap, sometimes actually -stepping over it to steal the bait, knowing in some occult manner -just where the fatal jaws were concealed. It was in vain that Martin -coated the trap with wax to disguise the scent, covering his hands -and feet with the skins of the wild animals in setting or -approaching the trap. Reynard refused to be deceived. - -But perhaps success made him careless, although it was probably the -fault of the thin covering of wet snow that fell one day late in the -spring. For at last, after Larry had almost given up hope of getting -even a single silver fox skin, the inevitable happened. Poor Reynard -walked deliberately into a trap that had been set rather carelessly -to catch a marten. - -When Larry discovered this long sought prize held securely by one -foot in the jaws of the trap, he gave a shout of delight at his -unexpected success. The little animal had evidently been caught -several hours before, and from the appearance of the ground about -the trap had struggled fiercely to free itself. But now it seemed -resigned to its fate, and stood crouching, watching Larry’s approach -without making any further effort to escape. Even when the boy -raised a heavy stick to despatch the captive, the little animal made -no attempt to evade the blow, acting more like a dog resigned to -take punishment from its master than a denizen of the wilderness -accustomed to battle for its existence. But its wide, intelligent -eyes, seemed to beg mutely for mercy. - -The actions of the little animal completely unnerved the boy: he -could not strike the crouching figure. If the fox had struggled -fiercely, or attempted to fight for its life as a mink or marten -always did, Larry could have despatched it at once; but that -submissive attitude completely disarmed him. He could not resist the -mute appeal in those eyes. - -He lowered the club and turned away, ashamed of his weakness. But -when he turned again, determined to overcome his scruples, the eyes -met his with their mute plea, and again he lowered the club. - -What would Martin think of such girlishness? he asked himself. Would -Martin, or any good hunter, hesitate to snatch the prize that he had -been struggling for all winter? He was sure they would not, and he -despised himself for his weak-heartedness. - -The longer he hesitated the surer he felt that he could not strike. -Then the thought obtruded itself: Who would ever know if he did not -strike? Who would there be to judge him but his own conscience if he -were to set the little animal free instead of killing it? The moment -these thoughts passed through his mind he knew that the fox had won -its freedom. He should have struck at once: now it was too late. - -But freeing the captive foot from the jaws of the trap without -encountering the animal’s sharp, white teeth was no easy task; for -he could not expect the fox to interpret his humane action -correctly, and stand mutely while he forced down the trap spring. So -it was not until after several fruitless attempts that he succeeded -in placing a heavy limb across the spring, and by bending it down, -allowed the jaws to fall open and release the foot. - -During this manipulation the fox made no attempt to struggle, simply -crouching down and watching the boy with its haunting eyes. And even -when the jaws of the trap relaxed it did not bound away as Larry had -expected, but slipped out of sight stealthily and with no apparent -haste, not yet fully assured of its unexpected good fortune. - -The boy watched the animal disappear with mingled emotions of shame -and satisfaction. But when it was out of sight he drew a long -breath, and went back to camp in a sober mood. - -That night at supper Martin was unusually talkative. In about a -week, he said, they should start for home if the fine weather -continued, and the thought of it put him in a happy frame of mind. -But Larry ate his supper in silence, trying to excuse himself for -his deception, and his “chicken-heartedness” in freeing the fox. - -Martin, who was watching him out of the corners of his eyes, -suddenly surprised him by stopping in the middle of a story to ask: - -“Larry, what happened out in the woods to-day that you are so -ashamed of?” - -The boy replied evasively at first, but the old hunter shook his -head incredulously. - -“See here, Martin,” Larry said at last, “what would you do if you -happened to come along to a marten trap and found a silver fox -there--not a dead fox, you know, and not one that snarled and snapped -and tried to bite you. But a fox that had fought to get loose until -he couldn’t fight any more, but just stood there and looked you -straight in the eye even when you raised a club to kill him, and -seemed to say to you: - -“‘That’s right, take your club and kill me, I can’t get out of your -way now. I’m only a poor little fox, anyway, while you are a big, -brave boy, with guns and dogs and traps, and you needn’t even come -near enough so that I can bite you. You have been trying to kill me -all winter, just because some woman will give you a thousand dollars -for the fur I wear to keep warm in, and now you’ve got your chance -to do it.’--What would you do, Martin, if a fox looked at you and -talked to you with his eyes like that?” - -“What would I do, Larry?” the old man repeated, looking at the roof -and puffing slowly at his pipe. “Why, I’d say, ‘Martin, here’s your -chance to make a thousand dollars mighty easy. I’ll just hit him a -rap on the head, and take him home and skin him.’ That’s what I’d -_say_, Larry. But what I’d do when I saw the little fellow’s big -brown eyes asking me to let him go home to his family--what I’d _do_, -probably, would be to look all around to make sure that no one was -looking to see what a coward I am in my heart, and then I’d spring -the trap and turn the little rascal loose.” - -With a bound Larry was out of his chair. - -“That’s just what I did this afternoon, Martin,” he shouted, dancing -joyfully about the room to relieve his pent-up feelings. - -“And so you sat here all the evening calling yourself a coward,” -said Martin, when Larry had subsided, “just because you couldn’t -bear to kill a fox in a trap. How about killing wolves, Larry, and -moose that are trying to kill you? Cowards don’t act that way, boy. -And the bravest men usually have the softest spots in their hearts.” - - - - - CHAPTER XII - - THE EARLY MORNING VISITOR - - -Martin and Larry were roused the next morning at daylight by the -dogs who were barking excitedly in their shed outside. Evidently -some animal was approaching the hut too close for their approval. So -Larry, hoping for a pot shot from the window, slipped out of bed, -took down his rifle stealthily, and cautiously opened the port on -the landward side. Just then he heard voices outside, and the next -moment some one pounded sharply against the door and turned the -latch. In the doorway stood Mr. Ware, with half a dozen sailors -crowding behind him. - -With a shout Martin was out of his bunk, while Larry, dropping his -gun, collided with the old hunter as they rushed together into Mr. -Ware’s outstretched arms, and for five minutes the three were locked -together in a tangled embrace dancing about like happy children, -each asking questions which no one answered. Then Larry discovered -that one of the sailors was an old acquaintance from the crew of the -yacht, and the sailor came in for a similar wild demonstration, -while Mr. Ware stood laughing and gasping for breath. And all this -time the dogs, recognizing that something quite out of the ordinary -was taking place inside, were adding their voices to the din, and -struggling madly to get out of their shed. - -Finally Martin disengaged himself and sank into a chair overcome -with exhaustion and emotion. For the coming of Mr. Ware was like one -risen from the dead. And then followed a flood of questions and -explanations. - -Mr. Ware and his companions in the boat had escaped quite as -miraculously as had Martin and Larry, although they had suffered far -greater hardships in the storm. They had left the shore in their -boat and were making an exploratory trip along the mouth of the -inlets of the bay just before the storm broke that destroyed the -yacht. The fury of the gale drove them helplessly along the coast, -and pitched them about, breaking their oars and tearing loose their -rudder, so that they were completely disabled. Fortunately they had -rounded the point of land that marked the entrance to the bay, so -that instead of being blown against the rocks they were driven along -parallel to the coast-line for a time, and thus saved from the -breakers. - -But they were hurried from this peril into another quite as great, -as the boat was in danger of swamping at any moment in the waves. -For now the wind shifted and blew them steadily out to sea, as they -were without means of controlling or steadying the boat, which -filled with water continually, and was only kept afloat by ceaseless -bailing with the pots and pans of their cooking outfit. - -All that night they worked, buffeted by the gale, with no idea where -they might be drifting. But when morning came and the gale subsided -there was no land in sight. That made little difference to them, as -without oars or sails they could not have reached it in any event. -Fortunately the boat was supplied with a box of sea biscuit and a -keg of water--a precaution against emergencies always taken by Mr. -Ware in manning his boats. So that while they were almost frozen, -they were not hungry or thirsty during the six days and nights of -their aimless drifting. But their days seemed numbered, as they had -little hope of being picked up so late in the season. - -Imagine their delight, therefore, when on the seventh morning they -discovered a three master heading almost directly for them. The -captain of the vessel had seen them, and changed his course to pick -them up. - -As soon as he was safely on board Mr. Ware made tempting offers to -the captain to turn about and attempt to find the yacht. But his -efforts were unsuccessful. The schooner was far out of her course -and must make the best time possible to her English port, and no -offer could tempt the captain to turn back. Moreover, as he pointed -out, it would do little good to return if the yacht was lost; -whereas if she were safe, she would make her way back to New York -and would be waiting for Mr. Ware on his return. - -So he was forced to curb his impatience for three long weeks while -the schooner floundered her way across the ocean, and two weeks more -before he reached his home. By that time winter had set in and it -would be madness to attempt to approach the frozen Labrador coast at -that time, even if he had hoped to find any of his party alive. - -But he laid his plans for an early start in the spring, and the -moment he could do so with reasonable safety he secured a staunch -little steamer and started on his search. They had arrived near the -entrance of the little bay the night before, but it grew dark before -they rounded the point where they could make observations. Shortly -after this the man in the lookout reported what he believed to be a -light up among the rocks on shore. It was so faint that it could -barely be made out through the glasses; and presently it -disappeared. - -This discovery kept Mr. Ware awake all night; and as soon as it was -near daylight, he had come off in a life-boat to investigate, -leaving the steamer to follow cautiously by daylight. Imagine his -delight, then, at finding the snug little hut, with Martin and Larry -safe inside. - -When Mr. Ware had finished his recital Martin told him in detail the -experiences that he and Larry had had during the winter; of their -start for home, the blizzard, his encounter with the moose, and -their final return to the coast and the comfortable time spent in -the little hut. - -“And you got here just in the nick of time, Mr. Ware,” he commented. -“In another week we should have been footing it cross-country for -home; and no knowing where we should have landed.” - -While they had been talking the little steamer had come into the bay -and dropped anchor half a mile off shore ready to receive her -passengers. The captain, anxious to be away from the dangerous -locality as quickly as possible, kept signalling repeatedly with -short blasts of the whistle, and at last Mr. Ware decided that it -was time for all hands to be off. But the snug little hut, tucked -away up under the rock among the spruces, appealed strongly to his -fancy; and Martin and Larry actually seemed reluctant to leave it -now that their long-looked-for chance to do so had come. They had -spent many happy hours in their tight little room, and it seemed -like treachery to an old friend to turn their backs upon it forever. -The old hunter said nothing of his thoughts on this score, however, -and set about gathering together the articles he was to take away. -But Larry, with a lump rising in his throat, found it difficult to -repress his feelings. - -“I wish it could go with us,” he said, stopping in his work to take -a wistful look at the many familiar objects they were leaving. “It -will be pretty lonesome for the little house standing up here all -alone year after year and never seeing any of us again.” And the boy -leaned over his work again to hide his emotions. - -“We’re not going to desert it for good, Larry,” said Mr. Ware, -patting the boy on the head kindly. “This is the best little -shooting lodge I know of. So every year we will come up here for a -hunt, and Martin will take us to the best hunting places, and keep -us out of mischief generally, as he always does. What do you say, -Martin?” - -But the old hunter shook his head. - -“I’ll be mighty glad to come every year, Mr. Ware,” he said -laughing; “but I leave the hunting and guiding to a younger fellow -who can do it just as well, or better. That’s the ‘younger fellow’ I -mean, right here,” and he pointed to Larry. “He knows the country as -well as I do, and he can follow a trail, shoot a rifle, and run a -camp with the best of them. And if you ever get into a tight place -out there in the woods, he’ll steer you out of it safely every time. -For he’s learned his trade up here this winter. He’s a regular -forest pilot now--a real woodsman, sure enough.” - - THE END. - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FOREST PILOT *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law 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. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, -and may not be used if you charge for an eBook, except by following -the terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use -of the Project Gutenberg trademark. 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Thus, we do not -necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper -edition. - -Most people start at our website which has the main PG search -facility: www.gutenberg.org - -This website includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/old/68506-0.zip b/old/68506-0.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index ef8087d..0000000 --- a/old/68506-0.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/68506-h.zip b/old/68506-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index f482e0d..0000000 --- a/old/68506-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/68506-h/68506-h.htm b/old/68506-h/68506-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index d4c4c81..0000000 --- a/old/68506-h/68506-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4401 +0,0 @@ -<!DOCTYPE html> -<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> -<head> - <meta charset="UTF-8" /> - <title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Forest Pilot, by Edward Huntington</title> - <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover" /> - <style> - body { margin-left:8%; margin-right:8%; } - p { text-indent:1.15em; margin-top:0.1em; margin-bottom:0.1em; text-align:justify; } - h2 { text-align:center; font-weight:normal; page-break-before: always; - font-size:1.0em; margin-top:3em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; } - h2.nobreak { page-break-before: avoid; } - .ce { text-align:center; text-indent:0; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; } - table.toc {} - table { page-break-inside: avoid; width:100%; } - table.tcenter { border-collapse:collapse; padding:3px; - margin-top:0.5em; margin-bottom:0.5em; - margin-left:2em; } - td { vertical-align:top; } - td.c1 { text-align:right; padding-right:0.7em; } - td.c2 { font-variant:small-caps; } - .wifpc { margin-left:15%; width:70% } - .x-ebookmaker .wifpc { margin-left:5%; width:90% } - .caption { text-indent:0; padding:0.5em 0; text-align:center; } - .mt01 { margin-top:1em; } - .mb01 { margin-bottom:1em; } - h1 { text-align:center; font-weight:normal; font-size:1.4em; margin-top:3em; margin-bottom:1em; } - div.section { margin-top:4em; margin-bottom:4em; } - div.chapter { margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:1em; } - </style> -</head> -<body> -<p style='text-align:center; font-size:1.2em; font-weight:bold'>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Forest Pilot, by Edward Huntington</p> -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world 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 <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> - -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: The Forest Pilot</p> -<p style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:0; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:1em;'>A Story for Boy Scouts</p> -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Edward Huntington</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: July 11, 2022 [eBook #68506]</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</p> - <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; text-align:left'>Produced by: Roger Frank and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)</p> -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FOREST PILOT ***</div> -<div class='section'> -<div class='ce'> -<h1>THE FOREST PILOT</h1> -</div> -</div> -<div class='section'> -<div id='ifpc' class='mt01 mb01 wifpc'> - <img src='images/illus-fpc.jpg' alt='' style='width:100%' /> - <p class='caption'>“Shoot! Shoot! For God’s sake shoot, Larry!”</p> -</div> -</div> -<div class='section'> -<div class='ce'> -<div style='font-size:1.4em;'>THE FOREST PILOT </div> -<div style='font-size:1.2em;margin-bottom:1em;'>A STORY FOR BOY SCOUTS </div> -<div style='font-size:1.2em;margin-bottom:2em;'>BY EDWARD HUNTINGTON </div> -<div style='font-size:0.9em;'>NEW YORK </div> -<div>HEARST’S INTERNATIONAL LIBRARY CO.</div> -<div style='font-size:0.9em;'>1915 </div> -</div> -</div> -<div class='section'> -<div class='ce'> -<div>Copyright, 1915,</div> -<div>By HEARST’S INTERNATIONAL LIBRARY CO., Inc.</div> -<div style='font-size:0.8em;margin-top:0.5em;'>All rights reserved, including the translation into foreign </div> -<div style='font-size:0.8em;'>languages, including the Scandinavian. </div> -</div> -</div> -<div class='section'> -<div style='text-align:center'>CONTENTS</div> -<table class='toc tcenter' style='margin-bottom:3em'> -<tbody> - <tr><td class='c1'>I</td><td class='c2'><a href='#chI'>The Storm</a></td></tr> - <tr><td class='c1'>II</td><td class='c2'><a href='#chII'>The Home on the Rocks</a></td></tr> - <tr><td class='c1'>III</td><td class='c2'><a href='#chIII'>The First Supper</a></td></tr> - <tr><td class='c1'>IV</td><td class='c2'><a href='#chIV'>Lessons in Piloting</a></td></tr> - <tr><td class='c1'>V</td><td class='c2'><a href='#chV'>The Story of Weewah the Hunter</a></td></tr> - <tr><td class='c1'>VI</td><td class='c2'><a href='#chVI'>Final Preparations</a></td></tr> - <tr><td class='c1'>VII</td><td class='c2'><a href='#chVII'>The Journey Through the Forest</a></td></tr> - <tr><td class='c1'>VIII</td><td class='c2'><a href='#chVIII'>The Blizzard</a></td></tr> - <tr><td class='c1'>IX</td><td class='c2'><a href='#chIX'>The Timber Wolves</a></td></tr> - <tr><td class='c1'>X</td><td class='c2'><a href='#chX'>The Wounded Moose</a></td></tr> - <tr><td class='c1'>XI</td><td class='c2'><a href='#chXI'>The Return to the Wreck</a></td></tr> - <tr><td class='c1'>XII</td><td class='c2'><a href='#chXII'>The Early Morning Visitor</a></td></tr> -</tbody> -</table> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - -<h2 class='nobreak' id='chI' title='THE STORM'> - <span style='font-size:1.0em'>CHAPTER I</span><br /><span style='font-size:1.2em'>THE STORM</span> -</h2> - -<p>The November sun that had been red and threatening all day, slowly -disappeared behind a cloud bank. The wind that had held steadily to -the south for a week, now shifted suddenly to the northeast, coming -as a furious blast. In a moment, it seemed, the mild Indian Summer -breeze was changed to a fierce winter gale.</p> - -<p>The little schooner yacht that had been riding in the bay not more -than a half mile from the jagged, rocky shore line, began dancing -about like a cork. For a swell had come driving in from the ocean -just as the wind changed, and now the two tall masts waved back and -forth, bending in wide sweeps before the gale. Unfortunately for the -little craft the change of the direction of the wind exposed it to -the storm’s full fury.</p> - -<p>The captain, a weatherbeaten old Yankee who had sailed vessels of -his own as well as those belonging to other people for forty years, -was plainly worried. With a glass in his hand he scanned the shore -line of the bay in every direction, occasionally giving a sharp -order to the four sailors who hurried about the deck to carry out -his commands.</p> - -<p>The only other persons on the yacht were a man and a boy who had -been sitting together beside the forward mast when the wind changed. -The man was a tall, straight figure, with the erect carriage that -sinewy, muscular men who are accustomed to hard work retain well -into old age. His face, with its leathery skin, which contrasted -sharply with his iron gray beard, was softened by a pair of deep -blue eyes—the kind of blue eyes that can snap with determination on -occasion, in contrast to their usually kindly expression.</p> - -<p>Obviously this man was past his prime, or, better perhaps, was past -that period of life reckoned in years that civilized man has become -accustomed to speaking of as “prime.” Yet he was old only in years -and experience. For his step was quick and elastic, and every -movement showed the alertness of youth. Were it not for the gray -hairs peeping out from under his hat and his grizzled beard, he -might have passed for a man of forty. Martin MacLean was his name, -and almost any one in the New Brunswick forest region could tell you -all about him. For Martin was a famous hunter and guide, even in a -land where almost every male inhabitant depends upon those two -things for his livelihood.</p> - -<p>Needless to say, then, this man was something quite out of the -ordinary among woodsmen. When the woods people gossiped among -themselves about their hunting and trapping experiences, old Martin -was often the theme of many a story. And the story was always one of -courage or skill.</p> - -<p>But you must remember that in this land, deeds of courage and skill -were every-day occurrences. So that the man who could earn the -admiration of his fellow woodsmen must possess unusual qualities. -Martin had repeatedly demonstrated these qualities. Not by any -single act at any one time, but by the accumulated acts of many -years had he earned his title of leader in his craft.</p> - -<p>The older woodsmen would tell you of the terrible winter when Martin -had made a journey of fifty miles through the forests to get -medicines from the only doctor within a hundred miles for a boy -injured by a falling tree. They would tell you of the time that a -hunting party from the States were lost in the woods in a great -November blizzard, and how Martin, frost-bitten and famished, had -finally found them and brought them back to the settlement. They -could tell of his fight with a wounded moose that had gored another -hunter, and would have killed him but for the quick work of Martin’s -hunting knife. Indeed, once the old hunter became the theme of their -talk, there was no end to the tales the woodsmen would tell of his -adventures.</p> - -<p>The boy who was with him on the yacht was obviously from an entirely -different walk of life. Any woodsman could have told you that he had -been reared far from the country of lakes and forests. He was, -indeed, a city boy, who except for one winter spent in the -Adirondacks, had scarcely been beyond the suburbs of his native -city. In the north country he would have passed for a boy of twelve -years; but in reality he was just rounding his fifteenth birthday.</p> - -<p>He was a medium sized boy for his age, with bright red hair, and a -rosy complexion. He had the appearance of a boy just outgrowing a -“delicate constitution” as one of the neighbor women had put it, -although he had every appearance of robustness. Nevertheless it was -on account of his health that he was now on the little schooner -yacht rolling in the gale of a bleak Labrador inlet. His neighbor in -the city, Mr. Ware, the owner of the yacht, thinking that a few -weeks in the woods and on the water would be helpful to him, had -made him a member of his hunting party into the northern wilderness.</p> - -<p>The old guide was obviously apprehensive at the fury of the gale -that had struck them, while the boy, Larry, seemed to regard it as a -lark designed for their special amusement. Noticing the serious -expression of Martin’s face, and mistaking its meaning, he could not -help jibing the old fellow, boy fashion, at his solicitude.</p> - -<p>“You look as if you thought we were going to the bottom sure enough, -Martin,” Larry laughed. “Why, there isn’t any more danger on this -boat than there is on an ocean liner. You’re no seaman, I can see -that.” And he threw back his bushy head and laughed heartily at his -companion’s serious face.</p> - -<p>“Besides,” he added, “there’s the land only half a mile away even if -we did spring a leak or something. It’s only a step over there, so -we surely could get ashore.”</p> - -<p>“That’s just the trouble,” said a deep voice beside him. “That’s -just the trouble. And if you knew the first thing about a ship or -the ocean you would know it.” And the captain strode aft, giving -orders to his seamen as he went.</p> - -<p>“What does he mean?” Larry asked of Martin, clinging to a brass -stanchion to keep from being thrown into the scuppers as the little -boat rolled heavily until the rail dipped the water.</p> - -<p>“Why, just this,” Martin told him. “The real danger to us now is -that we are so near the shore. Out in the open sea we could roll and -tumble about and drift as far as we liked until the storm blew over. -But here if we drift very far we will go smash against those -rocks—and that would be the end of every one of us.”</p> - -<p>“Well, if we went ashore why couldn’t we just jump and swim right to -land a few feet away?” Larry asked, looking serious himself now, his -blue eyes opening wide.</p> - -<p>Martin’s little laugh was lost in the roar of the wind.</p> - -<p>“That shows how much of a landlubber you are, Larry,” he said. “If -you had been brought up near the ocean you would know that if this -boat struck on this shore where all the coast is a lot of jagged -rocks, it would be smashed into kindling wood. And no man can swim -in the waves at the shore. They pick a man up like a cork; but they -smash him down on those rocks like the hammer of the old Norse Sea -god. That is why the sailor prays for the open sea.”</p> - -<p>All this time Martin had been clinging to the rail with one hand, -and trying to scan the shore line with his hunting glasses. But the -blinding spray and the ceaseless rolling and pitching made it -impossible for him to use them.</p> - -<p>“But I’m not worrying about what may happen to this boat,” he -shouted presently, putting the glasses in his pocket. “Either we -will come out all right or else we won’t. And in any case we will -have to grin and take what comes. What I’m worried about is Mr. Ware -and the fellows in the boat with him. If they have started out from -shore to come aboard before this gale hit us they are lost, sure. -And I am certain they had started, for I caught a glimpse of the -boat coming out of a cove fifteen minutes before the storm broke.”</p> - -<p>For a minute Larry stared at the old man, comprehending the -seriousness of the situation at last. “You mean then—” he asked, -clutching the brass rail as the boat lurched forward,—“You mean that -you think they will be drowned—really drowned, Martin?”</p> - -<p>“That’s it, Larry,” Martin replied, seriously. “They haven’t one -chance in a thousand, as I see it. Even if they could reach us we -couldn’t get them aboard; and if they are blown ashore it will end -everything. They haven’t a chance.”</p> - -<p>As if to emphasize the seriousness of the situation the yacht just -then dug her nose deep into the trough of a great wave, then rose, -lifting her bowsprit high in the air like a rearing horse tugging at -a restraining leash. It was a strain that tested every link of the -anchor chain to its utmost. But for the moment it held.</p> - -<p>“A few more like that, Larry,” Martin shouted above the gale, “and -that chain will snap. The anchor is caught fast in the rocks at the -bottom.”</p> - -<p>Meanwhile the sailors and the captain were working desperately to -cut loose the other anchor and get it over the side as their only -chance of keeping the boat off the rocks. The gale, the rolling of -the vessel, and the waves buffeted them about, however, so that -before they could release the heavy mass of iron, the yacht again -plunged her nose into the waves, then rose on her stern, trembling -and jerking at the single anchor chain. For a moment it held. Then -there was a sharp report, as a short length of chain flew back, -knocking two of the sailors overboard, and gouging a great chunk of -wood from the fore mast. At the same time the boat settled back, -careening far to port with the rail clear under.</p> - -<p>The violence of the shock had thrown Larry off his feet, but for a -moment he clung to the railing with one hand. Then as the boat -righted herself, quivering and creaking, the flood of water coming -over the bow tore loose his hands, and hurled him blinded and -stupified along the deck. The next thing he knew he found himself -lying in a heap at the foot of the narrow companionway stairs down -which he had been thrown by the waves.</p> - -<p>He was dazed and bruised by the fall, yet above the roar of the -storm, he heard faintly the howling of the huskie dogs, confined in -a pen on the forward deck. Then there was the awful roar of the -waves again, the crash of breaking timbers, and again a deluge of -water poured down the companionway. At the same time Larry was -struck with some soft, heavy object, that came hurtling down with -the torrent of water. Gasping for breath and half choked with the -water, he managed to cling to the steps until the water had rushed -out through the scuppers as the boat heeled over the other way. Then -crawling on hands and knees he succeeded in reaching the cabin door, -the latch of which was not over six feet away.</p> - -<p>With a desperate plunge he threw it open and fell sprawling into the -room. At the same time two great malamoot dogs, who had been washed -down the companionway with the preceding wave, sprang in after him, -whining and cowering against him. Even in his fright he could not -help contrasting the present actions of these dogs with their usual -behavior. Ordinarily they were quiet, reserved fellows, given to -minding their own business and imparting the general impression that -it would be well for others to do the same. Now all their sturdy -independence was gone, and cowering and trembling they pressed close -to the boy for protection, apparently realizing that they were -battling with an enemy against whom they had no defence.</p> - -<p>But the storm gave Larry little time to think of anything but his -own safety. Even as he struggled to rise and push the cabin door -shut, the boat heeled over and performed that office for him with a -crash. The next moment a torrent of water rushed down the -companionway, but only a few drops were forced through the cracks of -the door casing, fitted for just such an occasion, so that the cabin -remained practically dry. Over and over again at short intervals -this crash of descending waters shook the cabin and strained at the -door casing. And all the time the movements of the boat kept Larry -lying close to the floor, clinging to the edge of the lower bunk to -keep from being thrown violently across the cabin.</p> - -<p>The dogs, unable to find a foothold when the cabin floor rose -beneath them, were often thrown violently about the room, their -claws scratching futilely along the hard boards as they strove to -stop the impetus of the fall. But the moment the boat righted -itself, they crawled whimpering back and crouched close to the -frightened boy.</p> - -<p>Little enough, indeed, was the protection or comfort Larry could -give the shivering brutes. He himself was sobbing with terror, and -at each plunge and crash of the boat he expected to find himself -engulfed by the black waters. Now and again, above the sound of the -storm, he heard the crash of splintering timbers, with furious blows -upon the decks and against the sides of the hull. He guessed from -this that the masts had been broken off and were pounding for a -moment against the hull, held temporarily by the steel shrouds until -finally torn away by the waves.</p> - -<p>Vaguely he wondered what had become of Martin, and the Captain, and -the two remaining members of the crew. Perhaps they had been washed -down the after companionway as he had gone down the forward one. But -far more likely they were now in their long resting place at the -bottom of the bay. There seemed little probability that they had -been as lucky as he, and he expected to follow them at any moment. -Yet he shut his teeth and clung fast to the side of the bunk.</p> - -<p>It was terribly exhausting work, this clinging with one’s hands, and -at each successive plunge he felt his grip weakening. In a very few -minutes, he knew he should find himself hurled about the cabin like -a loose piece of furniture, and then it would only be a matter of -minutes until he was flung against some object and crushed. He would -not be able to endure the kind of pounding that the dogs were -getting. The protection of their thick fur, and the ability to relax -and fall limply, saved them from serious injury.</p> - -<p>Little by little he felt his fingers slipping from the edge of the -bunk. He shut his teeth hard, and tried to get a firmer grip. At -that moment the boat seemed to be lifted high into the air, and -poised there for a breathless second. Then with a shock that bumped -Larry’s head against the floor, it descended and and stopped as if -wedged on the rocks at the bottom, with a sound like a violent -explosion right underneath the cabin.</p> - -<p>Larry, stupified by the crash, realized vaguely that the boat had -struck something and was held fast. In his confusion he thought she -had gone to the bottom, but he was satisfied that he was no longer -being pounded about the cabin. And presently as his mind cleared a -little, and he could hear the roar of the waves with an occasional -trickle of water down the companionway, he reached the conclusion -that they were not at the bottom of the sea. Nor did he care very -much one way or the other at that time. It was pitch dark in the -cabin, and as he was utterly worn out, he closed his eyes and lay -still, a big trembling dog nestling against him on either side. And -presently he and his two companions were sleeping the dreamless -sleep of the exhausted.</p> - -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - -<h2 class='nobreak' id='chII' title='THE HOME ON THE ROCKS'> - <span style='font-size:1.0em'>CHAPTER II</span><br /><span style='font-size:1.2em'>THE HOME ON THE ROCKS</span> -</h2> - -<p>It seemed only a moment later that Larry was roused by a thumping on -the planks over his head. Half awake, and shivering with cold, he -rubbed his eyes and tried to think where he was. Everything about -the cabin could be seen now, a ray of light streaming in through the -round port. For a little time he could not recall how he happened to -be lying on the cold floor and not in his bunk; but the presence of -the two dogs, still lying beside him, helped to freshen his memory.</p> - -<p>The thumping on the deck seemed to have a familiar sound; there was -somebody walking about up there. Some one else must have been as -lucky as he in escaping the storm. And presently he heard some one -come clumping down the companionway stairs. The dogs, who had been -listening intently with cocked ears to the approaching footsteps, -sprang across the cabin wagging their tails and whining, and a -moment later old Martin stood in the doorway. He greeted the dogs -with a shout of surprise and welcome, followed by another even -louder shout when his eyes found Larry. For once the reserved old -hunter relaxed and showed the depths of his nature. He literally -picked the astonished boy up in his arms and danced about the little -room with delight.</p> - -<p>“Oh, but I am sure glad to see you, boy,” he said, when he finally -let Larry down on his feet. “I didn’t suppose for a minute that I -should ever see you or any one else here again—not even the dogs. I -thought that you and everybody else went over the side when the -first big wave struck us.”</p> - -<p>“Why, where are all the rest of them, and why is the boat so still?” -Larry asked, eagerly.</p> - -<p>The old man’s face grew grave at once at the questions.</p> - -<p>“Come out on deck and you can see for yourself,” he said quietly, -and led the way up the companionway.</p> - -<p>With his head still ringing, and with aching limbs and sore spots -all over his body from the effects of bumping about the night -before, Larry crawled up the companionway. He could hear the waves -roaring all about them, and yet the boat was as stationary as a -house. What could it mean?</p> - -<p>When he reached the deck the explanation was quickly apparent. The -boat was wedged hard and fast in a crevice of rock, her deck several -feet above the water, and just below the level of the rocky cliff of -the shore. She had been picked up bodily by the tremendous comber -and flung against the cliff, and luckily for them, had been jammed -into a crevice that prevented her slipping back into the ocean and -sinking. For her bottom and her port side were stove in, and she was -completely wrecked.</p> - -<p>For a few minutes the boy stood gazing in mute astonishment. Old -Martin also stood silently looking about him. Then he offered an -explanation.</p> - -<p>“’Tisn’t anything short of a miracle, I should say,” he explained to -Larry. “I have heard of some such things happening, but I never -believed that they did really. You see the waves just washed -everything overboard—captain, crew, masts, everything—except you and -me, and the two dogs. It washed me just as it did you, but I went -down the after hatchway by luck, and I hung on down there in the -companionway until the thing struck. But all the time that the waves -were washing over us we were being driven along toward this ledge of -rock full tilt. And when we were flung against this rock we should -by good rights, have been battered to kindling wood at one blow, and -then have slipped back into the water and sunk.</p> - -<p>“But right here is the curious part of it all. Just as she got to -the foot of this cliff, an unusually big comber must have caught -her, raised her up in its arms fifteen or twenty feet higher than -the usual wave would have done, and just chucked her up on the side -of this bluff out o’ harm’s way—at least for the time being. The -sharp edge of the ledge happened to be such a shape that it held her -in place like the barb of a fish-hook. And all that the smaller -waves could do was to pound away at the lower side of her, without -hurting her enough to make her fall to pieces.</p> - -<p>“But of course they’ll get her after a while—almost any hour for -that matter; for this storm is a long way from being blown out yet, -I’m afraid. And so it’s up to us to just get as much food and other -things unloaded and up away from this shore line as fast as we can. -Most of the stores are forward, and that is where she is stove in -the least.</p> - -<p>“I suppose we’ve got to take off five minutes and cram a little cold -food into ourselves, so that we can work faster and longer. For we -surely have got to work for our lives to-day. If this boat should -suddenly take it into her head to slide off into the ocean again, as -she may do at any minute, we’re goners, even if we are left on -shore, unless we get a winter’s supply unloaded and stored on the -rocks. For we are a long way from civilization, I can tell you.”</p> - -<p>With that Martin rushed Larry to the galley, dug out some bread, -cold meat, and a can of condensed milk. And, grudging every minute’s -delay, they stood among the wreckage of the once beautiful cabin, -cramming down their cold breakfast as hastily as possible. In the -excitement Larry forgot his bruises and sore spots.</p> - -<p>As soon as they had finished Martin hurried the boy to the forward -store-room door, bursting it open with a heavy piece of iron.</p> - -<p>“Now pick up anything that you can handle,” he instructed, “run with -it up on deck, and throw it on to the bank. I’ll take the heavier -things. But work as hard and as fast as you can, for our lives -depend upon it.”</p> - -<p>For the next two hours they worked with furious energy rushing back -and forth from the store-rooms, staggering up the tilted steps to -the deck, and hurling the boxes across the few feet that separated -the boat from the ledge. Every few minutes Martin would leap across -the gap, and hastily toss the boxes that had been landed further up -on the shore, to get them out of the way for others that were to -follow.</p> - -<p>The enormous strength and endurance of the old hunter were shown by -the amount he accomplished in those two hours. Boxes and kegs, so -heavy that Larry could hardly budge them, he seized and tossed -ashore in tireless succession, only pausing once long enough to -throw off his jacket and outer shirt. For the perspiration was -running off his face in streams, despite the fact that the air was -freezing cold.</p> - -<p>Fortunately most of the parcels were relatively small, as they had -been prepared for the prospective inland hunting excursion which was -to have been made on sledges. Many of the important articles were in -small cans, and Larry rushed these ashore by the armful. He was -staggering, and gasping for breath at times, and once he stumbled -and fell half way down a stairway from sheer exhaustion. But he had -caught Martin’s spirit of eager haste, and although the fall had -shaken him up considerably, he picked himself up and went on as fast -as his weary limbs would carry him.</p> - -<p>At last Martin paused, wiping his face with his coat sleeve. “Sit -down and rest,” he said to the boy. “We’ve got a whole winter’s -supply on shore there now, if food alone was all we needed. So we -can take a little more time about the rest of the things; and while -you rest I’ll rig up some tackle for getting what we can of the -heavier things ashore. You’ve done pretty well, for a city boy,” he -added.</p> - -<p>Then he went below, and Larry heard the sounds of blows and cracking -timber. Presently Martin appeared, dragging some heavy planks after -him. With these he quickly laid a bridge from the deck to the shore. -Then he hunted out some long ropes and pulleys, and, carrying them -to a tree far up on the bank, he rigged a block and tackle between -this anchorage and the yacht.</p> - -<p>“Now we’re ready for the heavy things,” he said.</p> - -<p>With this new contrivance nothing seemed too big to handle. Martin -and Larry would roll and push the heavy cases into a companionway, -or near a hatch, and then both would seize the rope, and hand over -hand would work the heavy object up to the deck across the bridge, -and finally far out on shore. In this way the greater part of -everything movable had been transferred from the boat by the middle -of the afternoon; but not until the last of the more precious -articles had been disposed of did Martin think of food, although -they had breakfasted at daylight.</p> - -<p>In the excitement Larry, too, had forgotten his hunger; but now a -gnawing sensation reminded him that he was famished. Martin was “as -hungry as a wolf in winter” he admitted. But he did not stop to eat. -Calling the dogs and filling his pockets with biscuit to munch as he -walked, he started out along the rocky shore of the inlet, to see if -by any chance some survivor had washed ashore. Meanwhile Larry built -a big fire at the edge of the woods to act as a signal, and to keep -himself warm.</p> - -<p>In two hours the old man returned from his fruitless search. He had -found some wreckage strewn among the rocks, but no sign of a living -thing. “And now we must get these things under cover,” he said, -indicating the pile of stores.</p> - -<p>For this purpose he selected a knoll some little distance from the -shore above where any waves could possibly reach. Over this he laid -a floor of planks, and spread a huge canvas over the boards. Then -they began the task of piling all the landed goods on top of this, -laying them up neatly so as to occupy as little space as possible, -and over this great mound of food-boxes, gun-cases, canned goods, -and miscellaneous objects, they pulled a huge canvas deck covering.</p> - -<p>By the time they had finished the daylight was beginning to wane. -Taking the hint from the approaching darkness, Martin dug into the -mass of packages and produced a small silk tent, which he set up -under one of the scrub trees which was sheltered by a big rock well -back from the shore.</p> - -<p>“Take that axe,” he told Larry, pointing to a carefully forged -hunting axe that had been landed with the other things, “and collect -all the wood you can before dark.”</p> - -<p>Larry, scarcely able to stand, looked wistfully at the yacht. “The -cabin is dry in there,” he suggested, “why don’t we sleep in there -to-night?”</p> - -<p>Old Martin shook his head. “I don’t dare risk it,” he said. “I am -tired, and I’d sleep too soundly. I don’t think I’d wake up, no -matter what happened. And something may happen to-night. The storm -is still brewing, and the waves are still so high that they pound -the old hull all the time. A little more hammering and she may go to -pieces. We couldn’t tell from the noise whether the storm was coming -up or not, because there is so much pounding all the time anyway. -And wouldn’t it be a fine thing for us to find ourselves dropped -into the ocean after we have just finished getting ourselves and our -things safely ashore? No, you get the wood and I’ll give you a -sample of the out-door suppers that we are likely to have together -every night for the next few months.”</p> - -<p>Larry picked up the axe and dragged his weary feet off to the -thicker line of trees a short distance away. There was really little -use for the axe, as the woods were filled with fallen trunks and -branches that could be gathered for the picking up. So he spared -himself the exertion of chopping and began dragging branches and -small logs to the tent.</p> - -<p>He found that the old hunter, while he was collecting the wood, had -unearthed a cooking outfit, and had pots, pans, and kettles strewn -about ready for use. Best of all he had hunted out two fur sleeping -bags, and had placed a pile of blankets in the little tent, which -looked very inviting to the weary boy.</p> - -<p>Martin saw his wistful look and chuckled. “Too tired to eat I -suppose?” he inquired.</p> - -<p>“Well, pretty near it,” Larry confessed. “I was never half so tired -in my whole life.”</p> - -<p>“All right,” said Martin; “you’ve worked like a real man to-day. So -you just crawl into those blankets and have a little snooze while I -and the doggies get the supper. I’ll call you when the things are -ready.”</p> - -<p>“Don’t you ever get tired, <i>ever</i>, Martin?” Larry asked as he flung -himself down. But if Martin answered his question he did not hear -it. He was asleep the moment he touched the blankets.</p> - -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - -<h2 class='nobreak' id='chIII' title='THE FIRST SUPPER'> - <span style='font-size:1.0em'>CHAPTER III</span><br /><span style='font-size:1.2em'>THE FIRST SUPPER</span> -</h2> - -<p>The next thing Larry knew he was being roused by old Martin’s -vigorous shakes. Something cold was pressing against his cheek,—the -black muzzle of one of the malamoots. Martin and the big dog were -standing over him, the man laughing and the dog wagging his bushy -tail. It seemed to the boy that he had scarcely closed his eyes, but -when he had rubbed them open he knew that he must have been asleep -some little time, for many things seemed changed.</p> - -<p>It was night now, and the stars were out. But inside the tent it was -warm and cozy, for before the open flap a cheerful fire was burning. -The odor of coffee reached his nostrils and he could hear the bacon -frying over the fire, and these things reminded him that he was -hungry again.</p> - -<p>“Sit right up to the table and begin,” Martin said to him, pointing -to a row of cooking utensils and two tin plates on the ground in -front of the tent. “Every one for himself, and Old Nick take the -hindmost.”</p> - -<p>No second invitation was necessary. In a moment he was bending over -a plate heaped with bacon and potatoes, while the big malamoots sat -watching him wistfully keeping an expectant eye on Martin as he -poured the coffee. Such potatoes, such bacon, and such coffee the -boy had never tasted. Even the soggy bread which Martin had improved -by frying in some bacon fat, seemed delicious. This being -shipwrecked was not so bad after all.</p> - -<p>Old Martin, seated beside him and busy with his heaping plate seemed -to read his thoughts.</p> - -<p>“Not such a bad place, is it?” he volunteered presently.</p> - -<p>“Bad?” the boy echoed. “It’s about the best place I ever saw. Only -perhaps it will get lonesome if we have to wait long,” he added -thoughtfully.</p> - -<p>“Wait?” repeated Martin, poising his fork in the air. “Wait for who -and for what, do you suppose, boy?”</p> - -<p>“Well, aren’t we going to wait for some one to come for us?” the boy -inquired.</p> - -<p>Old Martin emptied his plate, drank his third cup of coffee, and -threw a couple of sticks on the fire before answering.</p> - -<p>“If we waited for some one to come for us,” he said presently and in -a very serious tone, “we’d be waiting here until all these -provisions that we landed to-day are gone. And there’s a good full -year’s supply for us two up there under the canvas. Did you suppose -we are going to <i>wait</i> here?”</p> - -<p>The boy looked thoughtful.</p> - -<p>“But we can’t get the yacht off the rocks, and she’d sink if we did. -And anyhow you couldn’t sail her home. You told me only yesterday -that you didn’t know a yacht from a battleship, Martin.”</p> - -<p>“I told you the truth, at that,” Martin chuckled. “But I’m something -of a navigator all the same. I can navigate a craft as well as poor -old Captain Roberts himself, only I use a different craft, and I -navigate her on land. And, what’s more to the point, I’ve got the -land to do it on, the craft, and the crew.” And Martin pointed -successively at the pile of supplies in the distance, the two dogs, -and Larry.</p> - -<p>“I don’t understand at all what you mean,” the boy declared; “tell -me what you intend to do, Martin, won’t you?”</p> - -<p>“Why, boy, if I started in to tell you now you’d be asleep before I -could get well into the story,” said the old hunter.</p> - -<p>“No, I wouldn’t,” the boy protested. “I never was more wide awake in -my life. I feel as if I could do another day’s work right now.”</p> - -<p>“That’s the meat and potatoes and coffee,” old Martin commented. -“It’s marvellous what fuel will do for a tired engine. Well, if you -can keep awake long enough I’ll tell you just what we are going to -do in the next few weeks—or months, maybe.</p> - -<p>“Here we are stranded away up on the Labrador coast, at least two or -three hundred miles from the nearest settlement, perhaps even -farther than that. And the worst of it is that I haven’t the least -idea where that nearest settlement is. It may be on the coast, -somewhat nearer than I think; and then again it may be ’cross -country inland still farther away than I judge. What we’ve got to do -is to make up our minds where we think that settlement is, and find -it. And we’ve got to go to it by land and on foot.”</p> - -<p>“On foot!” Larry cried in amazement. “Three or four hundred miles on -foot in the winter time in a strange country where nobody lives!”</p> - -<p>“That’s the correct answer,” the hunter replied: “and we’re two of -the luckiest dogs in the world to have the <i>chance</i> to do it in the -style we can. If we hadn’t been given the chance to save all that -plunder from the ship to-day we would be far better off to be in the -bottom of the ocean with Mr. Ware and the other poor fellows. But we -had the luck, and now we have a good even fighting chance to get -back home. But it means work—work and hardships, such as you never -dreamed of, boy. And yet we’ll do it, or I’ll hand in my commission -as a land pilot.</p> - -<p>“Did you notice those cans of stuff that you were throwing ashore -to-day—did you notice anything peculiar about those cans?” Martin -asked, a moment later.</p> - -<p>“E—er, no I didn’t,” Larry hesitated. “Unless it was that some of -the bigger ones seemed lighter than tin cans of stuff usually do.”</p> - -<p>“That’s the correct answer again,” the old man nodded; “that’s the -whole thing. They <i>were</i> lighter, for the very good reason that they -are not made of tin. They are aluminum cans. They cost like the very -sin, those cans do, many times more than tin, you know. But Mr. Ware -didn’t have to think about such a small thing as cost, and when he -planned this hunting trip, where every ounce that we would have to -haul by hand or with the dogs had to be considered, he made -everything just the lightest and best that money could get it made. -If there was a way of getting anything better, or more condensed, -whether it was food or outfit, he did it. And you and I will -probably owe our lives to this hobby of his, poor man.</p> - -<p>“Among that stuff that we unloaded to-day there are special -condensed foods, guns, tents, and outfits, just made to take such a -forced tramping trip through the wilderness as we are to take. You -see Mr. Ware planned to go on a long hunt back into the interior of -this land, a thing that has never been done at this time of year to -my knowledge. And as no one knows just what the conditions are -there, he had his outfit made so that he could travel for weeks, and -carry everything that he needed along with him.</p> - -<p>“So it’s up to us to take the things that Mr. Ware had made, and -which we are lucky enough to have saved, and get back to the land -where people live. In my day I have undertaken just as dangerous, -and probably difficult things in the heart of winter; only on those -trips I didn’t have any such complete equipment as we have here.</p> - -<p>“Why, look at that sleeping bag, for example,” the old man -exclaimed, pointing to one of the bags lying in the tent. “My -sleeping outfit, when I hiked from upper Quebec clear to the shore -of old Hudson’s Bay in the winter, consisted of a blanket. Whenever -my fire got low at night I nearly froze. But mind you, I could lie -out of doors in one of these fur bags without a fire on the coldest -night, and be warm as a gopher. They are made of reindeer skin, fur -inside, and are lined with the skin of reindeer fawn. So there are -two layers of the warmest skin and fur known, between the man inside -and the cold outside. Those bags will be a blessing to us every -minute. For when we strike out across this country we don’t know -what kind of a land we may get into. We may find timber region all -the way, and if we do there will be no danger of our freezing. But -it’s more than likely that we shall strike barren country part of -the time where there will be no fire-wood; and then we will -appreciate these fur bags. For I don’t care how cold it gets or how -hard it blows, we can burrow down into the snow and crawl into the -bags, and always be sure of a warm place to sleep.</p> - -<p>“Then again, the very luckiest thing for us was the saving of those -two dogs,” Martin continued. “If they had gone overboard with the -other twelve I should be feeling a good deal sadder to-night than I -am. For there is nothing to equal a malamoot dog for hauling loads -through this country in winter. Look at this fellow,” he said -indicating one of the big shaggy dogs curled up a few feet from the -tent, caring nothing for the biting cold. “There doesn’t seem to be -anything very remarkable about him, does there? And yet that fellow -can haul a heavier load on a sled, and haul it farther every day, -than I can. And his weight is less than half what mine is.</p> - -<p>“The dogs that Mr. Ware had selected were all veteran sledge dogs, -and picked because they had proved their metal. So we’ll give this -fellow a load of two hundred and fifty pounds to haul. And he could -do better than that I know if he had to.”</p> - -<p>The wind, which had died down a little at dusk, had gradually risen -and was now blowing hard again, and fine flakes of snow and sleet -hissed into the camp-fire. The rock which sheltered the tent -protected it from the main force of the blast, but Larry could hear -it lashing its way through the spruce trees with an ominous roar. -Martin rose and examined the fastenings of the tent, tightened a -rope here and there, and then returned to his seat on the blankets.</p> - -<p>“We can’t start to-morrow if it storms like this,” Larry suggested -presently.</p> - -<p>“Well, we can’t start to-morrow anyhow,” the old trapper answered. -“And we surely can’t start until there is more snow. How are we -going to haul a pair of toboggans over the snow if there is no snow -to be hauled over, I’d like to know? But there is no danger about -the lack of snow. There’ll be plenty of it by the time we are ready -to start.”</p> - -<p>“And when will that be?” the boy asked.</p> - -<p>“In about ten days, I think,” Martin answered, “——that is, if you -have learned to shoot a rifle, harness the dogs, pitch a camp, set -snares, walk on snow-shoes, and carry a pretty good-sized pack on -your back,” he added, looking at Larry out of the corner of his -eyes. “Did you ever shoot a rifle?”</p> - -<p>“Sure I have,” the boy answered proudly; “and I hit the mark, -too—sometimes.”</p> - -<p>“I suppose you shot a Flobert twenty-two, at a mark ten feet away,” -Martin commented with a little smile. “Well, all that helps. But on -this trip you are not going to hit the mark sometimes: it must be -every time. And the ‘mark’ will be something for the camp kettle to -keep the breath of life in us. I’ve been turning over in my mind -to-day the question of what kind of a gun you are going to tote on -this trip. We’ve got all kinds to select from up there under the -canvas, from elephant killers to squirrel poppers, for Mr. Ware did -love every kind of shooting iron. I’ve picked out yours, and -to-morrow you will begin learning to use it—learning to shoot quick -and straight—straight, every time. For we won’t have one bullet to -waste after we leave here.”</p> - -<p>Larry fairly hugged himself. Think of having a rifle of his very -own, a real rifle that would kill things, with the probability of -having plenty of chances for using it! One of his fondest dreams was -coming true. The old hunter read his happiness in his face, and -without a word rose and left the tent. When he returned he carried -in his hand a little weapon which, in its leather case, seemed like -a toy about two feet long. Handing this to Larry he said, simply: -“Here’s your gun.”</p> - -<p>The boy’s countenance fell. To be raised to the height of bliss and -expectation, and then be handed a pop-gun, was a cruel joke. Without -removing the gun from its case he tossed it contemptuously into the -blankets behind him.</p> - -<p>“Mr. Ware killed a moose with it last winter,” the old hunter -commented, suspecting the cause of the boy’s disappointment. “And it -shoots as big a ball, and shoots just as hard as the gun I am going -to carry,” he added. “You’d better get acquainted with it.”</p> - -<p>There was no doubting the old man’s sincerity now, and Larry picked -up the gun and examined it.</p> - -<p>It was a curious little weapon, having two barrels placed one above -the other, and with a stock like a pistol. Attached to the -pistol-like handle was a skeleton stock made of aluminum rods, and -so arranged that it folded against the under side of the barrels -when not in use. The whole thing could be slipped into a leather -case not unlike the ordinary revolver holster, and carried with a -strap over the shoulder. When folded in this way it was only two -feet long, and had the appearance of the toy gun for which Larry had -mistaken it.</p> - -<p>Yet it was anything but a toy. The two barrels were of different -calibre, the upper one being the ordinary .22, while the lower one, -as Martin had stated, was of large calibre and chambered for a -powerful cartridge.</p> - -<p>The old hunter watched the boy eagerly examining the little gun, -opening it and squinting through the barrels, aiming it at imaginary -objects, and strutting about with it slung from his shoulder in the -pure joy that a red-blooded boy finds in the possession of a fire -arm. Then, when Larry’s excitement cooled a little, he took the gun, -and explained its fine points to his eager pupil.</p> - -<p>“From this time on,” he began, “I want you to remember everything I -am going to tell you just as nearly as you can, not only about this -gun, but everything else. For you’ve got to cram a heap of knowledge -into your head in the next few days, and I haven’t time to say -things twice.</p> - -<p>“This gun was made specially for Mr. Ware after his own design and -to fit his own idea. He wanted a gun that was as light as possible -and could be carried easily, and at the same time be adapted to all -kinds of game, big and little. This upper barrel, the smaller one -you see, shoots a cartridge that will kill anything up to the size -of a jack rabbit, and is as accurate a shooter as any gun can be -made. Yet the cartridges are so small that a pocket full will last a -man a whole season.</p> - -<p>“Now the best rule in all hunting is to use the smallest bullet that -will surely kill the game you are aiming at, and in every country -there are always ten chances to kill small things to one chance at -the bigger game. Up in this region, for example, there will be -flocks of ptarmigan, the little northern grouse, and countless -rabbits that we shall need for food, but which we couldn’t afford to -waste heavy ammunition on. And this smaller barrel is the one to use -in getting them.</p> - -<p>“If you used the big cartridge when you found a flock of these -ptarmigans sitting on a tree, the noise of the first shot would -probably frighten them all away, to say nothing of the fact that the -big ball would tear the little bird all to pieces, and make it -worthless for food. With the .22 you can pop them over one at a time -without scaring them, and without spoiling the meat.</p> - -<p>“But suppose, when you were out hunting for ptarmigan or rabbits you -came upon a deer, or even a moose. All right, you’ve got something -for him, too, and right in the same gun. All you have to do is to -shift the little catch on the hammer here which connects with the -firing-pin in the lower barrel, draw a bead, and you knock him down -dead with the big bullet—as Mr. Ware did last fall up in New -Brunswick. There will be a louder report, and a harder kick, but you -won’t notice either when you see the big fellow roll over and kick -his legs in the air.”</p> - -<p>The very suggestion of such a possibility was too much for the boy’s -imagination. “Do you really think that I may kill a deer, or a -moose, Martin?” he asked eagerly. “Do you, Martin?”</p> - -<p>“Perhaps,” the old man assented, “if you will remember all I tell -you. But first of all let’s learn all we can about the thing you are -going to kill it with.</p> - -<p>“Mr. Ware and I had many long talks, and tried many experiments -before he could decide upon the very best size of cartridge for this -larger barrel. You see there scores of different kinds and sizes to -choose from. There are cartridges almost as long and about the same -shape as a lead pencil, with steel jacketed bullets that will travel -two or three miles, and go through six feet thickness of wood at -short range. It is the fad among hunters these days to use that -kind. But if a man is a real hunter he doesn’t need them.</p> - -<p>“Mr. Ware was a real hunter. When he pulled the trigger he knew just -where the bullet was going to land. And when a man is that kind of a -shot he doesn’t have to use a bullet that will shoot through six -feet of pine wood. So he picked out one of the older style of -cartridges, one that we call the .38-40, which is only half as long -as the lead-pencil kind. By using a steel jacketed bullet and -smokeless powder this cartridge is powerful enough to kill any kind -of game in this region, if you strike the right spot.</p> - -<p>“So don’t get the idea, just because this gun won’t shoot a bullet -through an old fashioned battleship, that it’s a plaything. It will -penetrate eighteen inches of pine wood, and the force of its blow is -very nearly that of a good big load of hay falling off a sled. This -little three-pound gun—just a boy’s sparrow gun to look at—shoots -farther and hits harder than the best rifle old Daniel Boone ever -owned. And yet Boone and his friends cleaned out all the Indians and -most of the big game in several States. So you see you’ve got the -better of Boone and all the great hunters and Indian killers of his -day—that is, as far as the gun is concerned. To-morrow I will begin -teaching you how to use it as a hunter should; but now we had better -turn in, for there are hard days ahead of us.”</p> - -<p>And so Larry crawled into his snug fur-lined bag, too excited to -wish to sleep, but so exhausted by the hard day’s work that his eyes -would not stay open.</p> - -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - -<h2 class='nobreak' id='chIV' title='LESSONS IN PILOTING'> - <span style='font-size:1.0em'>CHAPTER IV</span><br /><span style='font-size:1.2em'>LESSONS IN PILOTING</span> -</h2> - -<p>At daylight the next morning old Martin roused the boy, reminding -him that he “was to begin learning his trade” that day. “And there -are many things to learn about this land-piloting, too,” he told -him. Meanwhile the old hunter took the axe and went into the woods -for fuel while Larry was putting on his shoes and his coat—the only -garments he had removed on going to bed the night before.</p> - -<p>The air was very cold and everything frozen hard, and Larry’s teeth -were chattering before Martin returned and started the fire. “Now -notice how I lay these sticks and make this fire,” Martin -instructed. “I am making it to cook our breakfast over, so I’ll -build it in a very different way from what I should if I only wanted -it for heating our tent. Learning how to build at least three -different kinds of fires is a very important part of your -education.”</p> - -<p>The old man selected two small logs about four feet long and seven -inches in diameter. He laid these side by side on the ground, -separating them at one end a distance of about six inches and at the -other end something over a foot. In the space between the logs he -laid small branches and twigs, and lighted them, and in a jiffy had -a hot fire going.</p> - -<p>Larry noticed that Martin had placed the logs so that they lay at -right angles to the direction from which the wind was blowing; and -now as the heat thawed out the ground, the hunter took a sharp -pointed stick and dug away the earth from under the log almost its -whole length on the windward side. The wind, sucking in under this, -created a draught from beneath, which made the fire burn fiercely.</p> - -<p>Then Martin placed two frying pans filled with slices of ham and -soggy, grease-covered bread over the fire, the tops of the two logs -holding the pans rigidly in place. Next he took the wide-bottomed -coffee pot, filled it with water, threw in a handful of coffee, and -placed the pot at the end where the logs were near enough together -to hold it firmly.</p> - -<p>“Pretty good stove, isn’t it,” he commented, when he had finished.</p> - -<p>“You see that kind of a fire does several things that you want it -to, and doesn’t do several others that you don’t want. It makes all -the heat go right up against the bottom of the pans where you need -it most, and it only takes a little wood to get a lot of heat. What -is more, the sides of the logs keep the heat from burning your face -and your hands when you have to stir things, as a big camp-fire -would. You can always tell a woodsman by the kind of fire he -builds.”</p> - -<p>Presently the coffee boiled over and Martin set it off, and by that -time the ham and the bread were ready. And while they were eating -their breakfast he set a pail of water on the fire to heat. “That’s -to wash the dishes in,” he said. “A real woodsman washes his dishes -as soon as he finishes each meal—does it a good deal more -religiously than he washes his face or his hands, I fear.”</p> - -<p>When breakfast was finished, and the last dish cleaned, Martin said: -“Now you’ll have an hour’s practice at target-shooting. Take your -gun and come along.”</p> - -<p>He led the way to the pile of boxes, and hunted out three or four -solid looking cases. These were filled with paper boxes containing -cartridges—enough to supply an army, Larry thought. Tearing some of -these open, Martin instructed the boy to fill the right hand pocket -of his jacket with the little twenty-twos. “And always remember that -they are in that pocket and nowhere else,” he instructed.</p> - -<p>Next he opened a bundle and took out a belt on which there were a -row of little leather pockets with snap fasteners. He filled these -pockets with the larger calibre cartridges, six to each pocket, and -instructed Larry to buckle it on over his coat. Then he led the way -to a level piece of ground just above the camp, and having paced off -fifty yards he fastened the round top of a large tin can against a -tree and stepped back to the firing line.</p> - -<p>“I’ll try one shot first to see if the sights are true,” he said, as -he slipped a cartridge into each barrel. Then raising the gun to his -shoulder he glanced through the sights and fired. “Go and see where -that hit,” he told the boy.</p> - -<p>Larry, running to the target, found the little hole of the .22 -bullet almost in the center of the tin, and shouted his discovery -exultantly. Martin had fired so quickly after bringing the gun to -his shoulder that the boy could scarcely believe his eyes, although -the result of the shot did not seem to surprise the old hunter.</p> - -<p>“Don’t try the .38 yet,” he instructed, handing Larry the gun. “Fire -twenty shots with the .22, and go and see where each shot strikes as -soon as you fire and have loaded. And don’t forget to bring the gun -to half-cock, and to load before you leave your tracks. That is one -of the main things to remember. After a little practice you will do -it instinctively, so that you will always have a loaded gun in your -hands. It may save your life sometime when you run up to a buck that -you have knocked over and only stunned.”</p> - -<p>The boy took the gun and began his lesson, the hunter leaving him -without waiting to see how he went about it. A few minutes later, -when Larry had finished the twenty rounds, he found the old man -going through the dismantled yacht.</p> - -<p>“Just making a final inspection to see if there is anything left -that we may need,” the old hunter said. “There’s a king’s ransom in -here yet, but we can’t use it on our trip, and in another -twenty-four hours it may be on the bottom of the ocean.”</p> - -<p>Larry, trying to conceal the pride he felt, handed Martin the tin -target he had brought with him. The old hunter examined it gravely, -counting the number of bullet holes carefully. There were ten of -them, including the one Martin had made.</p> - -<p>“Eleven misses in twenty shots,” he commented, simply.</p> - -<p>The boy, who was swelling with pride, looked crestfallen.</p> - -<p>“But the last five all hit it,” he explained. “At first I hit all -around it, and then I hit it almost every other time, and at last I -hit it five times straight.”</p> - -<p>“Put up a new target and try ten more,” was Martin’s only comment. -But when Larry had gone he chuckled to himself with satisfaction. -“Some shooting for a city boy!” he said to himself; “but I won’t -spoil him by telling him so.”</p> - -<p>When Larry returned with the second target there were seven bullet -holes in it; but still the old hunter made no comment on the score. -“Now go back and try ten of the big ones, and remember that you are -shooting at big game this time,” he admonished.</p> - -<p>Larry returned slowly to his shooting range. Martin was a very hard -and unreasonable task-master, he decided. But, remembering that he -had hit the mark so frequently before, he resolved to better his -score this time. This was just the resolution Martin had hoped he -would make.</p> - -<p>So the boy fastened the target in place, adjusted the hammer for -firing the larger cartridge. Then he shut his teeth together hard, -took a careful but quick aim, for Martin had explained that slow -shooting was not the best for hunting, and pulled the trigger. The -sound of the loud report startled him, and his shoulder was jerked -back by the recoil. It didn’t hurt, exactly, for the aluminum butt -plate was covered with a springy rubber pad; but it showed him very -forcibly what a world of power there must be in those stubby little -cylinders of brass and lead.</p> - -<p>He forgot his astonishment, however, when on going to the target, he -found that the big bullet had pierced the tin almost in the center; -and as he stood gazing at the hole he heard a low chuckle that -cleared away all his dark clouds. Old Martin had slipped up behind -him quietly; and there was no mistaking the old hunter’s wrinkled -smile of satisfaction.</p> - -<p>“Now you see what you can do with her,” the old man said, his eyes -twinkling. “If that tin had been a moose’s forehead he’d be a dead -moose, sure enough. Did the noise and the kick surprise you?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, it did,” Larry admitted honestly; “but it won’t next time—it -never will again. And I am going to kill just nine more moose with -these cartridges.”</p> - -<p>“That’s the way to talk,” said Martin, with frank admiration; “after -a few more shots you’ll get used to the recoil, and pretty soon you -won’t even feel it. But you musn’t expect to make nine more -bull’s-eyes just yet.”</p> - -<p>The old hunter went back to his work at the pile of plunder under -the big canvas, and Larry fired his nine remaining rounds. Then he -sought the old man again, but as Martin asked no question about the -result of the shots, Larry did not volunteer any information. -Presently Martin looked up from his work.</p> - -<p>“I suppose you’ve cleaned the rifle now that you have finished -practice for the morning?” he inquired.</p> - -<p>Larry shook his head.</p> - -<p>“Well that’s the very first thing to do, now, and always,” said the -hunter.</p> - -<p>It took quite a time for the boy to clean and oil the gun so that he -felt it would pass inspection, and when he returned to Martin the -old man was busy with an assortment of interesting looking parcels, -placing them in separate piles. He was making notes on a piece of -paper, while both the dogs were sniffing about the packages, greatly -interested.</p> - -<p>The old hunter sent Larry to bring two of the toboggans that he had -saved from the yacht. They looked like ordinary toboggans to the -boy, but Martin called his attention to some of their good points -which he explained while he was packing them with what he called an -“experimental load,” made up from the pile of parcels he had been -sorting.</p> - -<p>Each of the toboggans had fastened to its top a stout canvas bag, -the bottom of which was just the size of the top of the sled. The -sides of the bag were about four feet high, each bag forming, in -effect, a canvas box fastened securely to the toboggan. Martin -pointed out the advantages of such an arrangement in one terse -sentence. “When that bag is tied up you can’t lose anything off your -sled without losing the sled itself,” he said. “And if you had ever -done much sledging,” he added, “you’d know what that means.”</p> - -<p>“The usual way of doing it,” Martin explained, “is to pack your sled -as firmly as you can, and then draw a canvas over it and lash it -down. And that is a very good way, too. But this bag arrangement -beats it in every way, particularly in taking care of the little -things that are likely to spill out and be lost. With this bag there -is no losing anything, big or little. You simply pack the big things -on the bottom, and then instead of having to fool around half an -hour fastening the little things on and freezing your fingers while -you do it, you throw them all in on top, close up the end of the -bag, and strap it down tight. You see it will ride then wherever the -sled goes, for it is a part of the sled itself.”</p> - -<p>Larry noticed that most of the larger parcels on the sled were done -up in long, slender bags, and labeled. Martin explained that the -bags were all made of waterproof material, and carefully sealed, and -that narrow bags could be packed more firmly and rode in place -better than short, stubby ones. A large proportion of these bags -were labeled “Pemmican” and the name excited the boy’s curiosity.</p> - -<p>“It’s something good to eat, I know,” he said; “but what is it made -of, Martin?”</p> - -<p>“It’s an Indian dish that made it possible for Peary to reach the -Pole,” Martin assured him. “It is soup, and fish, and meat and -vegetables, and dessert, all in one—only it hasn’t hardly any of -those things in it. If you eat a chunk of it as big as your fist -every day and give the same sized chunk to your dog, you won’t need -any other kind of food, and your dog won’t. It has more heat and -nourishment in it, ounce for ounce, than any other kind of food ever -invented. That’s why I am going to haul so much of it on our sleds.”</p> - -<p>While he was talking he had slit open one of the bags and showed -Larry the contents, which resembled rather dirty, tightly pressed -brown sugar.</p> - -<p>“Gee, it looks good!” the boy exclaimed. “Let’s have some of it for -supper.”</p> - -<p>“You needn’t wait for supper,” Martin told him. “Eat all you want of -it, we’ve got at least a ton more than we can carry away with us.” -And he cut off a big lump with his hunting knife and handed it to -the boy.</p> - -<p>Larry’s mouth watered as he took it. He had visions of maple-sugar -feasts on this extra ton of Indian delicacy close at hand, as he -took a regular boy’s mouthful, for a starter. But the next minute -his expression changed to one of utmost disgust, and he ran to the -water pail to rinse his mouth. He paused long enough, however, to -hurl the remaining piece at the laughing hunter. But Martin ducked -the throw, while Kim and Jack, the dogs, raced after the lump, Kim -reaching it first and swallowing it at a gulp.</p> - -<p>“What made you change your mind so suddenly?” the old hunter asked -when he could get his breath. “You seemed right hungry a minute ago, -and I expected to see you eat at least a pound or two.”</p> - -<p>“Eat that stuff!” Larry answered, between gulps from the water -bucket. “I’d starve to death before I’d touch another grain of it.”</p> - -<p>“That’s what you think now,” the old man answered, becoming serious -again;—“that’s what I thought, too, the first time I tasted it. It -tasted to me then like a mixture of burnt moccasin leather and boot -grease. But wait until you have hit the trail for ten hours in the -cold, when you’re too tired to lift your feet from the ground, and -you’ll think differently. You’ll agree with me then that a chunk of -this pemmican as big as your two fists is only just one third big -enough, and tastes like the best maple sugar you ever ate.”</p> - -<p>But the boy still made wry faces, and shook his head. “What do they -put into it to make it taste so?” he asked. “Or why don’t they -flavor it with something?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, they flavor it,” Martin explained, laughing. “They flavor it -with grease poured all over it after they have dried the meat that -it is made of, and pounded it up into fine grains. But take my word -for it that when you try it next time, somewhere out there in the -wilderness two or three weeks from now, you’ll say that they flavor -it just right.”</p> - -<p>“But we needn’t worry about that now,” he added. “What we need more -than anything else for to-night is a big lot of fire-wood, green and -dry both. Take the axe and get in all you can between now and night. -I want plenty of wood to use in teaching you how to make two other -kinds of fires. Do you suppose you could cut down a tree about a -foot in diameter?”</p> - -<p>Larry thought he could. Some lumbermen in the Adirondacks had shown -him how a tree could be felled in any direction by chopping a deep -notch low down, and another higher up on the opposite side. He knew -also about stepping to one side and away from the butt to avoid the -possible kick-back of the trunk when the tree fell.</p> - -<p>So he selected a tree of the right size as near the tent as he could -find one, felled it after much futile chopping and many rests for -breath, and cut it into logs about six feet long. When he had -finished he called the two dogs, put a harness on each, hitched them -up tandem, and fastened the hauling rope to the end of one of the -logs. Martin had suggested that he do this, so as to get accustomed -to driving the dogs, and get the big fellows accustomed to being -driven by him.</p> - -<p>The dogs, full of energy were eager for the work, and at the word -sprang forward, yelping and straining at the straps, exerting every -ounce of strength in their powerful bodies. The log was a heavy one, -and at first they could barely move it; but after creeping along for -a few inches it gradually gained speed on the thin snow, and was -brought into camp on the run. Even in the excitement of shouting to -the struggling dogs and helping with an occasional push, Larry -noticed the intelligence shown by the animals in swinging from one -side to the other, feeling for the best position to get leverage, -and taking advantage of the likely places.</p> - -<p>They seemed to enter into the spirit of the work, too, rushing madly -back to the woods after each log or limb had been deposited at the -tent, and waiting impatiently for Larry to make up the bundles of -wood and fasten the draw rope. Working at this high pressure the boy -and dogs soon had a huge pile of fire-wood at Martin’s disposal, and -by the time the old hunter had finished his task, had laid in a -three days’ supply.</p> - -<p>“Now you build a ‘cooking fire,’ such as I made this morning, and -get supper going,” said Martin, coming over to the tent; “and while -you are doing that I’ll be fixing up another kind of a fire—one -called a ‘trapper’s fire,’ which is built for throwing heat into a -tent.”</p> - -<p>The old hunter then drove two stakes into the ground directly in -front of the opening of the tent and six feet from it, the stakes -being about five feet apart and set at right angles to the open -flaps. Against these stakes he piled three of the green logs Larry -had cut, one on top of the other like the beginning of a log house, -and held them in place by two stakes driven in front, opposite the -two first stakes. Next he selected two green sticks about four -inches in diameter and three feet long, and placed them like the -andirons in a fireplace, the wall of logs serving as a reflecting -surface like the back wall of a chimney. Across these logs he now -laid a fire, just as one would in a fireplace.</p> - -<p>Larry all this time had been busy getting the supper, Martin -offering a suggestion now and then. When he saw that the meal was -almost ready the old man spread a piece of canvas on the ground just -inside the opening of the tent and before the log fire he had laid, -and set out the plates and cups, and when Larry announced that the -feast was ready Martin lighted the fire in front of the logs.</p> - -<p>He had a double motive in this—to show the boy how to make a heating -fire and to furnish heat for the evening. For the weather was -growing very cold, and he had some work that he wished to do which -would require light to guide his fingers and heat for keeping them -warm.</p> - -<p>With the protection of the tent back of them and the roaring fire in -front they toasted their shins and ate leisurely. To Larry it all -seemed like one grand lark, and he said so.</p> - -<p>“I’m afraid you will change your mind about it being such a lark -before we are through with it,” the old man said presently. “It -won’t be a lark for either of us. But I’m beginning to feel more -hopeful about it, now that I see that you can learn things, and are -willing to try.”</p> - -<p>He lighted his pipe and smoked thoughtfully for a few minutes. Larry -too, was thoughtful, turning over in his mind the old hunter’s last -remark.</p> - -<p>“And so you have been thinking all this time that I might be in the -way—that perhaps you would be better off if you were alone, and -didn’t have a boy like me on your hands?” the boy asked presently.</p> - -<p>For a little time the old man did not answer, puffing his pipe and -gazing silently at the fire. At last he said:</p> - -<p>“I couldn’t help feeling a little that way at first, Larry. The job -on our hands is one for a strong man, not for a city boy. But I’m -feeling different now that I see how you take hold and are willing -to work, and try to learn all the things I tell you. And wouldn’t it -be funny,” he added, with a twinkle in his kindly eye, “if, -sometime, I should get into trouble and you have to help me out of -it instead of my helping you all the time? A fellow can never tell -what strange things may happen on the trail; and that is one reason -why no man should start on a journey through the woods in the winter -time alone.”</p> - -<p>Presently the old man knocked the ashes from his pipe and set about -cleaning the dishes, Larry helping him; but neither of them were in -talking mood, each busy with his own thoughts. When they had -finished the hunter said:</p> - -<p>“Now I’ll show you how to make an Indian fire, the kind the Indian -still likes best of all, and the best kind to use when wood is -scarce or when you want to boil a pot of tea or get a quick meal.”</p> - -<p>The old hunter then gathered an armful of small limbs, and laid them -on the ground in a circle like the spokes of a wheel, the butts -over-lapping at the center where the hub of the wheel would be. With -a few small twigs he lighted a fire where the butts joined, the -flames catching quickly and burning in a fierce vertical flame.</p> - -<p>“This fire will make the most heat for the least amount of wood and -throw the heat in all directions,” Martin explained. “And that is -why it is the best kind of a fire for heating a round tent, such as -an Indian tepee.”</p> - -<p>“But why did the Indian have to care about the amount of wood he -burned?” Larry asked. “He had all the wood he wanted, just for the -chopping of it, didn’t he?”</p> - -<p>The old man smiled indulgently. “Yes, he surely had all the wood he -wanted just for the chopping—millions of cords of it. But how was he -going to chop it without anything to chop it with, do you think? You -forget that the old Indians didn’t have so much as a knife, let -alone an axe. And that explains the whole thing: that’s why the -Indian made small fires and built skin tepees instead of log houses.</p> - -<p>“If you left your axe and your knife here at the tent and went into -the woods to gather wood, Larry, how long do you suppose it would -take you to collect a day’s supply for our big fire? You wouldn’t -have much trouble in getting a few armfuls of fallen and broken -branches but very soon you’d find the supply running short. The logs -would be too large to handle, and most of the limbs too big to -break. And so you would soon be cold and hungry, with a month’s -supply of dry timber right at your front dooryard.</p> - -<p>“But it’s all so different when you can give a tap here and there -with your axe, or a few strokes with your hunting knife. And this -was just what the poor Indian couldn’t do; for he had no cutting -tool of any kind worth the name until the white man came. So he -learned to use little sticks for his fire, and built his house of -skins stretched over small poles.</p> - -<p>“It is hard for us to realize that cutting down a tree was about the -hardest task an Indian could ever attempt. Why the strongest Indian -in the tribe, working as hard as he could with the best tool he -could find, couldn’t cut down a tree as quickly as you could with -your hunting knife. He could break rocks to pieces by striking them -with other rocks, and he could dig caves in the earth; but when it -came to cutting down a tree he was stumped. The big trees simply -stood up and laughed at him. No wonder he worshipped the forests and -the tree gods!</p> - -<p>“Of course when the white man came and supplied axes, hatchets, and -knives, he solved the problem of fire-wood for the Indian. But he -never changed the Indian’s idea about small fires. Too many thousand -generations of Indian ancestors had been making that kind of a fire -all their lives; and the Indian is a great fellow to stick to fixed -habits. He adopted the steel hatchet and the knife, but he stuck to -his round fire and his round tepee.</p> - -<p>“And yet, although he had never seen a steel hatchet until the white -man gave him one, he improved the design of the white man’s axe -right away. The white man’s hatchet was a broad-bladed, clumsy -thing, heavy to carry and hard to handle. The Indian designed a -thin, narrow-bladed, light hatchet—the tomahawk—that would bite -deeper into the wood and so cut faster than the white man’s thick -hatchet. And every woodsman now knows that for fast chopping, with -little work, a hatchet made on the lines of the tomahawk beats out -the other kind.”</p> - -<p>The old man took his own hunting axe from the sheath at his belt and -held it up for inspection.</p> - -<p>“You see it’s just a modified tomahawk,” he said, “with long blade -and thin head, and only a little toy axe, to look at. But it has cut -down many good-sized trees when I needed them, all the same. And the -axe you were using this afternoon, as you probably noticed, is -simply a bigger brother of this little fellow, exactly the same -shape. It’s the kind the trappers use in the far North, because it -will do all the work of a four-pound axe, and is only half as heavy. -We’ve got some of those big axes over there under the tarpaulin, but -we’ll leave them behind when we hit the trail, and take that small -one with us.”</p> - -<p>While they were talking Martin had been getting out a parcel -containing clothing and odds and ends, and now he sat down before -the fire to “do some work” as he expressed it.</p> - -<p>“If you’re not too sleepy to listen,” he said, “I’ll tell you a -story that I know about a little Algonquin Indian boy.”</p> - -<p>Larry was never too tired to listen to Martin’s stories; and so he -curled up on a blanket before the fire, while the old man worked and -talked.</p> - -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - -<h2 class='nobreak' id='chV' title='THE STORY OF WEEWAH THE HUNTER'> - <span style='font-size:1.0em'>CHAPTER V</span><br /><span style='font-size:1.2em'>THE STORY OF WEEWAH THE HUNTER</span> -</h2> - -<p>It had been a hard day’s work for both of them, and strange as -everything was to Larry, and awful as the black woods seemed as he -peeped out beyond the light of the fire, he had a strange feeling of -security and contentment. It might be that there were terribly hard -days of toil and danger and privations ahead, but he was too cozily -situated now to let that worry him.</p> - -<p>Besides he was feeling the satisfaction that every boy feels in the -knowledge that he has done something well. And even the exacting old -Martin, always slow to praise or even commend, had told him over his -cup of tea and his soup at supper, that he “would make a hunter of -him some day.” And what higher praise could a boy hope for?</p> - -<p>“Nobody knows just how old Weewah was when he became a mighty -hunter,” Martin began presently, without looking up from his sewing, -“because Indians don’t keep track of those things as we white folks -do. But he couldn’t have been any older than you are, perhaps not -quite so old.</p> - -<p>“He was old enough to know how to handle his bow and arrows, though, -to draw a strong enough bow to shoot an arrow clean through a -woodchuck or a muskrat, or even a beaver, although he had never -found the chance to try at the beaver. He carried his own tomahawk, -too—a new one that the factor at Hudson Bay Post had given him,—and -was eager to show his prowess with it on larger game.</p> - -<p>“But the hunting was done by the grown up men of the village, who -thought Weewah too small to hunt anything larger than rabbits. Yet -there were other boys of his own age who found more favor in the -hunters’ eyes because they were larger than he. ‘Some day you will -be a hunter,’ they told him, ‘but now you are too small.’</p> - -<p>“Weewah’s heart was big, even if his body was small. And so one day -he took all his long arrows, his strongest bow, and his tomahawk and -resolved to go into the big woods at some distance from the village, -and do something worthy of a hunter.</p> - -<p>“It was winter time, and the snow on the ground was knee-deep with -just a little crust on it. On his snow-shoes Weewah glided through -the forest, noticing everything he passed and fixing it in his -memory instinctively so that he could be sure of finding the back -trail. For this day he meant to go deep, deep into the spruce swamp -in his hunting. There he would find game worthy of the bow of the -mighty hunter he intended to prove himself.</p> - -<p>“The tracks of many animals crossed his path, little wood dwellers -such as rabbits and an occasional mink. But these did not interest -him to-day. He had brought his snares, of course, for he always -carried them; but to-day his heart was too full of a mighty ambition -to allow such little things as rabbit snares to interrupt his plans.</p> - -<p>“Once he did stop when he saw, just ahead of him on the snow, a -little brown bunch of fur with two big brown eyes looking at him -wonderingly. In an instant he had drawn the poised arrow to his -cheek and released it with a twang. And a moment later the little -brown bunch of fur was in Weewah’s pouch, ready for making into -rabbit stew in the evening.</p> - -<p>“Weewah took it as a good omen that he had killed the rabbit on the -very edge of the spruce swamp that he had selected for his hunting -ground. Soon he would find game more worthy of his arrows or his -axe. And so he was not surprised, even if his heart did give an -extra bound, when presently he came upon the track of a lynx. It was -a fresh track, too, and the footprints were those of a very big -lynx.</p> - -<p>“Weewah knew all this the moment he looked at the tracks, just as he -knew a thousand other things that he had learned in the school of -observation. He knew also that in all probability the animal was not -half a mile away, possibly waiting in some tree, or crouching in -some bushes looking for ptarmigan or rabbit. He was sure, also, that -he could run faster on his snow-shoes than the lynx could in that -deep soft snow.</p> - -<p>“So for several minutes he stood and thought as fast as he could. -What a grand day for him it would be if he could come back to the -village dragging a great lynx after him! No one would ever tell him -again that he was too small to be a hunter.</p> - -<p>“But while he was sorely tempted to rush after the animal with the -possibility of getting a shot, or a chance for a blow of his axe, he -knew that this was not the surest way to get his prey. He had -discovered the hunting ground of the big cat, and he knew that there -was no danger of its leaving the neighborhood so long as the supply -of rabbits held out. By taking a little more time, then, Weewah knew -he could surely bring the fellow into camp. And so he curbed his -eagerness.</p> - -<p>“Instead of rushing off along the trail, bow bent and arrow on the -string, he opened his pouch and took out a stout buckskin string—a -string strong enough to resist the pull of the largest lynx. In one -end of this he made a noose with a running knot. Next he cut a stout -stick three inches thick and as tall as himself. Then he walked -along the trail of the lynx for a little distance, looking sharply -on either side, until he found a low-hanging, thick bunch of spruce -boughs near which the animal had passed. Here the boy stopped and -cut two more strong sticks, driving them into the ground about two -feet apart, so that they stood three feet above the snow and right -in front of a low-hanging bunch of spruce boughs.</p> - -<p>“At the top of each he had left a crotch, across which he now laid -his stick with the looped string dangling from the center. The -contrivance when completed looked like a great figure H, from the -cross-bar of which hung the loop just touching the top of the snow.</p> - -<p>“Now Weewah carefully opened the loop of the noose until it was -large enough for the head of any lynx to pass through, and fastened -it deftly with twigs and blades of dead grass, so as to hold it in -place firmly. From its front the thing looked like a miniature -gallows—which, indeed, it was.</p> - -<p>“Next Weewah took the rabbit from his pouch, and creeping under the -thicket carefully so as not to disturb his looped string, he placed -the still warm body an arm’s length behind the loop, propping the -head of the little animal up with twigs, to look as lifelike as -possible. In an hour, at most, the rabbit would freeze and stiffen, -and would then look exactly like a live rabbit crouching in the -bushes.</p> - -<p>“Then the little Indian broke off branches, thrusting them into the -snow about the rabbit, until he had formed a little bower facing the -snare. Any animal attempting to seize it would thrust its own head -right through the fatal hangman’s loop.</p> - -<p>“When Weewah had finished this task he gathered up his tomahawk and -bow and arrows, and started back along his own trail. He made no -attempt to cover up the traces of his work, as he would if trapping -a fox; for the lynx is a stupid creature, like all of his cousins of -the cat family, and will blunder into a trap of almost any kind.</p> - -<p>“The little Indian hurried along until he reached the point from -which he had first crossed the lynx tracks. Here he turned sharply, -starting a great circle, which would be about a mile in diameter. He -did this to make sure that the lynx had not gone on farther than he -thought. If he found no sign of fresh tracks he could feel certain -that the animal was still close at hand.</p> - -<p>“This took him several hours, and it was almost dark when he pulled -back the flap and entered his home lodge in the village. He was -tired, too, but his eyes shone with suppressed emotion.</p> - -<p>“As soon as he entered his mother set before him a smoking bowl of -broth without a word of comment or a question as to what his luck -might have been in his rabbit hunting. His father was there, gorging -himself on fat beaver meat that he had just brought in; but neither -he, nor Weewah’s brothers and sisters, offered any comment at the -little boy’s entrance.</p> - -<p>“It is not correct etiquette, in Algonquin families, to ask the -hunter what luck he has had until he has eaten. Even then a verbal -question is not asked. But when the repast is finished the Indian -woman takes a pouch of the hunter and turns its contents out upon -the floor.</p> - -<p>“The emptiness of Weewah’s pouch spoke for itself, for he had flung -it upon the floor on entering, where it lay flat. His father scowled -a little when he noticed it; for he wanted his son to be a credit to -him as a hunter. But his scowl turned into a merry twinkle when he -saw how radiant his son’s face was despite his ill luck, and what a -small, delicately formed little fellow he was. Besides the old -warrior was in an unusually good humor. Had he not killed a fat -beaver that day? And was not beaver tail the choicest of all foods?</p> - -<p>“In a few hours Weewah’s brothers and sisters, rolled in their warm -Hudson Bay blankets, were breathing heavily, and his father and -mother were far away in dreamland. Weewah was in dreamland, too; but -not the land that comes with sleep. He was in the happy state of -eager expectation that comes when to-morrow is to be a great day in -one’s life. And so he lay, snugly wrapped in his blanket, his black -eyes shining as he watched the embers of the fire in the center of -the tepee slowly grow dim and smoulder away. Meanwhile the very -thing he was dreaming about was happening out in the dark spruce -swamp.</p> - -<p>“The great lynx, whose tracks Weewah had seen, started out just at -dusk on his nightly rabbit and grouse hunt. He had spent the day -curled up under the protecting boughs of a drooping spruce almost -within sound of Weewah’s hatchet where the snare was being set. Now -he took his way leisurely along his former trail, sniffing the air, -and examining every likely looking nook that might hide the material -for his supper. His great, fur-padded feet gave out no sound as he -glided along over the now frozen crust, and he was the embodiment of -stealth as he glided forward with ears erect, and stubby tail -straight out.</p> - -<p>“Suddenly he stopped, raised his head and distended his nostrils, -drinking in the familiar odor wafted to him from some point near at -hand. Then he dropped low, his long fur dragging noiselessly on the -snow crust, as he wormed snake-like along toward a clump of -low-hanging spruces. His keen, yellow eyes had caught sight of the -crouching rabbit held in place at first by the twigs that Weewah had -placed there, but now stiff and rigid as iron.</p> - -<p>“Closer and closer crept the lynx, until he was within six feet of -his victim. And still the rabbit did not move. The great body, -quivering with suppressed energy, now slowly lowered itself and the -hind legs were carefully drawn under for the spring. Then like a -flash the gray body shot forward and with a snarl the dagger-like -teeth closed upon the bunch of fur.</p> - -<p>“At the same time the lynx felt a violent tug at his throat, and a -heavy club dealt him a sharp blow across the back as it fell from -overhead. In amazement the great brute dropped the rabbit, springing -violently backward as he did so. But the leather thong about his -neck and the club attached to it followed him in the spring, the -noose tightening about his neck.</p> - -<p>“With a scream of rage he pulled violently to free himself, bracing -with his great fore feet against the club as he did so. But instead -of freeing himself he felt a quick tightening of the noose at his -throat. Frantic with rage and fright he continued to jerk and pull, -sometimes changing his attack to viciously biting the stick. But the -only effect produced was to gradually tighten the noose, which was -now tangled with the thick throat hair, and did not relax.</p> - -<p>“Time and again he returned furiously to the attack, bracing his -feet against the stick, and pulling with all his strength. -Inevitably he would have choked himself to death, as Weewah had -planned he should, but for the fact that the little Indian had made -the loop a little too long, so that the pulling produced a violent -but not fatal choking. Many a lynx commits suicide in this way just -as the trapper plans it.</p> - -<p>“For hours the lynx wrestled vainly to free itself, varying the -attacks on the club by trying to run away from it. But running away -from it was quite as much out of the question as tearing it loose. -For when the animal attempted to run the club was jerked about its -limbs, tripping it, and frequently becoming entangled in brush and -bushes. At last, exhausted, and thoroughly sulky, the great cat -laboriously climbed a tree, and extended itself along one of the -lower limbs, the club still dangling at one side from its neck. In -all its struggles it had not gone more than two hundred yards from -where the trap had been set.</p> - -<p>“An hour before daylight the next morning, Weewah, who had been -waiting for the first indications of morning, stole silently out of -the tepee without awakening even the light-sleeping members of his -family. He carried with him his own tomahawk, and his bow and arrow; -but also he carried the heavy axe that his mother used for cutting -the wood for the fire. She would miss it, he knew, and also he knew -that he would be in for a solid whack from the first stick that lay -handy when he returned; but he was willing to brave all this. The -axe must be had at any cost.</p> - -<p>“The sun was just pushing its blood red rim above the low hills in -the east when he reached the edge of the spruce swamp. And it was -still only an oval, fire red ball when the little Indian approached -the place where he had set the snare the day before. He had swung -along lightly and swiftly over the beginning of the trail, but now -as he approached the goal his heart beat hard against his chest, -just as any white boy’s would have done under the circumstances. But -long before he actually reached the spot where the trap had been -left he knew that he had been successful. Successful, at least, in -having lured the prey into his snare.</p> - -<p>“He could tell this by the condition of the snow, which had been dug -up and thrown about by the wild struggle of the lynx. He loosened -his tomahawk, therefore, held his arrow in readiness on the string, -and approached the scene of turmoil.</p> - -<p>“One glance at the trampled snow, the dead rabbit still lying where -the lynx had dropped it, and the broad twisting trail leading -further into the swamp, told him the story of what had taken place -more completely than any white man could write it. And almost -without pausing he began following this trail cautiously forward, -his arrow still poised; for one never knows what a captive animal -may do when driven to desperation.</p> - -<p>“Suddenly the little Indian stopped, his eyes snapping as he drew -the arrow to the head with every ounce of strength in his arms and -back. There, crouching on an upper limb of a tree perhaps a foot in -diameter, was the huge lynx, watching him with curling lips, -crouching ready to spring.</p> - -<p>“Weewah’s first impulse was to send the finishing shaft through the -great body on the limb. It would be a great triumph for Weewah—the -little Indian boy, too small yet to be a hunter—to drag into his -father’s tepee early that morning a great forest cat killed with his -own bow and arrow. But after all, would a really great hunter feel -much pride in killing a captive lynx from a safe distance with an -arrow?</p> - -<p>“He knew very well that doing such a thing would not mark him as a -great hunter. And he was determined that he should be called a great -hunter before he was a day older.</p> - -<p>“So he lowered his arrow, removed it from the string, and laid the -bow down beside the tree. He loosened his own tomahawk, also, and -laid that close at hand near the tree trunk. Then he seized the big -axe of his mother that he had brought with him and began chopping at -the trunk, making the chips fly rapidly under his skillful aim.</p> - -<p>“At the first blow of the axe against the trunk the lynx had half -risen, giving a fierce growl of rage. For a moment it hesitated, -ready to spring on the boy. But that moment of hesitancy was -decisive. And as the strokes of the axe continued uninterruptedly -the great animal gradually settled down sulkily on the branch, cowed -by its fruitless battle with the cord and stick.</p> - -<p>“Meanwhile Weewah was swinging his axe to good purpose. Nor was he -directing his blows in a haphazard manner. With practiced eye he had -selected a clear spot where he wished the tree to fall, and now by -cutting half way through the trunk on the side facing in that -direction, and then cutting on exactly the opposite side a little -higher up he knew that the tree would fall precisely as he wished.</p> - -<p>“Presently the tree began to waver slightly. It was sufficient, -however, to make the great cat on the bough crouch and whine with -fright. A few more sharp blows of the axe made the top limbs tremble -ominously. A puff of wind now would have toppled it over; but there -was not a breath of air stirring. Another axe stroke or two and it -would bring it to the ground.</p> - -<p>“But before delivering the finishing strokes Weewah paused long -enough to replace his snow-shoes which he had removed before he -began chopping. He also picked up his tomahawk and thrust it half -way into his belt, where he could seize it instantly. Then he took -the axe and gave three vigorous, carefully directed finishing blows.</p> - -<p>“And still the lynx did not leap. When the creature felt the limb -quivering beneath it, it rose as if to jump; then, confused and -uncertain, it crouched low again, clinging tightly to the branch as -if for protection. Just before the limb reached the ground, however, -it sprang far out into the snow, making violent leaps with the club -whirling about it, and quickly becoming entangled.</p> - -<p>“Weewah, with tomahawk raised, was close upon its heels. Another -stride and he would have buried the blade in the animal’s skull. But -at that moment the lynx wheeled suddenly, dodging the blow aimed at -its head, and sprang toward its pursuer. Its great claws as it -struck at him cat fashion, scratched Weewah’s cheek, and cut two -deep grooves in his shoulder. It was a blow that would have been -disastrous had not the entangled club jerked the animal to one side.</p> - -<p>“With a yell the little Indian sprang toward the crouching, snarling -animal, thrusting out his right snow-shoe as he did so. Instantly -the frame and lacings of the shoe were crushed in the savage jaws of -the lynx. But at the same moment the tomahawk blade flashed through -the air and buried itself deep in the thick skull.</p> - -<p>“Without a sound the great fur-covered body relaxed, quivered, and -then lay still with the teeth still buried in the snow-shoe frame -only an inch from Weewah’s foot.</p> - -<p>“The little Indian stood for a few moments looking at his victim. -Then he reached down and tried to pry loose the fixed jaws. It was -no easy task. For the muscles had set in the last convulsive death -grip and it was only with the aid of his tomahawk blade that they -could finally be relaxed.</p> - -<p>“Weewah now lashed the forepaws to the dead animal’s lower jaw to -prevent them from catching against things as he dragged the body -over the snow. Then he unfastened the strap from the club, and -taking the line over his shoulder started for home, scuffing along -as best he could on his broken snow-shoe, towing the big cat after -him.</p> - -<p>“All that morning Weewah’s mother had scolded about the missing axe. -Weewah was missing too, but she felt no solicitude about that. With -the axe it was different: people who took away axes were not always -particular about returning them, whereas boys always came back. It -hadn’t occurred to her that the boy and the axe had gone away -together.</p> - -<p>“She had grumblingly gathered wood for the fire without the aid of -her usual implement, and now was busily engaged in boiling roots and -meat in a great pot, while her husband smoked his pipe, paying no -attention to his spouse’s complaints. Some of the smaller children -were playing noisy games, running in and out of the tepee, shouting -and laughing like a pack of white school children.</p> - -<p>“Presently one of Weewah’s younger sisters, squatted on a stump, -raised a shrill cry, ‘Weewah, Weewah is coming!’</p> - -<p>“The playing stopped at once, the children gathering in front of the -tepee to gaze in mute astonishment at their older brother. Tired as -he was from dragging the load, and leg weary from stumbling along -with his broken snow-shoe, he now held his head erect and his chin -high. Without a word he strode into the open flap of the tepee, -dragging the dead lynx after him. In front of his father he stopped -and dropped his burden; then he drew the blood-stained tomahawk from -his belt and laid it beside the dead animal, and stood silently -before his parent with folded arms.</p> - -<p>“For several minutes the warrior smoked his pipe in silence. Then he -gave a grunt of satisfaction, laid his pipe aside, and ran his hand -deliberately over the body of the dead animal. He found no arrow -holes. Next he turned the great head and examined the clean wound, -and then the blood-stained blade of the tomahawk, and the tightened -cord of buckskin about the neck.</p> - -<p>“His examination told him the story of what had happened out there -in the woods. He knew that Weewah had first caught the lynx in his -snare, and then had killed it with a blow from his tomahawk instead -of shooting it with an arrow. And he was proud of his son. But no -one but an Indian would have known it.</p> - -<p>“With another grunt of satisfaction, however, he drew his hunting -knife from the sheath in his belt. By a few deft strokes he severed -two toes from the forepaw of the lynx, with the long curved claws -protruding, leaving a strip of fur at the back. Then he quickly -fashioned a loop in the skin so that the claws hung as a pendant -from it. When this was finished to his satisfaction he stood up and -beckoned to the boy; and when Weewah stepped forward the old Indian -placed the fur string about his neck with the lynx claws suspended -in front.</p> - -<p>“Then he placed his hands on the little fellow’s shoulders and -looked sharply into his eyes, the little Indian returning the gaze -with quiet dignity.</p> - -<p>“‘Weewah, the mighty hunter,’ the old Indian said slowly.</p> - -<p>“Then he seated himself and resumed his pipe as if nothing had -happened.”</p> - -<p>Martin knocked the ashes out of his pipe and threw an extra chunk of -wood on the fire.</p> - -<p>“Time we were turning in,” he said.</p> - -<p>“But tell me,” Larry asked; “did Weewah’s mother give him the -beating for taking her axe?”</p> - -<p>“What, beat a mighty hunter like Weewah?” Martin asked in feigned -surprise. “No indeed! No more beatings for him. From that day on no -woman, not even his mother, would ever give him a blow. And his -father would now take him with him on his hunting trips, even into -the most dangerous places, just as he would any other hunter. For he -had proved his title, you see.”</p> - -<p>Then the old man took his pipe from his lips, and said to the boy -earnestly:</p> - -<p>“You see I am the old Indian and you are Weewah in this case. Only -you haven’t had a chance to kill your lynx yet. But we are going -right into that country where the lynx lives, and sooner or later -you’ll have a chance to show your metal. When that time comes -remember the story of little Weewah.</p> - -<p>“And now you must turn in for the night.”</p> - -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - -<h2 class='nobreak' id='chVI' title='FINAL PREPARATIONS'> - <span style='font-size:1.0em'>CHAPTER VI</span><br /><span style='font-size:1.2em'>FINAL PREPARATIONS</span> -</h2> - -<p>Sometime in the middle of the night Larry was awakened by flakes of -snow driven into his face, and by the sound of the storm howling -around the tent. The flakes sputtered in the fire which still flared -and struggled to keep burning. The boy was warm and comfortable in -the fur bag, however, and after pulling the flap over his head to -keep out the snow, he was soon sleeping soundly. When he opened his -eyes again it was daylight, and Martin was plodding about in the -storm, building a fire close to the tent where the wind struck it -least. The snow was still falling and was even then a foot deep on -the level.</p> - -<p>The old hunter was in high spirits: he had been hoping for the -storm, and the fact that it was a roaring blizzard made no -difference to him so long as the snow kept falling.</p> - -<p>The inside of the tent was warm and the boy crawled out of the fur -bag reluctantly and reached for his shoes.</p> - -<p>“Not that pair,” old Martin said; “there are your things over at the -foot of your bed. No more city clothes from now on. I nearly worked -my fingers off last night getting things ready for you.”</p> - -<p>Larry wondered how much time the old hunter had found for sleep when -he examined the pile of clothing the hunter had laid out for him. -For most of the pieces had been altered in some way to make them so -that the boy could wear them, cut down from some of the larger -garments from the hunting outfit. Sleeves and trouser-legs had been -cut off or turned up, and buttons set over to take up the slack of -the bagging jacket in a way that showed how handy the old hunter was -with the needle. His most laborious task had been in reducing the -size of a pair of moose-skin moccasins, although he had simplified -this operation by taking in the back seam. At that they were at -least three sizes too large, as Larry pointed out.</p> - -<p>“But when you have on two, or three, or four pairs of thick German -socks,” Martin assured him, “you won’t notice a little thing like -that. And you’ll fill out the rest of the clothes with underwear the -same way.”</p> - -<p>Beside the pile of clothing Martin had placed some other things -which he told the boy were to be his personal belongings that were -to be carried with him all the time except when he slept. But the -hunter told him not to put them away until after they had had -breakfast, and made things a little more secure about the tent. So -Larry left the things as he found them, and went to help Martin.</p> - -<p>He soon discovered the difference between his new clothes and the -“city” ones he had discarded. Even the fury of the blizzard could -not force the piercing cold through the thick, soft Mackinaw cloth; -and with the exception of the end of his nose, he was as warm as -toast as he worked under the hunter’s directions.</p> - -<p>One side and the back of their tent was protected from the wind by -the wall of rock, and the fire checked the fury of the storm from -the front; but the snow drifted in on them from the unprotected -side, and they remedied this by stretching a piece of canvas across -the gap. It was no easy task, and several times the wind tore it -away before they could get it anchored securely, but when it was -finally made storm proof the enclosure before the roaring fire was -almost as warm and comfortable as a house.</p> - -<p>“Now for your equipment,” Martin announced, when everything was -secured to his complete satisfaction.</p> - -<p>Larry found that a light hunting hatchet and a stout hunting knife -had been added to his belt of cartridges, suspended in leather -sheaths from loops slipped over the belt. The belt itself was passed -through the loops in the jacket, so that the weight came upon his -shoulders instead of his waist, and when buckled, drew the coat -snugly around him. The gun in its sheath was slung over his shoulder -and hung at his left side. His fur mittens were fastened with -leather strings to the coat sleeves so that there was no possibility -of losing them even when slipped off.</p> - -<p>There was a pocket compass in a hunting case about the size of a -watch which fitted into an upper pocket of his jacket which had a -button flap for holding it. As an additional precaution against -losing it a leather string reached from the inside of the pocket and -was fastened to the ring. And Larry found that his watch was secured -in his watch-pocket in a similar manner.</p> - -<p>“We can’t take a chance on losing anything,” the hunter explained; -“for there are no jewelry stores along the road that we are going to -travel.”</p> - -<p>Larry found that there were three water-proof match boxes to be -distributed in his trousers’ pockets, and a pocket knife that -combined several kinds of useful tools. The matches seemed to be the -ordinary parlor kind. But Martin surprised him by taking one, -dipping it in a cup of water, and then after wiping it off, lighting -it like an ordinary dry match. Even after a match had been floating -in the water for several minutes it would light and burn readily.</p> - -<p>“They’ve all been dipped in shellac,” Martin explained. “The shellac -forms a water-proof coating that keeps out moisture but doesn’t -interfere with lighting or burning. So even if your match safe leaks -you won’t have to go without a fire.”</p> - -<p>In one box which Larry thought contained matches he found six little -cubes looking like wax run into little square aluminum cups. Martin -explained their use by a simple demonstration. He placed one of them -on the ground where he had scraped away the snow, laid a handful of -sticks over it, struck a match and touched the wax-like substance. -It burst into a bright flame at once, and continued to burn fiercely -for several minutes, igniting the sticks about it and helping to -keep their struggling flames going until enough heat had been -generated to make a steady fire.</p> - -<p>“That’s a new fangled thing called ‘solid alcohol,’ used to start a -tenderfoot’s fire when he is wet and cold and has no little dry -twigs at hand,” said Martin. “An old woodsmen like me ought to throw -the stuff away and scorn to use it; and forty years ago I would have -done so. But I am wiser now, I hope, and I don’t despise some of the -new things as I did then. And I remember two different occasions -when I came near losing my life in the snow because my hands were so -cold and numb, and the small wood was so scarce, that I came near -not getting my fire started at all. So now I am going to take along -a few packages of these cubes, and you must do the same. We’ll never -use it except as a last resort; but sometime it may come in handy -for starting a fire or boiling a cup of tea.</p> - -<p>“You know we will only use two matches a day after we leave here—one -match to start our fire at noon and at night. There will be coals -from the night next morning to cook our breakfast by. It’s a mark of -bad woodsmanship to have to use more than one match to start a fire, -no matter what kind of weather is going.”</p> - -<p>“But how about your pipe?” Larry asked. For the old man smoked -almost continually during his waking hours.</p> - -<p>Old Martin sighed and shook his head. “No more pipe for me after we -leave here,” he said, with a little laugh. “The weight in pemmican -that I’ll take instead of the tobacco may be just the amount that -will decide the question of our getting through alive. Smoking isn’t -a necessity, but eating is.”</p> - -<p>Larry looked at the old man to see if he were not joking; but he saw -that he was thoroughly in earnest. It made the boy realize the -serious nature of the task before them to know that the old man was -going to sacrifice the greatest solace of his life. But it roused -his determination, and his spirits were too buoyant to be long -depressed.</p> - -<p>All day long Martin kept him busy helping at various things that -must be completed before their departure. The toboggans were hauled -into the canvas enclosure, where he and the old man packed and -unpacked the loads, adding something here, or leaving out something -there, working in the glow of the warm fire. Dog harnesses had to be -altered and extra ones tucked away on the sleds, snow-shoe lacings -examined and re-lashed, and a dozen things attended to that Larry -recognized as important when Martin pointed them out. The fire, too, -needed considerable tending to keep a huge kettle of beans cooking -which Martin declared must simmer all day if they were to be cooked -properly.</p> - -<p>Toward night the wind subsided, and the clouds cleared away, so that -by the time they had finished their heaping plates of pork and beans -the stars were out glistening like steel points in the frosty air. -Later in the evening they heard howling in the distance—terrifying -sounds to the boy, made by a pack of big timber wolves out on a -hunt, as Martin explained. And for fear the dogs might start an -independent wolf hunt on their own account, Martin tied up the big -malamoots after he had fed them.</p> - -<p>During the day Martin had brought several armfuls of packages into -the tent from the stores under the tarpaulin as he went back and -forth at his work. Now that supper was over and the dishes cleaned -he lighted his pipe and and seated himself beside the packages. He -was always talkative when working by the evening fire, and seemed to -find great pleasure in imparting bits of information to the boy from -his inexhaustible store of woodland experiences.</p> - -<p>To-night as he began fumbling among the packages, he asked:</p> - -<p>“Larry, have you decided what you are going to carry in your ditty -bag?”</p> - -<p>“Ditty bag?” Larry repeated; “I’d know better what I was going to -carry in it if I knew what a ‘ditty bag’ was.”</p> - -<p>“What, a veteran forest pilot like you not know what a ditty bag -is!” Martin asked in mock astonishment. “Then it’s high time for you -to learn. A ditty bag is the thing that does for the woodsman what -all the pockets in a suit of clothes do for a boy—it carries the -forty and one indispensable things that can’t be carried in some -other place. You’d better sit over here beside me and make yours up -to-night while I am fitting out mine.”</p> - -<p>So the boy moved over to the little pile of packages ready for -instructions.</p> - -<p>The hunter handed him a little bag made of tough water-proof -material with a string at the top for tying securely. Then he -rummaged through the packages, taking out what he wanted and placing -them in the bag. At his suggestion Larry duplicated this selection -of things for his own bag, so that in case one bag should be lost -they would still have the other. “But,” said Martin, “you must put -in some little thing for luck—anything that strikes your fancy, -after the other things are in. That’s a hunter’s superstition, like -the Indian’s ‘medicine.’”</p> - -<p>The first useful article selected was a neat Red Cross package -containing a few useful medicines and surgical dressings for an -emergency. Next came needles of all sizes, with several skeins of -thread, and a wooden handle in which were several awls, neatly -stored in a hollow bobbin on which was wound many lengths of strong -waxed cord. A can of gunoil found a place, and a small whetstone, -rough on one side for sharpening the axes, and smooth on the other -for the knives. A tool case, containing a “good-sized carpenter -shop,” as Martin explained and made of aluminum after Mr. Ware’s own -design, found especial favor; and a broken shell extractor was -considered indispensable.</p> - -<p>Buttons and skeins of twine of various sizes went into the bag as a -matter of course; but when the old hunter selected three packages, -each containing a dozen yards of the kind of twisted wire used for -hanging pictures of different sizes, the boy burst out laughing and -rolled on the blankets. He suspected Martin of trying to play off a -quiet hoax on him, and did not intend to be caught in the trap.</p> - -<p>Nothing was farther from Martin’s thoughts, however, as Larry -discovered when the use of the wire was explained. It was to be used -for making the snares for catching small animals, particularly -rabbits, the hunter said, and for that purpose was unequaled. And -the old man assured him that for securing food on the march in a -snow-bound country snares were far more useful than rifles. Indian -families in many northern regions depended almost entirely upon -their snares for their supply of winter food.</p> - -<p>“Rabbits are the bread and butter of the woodsman in the winter,” -Martin said. “The rabbits make little narrow paths in the -snow—thousands of them, running in all directions—and when they are -not disturbed and going about their business, they always follow -these paths. Now when the rabbit comes to a fallen limb lying across -his path a few inches above the ground, he likes to go under the -limb rather than hop over it. This simplifies matters for the -Indian. He simply hangs his snare in front of the hole under the -limb, and is almost sure to catch the first rabbit that comes -hopping along that particular path.</p> - -<p>“The snare is just a simple slip-noose made large enough to let the -rabbit’s head pass through easily. If the wind is blowing the snare -can be held open and in place by tying it with blades of dead grass, -which are strong enough to hold it in place until the rabbit gets -his head through.</p> - -<p>“The other end of the snare string is tied to a limb that is bent -down and fastened in a notch cut in a stick or a small sapling if it -happens to be in the right place. The notch is cut deep enough to -hold the bent limb, but not firmly enough but what it can be jerked -loose pretty easily.</p> - -<p>“Now when the rabbit comes hopping along the path and starts to go -under the limb, he runs his head through the snare. When he feels -something around his neck he pulls back to get out of its way; but -that tightens the noose about his neck, and he begins leaping about -frantically to get loose. In this way he jerks the bent limb out of -the notch that holds it down, the limb flies back, and swings him up -into the air where he smothers in short order.</p> - -<p>“Of course if the snare was simply fastened to the limb over the -path the rabbit would choke himself to death for a certainty, -because he never stops pulling and tugging at the noose while he has -a kick left in him. But then some fox or weasel would probably come -along and get him. But neither of them will get him if he is -dangling in the air: the weasel can’t reach him, and the fox is such -a crafty fellow, always looking out for traps and tricks, that he -won’t go near a dead rabbit hanging on a string, even if he is -starving.</p> - -<p>“Now that the snow has stopped falling the rabbits will be out -to-night making paths, and to-morrow night we’ll put out some snares -just for practice. I’ll teach you a dozen ways to make snares for -different kinds of game, but the principle of all of them is the -same as the one for catching Mr. Rabbit. And he’s the boy we’re -interested in mostly.”</p> - -<p>The old hunter rose and went out to “have a look at the snow,” as he -put it. He came back well pleased with his inspection.</p> - -<p>“The crust will form and set hard to-night,” he said to Larry, “and -to-morrow you’ll begin your hardest and most important -lesson—learning to walk on snow-shoes. You can look forward to -taking some of the grandest headers you have ever taken in your -life,” he added, grinning.</p> - -<p>“But—” Larry began, and then stopped.</p> - -<p>“‘But’ what?” Martin asked.</p> - -<p>“Oh, nothing,” Larry answered evasively. “I was just thinking of -those headers that I am going to take to-morrow, that’s all.”</p> - -<p>“Well, go to bed and dream about them then,” the old hunter -instructed.</p> - -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - -<h2 class='nobreak' id='chVII' title='THE JOURNEY THROUGH THE FOREST'> - <span style='font-size:1.0em'>CHAPTER VII</span><br /><span style='font-size:1.2em'>THE JOURNEY THROUGH THE FOREST</span> -</h2> - -<p>“My goodness, boy,” the old hunter said the next morning at -breakfast, “I do wish you could handle a pair of snow-shoes. We’d -start for home to-morrow, if you could. For the crust is perfect, -and the weather is settled for a spell I think. But there’s no use -starting until we can make good time every hour, so we’ll spend -another week letting you learn to use the snow-shoes, and getting -the kinks out of your legs.”</p> - -<p>Larry made no reply but munched his bacon and biscuit, occasionally -handing a bit to Kim who sat near, watching expectantly. As soon as -breakfast was finished, Martin brought our two pairs of snow-shoes -and strapped one pair to his own feet, instructing Larry to follow -his example. Then he showed the boy how to take the swinging, -gliding steps, sliding one shoe past the other with the peculiar leg -motion that shot the shoe ahead without getting tangled up with its -mate.</p> - -<p>“Now watch me while I run out to that tree and back, and try to do -as I do when you start,” he instructed. And with that he struck out, -the two dogs running beside him, barking excitedly, for they seemed -to know the significance of snow-shoes, and were eager for a run -through the woods.</p> - -<p>The tree Martin had indicated was about a hundred yards away, and -the old hunter covered the distance at top speed, exhilarated as a -boy trying his skates on the first ice of the winter. He did not -stop when the tree was reached, but turned sharply to one side so as -to circle it. As he did so Larry passed the tree on the other side, -running like a veteran, trying to beat him, and bursting with -suppressed laughter. “I’ll race you to the top of the hill and -back,” the boy shouted exultantly.</p> - -<p>But the old man, in his astonishment, bumped into a sapling and came -to a full stop.</p> - -<p>“Where in the world did you learn to use snow-shoes like that?” he -asked, when Larry had swung around to him.</p> - -<p>“Oh, in the Adirondacks that winter,” Larry answered, trying to seem -as if knowing how to use snow-shoes was the most ordinary thing in -the world.</p> - -<p>“But why didn’t you <i>say</i> so?” Martin persisted, his face beaming.</p> - -<p>“Well, you never asked me,” said Larry. “I came within one of -telling you last night, but I just thought I’d save it and surprise -you.”</p> - -<p>“Well, you sure did surprise me,” the old hunter said; “the very -best surprise I have had since I can remember. Why, I woke up half a -dozen times last night worrying because we would have to wait so -long because you had to learn to use the shoes before we could -start. And here you knew how all the time. You can run like an -Indian, Larry.”</p> - -<p>“Well, I can run pretty good,” Larry admitted modestly. “I beat all -the boys in the Christmas races up there last year, and one of them -was an Indian boy, at that.”</p> - -<p>“I’ll bet you did,” Martin exclaimed with admiration. “Why, I was -going at a pretty good clip myself just now, and yet you were at my -heels. Face about and back to the tent we go, for now we have a new -day’s work before us, and to-morrow we head for home.”</p> - -<p>Saying this Martin turned and ran for the camp, Larry doing his best -to keep up; but he finished twenty feet behind. It is one thing to -beat a crowd of boys on snow-shoes, but quite another to have a -competitor who could show his heels to every man in the whole North -Country.</p> - -<p>And now everything was arranged exactly as if they were making their -start in earnest. The sledges were loaded with infinite care, and -the dogs harnessed in their places, one dog to each toboggan. Larry -was to have Kim under his charge, and to pull in harness with the -dog; for Kim was not only the stronger dog of the two, but also the -one most easily managed.</p> - -<p>Martin had made harnesses for himself and Larry, with broad draw -straps over the shoulders and across the chest, so that the weight -of the body was thrown into the harness as they bent forward in -walking. The old hunter harnessed himself in front of his dog, so as -to choose the course, set the pace, and break the trail all at the -same time. But he instructed Larry to harness himself next his -toboggan and behind Kim.</p> - -<p>By this arrangement the old man worked out a shrewdly conceived -plan. He knew that Kim would always strive to keep up with the sled -just ahead of him, for that is the nature of the malamoot when -sledging. This would force the boy to keep up the pace, no matter -how tired and leg weary he might be. At the same time it gave Larry -the benefit of a thoroughly broken-out trail every step of the way—a -thing the boy learned to appreciate within an hour.</p> - -<p>Before starting Martin built up a rousing fire to keep the camp -kettle boiling, and then with a shout struck out into the forest. At -first he went almost in a straight course, and at a pace that made -Larry open his eyes in amazement. Was <i>this</i> the speed they would -have to keep up hour after hour? Then the old man made wide circles, -bending first one way and then the other, until they had been going -about an hour and a half. Now he stopped and asked the panting, -perspiring Larry, how he would take a short-cut to camp.</p> - -<p>“Good gracious, I don’t know!” said the boy.</p> - -<p>“Well, I didn’t expect you would,” Martin said quietly; “but I’m -going to let you steer us back to it all the same. Take your compass -and lead us straight northeast and you’ll land us there. It will be -good practice for you. And mind you, keep up the pace.”</p> - -<p>Larry now changed places with Kim, taking the lead as Martin had -done, got out his compass, and they were off again. The country was -fairly open, so that while he was guided by the little instrument, -he really steered by landmarks, as Martin had instructed him. -Usually the landmark was some tree some distance away that stood -exactly in line with the northeast mark indicated by the compass. -This tree would then be the boy’s goal until he reached it, when -some other mark further on would be selected. In this way the -instrument was only brought into use every half mile or so, a much -easier method than constantly watching the dial.</p> - -<p>The old hunter offered no suggestions about the route, he and Jack -simply plodding along in the procession. But Larry, upon whom the -brunt of everything had now fallen, had hard work to keep his -flagging legs moving along at a rate that would satisfy the members -of his rear guard. He was surprised that they did not come across -some marks of the trail they had made on the way out even after they -had been plodding for a full three-quarters of an hour. This made -him apprehensive that Martin was letting him take them out of their -course, for some reason of his own. He was astonished, therefore, -suddenly to come in sight of their camp dead ahead, and not over a -quarter of a mile away. The compass had given him a short-cut from -Martin’s purposely bending course.</p> - -<p>As soon as the dogs sighted the camp they began barking wildly and -tugging at the traces in their eagerness to reach it; and Larry, -whose legs were flagging sadly, felt all weariness disappear in the -excitement of finishing the run. So, shouting and laughing, with -both dogs leaping and barking, the two teams raced into camp neck -and neck.</p> - -<p>They rested a few minutes, and then began making final preparations -for an early start the next day. They visited the yacht and found -that she was packed thick in a huge bank of ice that had formed upon -her, and been banked about her by the waves, so that she was -practically frozen in for the winter. Then they strengthened all the -fastenings of the canvas under which the provisions and supplies -were stored, and Martin cut several strips of canvas and tied them -with short pieces of rope to trees a few feet away and all about the -heap, where they would blow about in the wind and frighten any -inquisitive prowlers, particularly foxes.</p> - -<p>“But what is the use of going to all that trouble, Martin?” Larry -asked. “We will never come back to this place, and probably no one -else will come here, so all this work is for nothing it seems to -me.”</p> - -<p>The old hunter smiled and shook his head. “That’s the way I should -have talked at your age,” he said. “But I have learned that many -things in this world turn out very differently from what we expect, -and so I always plan for the very worst that can possibly happen. -And it will be a comfort for me to know that there is a big cache of -supplies waiting here in case we have to come back, although I -haven’t the faintest idea of doing so.”</p> - -<p>When the canvasses had been secured to Martin’s satisfaction he made -the fastenings all about their camp secure in the same way. For he -had decided not to take their present tent with them, but in its -place a smaller one, made with a stout canvas bottom sewed fast to -the rest of the tent, so that the whole thing resembled a huge bag. -There were several advantages in this arrangement. It provided a -dry, clean floor, kept the wind from creeping in, and obviated the -likelihood of losing small articles at the camp site that might -otherwise be overlooked and left behind on breaking camp. Moreover, -it insured the tent not being blown from over their heads in a gale -should the fastenings give way—a very important thing when passing -through a barren, windswept country.</p> - -<p>Then they made a final inspection of the toboggan loads, unpacking -them and re-packing them carefully, Martin enjoining the boy to -memorize every article and where it could be found on each sledge. -This would save them much useless hunting, and overhauling, and -disarranging of the loads. And so when night came they were all -ready for the early start the next morning.</p> - -<p>At daylight they were off on their race for life—just how grim and -serious an undertaking Larry was to learn before the day was over. -For now it was plod, plod, plod, Martin setting the pace and -breaking the trail, keeping up an even swing forward regardless of -obstacles. Long before midday Larry realized the magnitude of their -undertaking; for Martin allowed no pause, no resting to catch up -lost breath. It was on, and on, every step ahead being counted -precious gain through the unknown stretch of wilderness.</p> - -<p>At noon they stopped, the dogs dropping in their tracks, and Larry -stretched his aching legs on his load while Martin boiled a pot of -tea and heated up their lunch. But in half an hour they were back in -the harness again, trudging on silently. Even the dogs seemed to -realize that they must do their utmost, straining at the traces all -the time, with noses pointed straight ahead, but wasting no energy -in useless looking about at interesting objects along the trail as -they had always done on their previous journeys.</p> - -<p>By the middle of the afternoon even the dogs showed signs of -fatigue, as the loads were heavy, and despite every effort he could -make, Martin’s speed was gradually slackening. By this time Kim was -obliged to haul his load practically without aid from Larry, whose -legs were tottering. Yet the boy pushed his feet ahead mechanically, -watching the slowly descending sun, and hoping the old hunter would -soon decide to stop for the night. But it was not until just before -sunset that the old man halted and selected a place for their camp.</p> - -<p>His first provision for the night was to help Larry set up the tent; -then he took his snares and went off into the woods to set them, -instructing Larry to get in a good supply of wood and a big heap of -boughs for their bed. “We can cook and eat after dark, you know,” he -said, “but these other things have to be done in daylight.”</p> - -<p>Fortunately for the boy boughs and wood were close at hand, for he -was fagged and exhausted beyond expression. He knew what Martin had -said to him about “getting accustomed to it in a few days” was -probably true, and this helped him keep up his courage; but there is -a limit to muscular endurance even when backed by the highest -quality of will-power. He managed to collect the wood and the -boughs, however, by the time Martin returned, and the old man found -him lying on the heap of boughs, sleeping the sleep of complete -exhaustion.</p> - -<p>The six days following were practically repetitions of the first—a -ceaseless grind of hard work through the timber. Martin, although a -tough and seasoned veteran, began to show the effects of the strain, -while Larry had become an automaton, who performed the three -functions of working, eating, and sleeping mechanically. There were -no talks beside the camp-fire now before turning in, neither man nor -boy having enough surplus energy left at the end of the day to -indulge in more conversation than was absolutely necessary. Both had -settled down to their grim work, more and more of which Martin had -taken upon himself as they proceeded; and every day the boy had -reason to be thankful to the tough old woodsman for little acts of -kindness and thoughtfulness. But his efforts left the old man too -tired for useless conversation even if Larry had cared to listen.</p> - -<p>At noon on the seventh day the woods thinned out into scraggly -trees, and an hour later the travelers emerged upon a flat, and -apparently treeless plain. Here Martin called a halt and left Larry -and the dogs while he took observations. In a few minutes he -returned, but instead of fastening on his harness he sat down beside -Larry on the sled.</p> - -<p>“It isn’t as bad as it might be,” he said, “but it is bad enough, at -that. I can make out the outline of the fringe of trees on the other -side from the top of a big rock over yonder, and I think it is only -ten miles over to them. But I’m not sure, for distances are -deceptive in this country. So we’ll camp here now and get an early -start in the morning.”</p> - -<p>Then he added, with a grim smile, “I guess you won’t mind the six -hours’ extra rest.”</p> - -<p>They made their camp accordingly in a clump of trees, and Larry and -the dogs slept and rested, while the old hunter arranged for the -next day’s run. This consisted in rearranging the loads, examining -and mending harnesses and sled lashings, besides performing Larry’s -usual task of gathering wood and boughs, not rousing the tired boy -until a hot supper was ready. And when Larry had gorged himself, -Martin sent him back to his sleeping bag to get more rest without -waiting to help about cleaning up the supper pans and pots.</p> - -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - -<h2 class='nobreak' id='chVIII' title='THE BLIZZARD'> - <span style='font-size:1.0em'>CHAPTER VIII</span><br /><span style='font-size:1.2em'>THE BLIZZARD</span> -</h2> - -<p>Even after the dogs were harnessed and ready to start the following -morning Martin hesitated.</p> - -<p>“There’s a storm brewing,” he said. “The moon and the stars showed -it last night, and I can feel it in the air this morning. But we may -be able to get across before it strikes us, and I suppose we’ve got -to chance it.”</p> - -<p>To Larry the old hunter’s apprehensions seemed absurd. The sun was -glaring brightly over the tree tops, and across the glistening crust -of the open plain the trees on the other side could be seen as a low -gray line, apparently close at hand. Surely those trees would be -reached before any storm settled over this clear day.</p> - -<p>The hauling was much easier, too, on the smooth, level crust, so -different from the rough woodlands. Indeed, Larry’s toboggan seemed -to move so lightly that the boy stopped and examined his load after -he had been traveling a few minutes. He found, to his surprise, that -fully half his load had been transferred to Martin’s toboggan. The -discovery made his heart go out anew to the old man now rushing -ahead in feverish haste over the crust, and he put every ounce of -strength into keeping up the pace.</p> - -<p>At the end of two hours the gray line ahead had become broad and -well-defined, while the line of trees behind them had dwindled to a -low gray streak on the horizon. But meanwhile the sun had turned to -a dull red ball and the wind had shifted into their faces. It took -no practiced eye now to see that a storm was approaching. But no one -unfamiliar with an arctic blizzard could conceive the fury of such a -storm as the one that broke half an hour later.</p> - -<p>Squarely in their faces the wind struck them with such force that -even the dogs turned instinctively to avoid it, and to shield -themselves from the cutting, sand-like snow that was driven before -it. The temperature, too, dropped with inconceivable rapidity, and -the cold penetrated Larry’s thick clothing so that his skin tingled -despite the fact that he was exerting himself to the utmost, and a -moment before had been hot from his efforts. He closed his eyes for -a moment to shield them, and instantly the lashes were frozen -together. Unable to proceed he turned his back to the blast to rub -them open, and when he succeeded in doing so he found that Martin’s -sledge was completely blotted out by the storm, so that he was not -sure even of its location.</p> - -<p>In a panic he realized the seriousness of his situation and rushed -forward in a frenzied effort to overtake his leader, shouting as he -struggled with the load. But his voice scarcely carried to the -struggling Kim, being drowned in the howl of the storm. He still had -enough command of his senses to remember that the wind was blowing -from dead ahead. But now, for some reason he did not understand, Kim -refused to face the blast squarely, but persisted obstinately in -turning almost at right angles to the left. In vain Larry shouted, -and kicked at the dog in desperation with his snow-shoe, but the -wind caught the clumsy framework, tripping the boy face downward -into the icy snow which cut and bruised his face.</p> - -<p>Choking and gasping for breath he struggled to his feet again now -forcing his way forward blindly in the vague hope of stumbling upon -the elusive Martin. He was numb with the cold and exhausted by his -violent efforts; and while he strove to face the blast, he found -himself turning instinctively from it, while Kim, with seeming -perversity strained at the traces, first in one direction and then -another.</p> - -<p>For a few minutes this struggle continued, and then a feeling of -irresistible drowsiness came over the boy. Standing with his back to -the wind he no longer felt the keen bite of the cold; and as he was -able to accomplish nothing by trying to go forward, he crouched down -behind the toboggan, mindful of Martin’s oft-repeated instructions -to keep moving to avoid freezing, but too much overcome to heed it.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile the old hunter was in a far more distressed state of mind. -When the storm struck he had turned and shouted to Larry to keep -close to the tail of his toboggan, meanwhile fumbling to get his -compass from his pocket, for he knew that only the needle could hold -him to his course. It was just at this time that Larry’s lashes had -frozen together, and he had stopped to rub them open, so that he did -not overtake Martin’s sledge as the old man expected. And when the -old hunter looked up from fumbling with the compass a moment later, -the storm had blotted out the boy completely.</p> - -<p>Instantly the old man brought his dog about to return to the other -sled, which was at most thirty yards away; but the heavy load, -clogged by the snow, moved slowly, and by the time he reached what -he felt sure must be the spot where Larry had stood the boy had -vanished. He was indeed only a few feet away, struggling desperately -with Kim who instinctively was striving to reach the other toboggan; -but in that storm an object thirty feet away was as completely -blotted out as if the interval had been miles instead of feet.</p> - -<p>Martin knew that in a very short time the boy, struggling aimlessly -in the storm, would be overcome and frozen, and he realized that his -chance of finding him was desperate, as he could neither hear nor -see anything two yards ahead. His only hope lay in the sagacity of -the dog. So without a moment’s hesitation at the terrible risk he -was taking he cut the traces freeing the dog from his sled, and, -leaving the load of precious supplies standing where it was, sent -the animal ahead, holding the leash to restrain it. Guided by the -compass he began walking in narrowing circles, trusting to the dog -to find its mate should they pass near it. If he succeeded he could -weather the storm by the aid of the supplies on the boy’s toboggan. -If he failed?—well, the storm would shorten the end mercifully; and -the boy would have gone on before him.</p> - -<p>For half an hour he fought his circular course through the storm, -Jack plodding ahead, crouched down to resist the blast. Then the -animal suddenly straightened up on its legs, and plunged off to one -side barking excitedly, and jerking Martin after him. A few short -leaps brought them to where Larry lay curled down behind the -toboggan.</p> - -<p>Kim, who had been curled up beside the boy, sprang up to meet his -mate, jerking Larry about in his excitement, as they were still -fastened together in harness. But even this violent shaking only -roused the boy for a moment, who dropped back into a doze -immediately.</p> - -<p>The situation confronting Martin was desperate. Larry was rapidly -freezing, and as the nearest shelter of the woods was several miles -away, it was useless to attempt to reach it. The only alternative -was to try to make such shelter as he could with the supplies on -Larry’s sled. Fortunately in distributing the packs the day before -he had put the tent on Larry’s toboggan, and now he conceived a plan -for using it, although it would be sheer madness to attempt to pitch -it in a gale that almost blew the dogs off their feet at times.</p> - -<p>First of all he pulled out Larry’s fur sleeping bag and, crouching -behind the load, managed to get the stupified boy into it, twisting -the top of the bag over his head so that the boy’s own breath would -help warm him. Then he took out the tent, standing with his back to -the blast and with the toboggan load in front of him, he gradually -worked it over one end of the load and under the sled.</p> - -<p>It will be remembered that this tent was made with the floor cloth -sewn firmly to the side walls so that it was in effect a great bag. -Martin worked the opening of this bag around the sled, fighting -fiercely against the gale, and then forced the sled into the bottom, -turning it at right angles to the wind. In this way he formed a -barrier on the inside of the low tent. Then he pushed Larry in his -sleeping bag inside, and he and the dogs crawled in and huddled -together. Next he gathered together the loose edges of the opening -of the tent and tied them with the guy ropes, thus shutting out the -storm on every side and amply protected on the side where the wind -was fiercest by the loaded sled.</p> - -<p>The old hunter, accustomed to severe cold, and heated by his -exertions, was warm and comfortable for the moment, at least, in -this nest; and the dogs found their lodgings so agreeable that they -licked the snow from between their toes, and soon curled up for a -nap. But Larry still remained motionless, and when Martin felt -inside the bag he found his face cold. Evidently the little warmth -left in the boy’s body was not sufficient to warm him back to life, -even in the sleepng bag.</p> - -<p>Closing the bag again to retain what warmth there was inside, Martin -ripped open the lacings of the sled, and fumbling about found -Larry’s tin cup, a tin plate, and the little box containing the -cubes of “solid alcohol.” Placing one of these on the bottom of an -overturned tin plate the old hunter struck a match and lighted it, -keeping the dish between his outspread knees to prevent the dogs -knocking against it, and using his rifle as a tent pole to raise the -canvas as high as possible. It was a hazardous thing to do, as they -were all crowded into a space so small there was scarcely room for -all of them to curl up together, to say nothing of space for -starting a fire. But Larry’s case was desperate: Martin must find -some way of warming him. And even a very tiny flame in that closely -packed space would soon do this.</p> - -<p>As the little blue flame grew larger and flickered upwards, the dogs -instinctively drew away from it, crowding close to the tent walls, -in this way leaving Martin a little more elbow room. It also gave -him an opportunity carefully to work loose part of the fastening so -as to make an opening a few inches long on the leeward side of the -tent for ventilation. For as the tent cloth was practically air -tight the flame and the breath from four pairs of lungs quickly made -the atmosphere stifling. But Martin did not wait for this warmth -alone to start up the boy’s flagging circulation. He scooped a tin -cup full of snow, reaching through the ventilating slit, and holding -this over the flame, melted and warmed it.</p> - -<p>Each little cube was supposed to burn for ten minutes, and give out -an amount of heat entirely disproportionate to its size. But the -first cube had burned itself out and a second one was half consumed -before Martin secured half a cup of steaming hot water. Meanwhile -Larry had not roused, although his face was warmer and he was -breathing more naturally. A few sips of the hot water forced between -his lips, however, roused him quickly; and by the time he had -swallowed the contents of the cup the color had come back to his -cheeks.</p> - -<p>The hot water warmed his tingling body like magic, and by the time -the third cube was burned out his cheeks were pink and even the tips -of his fingers warm. But Martin was not satisfied with this. He dug -out some lumps of pemmican, heated them in the flame, and fed him -the bits as they became warm, occasionally taking a mouthful -himself, and giving some to the dogs as a reward for good behavior. -By the time the last cube had burned itself out they had all made a -hearty meal, and Larry was feeling like himself again, warm and -comfortable in the fur bag.</p> - -<p>But now Martin found himself in a dilemma. His own sleeping bag was -somewhere on his sled lost in the blizzard; and while his clothing -was warm, he soon realized that it would not be enough protection to -keep him from freezing in a few hours, now that the cubes were all -gone. There was only one thing to be done: he must wedge himself in -beside the boy and share his warm bag until the storm subsided. -Luckily for him the bag was a full-sized one like his own. So that -by dint of much wriggling and squeezing he managed to crawl in -beside the boy and pull the folds over his head, although it was -such a tight fit that neither of them could move when it was finally -accomplished.</p> - -<p>They were warm, however, and other discomforts were a minor -consideration. And in a few moments all hands were sleeping soundly -while the storm raged about their little tent. All the rest of that -day and well into the night it roared incessantly. Then gradually it -began to abate in fury, and finally “blew itself out” as Martin -said. By sunrise there was scarcely a breath of air stirring, but -everything creaked and sparkled in the cold.</p> - -<p>Getting out of the bag proved to be almost as hard a task as getting -into it, but the old hunter finally worked his arms free and then -crawled out, pulling the boy after him. Both were stiff and lame -from lying in the cramped position, but they were soon limbered up -by dancing about to keep warm while they gnawed at the frozen -pemmican and packed the sled.</p> - -<p>Fortunately the fury of the wind had swept the plain clear of new -snow as fast as it had fallen on the glassy crust, so that the few -elevations on its surface were easily seen. One of these a quarter -of a mile away proved to be Martin’s sled, clear of snow on the -windward side, with a long pointed bank slanting off to leeward. So -that in half an hour’s time they had recovered it, harnessed the -dogs, and were making their way as quickly as possible to the edge -of the woods for which they were aiming the day before.</p> - -<p>The distance proved to be short—only a scant three miles. But Larry -was still weak, and was tottering and almost exhausted when they -finally wallowed through the snowbanks at the edge of the great -spruce forest. He had said nothing to Martin of his weakness, but -the old man had been watching him out of the corner of his eye and -was well aware of his condition.</p> - -<p>As soon as they reached an open space among the trees, therefore, -Martin stopped and made a roaring fire, while Larry sat on his sled -and rested, watching the old man brewing tea and cooking a hot meal. -His legs ached and his head swam a little, although he was beginning -to feel more like his old self by the time their breakfast was over. -But the thought of the weary hours of toil through the woods was -almost intolerable; and he was ready to cry for joy when Martin -announced that he “was going to look around for a camp,” leaving the -boy to toast his shins by the fire. “And I may find something to -shoot while I’m looking,” the old hunter added as he started on his -search.</p> - -<p>In half an hour Martin returned fairly beaming at his success. He -had found no game, but he had stumbled upon a camping place which he -announced was “the best in all Canada.” “And these woods are full of -game, too,” he added.</p> - -<p>The camping place which Martin had discovered was indeed an ideal, -as well as a very unusual one. It was a natural excavation under the -south side of an overhanging ledge of rock which was so protected -from the wind that only a thin layer of snow covered its rock floor. -A roaring fire built at the entrance warmed the hollowed out space -like a great room, and Larry found that the old hunter had started -such a fire and left it to warm things up while he returned for the -toboggans. It seemed a sylvan paradise to the exhausted boy.</p> - -<p>The hunter watched the boy slyly as they stood in the warm glow by -the fire. “Perhaps you’d rather go on than to stop here over -to-morrow,” he suggested with a twinkle in his eye.</p> - -<p>For answer the boy threw off his heavy coat, went over to his -toboggan, and began unfastening Kim and unpacking his load. And -Martin with a little laugh followed his example.</p> - -<p>“You’ll stay and keep house to-morrow,” he explained as he worked, -“while I go out and have a try at some of this fresh meat that is -running loose around here. We need a supply to take the place of -what we’ve eaten in the last week, and I never saw a likelier place -for getting it, judging by the signs.”</p> - -<p>All the afternoon the tireless old man worked laying in a supply of -fuel and making things snug, not allowing the boy to help, but -making him “tend camp” lying on a pile of warm furs beside the fire.</p> - -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - -<h2 class='nobreak' id='chIX' title='THE TIMBER WOLVES'> - <span style='font-size:1.0em'>CHAPTER IX</span><br /><span style='font-size:1.2em'>THE TIMBER WOLVES</span> -</h2> - -<p>Early the next morning Martin roused Larry for breakfast. The old -man had been up an hour and was ready to start on his hunt as soon -as breakfast was finished, but he had let the boy sleep as long as -possible. While they ate Martin gave Larry final instructions as to -what he was to do during the day.</p> - -<p>“Rest all you can,” he instructed, “and don’t go far from camp under -any circumstances. Don’t let the dogs loose even for a minute. It -isn’t likely that they would wander off, but they might get started -after a rabbit and wind up chasing caribou or fighting wolves. -Anyhow don’t give them a chance.”</p> - -<p>At the mention of wolves the boy looked anxious. “What if the wolves -came near here—came right up to the camp and wanted to fight Jack -and Kim?” he asked.</p> - -<p>The old man pointed to the little rifle standing against the wall. -“Give ’em the thirty-eight,” he said. “But they won’t come very -near,” he added. “They’ll be howling around in the distance of -course, because they will scent our cooking. But at worst they -wouldn’t dare come near until night; and I’ll be here by that time. -And always remember this: a wolf is a coward; and your thirty-eight -will knock dead in his tracks the biggest wolf that ever lived. Just -keep the little gun strapped on you all day and you won’t be afraid -or feel lonesome. Next to a man a gun is the most comforting -companion in the world.”</p> - -<p>Larry followed Martin’s instructions almost to the letter. He -strapped on the gun and loafed about the camp-fire all the long -forenoon, varying the monotony by patting and talking to the dogs, -who lolled luxuriously beside the fire where Martin had tied them -with double leashes. By noon the period of idleness palled on the -boy who had entirely recovered from the exhaustion of the day -before. So he took his axe and spent a couple of hours gathering -fuel although Martin’s huge pile was still more than sufficient for -another day.</p> - -<p>At intervals he heard wolves howling at a distance, but that had now -become a familiar sound, and he paid little attention to it. When -the sun was only an hour high he began getting supper ready, keeping -a sharp lookout for Martin who might appear at any minute. He had -planned an unusually elaborate meal to surprise and cheer the old -man when he returned, and he was so occupied with the work that he -was oblivious to everything else, until the dogs startled him by -springing up, bristling and snarling fiercely. Thinking that they -had scented or sighted the returning hunter Larry ran out to look -for him, shouting a welcome. But there was no sign of the old man.</p> - -<p>In dismay he noticed that the sun was just setting, and on looking -through the trees in the direction indicated by the dogs’ attitude -he saw the silhouettes of four huge, gaunt wolves skulking among the -trees. The odor of his elaborate cooking had reached them, and as -night was coming on they were emboldened to approach.</p> - -<p>The sight of the great creatures snarling and snapping in the gloomy -shadows made the “goose flesh” rise on the boy’s skin. And while the -presence of the dogs was a comfort, their attitude was not -reassuring. They pulled and strained at their leashes, bristling and -growling, but sometimes whining as if realizing that in a pitched -battle they would be no match for the four invaders.</p> - -<p>The realization that he was utterly alone in the great wilderness -with darkness at hand, and a pack of wolves howling at his open door -made the boy chill with terror. Instinctively he sought shelter -behind the fire near the dogs, who welcomed him with appreciative -whines. They looked upon him as a protector, and their faith helped -his courage. Martin’s instruction to “give ’em the thirty-eight” -also cheered him, and he took out the little gun and prepared for -battle.</p> - -<p>“Every wolf is a coward,” the old hunter had said; but these wolves -were not acting like cowards at all. They did not rush forward -boldly, it was true, but they were stealthily drawing nearer, -snarling and bristling. They would stand pawing and sniffing the -snow for a few moments as if the object of their visit was entirely -forgotten. Then one of them would suddenly spring forward two or -three short steps, and the whole crew would stand snapping their -jaws and glaring savagely at the camp. In this way they were -deliberately closing in upon it.</p> - -<p>This method of approaching by short rushes was most disconcerting -and terrifying, and several times Larry decided to open fire without -waiting for the wolves to emerge from the shelter of the trees. But -each time his better judgment restrained him.</p> - -<p>When they had approached to within the circle of the nearest trees, -however, he decided to act. Holding some cartridges in his left hand -for quick loading, as Martin had taught him, he knelt beside the -fire, rested his elbow on his knee, and tried to take careful aim. -But his hand trembled, and his heart pounded so hard, that the -sights of his rifle bobbed all about the mark he had selected. The -more he tried to steady the rifle the more it seemed to waver and -dance about, so that he knew it would be useless to fire.</p> - -<p>At that moment the story of Weewah, the Indian boy, flashed into his -mind—the little savage who fought with a hatchet, while he, the -white boy, had his hard-hitting rifle and plenty of cartridges. He -lowered the gun for a moment, and steadied himself with a few deep -breaths, shutting his eyes and summoning all his courage. When he -opened them he found that his hand was steadier and the pounding in -his breast had almost ceased.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile the wolves had spread out forming a restless semicircle -before the camp. There were three gray ones, and one huge fellow -almost pure white. Larry selected this white one for his first -victim. Resting his elbow again on his knee he took careful aim, -waiting for the restless wolf to pause for an instant. The moment -the huge animal stopped to snarl fiercely at the camp, Larry pressed -the trigger and fired.</p> - -<p>At the sound of the report three of the wolves gave a startled leap -sidewise, and then crouched forward again as they recovered from -their surprise. But the white wolf sank in the snow where it stood, -and lay still: the little bullet had “knocked him dead in his -tracks” sure enough. With a gulp of exultation Larry slipped in a -fresh cartridge and aimed carefully at a wolf that was a little in -advance of the other two. Again his aim was true; but this wolf did -not drop silently as had the white one. Instead he gave a howl of -pain and rolled in the snow, turning it red all about him in his -death struggles.</p> - -<p>The other two wolves had leaped back at the flash and sound of the -rifle as before. But at the sight and smell of their companion’s -blood they rushed upon him, tearing and gashing him in their lust, -and sucking his blood ravenously. Jack and Kim, made frantic by the -struggle, added their furious but impotent howls to the uproar in -their frenzied efforts to free themselves. While Larry, forgetful of -personal danger in the excitement, sprang up and approached the -struggling group, meanwhile inserting a fresh cartridge, and -despatched the third wolf as he crouched wallowing in his -companion’s blood.</p> - -<p>The remaining wolf had paid no attention to the report that struck -down his mate; but now as the boy paused to take careful aim, the -huge creature, maddened by the taste of blood, turned suddenly and -rushed upon him. There was no time to retreat, even if Larry had -wished to do so. But he had no such intention, for the hot blood of -fighting ancestors was now surging through his veins. With the -coolness of a veteran the boy aimed and fired just as the gray -monster shot through the air in his final spring toward him. The -next instant his coat sleeve was ripped open clean to the shoulder -by the furious snap of the animal’s jaws, and he was knocked -headlong by the impact of the creature’s body.</p> - -<p>Fortunately for him his bullet had found its mark, breaking the -wolf’s back just as the animal leaped from the ground, and thus -diverting the aim of its deadly jaws, while the force of its spring -knocked Larry out of the wounded creature’s reach. Its hind legs -were paralyzed and useless, but its jaws snapped viciously as it -struggled to reach its foe on its fore legs.</p> - -<p>The boy was up in an instant, maddened by his fall, and full of -fight. Without trying to recover his gun which had fallen several -feet away, he rushed to the pile of fire-wood, seized a heavy club, -and brought it down again and again on the head of the crippled -beast, until he had pounded out the last spark of life. Then, when -it was all over, he stood trembling and weak, overcome by his -efforts and the excitement.</p> - -<p>A moment later he ran to the dogs and, regardless of Martin’s -orders, turned them loose. He wanted them to share his victory, and -stood laughing and gulping hysterically as he watched them rush upon -the lifeless victims, and tear and maul them with wolfish ferocity. -It was no fault of theirs that they had not shared the fight, and -they vented their animosity by rushing from one victim to another, -jerking the limp carcasses about, and shaking them like rats.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile it had grown dark; and still no sign of Martin. For a -little time after the battle Larry had stood forgetful of the old -man’s absence, reveling in the thought of the story he should have -to tell. But presently he realized the seriousness of his position. -He no longer feared for his own safety: he and his little gun could -“tend camp” against all comers he felt sure. But what was keeping -Martin away so long?</p> - -<p>He consoled himself with the thought that probably the old man had -followed some game trail farther than he intended and was unable to -get back before nightfall. So when the dogs had tired themselves out -worrying the dead wolves, Larry tied them up and ate his cheerless -supper. This revived his spirits a little, and he put into effect a -plan he had made for surprising Martin. For this purpose he dragged -the carcasses of the wolves together and covered them with boughs so -that the old man would not notice them when he returned. At the -right time the boy would tell his story and revel in Martin’s -astonishment.</p> - -<p>Then he built up a roaring fire, crawled into his sleeping bag and -tried to sleep. But after two hours of restless tossing about, his -mind filled with gloomy forebodings, he got up and seated himself -beside the fire for his long vigil.</p> - -<p>It was a terrible night for the boy. The thought that Martin might -have been injured, or even killed, kept obtruding itself, and he -shuddered at the awful consequences of such a calamity. He reassured -himself over and over by the more probable explanation that the old -man had gone farther from camp than he intended. But the other -possibility could not be banished from his thoughts. And so he sat -before his roaring fire, a big dog snuggling against him on either -side, comforting his loneliness.</p> - -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - -<h2 class='nobreak' id='chX' title='THE WOUNDED MOOSE'> - <span style='font-size:1.0em'>CHAPTER X</span><br /><span style='font-size:1.2em'>THE WOUNDED MOOSE</span> -</h2> - -<p>In this way he passed the long, terrible hours of the night. But as -soon as it began to grow light he untied the dogs, and took a circle -of several miles through the woods, hoping that he might find some -trace of the missing hunter. But he remembered the old man’s -instruction that he was not to leave the camp to go any very great -distance, and after two hours of futile search he returned in -despair.</p> - -<p>The dogs, seeming to realize that something was wrong, were alert to -every unusual sound; and when Larry would spring up and peer through -the trees expectantly, they would leap about and bark excitedly. But -the sun rose higher and higher, and still Martin did not come.</p> - -<p>At last the boy could stand the suspense no longer. In defiance of -Martin’s explicit instructions he decided to leave the camp and try -to find him. The thought that the old man must have been injured, or -taken ill, kept forcing itself into the boy’s mind. An experienced -hunter like Martin would not lose his way; and moreover, if he -should become confused, he would still have his own trail to follow -back to camp; for this trail was well marked in the snow. In any -event, Larry could not remain inactive any longer with these -terrible fears tearing at his heart.</p> - -<p>So he harnessed the dogs tandem to one of the empty toboggans, -strapped on his snow-shoes, and started out following Martin’s trail -of the day before. At first he took the lead, running at top speed; -but presently he found that, since the trail had been broken out by -Martin, he could make better time by letting the dogs haul him on -the toboggan. His weight was so much less than the load they were -accustomed to haul that now they ran along the trail at high speed, -following Martin’s tracks without any guiding instructions.</p> - -<p>For two hours they went forward, Kim leading, his nose close to the -snow, and both dogs keenly alert. The tracks wound in and out among -the thickets, indicating where Martin had explored likely looking -places for game, but their general direction was toward the -southwest, the course the old hunter had said he should take. Once -the snow-shoe trail had followed the track of a deer for half a -mile; but evidently the animal was not overtaken, for presently they -found where Martin turned off into his original course again.</p> - -<p>By noon the dogs had begun to slacken their pace a little, and -Larry, thoroughly discouraged, had decided that he would retrace his -course, when they reached the crest of a low hill a short distance -ahead, which seemed to command a view of the country for some -distance around. If nothing could be seen of Martin from this hill, -he would face about and return to camp; and more than likely he -should find the old man there waiting for him. Hardly had he reached -this decision, however, when Kim stopped so suddenly that Jack and -the toboggan bumped into him, and stood with bristling hair and -stiffened muscles for a moment, and then made a frantic leap -forward, snarling and barking.</p> - -<p>At the same time Jack seemed to have discovered the cause of his -mate’s excitement, and it was only by twisting the sled rope about a -sapling that Larry prevented them from dashing madly off into the -woods. Yet he was unable to discover the cause of their actions, -although he peered intently through the trees in all directions. But -whatever the cause, he knew that they had scented something quite -out of the ordinary; and as a precaution he drew the little rifle -from its case and made sure that the firing-pin was set for the -heavy cartridge.</p> - -<p>Then he took a firm grip on Kim’s collar, putting all his weight -against the dog’s strength, and advanced cautiously through the -trees toward the top of the hill.</p> - -<p>The crest of this hill had been cleared of large timber years before -by a forest fire, and there was an open space for several hundred -yards beyond. When Larry reached this cleared space he saw a sight -that made his heart leap into his throat and his hair seem to lift -his cap. His hand trembled so violently that he came near dropping -his rifle, and his breathing ceased altogether for a moment.</p> - -<p>For at the opposite side of the clearing stood a huge animal, tall -and gaunt, its thick neck supporting a head like a great black -barrel crowned with a pair of thickly pointed horns that seemed as -long as the toboggan from tip to tip. The great creature stood -facing him, the long, coarse hair about its head and neck standing -out straight, its fore legs wide apart, its hind legs slightly bent -ready for a spring forward. All about it for a space of several -yards the snow was trampled into a hard bed and blotched with blood.</p> - -<p>In the center of this trampled space was a huge boulder, and just -beside it a sapling perhaps six inches in diameter. Perched on the -top of the boulder and only a few inches out of reach of the great -antlers, old Martin lay huddled. Or, to be more exact, what appeared -to be a bundle of Martin’s clothes that looked as if they might have -been hurled there by the infuriated animal. The mystery of the old -man’s failure to return to camp was explained.</p> - -<p>At the sight of the huge animal so close at hand the dogs became -absolutely frantic; and knowing that it would be folly to try to -control them further, and wishing to give them every possible -advantage in the fight that was now inevitable, the boy slipped the -harness from each.</p> - -<p>As the dogs bounded toward the wounded animal, the moose sprang -forward to meet them, snorting fiercely; but in doing this the heavy -creature put itself at once at a disadvantage. For its hoofs broke -through the crust at every step, while the dogs kept their footing -on the surface, darting in and out, snapping fiercely at legs and -flank.</p> - -<p>The noise of this battle roused Martin from the stupor into which he -had fallen, so that he raised his head, and then gradually dragged -himself into a sitting posture. Then, as he recognized the dogs, and -saw Larry hurrying forward, new life thrilled the old man, and he -began waving his hand and shouting feebly to the boy.</p> - -<p>At first his voice was so low that the boy could not hear it above -the din; but as he approached the rock, waiting for a favoring -moment to place his one shot in some vital spot, he could make out -some of Martin’s instructions shouted through his trumpeted hands.</p> - -<p>“Steady, boy, steady!” the old man shouted. “Wait till he turns his -head, and shoot between the eyes! Not now—wait till he turns—not -yet—!”</p> - -<p>Just then the moose, frantic with pain and anger, caught sight of -the boy approaching him. At this discovery the huge animal seemed to -forget the dogs, and wheeling, made straight for Larry, head down, -bristles standing, and bloody foam blowing from its nose and mouth.</p> - -<p>“Shoot! Shoot! For God’s sake shoot, Larry!” the old man screamed, -half rising, and then toppling back upon the rock.</p> - -<p>But Larry needed no instructions. He had proved himself and his -weapon only yesterday, and he had the courage born of experience. -The first terror inspired by the huge animal had passed, and now he -stood with his feet braced wide apart on his snow-shoes, the rifle -at his shoulder and his eye fixed on the little bead of the front -sight as the huge animal plunged toward him. Kim and Jack, realizing -the impending danger to their master, buried their teeth in the -moose’s flanks on either side and hung on grimly causing the animal -to pause momentarily. This was Larry’s chance. There was a flash and -report, and the big animal, rearing upwards and sinking on its hind -legs, plunged sidelong into the snow and lay still. The heavy -steel-jacketed bullet had crashed into its brain, killing it -instantly.</p> - -<p>Before the huge head fairly reached the ground both dogs were at the -animal’s throat, tearing and mangling, mad with the lust of battle. -Larry, reacting from the tense excitement, felt his knees sag under -him as he realized the result of the shot. But even this did not -make him forget to load his gun again instantly—a thing that becomes -automatic with the hunter—and approach the beast cautiously, ready -for another shot. But the dogs, with fangs buried in the creature’s -throat, gloating in the hot blood, bore silent witness that more -shots were unnecessary.</p> - -<p>Then Larry’s pent-up emotions found expression in a wild shout as he -rushed to where old Martin lay.</p> - -<p>But his feeling changed to dread apprehension when he reached the -base of the rock, saw where the blood had trickled down over the -side, and found that the old man had fallen back unconscious. -Perhaps his triumph had come too late after all! In an instant he -had kicked off his snow-shoes, climbed the sapling that rose beside -the rock, and was kneeling over the still, crumpled figure, his warm -hands caressing the white cheeks, his voice choked with emotion.</p> - -<p>His warm touch revived the hunter, who opened his eyes slowly, and -then smiled faintly up at the boy.</p> - -<p>“I’ll be all right in a minute,” the old fellow whispered; “get me -off this rock and build a fire, quick. I’m frozen.”</p> - -<p>But getting the injured hunter off the rocks without hurting him -proved a difficult task. The sides were almost perpendicular, and -Martin too weak to help himself at all. So, after several futile -attempts, Larry was obliged to get the harnesses from the toboggan, -fasten the draw strap under the hunter’s arms, and in this manner -lower him over the side. Then the boy quickly gathered some sticks -and made a hot fire.</p> - -<p>During most of this time Martin remained inanimate, but he revived -again when Larry had dragged him near the fire; and now he asked -faintly for water. A few gulps of the melted snow water from Larry’s -cup revived him perceptibly, and meanwhile the boy was chafing his -cold hands, and had removed his moccasins and drawn his feet close -to the fire.</p> - -<p>Presently Martin asked feebly for food; but Larry shook his head. -For once he had forgotten one of the old man’s reiterated -instructions—that he should never go anywhere from camp without -taking at least one ration with him. When he started out he had only -expected to be gone a few hours, and in his perturbation he had -forgotten to take anything to eat.</p> - -<p>But the old hunter’s wits had not completely failed him.</p> - -<p>“The moose,” he said faintly.</p> - -<p>And then the boy remembered that a month’s supply of food, upon -which the dogs were still feasting, was lying only a few feet away. -So in a few minutes he had a huge slice of moose steak suspended on -a stick over the fire, from which he cut off thin strips and fed to -the ravenous hunter.</p> - -<p>During this process he had time to observe the nature of Martin’s -injury, although he was not quite sure of its exact location, as the -hunter’s clothes were rent and blood-stained in many places.</p> - -<p>“It’s my left leg,” Martin said, interpreting the boy’s anxious -expression. “It’s all ripped to pieces. But it was the cold that was -killing me. Now I’m getting warm and feeling stronger every minute. -In another half hour I’ll be ready to take a ride home with you -while the sun is high.”</p> - -<p>By the time the steak was consumed Martin was sitting up, taking -sips of hot water out of the tin cup from time to time. Every -movement caused him great pain, but he strove stoically to conceal -this from the boy.</p> - -<p>“Harness up the dogs,” he said presently, “pack me into the -toboggan, and let’s start for camp. We haven’t any time to lose, for -it gets cold on a sled when the sun goes down.”</p> - -<p>So Larry called the dogs, who were loth to leave their feast, packed -the old man into the bag on the toboggan so that only his head -showed above the flaps, and started.</p> - -<p>Several times he had tried to get the old hunter to tell him how it -had all happened; but Martin put him off, assuring him that there -would be plenty of time for talking when they were back in camp -again.</p> - -<p>Once the start was made there was no chance for talking, all Larry’s -energies being required to keep the now lazy dogs up to their usual -speed. And now he realized the wisdom of not feeding them until -their day’s work was done, as was Martin’s inflexible rule. He was -kept busy steering the toboggan around rough places that would jar -his passenger, as the old man’s excruciating pain was accentuated by -every additional shock. Yet Martin would not consider stopping, or -even slackening the pace; and as the dogs warmed to their work after -the first few miles they were able to make the camp just as the sun -was setting, all hands ready to drop from exhaustion.</p> - -<p>They found Larry’s big fire still burning, and in a few minutes he -had warmed up the remains of the feast he had planned for the night -before. Then, when he had wrapped up the injured leg, and propped -the old hunter in a comfortable position before the fire, Martin was -ready to tell his story.</p> - -<p>“Don’t you mind now, and look scared whenever I screw up my face,” -the old man began; “for the pain shoots around pretty bad at times. -But I’ll stand it all right, and I’ll kill many a bull moose to pay -for it, too.”</p> - -<p>Then he chuckled softly in the old familiar manner.</p> - -<p>“What makes me laugh,” he said, “is to think that all this time I -have been letting you think that I am something of a hunter, trying -to show you how to kill game; and here you go out and kill the moose -that came mighty near killing me. This is how it all happened:</p> - -<p>“I came across signs of game after I had left the camp about an -hour, and the signs were good too; but still I didn’t get sight of -anything, and I kept going right on until well after noon. So I -decided to turn about and take the back track home, feeling sure -that I should have better luck on the way in. Sure enough, when I -came near the place where you found me, I found where a moose had -floundered along through the snow, probably scared from some yard by -my scent as I passed. He was standing near the big rock and as the -wind was blowing toward me, he hadn’t discovered me.</p> - -<p>“So I worked around to get the rock between us, and then I sneaked -up so as to get a close shot and make sure of him. I ought to have -tried a longer shot at him, but you see the .38-40 is a pretty small -cartridge for moose except at close range, and I intended to get -him, sure.</p> - -<p>“I sneaked along until I was right behind the rock, and then I -stepped out and shot point blank for his head. But just at the very -second I pulled the trigger the old rascal had to jerk his head -about six inches to one side, so that the bullet ploughed deep into -his neck, just where it would hurt and make him mad, but nothing -more.</p> - -<p>“And then all the trouble happened in about three seconds. I jerked -down the lever to throw in another cartridge, for he was coming -right at me. But Jumping Jee-rusalem! if the old gun didn’t jam. The -head of the empty shell had broken off and stuck in the chamber! I -didn’t have any time for investigating, for the bull was right on -top of me, so I just jumped for the side of that rock. Nothing but a -fly could have gone up it—without help; and I knew that then as well -as I do now. But I hadn’t any choice. And the curious thing is that -the old moose himself furnished the <i>help</i>.</p> - -<p>“He was so close to me when I jumped that one of his points caught -my leg and ripped it open as he went along; but at the same time he -flung his head up and threw me clean up the side of the rock. So by -the time he could stop and turn around I was up out of his reach. -But I was his meat, all the same. All he had to do was to sit down -and wait long enough and I’d freeze or starve to death.</p> - -<p>“He had no notion of waiting, though,—that is, not at first. He -planned to come right up there and finish the job. But you see he -didn’t have any friend around to hook him in the leg and give him a -boost as I had, so he couldn’t make it. He tried for a full hour, -getting madder and madder every minute, snorting and pawing up the -snow, and then coming back for another try at me. And there I had to -sit and take it, with my gun lying down below in the snow.</p> - -<p>“Pretty soon I saw that the old scoundrel had settled down for a -regular siege. He gave up trying to reach me, but he never took his -eyes off me, and just walked ’round and ’round that rock hoping I’d -come down. I’ll bet he made that circle a thousand times in two -hours.</p> - -<p>“I thought when night came that he would start off and give it up, -and several times he did go away behind a clump of trees a few rods -away. But the minute I raised my head or moved a finger he was right -back on the job again.</p> - -<p>“Then I knew that my time had come. It wasn’t such a terribly cold -night, you know, but I lay out there in the open with nothing over -me, and I was mighty weak from the blood I’d lost. And I knew that I -was slowly freezing to death. I thought of a dozen things to try, -but all of them were hopeless. There was no use in sliding off and -grabbing the rifle for by the time I could get the broken cartridge -out the moose would have killed me several times over. If it hadn’t -been for the leg I’d have come down and fought it out with the old -brute with my hunting knife. I have done that before with a wounded -bull. But I was so weak that I could hardly raise my body, let alone -my leg. So I just settled down to freeze.</p> - -<p>“But you see I’m a tough old rooster, and when the sun came up this -morning I was still there, with my moose taking good care that I -should <i>stay</i> there. By that time, though, I didn’t care much -whether he stayed or not. It didn’t make any difference. For I -couldn’t have crawled fifty yards if I’d had the chance I was so -stiff and weak.</p> - -<p>“After a while I dozed off; and the next thing I remember I heard -the bull fighting with some wolves. I thought they were wolves then, -but I didn’t even open my eyes to see, although I hoped they’d kill -him. And then something sounded familiar about those wolves’ voices, -and I turned my head. And there was old Jack and Kim trying to even -up my score with the old critter.</p> - -<p>“My God! boy, I never knew what it was to be glad about anything in -my life before! There you were coming with the little gun, and there -was Jack on one side and Kim on the other taking out hunks from the -old moose’s side at every jump, and—”</p> - -<p>The old man stopped, and brushed his arm across his eyes, unable to -go on for a minute, while Larry sat blinking hard at the fire. But -presently the hunter regained his composure a little, and continued:</p> - -<p>“And then when you fired and shot that old devil right between the -eyes, I was willing to die for sheer joy.”</p> - -<p>The old man paused again and tried to force a little laugh.</p> - -<p>“And to think that you had to come and kill him with the little gun, -while the best that I could do was to make him mad.”</p> - -<p>And he patted the boy’s shaggy head affectionately.</p> - -<p>“But you see, Martin, I’ve been having more practice lately than you -have,” the boy said, springing up. “Wait till I show you something.”</p> - -<p>He darted out of the tent and came struggling back hauling the big -white wolf and dropped it before the fire, and then brought the -other three and laid them in a row for Martin’s inspection. His eyes -were shining with pride and the old hunter’s face beamed with -genuine admiration.</p> - -<p>“Just four cartridges—one for each wolf,” Larry said proudly, “and a -little tap with a club thrown in for good measure.” And then he told -the old man the story of the wolves, and exhibited the rip in his -coat sleeves.</p> - -<p>Several times during the recital Larry noticed that Martin’s face -twitched with the agonizing pain he was suffering, although the old -man tried hard to conceal it, protesting that it was a thing too -slight to be worth noticing.</p> - -<p>“It isn’t the pain so much,” the old man said, at last. “I can stand -that all right. But I could stand it just a thousand times better if -I had my old pipe and one pinch of tobacco. Boy, I’d give one long -year of my life if I could have five minutes’ smoke. I’d get up and -fight a moose, or a grizzly, or both, right now for a dozen whiffs -of the old pipe.”</p> - -<p>With a little laugh Larry jumped up, ran to their pile of plunder, -and fumbled in his ditty bag. Then he turned and held up a pipe and -a plug of tobacco for Martin to see.</p> - -<p>“Will this new pipe do?” he asked, laughing, as he handed Martin the -precious articles.</p> - -<p>The old man’s eyes were round with astonishment, and his hands -trembled with eagerness. They trembled so that he could hardly pare -off the shavings of the plug and load the pipe, and light it with -the brand that Larry handed him from the fire. But a few whiffs -steadied him.</p> - -<p>“You see,” Larry explained, “when you told me to put something or -other into my ditty bag for luck, I couldn’t think of anything that -would be luckier than a pipe and some tobacco for you—just to buy -you off some time when you got cranky, you know. So here’s your -bribe to keep you good natured about my running off and leaving the -camp when you told me not to.”</p> - -<p>“Well, this makes twice to-day that you’ve saved my life,” the old -man grinned, “so I’ll forgive you. And now pile some wood near me so -that I can keep the fire going, and then you crawl into bed and get -some sleep. I don’t suppose this moose leg of mine would let me -sleep anyhow, but even if it did I wouldn’t waste my time doing it -when there was a pipe and some tobacco around. I am almost glad now -that the old beast gouged me.”</p> - -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - -<h2 class='nobreak' id='chXI' title='THE RETURN TO THE WRECK'> - <span style='font-size:1.0em'>CHAPTER XI</span><br /><span style='font-size:1.2em'>THE RETURN TO THE WRECK</span> -</h2> - -<p>Martin was in fine spirits when Larry finally crawled out of his -sleeping bag and set about getting breakfast next morning. The -injured leg was stiff and useless, to be sure, but the acute pain -had subsided and did not bother the old man except when he attempted -to move. “By to-morrow,” he assured the boy, “I’ll be ready to hit -the trail again.”</p> - -<p>Larry, with a perplexed look, turned from his work of frying moose -meat to see if Martin was in earnest.</p> - -<p>“I guess your tobacco has gone to your head, Martin, if you expect -to be able to use that leg much by to-morrow,” he said indulgently.</p> - -<p>“I <i>don’t</i> expect to be able to use it much by to-morrow,” Martin -replied simply, “but we’ll be moving all the same.”</p> - -<p>Larry set the frying pan down beside the fire, and came in and stood -before the old man with his arms akimbo, scanning the old fellow’s -immobile face. For a moment or two they faced each other, neither of -them speaking and both looking very serious. Larry was puzzled but -determined.</p> - -<p>“Now see here, Martin,” he began, “you don’t really suppose that you -are going to be able to travel to-morrow, do you?”</p> - -<p>“I certainly do,” the old man replied without relaxing a muscle; -“and what’s more to the point, I’m going to!”</p> - -<p>“But Martin,” Larry protested, “how do you expect that your leg -which is so sore you can’t even move it to-day, will be so you can -walk on it to-morrow?”</p> - -<p>“I don’t,” Martin replied.</p> - -<p>“Then how do you suppose you are going to stumble on through these -woods mile after mile,” Larry persisted.</p> - -<p>“Who said anything about stumbling through these woods, or any other -woods?” the old hunter asked, with a twinkle in his eye. “You -shouldn’t jump to conclusions, Larry.” And he chuckled at the boy’s -discomfiture.</p> - -<p>Larry gave a defiant toss of his head and returned to his frying -pan. “Kim and Jack and I are going to eat our breakfast now,” he -announced with a grin. “Perhaps you can beg some breakfast too when -you are ready to tell me what you are driving at.”</p> - -<p>“All right,” Martin capitulated; “I’m too hungry to be stubborn. -Bring on the breakfast and we’ll talk while we eat. I’ve been -thinking this thing all out during the night, and here it is:</p> - -<p>“We’re going to travel to-morrow, but I intend to ride. I am going -to have you pack me on the sled with a few days’ stock of food, and -get Kim and Jack to haul me. You can come along as escort, if you -care to. In fact if you don’t care to I shan’t go, and we’ll spend -the winter here and starve, instead of going back to the yacht to -get fat.”</p> - -<p>At this announcement Larry gave a shout that brought the dogs to -their feet in surprise. The idea of returning to their comfortable -quarters on the coast instead of struggling on through the -wilderness seemed a vision of perfect happiness to the boy.</p> - -<p>Martin outlined his plan completely while they ate their breakfast. -They would take the two sleeping bags, the tent, and a supply of -food, harness the two dogs to one of the sleds and “hit the back -trail for ‘home,’” as he called the wreck. He would sit on the -toboggan in one of the sleeping bags and direct the dogs while Larry -would trudge behind helping to steady the sled and prevent it -overturning in the rough places. In this way they could make the -return trip in four days easily unless a storm came up. If a storm -came they would simply “hole up” and wait until it blew over. When -the wounded leg had healed, as it would very shortly in their -comfortable camp, they would make another start for civilization.</p> - -<p>It took Larry the greater part of the day to make the necessary -preparations for this trip. Under Martin’s direction he rigged one -of the toboggans with handles at the back, so arranged that he could -use them for steadying the sled or helping the dogs in the hard -places as he walked behind. He also made a back-piece of twisted -branches for Martin to lean against as he sat on the sled, -strengthening this rough framework with cord and strips of canvas. -When finished Martin declared that it looked like a movable brush -heap; but he admitted that it was strong and serviceable, and made a -comfortable support for his back.</p> - -<p>The second toboggan and the extra provisions were suspended from -limbs high above the ground where they would be out of the reach of -animal prowlers, and available for future use should they ever need -them.</p> - -<p>They broke camp the next day before dawn and headed the dogs out -into the open expanse of glistening crust. There was no need to -direct their course, nor stimulate them to top speed. A trained -sledge dog remembers directions better than a man, and is as keen -for the return trip toward home as his human companions. Indeed Jack -and Kim showed such enthusiasm and found that their load ran so -easily on the hard crust that Larry had difficulty in keeping up -with them at times except by clinging to the handles. Crossing the -plain, which consumed so much time on the outward trip, required -only three hours for the return; and even in the woods that lay -beyond their progress was almost twice as fast as before.</p> - -<p>Despite Larry’s efforts, however, the sled received severe bumps at -times, that made Martin groan with pain. But the old hunter would -not allow any stops or slackening of speed for so trivial a matter -as his personal discomfort. His dominant idea was to get back “home” -as quickly as possible, and his attitude spurred Larry on to exert -himself to the limit of endurance. By sundown they had covered a -quarter of the distance to the coast; and in the afternoon of the -fourth day they came tearing into the home camp, the dogs barking -frantically and Martin and Larry shouting their delight.</p> - -<p>Here they found everything practically as they had left it, so that -they had only to open the tent flaps, light a fire in front, and sit -down to rest and enjoy themselves.</p> - -<p>But it was no part of Martin’s plan to let Larry sit idle during the -long weeks that lay ahead of them, or to remain inactive himself one -hour longer than his injured leg compelled him to. He knew that -idleness and lack of diversions were bad things for the boy, who -would very soon feel the strain of their solitary surroundings if -not kept so fully occupied that the time would pass quickly. He -could offer few diversions, but he had planned plenty of active -work.</p> - -<p>His first move next day, therefore, was to have Larry haul him to a -point where he could inspect the wreck. He found it frozen in where -they had left it, and wedged into a huge mass of ice that would hold -it fast until the warm spring weather. So he transferred their -living quarters temporarily to the after cabin, which Larry made -snug with a little tinkering. Here, warmed by the galley stove, he -could give his wound more effective treatment than in the open tent. -Meanwhile he set Larry to work building a hut made from the wood of -the forward cabin.</p> - -<p>The task of tearing this cabin to pieces was even greater than that -of actually putting it together again, but Larry set about it with -saw, axe, and crow-bar. At first he worked alone; but after a few -days Martin was able to crawl up on deck and superintend things from -his seat in a sleeping bag, while the dogs acted as interested -spectators. The days were very short now in this far northern -latitude, and every hour of daylight was devoted to the wrecking -work, leaving the “housekeeping” work to be done by lamplight. In -this way the boy was kept so completely occupied, doing and -accomplishing, that there was little time left to dwell upon the -loneliness of their situation. So that, on the whole, the time -passed quickly and pleasantly. This was what Martin had hoped to -accomplish.</p> - -<p>By the time the house-building material was secured, the old hunter -could hobble about on extemporized crutches and give directions -about building the hut, and sometimes assist Larry in steadying the -boards that held the frame in place. And when their new home had -reached a stage that called for finishing touches he was able to -handle hammer and saw in performing some of the lighter work.</p> - -<p>The hut was a curious little creation, with round port holes for -windows and a ship’s cabin door, which gave it the appearance of -having been cast up from the sea. It was made of the tight fitting -boards, and rendered doubly wind proof by two thicknesses of canvas -stretched over every part of it and nailed securely. Inside it was -made attractive with all manner of ornaments taken from the yacht. -There were two comfortable bunks arranged cabin-fashion one above -the other at one end, a table and chairs, a case of books, and the -little stove from the galley that kept the room warm even in the -coldest weather. With its complete equipment, even to spring cots -and mattresses, Martin declared it the finest winter home ever owned -by shipwrecked hunters.</p> - -<p>By Christmas day it was completed even to the smallest detail, and -on that day they moved in and formally took possession, deserting -the yacht forever. This day was made one of special merriment and -rejoicing, for Martin was able to dispense with his cane or crutches -for the first time, and use his leg in a natural manner without -assistance. It was still weak, but strengthening so rapidly that it -promised soon to be completely restored to power. So, to celebrate -this combination of happy events, they brought all manner of -delicacies from the pile of stores, and devoted the first part of -the day to preparing for a grand feast.</p> - -<p>In the afternoon they harnessed the dogs tandem to the toboggan, -Martin took his place in the “movable brush heap,” and all went for -a “joy ride” of several miles through the woods in a great circle -that brought them back to the cabin about sundown. In several places -on this journey they crossed caribou tracks, the sight of which made -Martin’s eyes sparkle, and he predicted great hunting trips before -the winter was much older.</p> - -<p>In the evening they had their grand dinner which the dogs attended, -all hands doing full justice to every course. After the feast Martin -and Larry played cards until far past their usual bedtime. Taken all -in all Christmas day proved a very cheerful one in the great -wilderness.</p> - -<p>The old man had cherished the hope that his leg would heal and gain -strength so rapidly that they could make another attempt to reach -the settlements before the winter was over. For he knew that if they -did not do so they must wait until the unsettled weather of spring -was over, and the ground dry enough for reasonably easy traveling. -At that season they would encounter the terrible wood flies and -insects, far more to be dreaded in certain regions than cold and -snow. But it would be madness to attempt to make the winter journey -until his strength had returned fully, and he soon realized that -this would not be until well on toward spring. Very soon he was able -to take fairly long snow-shoe tramps, assisted by the dogs and the -toboggan, but hauling a heavy sled was quite out of the question. So -he finally resigned himself to spending the winter at the cabin.</p> - -<p>Larry had shown such aptitude in learning the many secrets of -woodcraft that he determined to make a “land pilot,” as he called it -facetiously, of him during their exile. As the boy had become -proficient in the use of the rifle, Martin devoted part of the time -to instructions in the art of trapping. They were in the land of the -silver fox,—the most highly prized skin of all the fur-bearers—and -so they concentrated their efforts to catch some of these wary -animals. Meanwhile they made constantly lengthening hunting -excursions after caribou, Larry occupying the position of chief -hunter with the old man playing assistant. But on these hunting -trips the little gun that Larry had carried at first was left -hanging on its peg in the hut. In its place Larry now carried a -repeater similar to Martin’s—a heavy weapon, that gave the boy many -an arm ache.</p> - -<p>Game was not very plentiful, however, and it required constant -efforts to keep their larder supplied with fresh meat. But this -scarcity of game gave the old hunter more opportunities for teaching -the boy all manner of woodland tricks to secure it. Meanwhile he -imparted to his pupil the most important and difficult feature of -woodcraft—the art of “being at home” in the woods—to know directions -instinctively, to observe and interpret every sign, and to take care -of himself under all conditions.</p> - -<p>Several times, when the injured leg was stronger and his pupil more -advanced, Martin made practical tests of the boy’s progress. He -would select a day when snow was falling, harness the dogs to the -toboggan loaded with tent, sleeping-bags, and provisions, and make a -zigzag journey into the heart of the woods. Here they would pitch -camp and wait until the storm ceased. By that time their trail would -be completely obliterated. Then, without any guiding suggestions, he -had Larry take the lead and pilot them back to the cabin.</p> - -<p>At first the boy would become confused, and be obliged to call upon -the old hunter to straighten him out; and sometimes Martin allowed -him to become completely at fault before he would aid him. But -little by little Larry learned to observe and remember -instinctively, until presently Martin found it impossible to confuse -him even on long trips.</p> - -<p>He learned how to interpret the signs of game, also, how to approach -it successfully, and where to expect to find the wood denizens under -the ever varying conditions. And when they were successful with gun -or traps, Martin taught him how to skin and dress the game, and to -care for the pelts.</p> - -<p>“We’ll have to leave all these good furs behind us, I know,” the old -man would say; “but we won’t waste them; and perhaps some other -fellow will come along some day and find them. There’s just one pelt -that we won’t leave, if we get it. That’s the silver fox.”</p> - -<p>But this silver fox is a wily fellow. He seems to realize the value -of his coat; or at least he knows that it is very valuable to -himself, and uses his cunning to retain it. Week after week Martin -used his knowledge and Larry’s increasing skill to trap one of these -fine fellows, only to be disappointed on each occasion. They would -find where Reynard had hovered about their trap, sometimes actually -stepping over it to steal the bait, knowing in some occult manner -just where the fatal jaws were concealed. It was in vain that Martin -coated the trap with wax to disguise the scent, covering his hands -and feet with the skins of the wild animals in setting or -approaching the trap. Reynard refused to be deceived.</p> - -<p>But perhaps success made him careless, although it was probably the -fault of the thin covering of wet snow that fell one day late in the -spring. For at last, after Larry had almost given up hope of getting -even a single silver fox skin, the inevitable happened. Poor Reynard -walked deliberately into a trap that had been set rather carelessly -to catch a marten.</p> - -<p>When Larry discovered this long sought prize held securely by one -foot in the jaws of the trap, he gave a shout of delight at his -unexpected success. The little animal had evidently been caught -several hours before, and from the appearance of the ground about -the trap had struggled fiercely to free itself. But now it seemed -resigned to its fate, and stood crouching, watching Larry’s approach -without making any further effort to escape. Even when the boy -raised a heavy stick to despatch the captive, the little animal made -no attempt to evade the blow, acting more like a dog resigned to -take punishment from its master than a denizen of the wilderness -accustomed to battle for its existence. But its wide, intelligent -eyes, seemed to beg mutely for mercy.</p> - -<p>The actions of the little animal completely unnerved the boy: he -could not strike the crouching figure. If the fox had struggled -fiercely, or attempted to fight for its life as a mink or marten -always did, Larry could have despatched it at once; but that -submissive attitude completely disarmed him. He could not resist the -mute appeal in those eyes.</p> - -<p>He lowered the club and turned away, ashamed of his weakness. But -when he turned again, determined to overcome his scruples, the eyes -met his with their mute plea, and again he lowered the club.</p> - -<p>What would Martin think of such girlishness? he asked himself. Would -Martin, or any good hunter, hesitate to snatch the prize that he had -been struggling for all winter? He was sure they would not, and he -despised himself for his weak-heartedness.</p> - -<p>The longer he hesitated the surer he felt that he could not strike. -Then the thought obtruded itself: Who would ever know if he did not -strike? Who would there be to judge him but his own conscience if he -were to set the little animal free instead of killing it? The moment -these thoughts passed through his mind he knew that the fox had won -its freedom. He should have struck at once: now it was too late.</p> - -<p>But freeing the captive foot from the jaws of the trap without -encountering the animal’s sharp, white teeth was no easy task; for -he could not expect the fox to interpret his humane action -correctly, and stand mutely while he forced down the trap spring. So -it was not until after several fruitless attempts that he succeeded -in placing a heavy limb across the spring, and by bending it down, -allowed the jaws to fall open and release the foot.</p> - -<p>During this manipulation the fox made no attempt to struggle, simply -crouching down and watching the boy with its haunting eyes. And even -when the jaws of the trap relaxed it did not bound away as Larry had -expected, but slipped out of sight stealthily and with no apparent -haste, not yet fully assured of its unexpected good fortune.</p> - -<p>The boy watched the animal disappear with mingled emotions of shame -and satisfaction. But when it was out of sight he drew a long -breath, and went back to camp in a sober mood.</p> - -<p>That night at supper Martin was unusually talkative. In about a -week, he said, they should start for home if the fine weather -continued, and the thought of it put him in a happy frame of mind. -But Larry ate his supper in silence, trying to excuse himself for -his deception, and his “chicken-heartedness” in freeing the fox.</p> - -<p>Martin, who was watching him out of the corners of his eyes, -suddenly surprised him by stopping in the middle of a story to ask:</p> - -<p>“Larry, what happened out in the woods to-day that you are so -ashamed of?”</p> - -<p>The boy replied evasively at first, but the old hunter shook his -head incredulously.</p> - -<p>“See here, Martin,” Larry said at last, “what would you do if you -happened to come along to a marten trap and found a silver fox -there—not a dead fox, you know, and not one that snarled and snapped -and tried to bite you. But a fox that had fought to get loose until -he couldn’t fight any more, but just stood there and looked you -straight in the eye even when you raised a club to kill him, and -seemed to say to you:</p> - -<p>“‘That’s right, take your club and kill me, I can’t get out of your -way now. I’m only a poor little fox, anyway, while you are a big, -brave boy, with guns and dogs and traps, and you needn’t even come -near enough so that I can bite you. You have been trying to kill me -all winter, just because some woman will give you a thousand dollars -for the fur I wear to keep warm in, and now you’ve got your chance -to do it.’—What would you do, Martin, if a fox looked at you and -talked to you with his eyes like that?”</p> - -<p>“What would I do, Larry?” the old man repeated, looking at the roof -and puffing slowly at his pipe. “Why, I’d say, ‘Martin, here’s your -chance to make a thousand dollars mighty easy. I’ll just hit him a -rap on the head, and take him home and skin him.’ That’s what I’d -<i>say</i>, Larry. But what I’d do when I saw the little fellow’s big -brown eyes asking me to let him go home to his family—what I’d <i>do</i>, -probably, would be to look all around to make sure that no one was -looking to see what a coward I am in my heart, and then I’d spring -the trap and turn the little rascal loose.”</p> - -<p>With a bound Larry was out of his chair.</p> - -<p>“That’s just what I did this afternoon, Martin,” he shouted, dancing -joyfully about the room to relieve his pent-up feelings.</p> - -<p>“And so you sat here all the evening calling yourself a coward,” -said Martin, when Larry had subsided, “just because you couldn’t -bear to kill a fox in a trap. How about killing wolves, Larry, and -moose that are trying to kill you? Cowards don’t act that way, boy. -And the bravest men usually have the softest spots in their hearts.”</p> - -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - -<h2 class='nobreak' id='chXII' title='THE EARLY MORNING VISITOR'> - <span style='font-size:1.0em'>CHAPTER XII</span><br /><span style='font-size:1.2em'>THE EARLY MORNING VISITOR</span> -</h2> - -<p>Martin and Larry were roused the next morning at daylight by the -dogs who were barking excitedly in their shed outside. Evidently -some animal was approaching the hut too close for their approval. So -Larry, hoping for a pot shot from the window, slipped out of bed, -took down his rifle stealthily, and cautiously opened the port on -the landward side. Just then he heard voices outside, and the next -moment some one pounded sharply against the door and turned the -latch. In the doorway stood Mr. Ware, with half a dozen sailors -crowding behind him.</p> - -<p>With a shout Martin was out of his bunk, while Larry, dropping his -gun, collided with the old hunter as they rushed together into Mr. -Ware’s outstretched arms, and for five minutes the three were locked -together in a tangled embrace dancing about like happy children, -each asking questions which no one answered. Then Larry discovered -that one of the sailors was an old acquaintance from the crew of the -yacht, and the sailor came in for a similar wild demonstration, -while Mr. Ware stood laughing and gasping for breath. And all this -time the dogs, recognizing that something quite out of the ordinary -was taking place inside, were adding their voices to the din, and -struggling madly to get out of their shed.</p> - -<p>Finally Martin disengaged himself and sank into a chair overcome -with exhaustion and emotion. For the coming of Mr. Ware was like one -risen from the dead. And then followed a flood of questions and -explanations.</p> - -<p>Mr. Ware and his companions in the boat had escaped quite as -miraculously as had Martin and Larry, although they had suffered far -greater hardships in the storm. They had left the shore in their -boat and were making an exploratory trip along the mouth of the -inlets of the bay just before the storm broke that destroyed the -yacht. The fury of the gale drove them helplessly along the coast, -and pitched them about, breaking their oars and tearing loose their -rudder, so that they were completely disabled. Fortunately they had -rounded the point of land that marked the entrance to the bay, so -that instead of being blown against the rocks they were driven along -parallel to the coast-line for a time, and thus saved from the -breakers.</p> - -<p>But they were hurried from this peril into another quite as great, -as the boat was in danger of swamping at any moment in the waves. -For now the wind shifted and blew them steadily out to sea, as they -were without means of controlling or steadying the boat, which -filled with water continually, and was only kept afloat by ceaseless -bailing with the pots and pans of their cooking outfit.</p> - -<p>All that night they worked, buffeted by the gale, with no idea where -they might be drifting. But when morning came and the gale subsided -there was no land in sight. That made little difference to them, as -without oars or sails they could not have reached it in any event. -Fortunately the boat was supplied with a box of sea biscuit and a -keg of water—a precaution against emergencies always taken by Mr. -Ware in manning his boats. So that while they were almost frozen, -they were not hungry or thirsty during the six days and nights of -their aimless drifting. But their days seemed numbered, as they had -little hope of being picked up so late in the season.</p> - -<p>Imagine their delight, therefore, when on the seventh morning they -discovered a three master heading almost directly for them. The -captain of the vessel had seen them, and changed his course to pick -them up.</p> - -<p>As soon as he was safely on board Mr. Ware made tempting offers to -the captain to turn about and attempt to find the yacht. But his -efforts were unsuccessful. The schooner was far out of her course -and must make the best time possible to her English port, and no -offer could tempt the captain to turn back. Moreover, as he pointed -out, it would do little good to return if the yacht was lost; -whereas if she were safe, she would make her way back to New York -and would be waiting for Mr. Ware on his return.</p> - -<p>So he was forced to curb his impatience for three long weeks while -the schooner floundered her way across the ocean, and two weeks more -before he reached his home. By that time winter had set in and it -would be madness to attempt to approach the frozen Labrador coast at -that time, even if he had hoped to find any of his party alive.</p> - -<p>But he laid his plans for an early start in the spring, and the -moment he could do so with reasonable safety he secured a staunch -little steamer and started on his search. They had arrived near the -entrance of the little bay the night before, but it grew dark before -they rounded the point where they could make observations. Shortly -after this the man in the lookout reported what he believed to be a -light up among the rocks on shore. It was so faint that it could -barely be made out through the glasses; and presently it -disappeared.</p> - -<p>This discovery kept Mr. Ware awake all night; and as soon as it was -near daylight, he had come off in a life-boat to investigate, -leaving the steamer to follow cautiously by daylight. Imagine his -delight, then, at finding the snug little hut, with Martin and Larry -safe inside.</p> - -<p>When Mr. Ware had finished his recital Martin told him in detail the -experiences that he and Larry had had during the winter; of their -start for home, the blizzard, his encounter with the moose, and -their final return to the coast and the comfortable time spent in -the little hut.</p> - -<p>“And you got here just in the nick of time, Mr. Ware,” he commented. -“In another week we should have been footing it cross-country for -home; and no knowing where we should have landed.”</p> - -<p>While they had been talking the little steamer had come into the bay -and dropped anchor half a mile off shore ready to receive her -passengers. The captain, anxious to be away from the dangerous -locality as quickly as possible, kept signalling repeatedly with -short blasts of the whistle, and at last Mr. Ware decided that it -was time for all hands to be off. But the snug little hut, tucked -away up under the rock among the spruces, appealed strongly to his -fancy; and Martin and Larry actually seemed reluctant to leave it -now that their long-looked-for chance to do so had come. They had -spent many happy hours in their tight little room, and it seemed -like treachery to an old friend to turn their backs upon it forever. -The old hunter said nothing of his thoughts on this score, however, -and set about gathering together the articles he was to take away. -But Larry, with a lump rising in his throat, found it difficult to -repress his feelings.</p> - -<p>“I wish it could go with us,” he said, stopping in his work to take -a wistful look at the many familiar objects they were leaving. “It -will be pretty lonesome for the little house standing up here all -alone year after year and never seeing any of us again.” And the boy -leaned over his work again to hide his emotions.</p> - -<p>“We’re not going to desert it for good, Larry,” said Mr. Ware, -patting the boy on the head kindly. “This is the best little -shooting lodge I know of. So every year we will come up here for a -hunt, and Martin will take us to the best hunting places, and keep -us out of mischief generally, as he always does. What do you say, -Martin?”</p> - -<p>But the old hunter shook his head.</p> - -<p>“I’ll be mighty glad to come every year, Mr. Ware,” he said -laughing; “but I leave the hunting and guiding to a younger fellow -who can do it just as well, or better. That’s the ‘younger fellow’ I -mean, right here,” and he pointed to Larry. “He knows the country as -well as I do, and he can follow a trail, shoot a rifle, and run a -camp with the best of them. And if you ever get into a tight place -out there in the woods, he’ll steer you out of it safely every time. -For he’s learned his trade up here this winter. He’s a regular -forest pilot now—a real woodsman, sure enough.”</p> - -<div class='ce'> -<div style='font-size:0.9em;margin-top:0.7em;'>THE END. </div> -</div> -</div> -<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FOREST PILOT ***</div> -<div style='text-align:left'> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will -be renamed. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law 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. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg™ electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG™ -concept and trademark. 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