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Copyrighlwl, 1834, by . um: um Axum. Enlured m. um Post “than M. New York, x. Y., m! Sn'oml Chm; Mail Mum. Sept. N. 1N-

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N0. 98 WILLIAM 81.. NEW YORK. he (4""4'

V01.   Pubhshed Weekly by Beadle and Adams, i Price N0I 22'

 

WSNUW;fRAIL;QrLTHE BD_Y HUNTERS 0F FUR-lAND.

BY ’1‘. C. HARBAUGH.

 

 

|————~__ _- ,VM.‘ “V

11' WAS LN EXCITING CHASE, FOR WHEN MAN HUNTS MAN IN THE NORTH WOODS A TERRIBLE INTEREST
IS GIVEthV TO THE ZPIS'ODE. '

 

 

 

' youths, bin well-built young fellows

3 The Snow‘Trail.

 

I.’ The Snow-Trail; .

The Boy Hunters; of Fur-Land.

'd Emotive of Sport and Life Around
Lake Winnipeg.

3r '1'. c. EARBAUGH,
Airman or “snowmen won,” um.

- CHAPTER I.
a norm: mmw—s snorr AND rim RESULT.

Dm buried in the greatNorth Woods that
stretch, with but few openings, and those unim-

rtant ones, from the shores of the Assiniboine
gthe ice of the Arctic seas, lies Lake Winnipeg,
whose whole current finds its way down the
swift waters of Nelson river into Hudson bay.
It occupies the center of a vast fur-bearin
district, over which the halt-breed trapper an
his red rival, the Indian, roam constantly in
search of pelts.

Along the banks of the Saskatchewan, which

its flood into Lake Winnipeg and on the
migrant the lake itself, are sometimes found
the camps ot-hnnters who. for s rt and groflt
have crossed the fiftieth para! el, and uriecl
themselves, as it were, within the mighty
domain of the frost-king.

A little collection of log-huts, flanked on either
hand perhaps by a few browned Indian tepees,
stands beneath the snowy branches of the
stately bimhes. and the blue smoke ‘ascending
from the short clay chimney: of the former
prove them to be inhabited.

It is to this region and to one of those winter
osmpsvtbstwe would take the lover of Ergo”;
and wild life in the woods, and putting im
down in its midst, bid him note hissurround-

 

w, snow Meriwhere! ‘Before the door of ‘

butandtepegon t eirroofs, andashi hup in
the trees as the eye can distinguish! It in the
middle of winter, when the great inland seas of
the North, with their rivers, are frozen hard, so
hard that a park of artillery might be drawn

aeronthem without cracking the crystal floor. 1
on the shore of Winnipeg are i

In the cam
beaten paths ugh the snow. Some of these
thormfihfsres lead to other huts, that nestle ,in
the w to forest, in which the bear is enjoying
his winter nap, and from which throu
the n t comes the cheerless bowl of the wo .
Three ate and five tepees, or Indian wigwams,
comprise this sanctuar- camp and in the early
ears of the ormer open simu -

‘ mm the
‘ :8 , y as if by some signal, and their inmates
ar

hey. forms little grou of men and boys the
latter four in numbeg—not sickly-looting
W 038

ruddy cheeks tell that he reign of the frost

‘ monhrch is agreeable to them. Their clothes,

similar to those worn by the three men, consist
of deer-skin coats, blue  leggings, well-
lined moccasins, and fox-skin caps.

 

-the Indian’s narrative, and

In addition to this garb the bands of several
were ady covered with huge mittm'na,
which are indispensable articles of comfort in
the Winnipeg country.

Presently an opening in each tepee is dis-
played, and forth come several Ojibwa. Indians
—tall, athletic fellows, who seem as we clad as
their whiter brethren.

” Did brother Pecowis sleep well last night?” .

glories one of the red-skins, asall join the group
st described. _

This question is ut to a middle-a , half-
breed hunter, one 0 those talkative inn-ode of
the North who is the life of the can: fire.

“ Why shouldn't I sleep well?” let 9 response.
“ But you surely passed a sleepless night, mon
cousin, after your attack upon that store of
bleep-hump. You’d be a fine fellow in a tem-
ine. ‘ - r r
The Ojibwa grins, and lays his hand on his
stomach, as t ough a lensant recollection of
his last meal lingers stifi. '

"‘ Bison hump no kee Occuo awake,” the In-
dian avers; “ but the night-stealer’poke his nose
into the lodge and steal his pillow.

“ Stole your pillow?” excluims one of the boys.
“ Come now, 0cono, your after-breakfast yarn
is a little too previous!”

.Ocono puts on a serious look and appeals to
his Indian friends for n. confirmation of his
story, but as they know him to beone of the
greatest liars in the fur country, they hesitate
to ive the desired nod.

‘ ecowis don’t believe 0cono, white boys
eithpe’r,” Ocono cries. “ Will they come and
see

“Certainly!” is the answer. and the whole
band follow the Indian to the little group of

tepees.

“ Look! Brother b’lieves 0cono now?” is
said with triumphant pride. as the Indian halts
behind one of the lodges and points to the un-
mistakable trail of some animal in the snow.

“ My soul i" exclaims the old half-breed, as he
stoops to examine the marks, “ wolvenne been
here last night.”

“ Ocono told you so. While Ocono sleeps,
the night-thief comes and steals hispillow which
was to have been his breakfast.”

“Your breakfast 5” echo the four boys. “Who
ger’l’ieard of any one breakfasting on his pil-

w?

“When Ocono done eatin’ bison-hum last
night him put what was left under his hes for a
pillow. By nn’ by him fall asleep to dream of
a. land f roasted bison-humps, when, all at
once, 0 no’s bend fall on ground, an’ him wake
up to find hump gone. Out he runs with his
hatches, but the thief got away with Ooono’s

illow so him had to go to brother Pocato’s for
Bree. 8.31;, and Pocato’s bison-ribs wasn’t as
good as 0cono’s hump.”

The four boys burst into shouts of laughter at
Pecowis rouses
Ocono by telling him that he shall have the
pleasure of dispatching the night prowler
whose keen scent and sharp claws deprived him
at the same time of pillow and breakfast.

A few minutes later the denizens of the cam
sally forth on snow-shoes and follow the l
of the mutton. It leads them intot‘he snowy

“in-..  _._’

 

The Snow'Trafl. 8

 

forest, and is so plain that they might follow it
at a run. .

The glutton has not taken time to gulp
down the nice meal he has fllched from the
Ojibway but seems to take delight in dragging
it through the snow.

“He will never stop!” cries the impatient
Ocouo, when the party find themselves a mile
from camp traversin the bed of a ravine, down
which the snowy trai leads them.

“ Hemust stop soon,” declares Pecowis, whose
knowledge of the habits of the animals of the
Winnipeg region is remarkable. “ Do you not
see that he stops often? Here is where he laid
his burden down in the snow and rested while
he licked it. Ah! little cousins, he is a big
{Salvaging or else Ocono’s pillow was a mere

no.

“ Heap of meat on it,” exclaims the Ojibway.
“ Ocono only eat ten pound last night; twenty
pound left yet on his pillow.”

“ Only ten pound 1" echo the boys, laughing.

The appetite of the Winnipeg Indians is mar-
velous, and after a truthful traveler’s account

of three devouring a buffalo—calf in a single

night, Ocouo’s confession of his feat will not
startle many.
The end of the ravine is almost suddenly

reached by the trailers, but the track of the »

glutton does not stop there.

All look amazed.

“ Let us go back,” says one of the men hun-
ters. “The thief is going to drag the bison-

hump to the shores of the North Sea. We left »

no guard in camp but a few dogs, man cousins.
Iet us not forget this.”

The boys arewilling to go back, but Ocouo
sends a vengeful glance down the trail and
gripes his hatchet tighter than ever. Behind
them stretches the gorge just traversed steep
banks covered with a dense growth peculiar to
the country rise on either side, and on the top 01
the banks above grow hundredscf lofty trees.
Ahead an interminable forest is seen, and the
trail of the wolverine is lost among its depths.

All at once one of the Ojibways utters a
strange or and points upward excitedly.

“Look rothersi the moose is looking down
upon us from the high forest.”

All eyes are turned to the forest above the ?

ravine. and not a few exclamations of wonder
are heard as they behold the sight discovered
by the keen-eyed savage.

The head of a moose is plainly visible above
the edge of the bank, but such a head! Its di-
mensions, as all see, are sim ly enormous, and
the, horns a wonder of their ind. ASIf dased
by that curiosity which has so often proved
fatal to his spemes, the moose continues to re-
gard the occupants of the ravine, and the big-

re sun of Pecowis creeps noiselesst to his
shoulder. V

Every one holds his breath and watches alter-
nately the old half-breed and the moose‘s head.

Suddenly the loud report of Pecowis’s piec»
awnkes the echoes of ravine and forest, and a
sigh object pitches over the top of the bank
a ve. .

“ Down I” cries the marksman to his compan-
iogii and all spring to the foot of the snowy
w . where theycrouchhiagroun.

! The next minme shmething' strikes in the
i glutton’s trail-in the middle of the ravine, and
allvgase at it with horror.
1 ith horror. we say for instead of the body
of an enormous elk, are lies in the snow but
-. the head and horns of that lordly animal!
Pecowis, the first to recover, s rings forward
and turns the great head over. 0 sees a fresh
bullet hole—his own—between the eyes, and a
1 great crimson spot on the snow.

Then he looks up with an expremion of com-
mingled wonder and awe.

Ocouo and his brother Indians stare at the
bleeding head, and then turn and fly up the ra-
vine over their old trail, with thewolverine and
the stolen bison-hump forgotten. ‘

Pecowis is too Imuch occupied with other
thoughts to think of restrainin the cow
and the boy Nimrods gene at moose-h

~ with puzzled expressions.

They knew that the half-breed’l ball had not
severed it from the trunk, although with the
crack of his rifle it had tumbled over the oil! to
fall bleeding at their feet.

What was the forest mystery!

i For several moments Pecowis gases at the
i forest above, then the horns slip from his hack
and he turns to the youths.

“ Buyslneady to go up there?” he says. '

“ We are-ready for anything,” is the reply.
“ All y’ou have to do, Pecowis, to lead.” -

Wit a cry that. means “forward "- in the
North Wood the half-bree'l springs to the ra-
vine well, an the next moment all are cm
‘ lug upward. .

 

CHAPTER I]. v
a In; norms 10m '
Tn sides of the ravine from whose basin Pe-

cowis shot the moose-head was fortunately 00'-
‘l cred with strong bushes. and men and boys

ascended to the forest shove without mishap. ‘
| When one attem is to climb a steep snow-
j covered bank in t 9 wild Winnipeg con
i one needs more aids than snow-shoes so inva
‘ able to the hunter in that region. He will and
1 his ascent slow and fatiguing, if no friendly
: bushes are within reach, for by their assistance
! be can constantly draw his body upward. and
at last he finds himself on the white summit.

The American boys were not used to such
work—they were seen the Winnin region
for theflrst time—but hey did not allow t
troublesome ascent to exhaust them. "

The mystery of the bleedln head promised to
remain such on first sight a r the form had
been ined, for no carcass greeted the adveii-
ture eyes, although Pecowis bounded at o
to the spot where the animal was supposed‘to
have stood when fired at. »' “'

There wasblood on the snow, and a plain trail
not unlike that made a rather awkward
wearer of snow-shoes,l into the forest in a
northerly direction. All examined the trail in
silence and the boys looked at the old hali-
breedforano inionr w .‘  '

Peoowis ha a wayof exhibiting his disap-
. probation of any thin . He invariably ousuoh
occasions took out 9 pipe and: pulled sway
vigorously, when there wens super) affine
in the bowl. When the boyNimrodssaw-I’he

 

_‘/

 

half-hreed’s dusky hand produce his flips from

the depths of his “ medicine-pouch.”

that they all were the victims of some racticnl

joke, which was not at all relished by ecowis.

Not far from the spot where the party had
halted were several snowy hillocks ' e those
which alwa s serve to break a landscape in the
fur-lands. ‘he mysterious trail led directly to-
ward these places, and the boys were anxious to
look behind and beyond them, for they were al-
ready asking themselves whether the snow
lumps did not hide the  of the joker.

All at once. and while I’eeowis was giving
vent to his doe seated disgust in numerous
’ ufls at his fire ess giggle. a peal of boisterous

u hter came from ind one of the hillocks
andg startled every one. Loud and clear it rung
out on the frosty air, increasing each moment
in volume, until one would have thought that
the unseen laugher had an overstrained sense
of the ridiculous.

A resentful flash came quickly into Pecowis’s
eyes; the pipe was replaced in the medicine-
pouch, and a hatchet was quietly drawn in its
place. Then the half-breed moved deliberately
toward the hillocks, followed by his compan~
ions. The boisterous laughter still continued;
it was the sonorous ha! ha] HA! of the prac-
tical joker, and when the little band of Winni-
peg hunters reached the hills they beheld a man
rolling over and over in the snow while he
laughed with all his might.

I “ White fool never pls joke on Pecowis
agk’in!” cried the half-b , as he W to the
if] er’s side and almost lifted him ' y from
e snow.
“ Wal, I should s’pose not l” was the response,

in the broad tongue of the genuine down-caster.

“ But you did shoot a moose’s head ol’ar 03,

didn’t yer? What! mad? Jokes ar’ free whar

I hail from, an’ I guess that Budd Jenks, from

Negr’Hampshire, ar’ able to take 'care ov him-

te .

The joker roved himself the e ualof .Peeowis
instrength, or, as he oonclud . he wrenched
himself from the he] f-hreed’s grasp and straight-
ened up with a mile on his li s.

For a moment Pecowis loo ed resentful, and
' at one time seemed about, to throw himself upon
the new trapper, but on second thought he
adopted a wiser plan, and held out his hand,
which Budd Jenks instantly covered. _

“That’s ri ht! Knock under like a little
man,” he sai laughing. “You see. I had jes’
killed a moose, run ’im down, when I heerd you
iellars comin’ d0wn the ravine. Thought I,
‘ hyar’s fun fur one member ov the J enks fami-
ly. Oi! went the moose’s head, an’ I held it
over the cliiI fur you to shoot at. Purty_ soon
one ov yer red—sinus got his peepers onto it, an’
then you lugged it between the eyes, an’ I
couldn’t ho it fur snickerin’.”

“ Where carcass now?” asked Pecowis.

“About three hundred yards over yonder;
but, say, when will them Injuns stop runniu’i”

“ When Qcono’s hunger makes him think of
his stolen pillow and breakfast,” answered one
of the boys. , .

“Ocono? I know huh” said the trapper. “ I
know exerybodyaroun Winnipeg, ’ceptin you

ey knew

The Snow-Trail.

 

, that the days 0

" We haven’t been here a month yet. We
are hfre tfn hugt andi 1;) learn how to live in tbs?
eoun ry or an y we are to occupy p0 -
tions ’at' Fort . §ou trade there, I sup-

“Budd Jenks trade at Garry! Bless you, no!
I never trade anywhere. I’m trappin’ an' hunt-
in’ on my own hook, livin’ like a king in these
woods; not growin’ very fat, youngsters, but
keepin’ healthy an’ helpin’ to maintain the dig-
nitv ov in native State.”

The las half of the sentence made the four
boys smile, for Jenks was a tall and lean speci-
men of Yankeedom, and the thought that he
should maintain the dignity of a State as honor-
able as New pshire was quite ridiculous.

His introduction to the hunters called forth
the names of the four boys, and Budd Jenks
became acquainted with Ned Sanford, Jack
Baldwm Nat Martin and Tom Gray.

He led the entire party to the tree in which
he had hung his moose, and before long, around
a cheery fire, the choicest portidns of the
antlered king of the Winnipeg woods were de-

vented.

The life of the trapper on his own hook is one
of peculiar freedom. With a few traps on his
back, he traverses the fur domain; and traps
wherever he finds sufficient “ sign. ' He occa-
sionally encroaches on the hunting- and of
the Indian, or the re ular trap r nthe em-
ploy of the Hudson 9. Fur mpan , and
when he discovers this 6 pulls up an seeks
more congenial uarters.

Every now an then he appears for a moment
at a trading-past. where e exchanges his

ltries for powder and lead, and, sometimes, a

ew unds of black tea, and then he plunges
into t e vast snow-covered forests again. to re-
sume his free and easy life. Of course he con-
stantly carries his heart on his shoulder,“ they
say. who lead the trapper’s life in the North.
He is always watched by the prowlin Indian,
and more than one daring and goof-natured
fellow. like the Budd Jenks of our narrative,
has fallen by his traps on a shrub-belted stream,
gengath the deadly aim of Cree, Aseiniboine or

31 way.

Now and then a trap er, “on his own hook,”
comes across a come dy Indian damsel who
strikes his fancy, an a wood marriage is
patched up. Woe to the husband if he takes up
his abode near the homes of his wife’s relatives!
Better for the ace of his mind if he had never
made love to t e dusky Philnmel of the forest,
for, instead of rearing a family in the fur-lands.
he is compelled to fly from home, eager to
bury himself in a wilderness where woman’s
face is never seen. . _ '

Budd Jnnks. on the occamon of his meeting
with the Winnipeg party, disclosed toallthe fact

his bachelorhood were nearing:
close. He sun at length the charms of t e
Blackfoot niai on whom he wassoontomake
Mrs. Jenks, and at the close invited the hunters
to his cabin a week from the approaching night
Khan he would make merry over his change 0

'fe.
r b

“ Peoowis git even with white tra and

by,” whispered the old half-breed in‘ om -ray’s.

earl. “ruin goin’ to marry /Blackfoot girl.

1

-i

    

 A on}

     

W. an m. 

r .

The Snow-Trail. r 5

Eecowls do all the laughin'pretty soon, by‘m-
Pl

Tom ve the hunter an inquisitive glance,
but he 0 ered no explanation, although his eyes
sparkled with anticipated triumph.

While the party lingered at the fire one of
Ocono’s red companions reappeared. The Ojib-
way approached with an abashed expressxon,
and started slightly when he beheld the strange
figure of the free trapper. Withouts aking
the Indian fastened his eyes on a piece 0 roasted
moose which lay temptineg on a piece of birch
bark, and Pecowis was about to invite him to
eat. when Budd Jenks exclaimed:

“ He sha’n’t have a taste till he tells where the
rest ov the herd ar’. I kin always tell b an
Injun’s eyes when he knows anything. on
kin swap yer information fur Iyer breakfast.
No news, no moosecrumpl” and t 9 free trapper
put his foot firmly on the bark tray.

“ Moose over yonder eatin’ the young trees,”
answered the Ojibway, pointing toward the
hunters’ cam several miles distant. and as
Budd remov his foot from the wooden plate,
hfmdaopped before the meat and began his
a c .

“ Always hungry i” said Nat to Ned. “ These
Winnipeg Indians could dine constantly. But
we are going to disturb the moose.”

It was true, for the red-skin’s information
had caused the men to seize, their guns, and a
few moments later the only occupant of the
morning camp was the Ojibway, who was
munching the moose-rump thh the well-known
veracity of his tribe.

Headed. by Budd Jenks, the hunters pro-
ceeded cautiously toward the thicket atw ose
edge the free trap r had shot the moose whose
head had resulte in new acquaintances, and a
halt not far from the ground was made.

The forest stretched to the fringe of the
thicket, and the party began to creep forward
with eyes and ears on the alert. Moose-creeping
in the daytime is seldom crowned with success,
for the animals take alarm at the slightest
noise, the snapping of atwi which has been
cast upon the snow bya gas is sumcient to
alarm a herd.

As the free trapper led the adventurers on,
the presence of several moose was discovers;
They were at work stri {ring the young latches
and alder-bushes in the icket. , a

All at once the sounds ceased.

“ What’s up now?” whispered the boys as they
glanced at Pecowis.

“ lnjuns on other side. Demo and his friends,
mebbe,” was the low and disappointing reply.

A moment later the peculiar snort given by
the bull moose when alarmed rung outon the
cold air, and like arrows shot from Blackfoot
bows, four magnificent moose deer bounded
from the thicket.

With antlered heads erect, they sprung to-
ward the party hugging the snow but quickly
discovering them, the darted asuie.

“ The big leader! ickl” cried Jack, rising.

His young com nions followed his example,
and as four rifles ended their rfiports into one,
the stag pitched forward and to in the snow,
where he la like a fallen monarch.

“ You fe ars shoot like all creation l” ejacu-

lated Budd, as he showed the four boys a pair
of eyes diluted with wonder.

CHAPTER III.
m DOG MEANT—A Bansnwrm A PAINTER.

As the cabin inhabited for the present by
Budd Jenks, the free trapper, stood a long dim
tunes from the scene of the death of the bullr
moose, the Winnipeg hunters concluded to re-
turn to their own camp with their trcpb .
They had already promised to attend the ca e-
bratiou of the Yankee trapper’s wedding one
week hence. and Jenks took a profuse leave of
the little party.

“Thar won’t be much weddin’ cake an’ sich
knick-knacks,” Budd took care to say. “My
new relatives, thank fortin’, hevn’t got a sweet
tooth in the’r heads.”

On arriving at Camp Garry—named in honor
of the Fur Company’s post at the southern ex~
tremity of Winni g—the boys were somewhat
astonished on be oding Ocono, the Ojibway,
seated at a fire, eying with great anxnet the
body of some small animal which he was ld«
ing in the blaze. A close inspection proved it
to be a large hare which the Ojibwa hadse-
cured after his abrupt flight from the leed
moose-head in the ravine. On being question
the Indian denied all knowledge of the herd re-
cent] rented. from the thicket, and Peoowis
conc uded that the moose had been frightened
by one of their greatest enemies, the painter.

This animal. known further south as the pan-
ther and cougar frequents the great woods that.
border on Lake Winnipeg. He is wary and fe-
rocious. and the trapper seldom tramps the
lonely forests without eeping one eye open for
his mad esty. He is frequent: hunted by
we]: of In' lane with dogs train to combat

th him, but the red-men kee aloof from his
sharp claws and cutting b. He has been
known to sprin from a limb into a herd of
deer, having seected his victim beforehand.
One painter will hold an Indian camp in a state
finger until he has been hunted down and

Doom looked rather shespish when the half-.
breed explained the myste of the moose

. and he tried to lain h retreat by saying
that the nnprotec condition at the camp he
sudden] flashed across his mind, and hefeh

constrained to return to it at once. This adroit
story excited the boys’ risiblee, but they did
not pretend to doubt Ocono’s honesty, for, de-
, spite his faults, he was a valuable person on the,

; snowy trail.

; No long after the return to Camp Garry, the
' barkings of numerous dogs suddenly smiled
the ears of all, and twenty flerce-lookin on
, nines made their appearance in front 0 the
huts. This formida e army would have been
l taken for a pack of wolves at no great distance,
i and, as they were. accompanied by asingle Ojib-
wa , the boys all wondered what was up. .
he three dogs belonging to the winter camp
had been left behind on the wolverine hunt. on
; account of frosted limbs, but they managed to
I meet the mk at the edge of the camp, and fro-

I temiaed y with the ntran '
The Ojibwey, with When: one exchanged
A significant glances. proved to be a dog-merchant.

 

 

 

Q The Snow-Trail.

 

His was for sale or trade, singly, or as a
who e. He had heard of the campin t e woods,
and had brought his'whelps to it for inspection,
trial, and sale. Not a few of the packs bore
marks of cariole or sledge harness, but, for the

eater part they were a wolflsh set—strong,
Ergo, and s arp-muzzled. The Indian master
carried a stout whip which quieted the noisiest
brute in an instant. He didn’t appear anxious
to sell, but the he s who desired a painter-hunt
with such a pac were read to offer him a
large price for all, and woul have done so if
Pecoms had not a pointed himself negotiator.
The Wily old half— reed knew how to deal with
an Indian d -merchant. and before the boys
could catch t e drift of the trade, the entire
geek big our, little cur and all, had changed

and , and at a price which, to the youths, ap-
peared ridiculousl small.

‘- A few nds 0 lead. some powder, several
blankets, a antity of showy beads, and other
trinkets be secured the services of twenty

do , some of which had undoubtedly been
sto en from other camps. In the fur-lands few

uestions m asked arding property, the
go‘s: es and he ds, and the poor dog
who a white master to—night, may have a
red one tomorrow.

Having sold his dogs the Ojibway stated that
he had crossed the fresh trail of a painter on his
way to camp, and, eager to try their new pur-
chases, the four young Nimrods insisted on a
hunt. Pecowis was not disinclined to accommo-

ate them, and a few minutes later, guided by
red dog-merchant. the hunt was opened.

Gliding over the surface of the snow on their
snow-shoes, the hunters of Camp Garry soon
reached a spot about which the dogs had al-
ready gathered, and Pecowis having scattered
them a few kicks, decided that a painter
had late y , going in the direction of the
thicket from which the moose had been routed.

A tramp over the glistening surface in the
face ‘of a strong wind that frosted the fufl
a their mouths was not a desirable jour-
ney: but the boys had resolved not to murmur
so long as a brush witha painter seemed rob:
able.ed The pack :17" loosed and every y,

sh on Vigorou .
l-mW,’il=h many a ba¥k and whine as the trail
freshened, the dogs rushed furiously forward.
All at once, however, they came bounding back
gem a forest gulch, with fear unmistakable in’

air e es. '

“Huyrrahl we have found the enemyl” 68'
claimed Tom Gray. ‘

“ If he has not found us,” was Ned’s use.

' The dem‘ d refused to return tothe
hollow- kicks and persuasion could not move
them; the wolflsh hunters even did not exhibit
the bravery requisite on such occasions, al-

they went back when commanded, .but
not until their late master’s lash had been raised

with a menace which all understood. The did
not, however, move far in advance of the unt-
in‘g garty and when the bank of the gulch was
reac ed gm  were disappointed at behold-
in noth snow.

The tra of the nter led into the hollow

which, near he middle, lay a huge hem-
k. which some storm had thrown, down. It

/

 

seemed a mass of snow, for its body branc‘ea
and spires were indistinguishable under the
white cOVering.

“The dogs took fright at nothing,” exclaimed
Nhat, with an accusing glance at the dog-men
0 ant. .

“ Dogs see painter, that Certain, men cousin,”
answered Pecowis.

“ Then, where is he?”

“ In tree.”

The boys strained their eyes in vain; they
could not penetrate the tree-top, therefore they
could see nothing. If the Wily king of the
Winnipeg woods was concealed among the
branches he was keeping vary quiet; the barks
and howls of the geek now congregated on the
bank and under t 0 tree seemingly disturbing
him not in the least.

“Pecowis can see nothin ,” admitted the
haltbreed, after an inspect on of some mo-
meats.

“Would you shoot the painter if you saw
him?” asked Tornz who noticed that the old fel-
low’s rifle was being carried at full cock.

The half—breed did not reply.

“You must do nothing of the kind. We
want the dogs to fight him: that’s what we
bought them for,” continued the boy.

" Well, dogs fight ’im, then.”

The Indians began to break limbs from an-
other fallen tree near at hand; these they»
hurled into the su posed panther’s retreat, at
the same time yel ing lustin to stimulate the
do s. The scene was ver eliciting, and urged
on y every one, the new y-purchused puck ap-
proached nearer and nearer: the mongrel curs
even forget their fright, and leaped at the lower
limbs of the old tree as though they would pull
the painter from his covert.

A half hour’s warfare of this kind failed to
bring the inter to the char 8, when the half-
breeds an the Indians collect :1 what tow and,
rags could be found in their pouches. A con-
ei erable ball was thus produced, and when it
had been ignited by a hater, Pecowis hurled it
at an opening in the tree-top.

The entire pack of dogs were haying almost
directly beneath the tree, and as the fire-ball
went sputtering into the hole a cry that star-
tled every one came from the depths of the
snow-laden foliage, and forth shot a tremendous
painter, which landed among the over-zealous
curs.

Men and he s‘ sprung back, and the dogs
were scattered ike chaff, all exce ting one un-
luck wolf~hunter, whose back been broken
by t e animal’s paws. The painter crouched in
the snow, with a pair of fiery eyeballs fixed on
the hunters. He presented one of the grandest
targets ‘to he found in the great North Woods,
an Ocean would have shot him if Tom Gray
had not seized his leveled rifle.

“ Him kill every dog white be 3 bu ,” warned
the Ojibway, reluctantly lowe ng h gun.

“ Pshawl A precious poor purchase we have
niade if he whips the whole pack!" wasthe re-

. p The lar er dogs were not ' aid to advance.

They be evidently enceun red painters be
fore, and although they had retreated at first
sight of him, they now\ flew gallantly to the

The Snow-Trail.

$-

 

charfi, and soon had him completely surround- i
ed. 9 enter Circle was formed by the smaller
dogs which did more burkin than fighting.
They were continually in the fighters’ way, for
when the latter were compelled to retreat, they
were forced to stumble over the younger curs,
and risk being overtaken b the painter.

Suddenly an unexpecte bound carried the ‘
painter clear over the fighters’ heads, and the
next moment he was reading a group of the
curs with claw and tooth. The gaunt wolf-dogs
rushed to their friends’ assistance. when the
filinter fell over on his back, in which sition-
1 ‘fst‘claws did horrible execution right): and
e

“ Where pack now?”
triumphantly, as do“;

exclaimed 0cono
after dog fell back, man-

glori nnd Mending. Painter in]! "ii hy’mby.”
“ That he shall not do i” cried Tom. “I will
put an end to this butcher-y!”

The boy, eager tosave the rest of the dogs
that were furious! attacking the painter,
rushed forward, ri e in hand. but before he
could deliver his lire the maddoned beast re-
gained his feet, and flew at him with a yell of

r
3533:; could but fire at random, but the heavy ‘

body of the wood monarch (ell n ainst him. and
he was home to the ground. e felt his rifle
knocked from his grasp, and he hastened to dis-
engage himself from his enemy“ This, to his
surprise, was no easy matter, for the painter
was directly upon him, although it was not
struggling for the mastery. .

' Pecowis and Ocono sprung to the boy’s assis- !
tance, and when the twain were separated, Tom
saw the ferocious animal lyin dead at his feet.

“Captain Torn shoot wefi without takin :
aim,” observed Pecowis and the be realized
the vast importance of that random s 0t.

It had undoubtedly preserved his lif for it
had penetrated the puinter’s throat, and t e belll
had passed upward into the brain. ‘

The battle was over. Several wounded dogs
had to he killed, and the pack of twenty had ;
been reduced to eight!

“ Not enough to whip 8. Wolverine,” observed
Jack mournfuliy.

CHAPTER IV.

A TERRIBLE WOLF-CHASE.

CAMP life in the vast woods of the Winnipeg
country has its enjoyable pleasures, its bright
side, so to speak. It is true that the sun, shin:
in for a few hours every day, does so with a
chgiiiness which is not pleahant; its scant de ree
of warmth fails to dissipate the frostiness o the
atmosphere, and on every side the hunter sees
wilntor arrayed in his frigid garments of
w its.

The landsea isthen beautiful.
where! from be bottoms of the deep ravines to
the tepmost branches of the trees that crown
the clifls.

When the dreary day ends, when the long
and lonely winter night succeeds the brief tw1-

light, the log-fires in the cabins are fed with ‘

fresh, fuel, and the grotesque ' arcs of the
hunters fall against the lighted w like pictums
in silhouette. ,

1 a

now every-

Then comes theenjoyable etc of life in' the
f! eat North Woods or the wild ezend from the
ips of the su rstitious Cree, Blackfoot or Ojib-
way. Not 0 ten from the Blackfoot lips, how-
ever, for that savage is the deadliest fee the
white hunter possesses; but the Cree and the
Ojibwa fraternize with the trap r around
whose they narrate legends of he wildest
character. The happiest moments of the Winni-
peg hunter come after dark, and while be dis.
cusses bison—rump, or moose- intone
to the legend and the story.

[in 13116 mid)“ (2% this page 013; he sir atatrttla
oenmesyeucog po
great gray wolf of t e white woovg, and, if he

quick enough, he can reach his door in time to
see the phantom peck dash past. A momenta,

and every wolf as disa peered, and I. y ,
distance ahead of the pee a poor wapiti stag
is making tremendous bounds or life.

Reused from a snug cover by the mymidons
in gray, he is forced to run for it, but the
end reached is seldom varied. is pursuera
glide over the snow with more ease than he
can, and at last the hunt ends by his death.
Poor stag! he deserved a better fate. _

On the night after the exciting battle between
the painter and the dogs, the tenants of Camp
Garry were gathered about a fire that blamed
in the center of one of the cabins. Pecowis had.
related a story of wild guide life in the Athabas-
can woods, and Ocono was in the midst of 3 mar-
velous Ojibway legend, when a sound inter-
gptled him, and caused every one to listen hr

nt Y. ;

“ olves!” said Pecowis significantly, and be
was about to signal Ocono to oceod, when
one of the Indians rushed to the
opened without authority.

In rushed the biting cold. but more than that;

The deep hnwl of the wolf penetrated the
cabin and while the Ojibway listened he)“
joined by all his companions. There is somr
thing weirdly’fascinating in the night of
the wolf, especially when cold winds carry tin
one’s ears acress vast wastes of snow. In the
far north where the air is ure, it seems to pos-
sess the clearest of tones; t ere it is heard in all
its intensny.

On this particular night the woods that her-

W

 

i

ered the winter camp on the north
filled with wolves. It was evident that i
were in 1311 china afttfir willie opossum“he
which n ‘ rem 6 yo 0
was his 151?}; a certain he ow not menthol:
a uarter of a mile from the camp.
or several minutes the hunters
doorway, listening speechless to the mad
, All at oneer s
‘ don his snowshoes. T e looked on
‘ amazed. '

“ Quick! put .on the shoes, m cousin;
claimed the old h reed. and the
promptly obeyed without questioning. .~

‘ A moment later, so quick! was the work

formedrnll salhed froni‘ e,eahin. rush
and. ~ - , .-.
“Now listen, little hunters," laid PM

“What do you hear?" '

“ We hour the wolves.” answered Jack.

I “Nothins else?! ' .  . v

i

a
8'
E’
s

“3

four boys

'H

 

 

The Snow-Trail.

 

“ Yes
could r'ep y. “The infamous prowlers are
chasing a dog- sledge l"

The half-breed nodded as his eyes assumed a ‘

peculiar glitter. .
The boy’s surmise was a. correct one. The
wolves were not only chasing a dog»sled , but

a human being was usin his utmost en eavors
to esca their fangs. is voice min led with
the co oing cracks of his whip was istinctly
card, and when Pecowis cried “ Forward!” and
rung toward the hollow, the boys sh‘buted en-
t usiasticaliy over the thought of rescuing some
wolf-chased traveler. _ , ' ’
The hollow ran through a. portion of the
forest comparatively open, and its shrubs and
bushes were plainly visible in the light of moon
and stars. In the shadow of the line of foredt

treesto the left of the hollow, the hunters of g

Camp Ga
rsuers an pursued wore wildly commingled.
uder than ever cracked the merciless whip

over the heads oi! the dogs straining every

Egg-vs Iflor 136m the curses of the driver had

c ang prayers.
“!l{eady !” said the half-breed 

determined little force by whic he was sup-

ported. “ Man and wolf git here d’rectlly.”

posted themselves. The cries of;

i
i
1

i
i
i
i

yes!” cried Tom Gray before Jack! The unkn0wn friend whom he called Gabi-loll

was not on hand to keep the yelping pack at
bay, and his chances for reaching the forest
trees were utterly worthless.

Down the hollow came the dogs like a streak
of swiftness, and not twenty yards behind the
sludge leaped the leaders of the gray destro era.
The way back was dark with wolves. ow
their eyes would have flashed if the Winnipeg
hunters could have thrown the fire hunt’s light
“peggeml t ” h d P

“ agen pass! w ispere ecowis scarce]
above his breath, and yet all heard. “ Lot hinVi
git bit beyond us; then, into the wolves, 9mm
cousins !’

That same minute the sledge flew past, and
the next second a volley of fire arms was poured
into the chasing horde!

Six of the foremost wolves fell dead. to be
trampled in the snow 1) their companions, who
were met in their turn y the heavy revolvers
of the hunters. The gang began total] back,
but the avengers continued topour cold lead
into the moving mass before them.

As if assured of safety by the first volley, the

ancing at the ‘ dog team had come to a halt, not far awa .

One half of the animals sunk exhausted into t e

, snow, and with a wild cry of delight the res-

Every eye was looking down the ho] ow, and , cued man turned and started toward his help-

every trigger ,was touched b a fin er. It was
an exciting minute. y g

Suddenl , although the progress of the hunted L

sledge cou d be traced by the victim’s cries, a
long dark object ap esreden the snow at the
further end or the ho low.

“ The mail sled i" cried Pecowil.

“The ’s mail?" asked Nat.

“Yes, ttle cousin " was the r . onse.

Then the be ‘S recalled the fact t at the Great
Northern  Route passed directly through
the Winnipeg country; that durin the winter
season it wascarried by dog-sic ge, and that
the adventuresome driver was a man who car-
ried his life in his hrnds. If he esca es Wolf
and Indian and arrives safe at Fort arry, he
is‘entitled to all the credit due a hero.

While the bodys thought of these things, the
sledge was gli mg over the snow. Standing
bolt 11 ' ht in the old-fashioned mail-sledge,
his not er limbs buried in furs to his knees, and
with his capote thrown aside in orderto give
Ina lay to his massive arms. a peered the
wolf- unted Government agent. 0 dog team
was putting forth its last strength; tear of the
scarlet fangs behind was goading the noble ani-
mals on and on. Threats. prayers, and lash
:fiuseless now; the mail-agent might as well

“On! on! a little further!” he cried. “ Push
on. 'Brandyi Chocolate! all of you! You’re
doing nobly. We’ll outstrip the gray devils

t. Ohi'or Gabrieil with his rifle to face

eml' Faster! taster! In the woods I’ll cut
the harness: then I’ll tree, and you can scatter
for our lives.” ‘

man intended to abandon the Govern-

ment mail! In the forest, where the ground

was even at the end of the hollow. he would

auickly cut the simple harness that kept the

ogs together, and ascend the first tree sum-
eientlystronz to hear his weight.

 

i

ers.

But he couldnot add materially to the achieve-
ment which had saved his life, for the wolves
had beaten a retreat, leaving many of their
number on the snow.

A parting volley, the last bullets in the steel
chambers, increased their 5 ed, and drew new
blood, and the victors saw t e agent sink to the
ground beside them.

The half-breed hunters raised him u , and
carried him back to his sledge, where t as:-
hausted do were kicked into momentary ex-
ertion, an induced to transport their master
to Camp Garry.

The Indians remained on the battle- und to
secure the skins o! the wolves, whic have a
moderate value at the company’s posts, while
in the warmth of the fire heap in the cabin,
lately deseer for the rescue, the revived agent
recounted the story of the exciting chase.

He asserted that some enemy had preceded
him with asafoetida on his shoe-soles, for the in-
guinan purpose of securing his (the mail-agent’s)

ea .

The four boys could not believe this terrible
accusation, but Pecowis was not incredulous.

"Oh, man cousins, the wolves would leave
the heavy brass—bound mail-sacks for the bad
men ”’he said. “We go see if our brother 15
ri h ’

ut of the cabin again and back to the hol-
low. this time with torches. _

“ look!" exclaimed Pecowis, pointm trium-

hant'ly at the snow, at a point which d not
I: reached by the dog team.

The boys stooped and examined it with their
torches.

" e see!” said Tom. “ Somebodyehas passed
this way on snow-shoes. .

“Two of them,” remarked Pecowui. “ We
add ’em by’mhy.’ .

“Do you think so, Peoowml’"

The Snow-Trail. 9

 

A nod, and the party went back to the fire. 1“? led me off, an’ 1 didn't look up hu- 1
That night the boys were told that there were thought nobody would be mean enough steal
men in the Winnipeg woods whose natures were the few weddin’ resents I had scra the:
more ferocious than those of the wildest beasts, fur the future IVE-s. Budd J enks. hen got

and the attempt on the life of the poor mail- back everything war gone; heads, the lace col-

 

agent made the charge good. lar—they didn’t leave one token ov in level
“We shall stand face to face with those two Thu- gr’ 9, pair of ’em' the tracks to that.
villains some day,” whispered Tom to Ned. Thar won’t be any of Budd Jenks 1ays_his claws
“ I think so," was the reply. on thein thievin’ carcasses 1”
Seeing that the Yankee was ignorant of the
CHAPTER V. attack on the mail-carrier, Tom Gray narrated
NORTH WOODS JUSTICE. the occurrence.

Ton was strangely convinced that they were “ What’s a Government agent’s life to a lot ov
destined to meet, at no distant day, the villains mat-class weddin’ 'ftsi” exclaimed Janka.
who had attem ted to lure the camer of the “You kin git a. dog ‘ver any day but a fel-
do mail to his 0011!. ler hez got to tramp many a week aiore he ts .

he poor wolf-chased fellow tarried in the able to buy a lace collar fur this in ed.
camp in the woods long enough to recruit his Ryan—words fail me. Peeowis— et’s yer han-
strength and that of hls dogs, and when he re- die, I believe—of you kin direct me to the two
sumed his perilous journey, it was with the best rascals jes’ do so, an’ the eVerlastin,’ gratitude
wishes of all who assembled to see him 03.. The ov Budd Jenks will tarry With you.
Great Northern Mail’s trips are decidedly “ few “ Tracks go that way,” answered recowis,
and far between;” the heav leethern bag pointing down the hollow.
however, always serve to e ‘ven.the isolate “I know that. About fit yards down
sta, and the poor came“ Who drlve the doi:- yonder they leave the ravine an march straight
ams through the white woods have a hard life upon m cabin. From that the into the
of it. They are not inf ntl chased by big woo s. You wouldn’t like a 07 a hunt
wolves, as we have witnesse , an the Indians arter them now, would you?"
sometimes from a cover stop the sledge and a Pecowis glanced,“ the ho I.
heart at the same time by a well-directed ar- N“Isn’t the trail too oldig modestly queried
NW. at.

The boy hunters watched the rescued car— “Ive seen fresher ones,” replied Janka, smil-
rier until he had passed entirely from their ing; “but the thieves a‘in’t ver fur 03. You
sight. The poor fellow‘s excuse for driving kin pay ’em back fur consp ' ’ ag’in’ the
acres the Winnipeg barrens at night was his Government service, an’ I kin treat with ’09:

real: eagerness to reach a delicate'wife at Fort fur stealin’ my weddin’ goods.”

anry many miles away. His love for her bad After a short consultation, the hunters
almost cost him his life, and the boys wondered to accompany Jenks on the trail, and as the
if they had not seen him. for the last time. wind was cold and hitin as it swept across the

Pecowxs who had manifested a great interest snow, the party drew t eir furs closer about ‘
in the snow-shoe'marlss on the snow in the hol- them when the set out. ' . ‘
low, led the way thither after the mail-carrier's They were rst taken to the free trap ‘I
departure. He wantedtoexamme them in the cabin and shown the plundered shelf. nee
broad light of day. The Ojibways did not ec- more Jouks enumerated he stolen presents with
compan‘ the examining party, which consisted which he had hoged to brighten the eyes of the
of the o d hunter-guide and t e youths. dusky maiden 6 had won, and Pocowis re-

The battle-ground of the night before was marked, sottovoce. that Buddcould better aflord
soon reached, and the half~breed’s eyes fairly  to lose the Blackfoot bride hersel! than the
glistened when they beheld ,the marks in the aim 1e gesents. ‘
now which had been seen before undera torch. T a nil of the two villains led the party

He explained to the boys that the peculiar toward Lake Winnipe , and soon all were
construction of the snow-shoes would cause the l traversing the snow ghat covered the ice.
capture of the two wood "118.1118. for Pecowis , Winnipeg in the brief summer that exists in the
had taken an unusual interest in the mail ear- , far north resents a beautitul appearance
rier, an interest which was shared by his young 1 dotted as i is with lovely islands. many 0
companions. The little party were groupie . which are quite lar e. but throughout the
in the hollow, listening to the talkative gulde. lwinter the scene is to her different.
when a rough voice fell upon their ears and thick ice is covered wit a heav coating of
caused all to 00]: up. I snow. and the trees and bushes of e numerous

“ Lookin’ at their tracks, eh i” were the words , islands wear the same dreary garb.
that greeted the hunters. “ Bu’st my buttons! The hunting-party, now a band of a
of I don’t feel like kickin’ myself all over crea- moved rs. idly across the ice before a stron
tion. Whenever you furiet to lock the pantry. wind. at once a word from Pecowis
the wolves come. Never nowed it to fail." all. The old uide had discovered the

During his speech the new person was ap- trail of the er, an animal whose furis m
preaching. and the Winnipeg hunters recog- l valuable. As it led toward an island, the -
nixed him as their old acquaintance Budd Janka. ‘ breed said that the wily animal had found, m‘ h
the oker. The free trapper was mad. < part made a hole to the water betweentho Mfil

u es, :henilm’ :39 same tracgjs whattéem  earth obi one o! .the {slandshiind the ice, and ti)“:
myshan , esa .surve mg e 00 a more ewumppy Month
in the ho ow. “LelUlzlJ a meekin’ wolver- i daintiest of fishes. mg

 

 

 

  

   

The Snow-Trail.

 

- . Always on the alert for sport. the ho 3 pm- I “Whatwill he do with the men it we hatch
posed a hunt after the fisher, and as Bud Jenks i them?” asked Jack.

reluctant]
trail for t a one just discovere .
The island toward which the fish-eater’s trail
was not large. A number of young trees
covered its surface, and its edge was fringed by
snow-covered bushes.

The hunters had no dogs with which to scour
the islands, but Pecowis volunteered to perform
that service, and his burly figure disappeared
beyond the bushes.

It had been understood that the fisher, if shot

1: all, should be shot in the head so as not to in-
;nre the fur, and the boy Nimrods who were
stationed near together, were u atching anx-
iousll for a glimpse of the quarry.

“ ’hi yonder is Pecowis,” said Ned to his

“ He has crossed the island
without rousing the game. The fisher is more
cunning than man.”

"That is not'Pecowis,” was the reply. “I
never saw that face before.”

“ Sure enough.”

The two ho s stared at the wild strange face,
revealed .to heir gaze by an Opening in the
meshes. ‘ It was diark, lsinister aigddrlepulfiive, and

6 eyes possesse a eam dec 9 y vi ainous.
v “If; is the face of one of the men we have
been huntin .” whispered Tom. “ There! it
has been wi drawn.’

It was true; the face among the snowy limbs
had disappeared. but the broad shoulder of its
owner was still visible.

The bogs were wondering whether the eyes
.had seen hem. If they had, why did their pos-
fsassor keep his place? Perhaps he had heard
Pecowis behind him.

“ They are both there 1” suddenly cried Ned.

nearest companion.

' ’“I see two shoulders which cannot belong

one 3d the same rson.” ~
“ t as alarm e rest of our party.”
“ No; let us keep our post.”
Red and Tom continued to stand still. It was

consented. the part left the human 1

 

evident to them that the two men on the island .

rson whom the boys
elt it to be Pecowis.
“ the fisherl” broke from

were watching sbme
jvcould not see, yet the

“ Suddenly a c ' o
_Nat's throat, an
broke t e sti lncss of that winter day.

The s ouldcrs arson the bushes passed from
sight at the report 0 the rifle, and a moment
'la'er the well-known figure of the old half-breed
a ured at the point from which the startled
lie r had left the island.

“ Thet’s a funny question," exclaimed Jenks,
laughing. “ Hyer around Winnipeg we carry
with us the only law thet’s ov an account.
Two murderous charges rest ag’in’ hem men,
tryin’ to kill a Government agent, an’ stealin’
the future Mrs. Jenks’s weddin’ feathers.”

The boys could not see the murderous rt of
the second charge, but it caused a sm 9 as it
droEpad from the trapper’s lips.

T e work of surrounding the island for the
purpose of securing the human quarry was
commenced, but a shout from one of the half-
breeds attracted all. .

Two men were seen moving at a rapid gait
across the lake.

Budd J enks uttered a cry of re s, and, tight-
ening his snow shoes, he sprung ter the twain,
followed by every one.

Pecowis and the gaunt Yankee kept together.
and it soon became a parent that they were
gaining on the men espite the efforts of the
latter to distance them. It was an exciting
chase for when man hunts man in the North
Woods a terrible interest is given to the episode.

On. on, over the white surface of Lake Win-
nipe went the hunted men and their blmters.
The ys could not keep pace with the lengthy
strides ta ken b Budd Jenks and Pecowis. The
(We‘rlapping o Net‘s snow-shoes stopped the
quartette for a spell. .

The distance between the men rapidly short-
ened; the excitement increased.

" Look! the rascals have stopped!” suddenly
cried Jack- “ They throw their rifles upon the
snow.”

“ That means surrender.”

It was true; the men-wolves had surren-
dered. .

A moment later Jcnks nnd Pecnwis reached
them, and the Yankee trapper had the satisfac-
tion of producing from the pockets of one the
articles fllched from hiscabin. At first the two
rascals denied havin decoyed the wolves to
the agent’s trail by t 9 use of asafaetida. but

, their snow-shoes condemned them; they were

the clear report of a gun 5 .
land of ice and snow, and the hunters and their

' IIe lanced at the animal which had fallen be- i

fore at’s aim and then asked:
H “Have ouseen anybod , mon cmuinsr’

Ned an Tom exchan e meanin glances.

“ We have,” said the atter. “ ere are two
strange. men on the island.” .

, “ The wolves that first hunted th ant!”
[said Pecowis. " The fisher’s trail spoiled t eirs.
I’lmve found it, man cousins.”

By'this time Budd Janka had come 11 . The
free trapper became excited when he earned
that the' invaders of his cabin had been dis-
‘covered.

V“ A man what would steal a collar from Budd
’Je'nh’s‘m nsweetheart would do an thing!”
be said. ‘We must almond theislan 'aa’in.”

forced to confess. .
Night was new gathering once more over the

captives started for the main-land. A cam
fire was built on the lake shore, and while t 9
boys were enjoying it, Pecowis, Jenhs and one
of use half-breeds took the two men into the
woo 5.
Half an hour later the trio came back alone]
North Woods justice had been administered.

CHAPTER VI.
SMOKING our A MUSQUAW.

THE summary fate of the two men who had
almost put an end to the mail-carrier’s
enoe remained many da s in the minds of the
four ho s. They had ad a taste of North
Woods ustice, and more than once the _ shud-
dered when they thought of the two 3 oned
forms swaying to and fro under a snow-burden-
ed limb deep in the white woods of Winnipe .

 

They longed for scenes of adventure t at
would divert their thoughts from this ever-
present picture, and the information of a mug-

  

    
    
    
  
    
  
    
   
     
  
    
    
   
  
 
  
  
   
   
  
   
  
   
   
  
  
   
 
  
   
  
   
    
  

The Snow-Trail. *1 1

 

 

quaw’s presence not far from amp (tarry1

promised the desired change.

“ A musquaw?" exclaimed Ned. “What is a
mus uaw?"

“ ercise a little patience, and you will see,"
laughed Tom. ,

Among the Indians of Nova Scotia the fero-
cious black bear is styled Mr. Mooin, while in
the adjacent countries he is known as the mus-
quaw. In the winter he is to be found in his
hibernacle, or winter gunners, the hollow
trunk of some tree, or eeply buried in the
depths of some cave, whose opening, small and
almost entirely shut up b snow, is a t to do-
ceive the best hunter an the keenes cented
dogs.

Ferocious at all times and especially so when
roused from his enjo a le nap, he is a fit antag-
onist for the fearless ndian hunter and the free
trapper, each of whom loves to carry his shaggy
skin to the counters of the Fur Company.

As no bear trails had yet been discovered by
the Winnipeg hunters, the discovery of a hiber-
nacle was joyful tidings to the boys, and havin
mustered the dogs spared by the teeth an
claws of the painter, the entire party set out
one afternoon for the spot.

Pecowis was inclined to disbelieve the report
which had been brought into camp by one of
Ocono’s red companions, but when the Indian
halted at the foot of a 'ant tree, and pointed
to a little 0 eniug in t e snow near the roots,
the e es of t e old half—breed began to listen.

“ us uaw in there sure enoug , man
cousins,’ he said, with a glance at the expect-
ant boys. a

One of the dogs, an old hunter, soon confirmed
the half-breed’s decision, and the party began
to clear the snow away. This 0 ration reveal-
ed a large opening. which is into the tree.

While the den seemed to extend upward, it also '

led back, affording a choice of quarters for the
musquaw. The hunters had carried from the
camp several bundles of resinous fagots, which
were placed before the opening. .

Ocono now insisted, Indian-like, on carrying
out. an Ojibway custom.

Let him go on,” said Tom, touching the arm ‘

of Pecowis, who was inclined to suppress the
Indian’s desires.
can. I vote for Ocono to proceed.”

“ Him talk musquaw to death mebhe,”
growled the half~breed, ste ping bac .

The Ojibway divested lmself of blanket,

belt and powder-horn and struck the attitude -

of a savage orator before the musqusw’s den.
Then he began a speech, in which he derided

the bear for hiding himself in the tree, when his 1
thick skin should make him scorn the cold,
while he (Ocono) stood before him without his .

blanket, and fearless and defenseless. As the
Ojibway rooeeded, his voice increased in tone
till the co d white woods run with its echoes.
He called the bear all the nic ames by which
he was known to the Indian hunters, and dared
him to advance from his hibernaole to single
combat. For five minutes Ocono persisted in
his speech, which ended by him taking an old
moccasin from his bag and casting it into
the mouth of the den.

Despite the wind, Pecowis struckalucifer.

“ We are here to learn all we .‘

which he thrust into a quantity of bark film,
i and very soon smoke was rushing into the tree.

The hunters now drew back anghgaigm
the in new with road guns.
held tgquogs back with yleathem leashes. h
the tree leaned, PGOOWJS sent many glances to
the lowest forks, as though he expected them
of the bear to make its appearance from an
oponin visible there.

The , aided by a strong, cold wind, mo-
mentarily increased, great volumes of
smoke entered the hibernacle but not a move-
ment on brain’s part indicated his presence. . ,

“Pshaw! we are doomed to disa pointment
after all "said Jack. “ For once t e Ojibw
hunter has been deceived, and ecowis w
have many a grin at the poor fellow’s, ex-
pense. 

He had scarcely finished when the old guide
uttered a cry, and the boys, following his eyes,
glanced up the tree. , .

“Not mu now, but a catamount, man
cousins I” exc imed the half-breed; .

Sure enough, crouching in the fork, about
twent feet from the crust of the snow ap-
peare an animal that somewhat resembled an
overgrown-cat, although its flerceness lent is u
look unknown at any time to that animal. It
had up arently emerged from the ugper ogen-
ing in he tree, and from the elevate perc it
was Iancing at the hunters of the fur-land.

“ usquaw in tree yet,” said the red dis-
coverer of the den; “catamount only in the
upfir etc of his lodge.” .

is di not seem possihl but the boys had
no time for reflection, for e animal in the
tree, with a terrible growl, suddenly .1611: his
perch, and a tremendous leap carried him clear
over the heads of the party.

A flying, shot was not to be thought of, and
the hunters turned to fire at the catnmount a
i he struck the snow. There, he whirled in the
twinkling of an eye and crouchingon the white
surface exhibited a hold front to his toes.

“\Vhat a mu niflcent animal!” ejaculated
Tom loth to spoi so grand s. hide with a bullet. v

“ ou admire most that which is most den.
gerous,” said Nat as he raised his rifle andsent
a bullet after the catamount.

A wild scream, strangely human in its into,-

‘ nation, peeled from the animal’s throat as it
i leaped into the air, not to fall quivering in the
, snow, but to turn and rush desperately wounded
‘ into tho,forest. A perfect volley, greeted his
‘ retreat, and not far away, in. an attem to as-
oend a tree, he sunk down to crimson t snow
with his blood. , ' .

Ocono rushed forward to finish the death-
struggles of the animal. . y l r

A moment later a loud noise made awry
hunter turn again, and thgebeheld the fir.-
brands at the foot of the old e flung in every
direction as though a. shell had exploded. in l '
their midst. ‘ .. ’
. “ Musquaw I" Musqunwl" broke from he
, throats of the horrified Indians as they st ‘

back. I .
The bear had been smoked out at last! .
He had not crawled slowly from his don as h!
1 sometimes does when aroused from his long
nap. but all at once, with "the vehemenco 0t"

 

  
    
    
  
  
   
  
    
  
  
   
  
    
  
  
  
 
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
   
  
  
  
   
   
  
   
  
  
  
  
   
   
  
   
  
    
   
 

  

into the very faces of his hunters. .

With nose erect and eyes wide open, and full
of fire, he emerged from the smoke and showed
his teeth to the foe. Ocono and his Indians
gazed a moment at the savage spectacle, and
then fled as fast as their agile limbs could carry
them. One can fly at a good pace over the
snow when he is accustomed to snow-shoes,
and the charge of a bear is apt to accelerate
one’s movements. ‘

At any other time the four young hunters
would have laughed at the Indians’ flight, but
the rush of the monster through the smoke to
catch them With unloaded rifles was enough to
sup ress all hilarity.

‘ nu, mo» cousins I” cried Pecowis. “ Mus-
quaw mad now. ”

Did- the he s hesitate!

Tom was t e first to obey the old ide’s in-

iunction, and the bear saw the bin or tips of ‘
‘an other circumstancos.” murmured Jack,

is snow-shoal elevated in the frosty air. It
was a general flight: the Indians were speedily
distanced by the dogs which, while they had en-
countered a inter, thought it no disgrace to
. com.

The bear had stopped a few feet from the
tree, and viewed the general retreat with an
exp on extremely ridiculous. He did not
seem to know what to make of it, but a minute

r later he moved forward over the trail made by

the boys.

It was not a charge but a leisure advance.
which gave the Winnipeg hunters time to re-
consider their retreat.

“We’re fools for showing our heels to an dd
musqnaw!" laughed Ned, siting to turn and
reload his piece. .

“ That’s what I so. ,” said Tom. “ Right about
face! Let us give a old fellow a volley full in

his front."

Standin side by side in the snow. the boys
hastily oaded their rifles.

Pecowis and his halflbreed friends were al-
ready returnin , but 0cono,-notwithstanding
his boastful ad to brain prior to the light-
ing of the fagots. had ion since disappeared
over the crest of a hillock o snow. _

Perceiving his enemies’ tactics, the king of
the snowy trail had halted and seemed to be
debating several mental propositions. His head
fronted squarely the ranks 0 his fees, and when
Pecowis advanced obliquely in the be e of ut-
’tingaball behind his fore-shoulder, e shi ted
his Wtion so as to battle the guide.

“ e claim this shot!” shouted Tom, seeing
the half-breed’s movements.
“ Shoot, then, mo» cousins.”
The four probably recalled their luck; volley
which struck the bull-moose down, an raised
their rifles. V

“ y?" said Nat.
' “Ready! Of course we are.”

“Then—fire!”

Crack went the four pieces, and to the sur-
prise of all, forward plunged the bear with a
growl of pain.

“Musquaw know when. mon cousins shoot,”
said Pecowis, smiling. “Him turn his head
when guns so on: Run. little hunters. run!”

thunderbolt, he had flung his huge body from r "W'é must u again!" grated Ned.
is couch, scattering the blazing fagots almost ‘

1 the three

 

“Confound he musquaw!" flashed Tom, as
away the went for the second time over the
snow. “ is is smoking a bear out with a ven-
geancei”

The boys laughed as their fleet limbs carried
them forward. All at once Jack stopped and
grabbed at somethin which he had dropped.

He had lost one of is snow-shoes.

“ A strap always breaks when one’s life is in
danger," said the boy. “I can’t run in this
snow on one shoe. ” .

Tom, Ned and Net had leaped to his assist-
ance.

“Lie down on your back, and be quick about
it,” said Tom.

“Not on in back?"

“ Yes; we ve no time to lose."

Jack obe ed, and grasping his wrists firmly,
ys sprung on again, pulling him
across the snow at no mean gait.

“ You couldn’t make a sled out of me under

loo ing up with a grim smile.
“Nor ogs of ourselves,” was the merry w

‘ joinder.

 

' whitewi

 

The bear saw only the boys to whom he was
indebted for several blood wounds. He still
advanced, headless of the o d guide, who from
behind a larch was trying to get a shot behind
his shoulder.

Suddenly the report of arifle rung through
the woods. The ha a musquaw turned with a
stifled growl, and t on lowered his carcass to
the snow.

Pecowis had delivered one of these shots
which slhy even the elephant. The days of
the poor musquaw had ended, and when the
boys halted and sent up acheer for the half-
breed’s luck, Jack rose, vowing that he felt as
though he had been dragged over hot iron.

The animal proved to be a large male mul-

aw. His Winter nap had greatly reduced
him, but still he was transported to the camp
near the lake with no little difficulty. The skin
of the catamount was secured, and around the
fire, ever hear steaks, the {our boys concluded
that, while smoking out a musquaw might be
sport, it was somewhat dangerous fun.

CHAPTER VlI.
GUARDING Tan mrs.

THE four boys who had left pleasant homes to
brave the cold and dangers of the Winnipeg
woods, had already discovered that one earns
the sport he enjoys among them.

The snow-trail may furnish excitement and a
certain pleasure which the oung hunter loves
to enjoy; but it also warns im how precarious
is his existence in the land of marten and

moose.

His aim must always be sure, and his hand
steady, for when a wounded painter. crouches
before him, or when he finds himself pursued
by an infuriated moose, he needs steady nerves
and a clear mind.

More than one amateur hunter. lacking these
essential mantles, has left his bones among the

l of Winnipeg'st

to ts f Cam Garry believed that
aging theostme trapper. was their

 

   

The Snow-Trail.

18

 

nearest neighbor, but one morning oneof the
half-breeds returned from the traps with lnfor~
mation somewhat alarming. Indian “sign”
had been found alon the shore of the lake, and
not far from severe traps which had been set
in hope of securing a silver fox known to be in
the vicinity.

The steel traps imported from the States 01'
from the Warehouses of the Hudson Bay Com-
pany across the ocean, are valuable pro erty,
and the hard-working trapper cannot a 0rd to
lose them. The prowling Blackfoot is con-
stantly making secret incursions to the Winni-
pe country for the purpose of enriching him-
Iefi with tra , and the white trapper as well
as the half- reed has found himself robbed

when he expected to in triumph to his
cabin some valuable pelt.
The traps belongin to the Winnipeg hunters

were the best to be 0 tained, and the report of
Indian “ sign ” found in their vicinity naturally
alarmed them.

Pecowis and Ocono at once investi ated and
confirmed the news. A number of lackfeet
evidently on a thievin expeditionhhad passed
nigh the traps. Peooms wentso far as to assert
that they had actually discovored the traps.
which from some strange cause they had not
removed.

“ Blackfeet cunning fellows, man cousins,”
said the swarthy, long-haired guide. “They
find traps sure, but they see that they been set
for silver fox, so they wait till they kin git fox
an’ all."

“ We can save the traps by removing them to
cam ,” said Tom.

“ ps stay set for fox,” was the quick

l .

"Ewan dayof the week is this!” suddenly
asked Ned.

Nat produced from beneath his fur-lined
jacket 9. little calendar, on which he had marked
the da 5 as they came. -

“It Wednesday,” he said a moment later.
“ Why do you ask, Ned i”

"-I was thinking that Budd J enks's wedding-
reception is not far 06!."

“ t is not. Indeed, it takes place to-morrow

night,” and Nat glanced at the foot-tracks
barely visible on the surface of the snow.

“Might not these Blackfeet be Jenks‘s new

relations on their way to feast with him! What
do ousa now, Pecowisi”

he 01 half-breed had forgotten the free
trapper’s nuptials, but when reminded of them
be readily re nded that the Indians had
moved in the irection of Jenks’s cabin, but
added with a sly smile that any amount of
wedding festivities could not make them forget
the presence of fox-traps in the vicinity.

It was a sad, however, that on the following
morning t.e occupants of Camp G‘ ,with
two exceptions. should set out for Jenks s cabin
in order to redeem a promise made to the jolly
tr r that they would attend the celebration
of his marria to the Indian belle.

Pecowis d that the Blackfeet would not
venture to disturb the fox-traps until their
return march; but the boys feared that they
would watch them with the hope of securing a

. fox pelt. therefore. as the sun went down. Tour

I

- tra

 

and Nat stole from the camp and took a station
underneath a huge tree whose snow-covered
limbs almost touched the ground.

They _were confident ibat their march to
the trapping—ground had been perceived by no
enemies, and snugly ensconced under the
branches, they resolved to watch the fox-traps
until near dawn. The traps had been properly
adjusted under the trained eye of Pecowis, and
although the moon threw her cold beams upon
the Blues of their concealment, the keenest eye
mif t fail to discover them. \ '

he tree that sheltered the. boys from the
wind stood at the edge of the forest, just beyond
whose fringe the tra had been set. The
position of the {gun imrods for observation
could not have en tiered. A light but cold
wind blew through the forest and made Tom
and Net draw their capotes closer about their
forms, and see that the furred tabs completely
covered their ears The night was bitter cold,
the thermometer would have marked below
zero, but the boys knew that the cold would not
(riot? the prowling fox or the thieving Black-
oo .
Eagerly the twain glanced over the white:
plain-like surface that extended from them.
The appearance of an animal would have been
noticed at once, but,.they expected to see the
figure of the red prowler of Winnipeg—the

nan.

“ Ahl fionder comes our fox,” suddenly ex-
claimed at in a low tone. V

At the same time he pointed to a dark‘ speck
that seemed to be moving over the snow some
distance away.

The young hunters leaned forward with
breathless eagerness, and kept their eyesfixed
on the animated speck. Headless of the risk of

having‘bis ears frozen, Nat removed the otect-
ing ta and listened as though he felt t the
approach of the animal must of necessity be

accompanied by some sound. But the stillness
of the grave brooded over the scene. . .

If the boys had looked up among the snow
covered branches of the tree overhead they
might have seen something like a lasso’a noose
descendin with the certaint of fate. It 0 t
downwar between the lim without distur
ing a flake of the snow that rested upon them,
and appeared to lengthen as it neared the un-
sns ng ontbs. ,

t the upper end of that rope were the dart
hands and the flashing eyes of a Blackfoot
Indian. He was hardly twent feet above the
p—watchers-whoee tions eseemedtonota
distinctly. A look 0 savage humor filled his
eves as he let the noose down inch bylaeh;
What was he going to do? ' ' .

“It is the white fox, Natl” cried Tom m

. had not removed his e as for a moment from -

the dark ob t across t e snow. “It is ml?
a chin jeShe traps. What if the wily old
feliow sh d discover us?" -_ V .
“Nonsense!” was the re 1y. “ We are V :
fectly secure from observe ion here. ‘
howevier. may fléid 15111:!“ t3?!“ Imam”;
am ‘ to stir) a r , V
the 18121:?! hafinfimentydonm 
the value of a pe ." ' . 1,
‘l'benext instants straw crylblnt m

 

 

14

The Snow-Trail.

 

Tom Gray’s throat, and Nat turned to see his
comrade jerked from the ground and whisked
up among the branches!

Nat started back with distended eyes, but
a cloud of snow almost entombed him, and he
was forced to retreat from beneath the tree to
relieve himself of the avalanche.

“Great heavens! where is Tom?” exclaimed
the boy staring into the tree. I must have
been dreaming. No! I am awake, and in the
night near the shore of Lake Winnipeg. Tom
is he victim of some villainous trick.”

Nat did not know what to do, and the reader
can I'm ine how he stood in the snow mystified
and un ecided. All thoughts of the valuable
fur which fortune was bringing to their traps at
the moment of the acci ent gassed [rapidly
awn . Indeed, if he had turns his attention
to t e fox at that time, he would have dis-
covered that it had disa

After Tom’s cry of error uttered as the
Blackfoot’s lasso dropped over his shoulders,
came a silence from which Nat could at no
hope. He felt confident that his fello“ unter
had fallen into the hands of some Indian who,
like themselves, had been watching the tra .

moon shone on the snowy branches of e
tree, but he could not penetrate them and learn
Tom’s fate.

“I must find out something about the ho ,”
Nat exclaimed at last as he moved toward be
tree, and he found himself once more on the
spot from whence Tom had been rudely lifted.

He tried to pierce the region above, but so
than limbs intervened making it impenetrable,
that e was forced to desist.

“ If on are alive, Tom, answer me,” he said
It ; “ but do not endanger your life by
doing so. Rescue shall come

A sound like that produced when a hand is
suddenly placed over the mouth of some person
who attem tsto talk came down to Nat. He
ltarted. I told him that Tom was in the hands
of some enemy and still alive.

“All rightlyou still live!” cried Nat in re-
sponse to the sound. “Keep a judicious tongue
in your head and wait,” and then he added:
“I am ing away now.”

Was a going to desert the captured hunter!

He moved from beneath the tree and plungd
Into the forest which was full of shadows, t
he did not roceed far. Turning suddenly, be
retracted]: steps and crept backunder the

phel of the risen tree from a point opposite i
one at whlc he had departed. Standin
near the elected trunk with upturned face, Na
waitod‘tor a movement on the of Tom’s un-
knowncaptor, but none rewar d him.
‘Pvn got to take the situation by the horns.”

thebe said at last if he slipped 06 his snow-
09:. ‘xgll'ot while om Gray lives shall he he
w

" Nit drew his nife which. havin wra -
p'ed thgqilsd'e in a pigee of oiled skin tonprevegt

ysteel from in urin lips and tongue
me his teeth? and‘drew his body ufi

, the Ranches.
'. limb to limb,

g close to the body
' .Whoweat,wit enoiselessascent
e panther. He looked y ahead and al-

mu thaw warms ._ Mm- he use

I ceeded in keeping up his spirits. He did not
i stop until he had reached a place five and
twenty feet from the ground.

His eyes had by this time become accustomed
to the poor light that prevailed in the tree, and
he was enabled to catch sight of a dark object a
few feet above him.

Gradually the figure grew into the familiar
shape of an Indian. The Blackfoot, standing
firmly on a limb had parted the white foliage
with one of his hands, and was peering down
into the forest as though he were trying to
trace the route of Nat, supposed by him to have
returned to the cam .

Behind him held

ml down to a bough by
his red ht hand, lay th

e captured boy. The
si ht e Nat’s eyes flash.
traightening‘, he drew the knife from its

oiled cover, and raised himself to the limb
directly above. He was almost on a level with
the Blackfoot.

“Here goes!” he murmured, and at that in
writ he made a mad thrust at the red-skin’s

c .

A wild cry rent the air, and as the Blackfoot
turned, he lost his balance, to pitch headlong to
the ground!

Tom would have followed him if Nat had not

grasped him firmly.

CHAPTER VIII.
snows IN rm: DARK.
“ You shall not follow that Indian [’1 said Nat

as he clung tenacioust to his comrade.
“ I do not want to, that is certain,” was Tom’s

 

re ly. ,

xI'he situation of the two boys in the tree near
the trapping-ground was a novel one. The
Blackfoot, Tom Gray’s captor, struck by Net’s
hunting-knife, had fallen to the snow below,
and it required all the victor's agiility and
strength to prevent his own fall, an to keep
his young companion with him in the tree.

In try ng to succeed in both these desires
Nat’s knife sli ped from his grasp and followed
the Indian. left the boy before he could dis-
cover that it was now pointless, and he believed
that the Blackfoot lay dead on the snow.

Net and Tom after a while recovered their
equilibrium and calmly took in their situation.

“Who would have thought that while we
were watchin ~the fox-tra a Blackfoot was
watching as observed em. with a grim
smile. ‘ When I was whisked u into this tree
I didn’t know I was to stop t is side of the
moo, n. The lasso ms was perfect. I felt the
coil hten as it to over my shoulders. and
when was  to rest and breathe, I
found myself sta g into the painted face of an
Indian)!

“ You expected to die then i” , .

“I don’t know what I expected, Nat,” was
the reply. “ My first thoughts were of on. I
wanted to put you on your guard, as we l as to
tell you that there was but one Indian; but be-
fore I could spesk a Word‘my captor’s hand was
over my mouth. and my sflorts in that direction

proved abortive.” I
rope,” Nat said, with a

 

“He has cast his last
stance downward. .

The Snow-Trail. ‘ ‘ 1.6

" You did not kill him? You have no knife.” All at once Tom halted, and turned his head
“ 1 had one. I acted u on the first impulse, toward the east. .
and struck at the Black out. I had no other “ What is the matter?” asked Ned, lifting his
means of saving you, Tom.” cap and watching his friend.
“ True, _but a dead Blackfoot so near Camp ‘ I do not know," was the reply.
Garry is liable to Prove more troublesome than “ What do you we,"
a dozen live ones.’ “ Nothing.’
“ I understand you, but let us go down and ” You’heal'd something, MW

look at the redskin." “ Yes.
The boys began to descend. limb by limb un- The next instant the boys stood side by lid
til the lowest ones were reached. Betors drop- \ looking eeizrly eastward, and withali

fing to the ground, they leaned down and ‘ their mix The ht! 0' the hull '
ooked, country are clear, 00 and frosty. Sli ;
“I see nothin ." said Nat, exhibiting surprise. ' DOW“ 0‘11 5° thMHI 8"“ mm .
“There is no In ien here.” Pei-“111" 01 01 3h. Wt any W0“ “M
“Maybe he led ed.” ‘ reaches the enter when they are separated by
Nat was incline to laugh, but he said: . miles. '
“We know he did not. for we examined the i' A 81133!!!” 1961 . hock “1011 Of the Na ‘
tree as we came down. Here goes to the ground, , boy Nlmmdsy W110 News” the Show? 00V“:

hit or miss.” 1ing of Lake Winnipeg. hat 1!“ a , ck‘of
Nat released his hold and dropped nimbly to WOIVBS Should 895 “tween them 3-“ “935%
the snow. Tom followed his example. ‘ They recalled the mail-carrier’s adventure, on

“You did not kill your Indian; that is ap- ‘ numerous wolf stories told around the cabin-
parent." Tom Gra said, after a brief survey 01 fll‘e- The Wind had veered in the h!“ 19" hill»
the ground beneath the limbs. utes, and was bringing to their ears the sounds

Nat look surprised. ‘ which had startled Tom. - .

“What is this? Your knifel’? continued Tom, f‘ I so push on to com "suddenly said
stoo ing and picking up a knife. Nat. ‘ e cannot be more smile awayn”

“ ft is my knife; it is broken too!” cried Nat, “ We are less than a mile from camp," re-
taking the " find " from Tom’s hand. _ - spondedITom,  " For my part, I propose

The point of the hunting-knife had been to remain ,here. I o are going to have some,
broken off. The ho s examined it with a good sport.” / * ”
deal of curiosity. here was not a sign of b 00d The Speaker 1°0de like 0119 Who 11” M0 an
on the steel, and the young hunters concluded agreeable discovery. ,
that the Indiian’sfbelt hind arrelstetclil tlie knit? “Spa?!” echged Nat. “ Then, no wolvesore
and do rive ito its at, whie e orce 0 ap rose in us . ,
mbstrgka had topplefiothe red-man from his ffio. I”e shall see antlers instead at fangs."

‘ 0030 V .

An examination at the snow brought to light “ I think so.” ,
a trail leading along the edge of the woods, and It was quite evident from tho ltd-BI W
Nat diswvered that .the snow-shoes which he borne totho ears of. the young .chgt .
had taken 03 to ascend the tree had been cut number of large animals wore them.
to pieces, There was a crust on the snow which oouldno’i

“Look at the scoundrel’s work!" exclaimed successfully resist the shar feet of the 
the boy, holding one of the shoes u to Tom’s While they broke through ey did not sink '
gaze. “Here is a piece of spite-war that will for a second crust or layer'ot troson snow ,
get one Indian into trouble should we ever meet them “P- It was the cracking 01 then “Emmet

again. This is Blackfoot meanness. I am in that produced the strange sounds. . he, I
for it here until a new hair of shoescan be lighhrunmng wolf seldombreeks thro h,w _,
brou ht to me from camp. the moon, homer and not 89 88119. In:  ,
“ %e shall see.” times to his knees in the snow. / ‘ j V '
A few moments later the hatchets of the “ The are coming directly toward turgid
twain out down some bushes that row on the Nat. ‘ We shall be tramped to. death" we
lake~shore, and with the aid of the ndian lass cannot scatter the herd.” . , ,
the were fastened together, forming a, kind 0 Tom smiled. Net, to say the M was on;-
slel . long not fearful.
The snow. would not bear up anybody not on “ e shall pit ourselves in the snow " Tan
snow-shoes, and Nat was compelled to resort to Said. “ Let us hide as securely as po-ihlo. ‘ .
bwgliilzcacomotion. ligating hung?le lop th:1 Laim- The boys wont to work at onofiond soon‘b 
1”“ 313d.“ °»°m' .139 "ga itintliesnow.lntothis ace y
qualities, and. he was soon movmg ovar “39° “ii rested their rifles on the snowy m

 

snow toward Camp Gar:- . formed around it, x A, .
Beneath them lay the a ' kice or Lake Win- _ “fig? w m mad, ,0, u, n ‘Tw_‘w
nipeg, and as the surface of the snow. was level, ‘ engefly. u The” Wm M be ‘ 0“”
Tom made good heedwayin trout 01 a cold lvprmd new,th “may , ..
north wmd- . . were they waited for m w wucsmp
Not, who was reclining on the brush, enJoyod com! 'on n ‘Inpid a; a, W' m
u” “"1 fide' H“ h“ Pun“ 1"“ fur“ “P iousl at the moon w wes% the has

almost entirely over his face, and his strong~ on. ' a m. I my“  m
limbed companion la_ bed more than once,” “3 would an“, .N' n,“
he lookodoyerhissho‘iflder at him. _ ,  k t ,  , ,   ;_ l x

 

 

18

The Snow-Trail.

 

disk, leaving'the white surface of the frozen lake
wrs in utter darkness. ‘

‘ “ 6 need light to make our aim true,” re-
marked N it as the moon remained longer than
usual behind a cloud. “ The moose are coming
before the wind. ’Twould be a joke if they

should stumble over us during one of these‘

“ No fears of that while we have our rifles.”

Presently guided by the noise of the advanc-
ing herd, the boys saw the majestic animals,
u'id adjusted their rifles for the death-shots.
The light of the moon fell directly on the moose
horns,"and showed to advantage the splendid
bodies of their possessors.

“ Read 1” whispered Tom. “Select your
fit. ine is a large fellow on the ri ht

d.” Let us both fire at once. I will give e

wor

Nat who was ready did not reply, but nodded
merely and waited for the signa .

“Confound itl the clouds are bound to bathe
in!” he suddenly hissed from between clinched
teeth. “Down to the corners of our trench, or
we shall be killed 1”

“ Not until we have delivered our fire.”

“We must do that at once. Horrorsl the
whole herd threatens us.”

This was true. The d knees of starless mid-
night had suddenly sett ed over the lake and
the wild snortings with the breaking of the
crust of the snow told the Winnipeg boys that
the moose were actually upon them.

“ Fire 1” frantically shouted Tom, and the
rifles flashed above the snow-bank.

The next moment an avalanche of snow came
down into the trench and buried the hunters
while the antlered pack thundered over their

a.

After awhile the boys ventured to relieve
themselves of the great ‘weight that threatened
to crushthem. The moose had continued their

Gurney, and the moon was shining once more.
t out .on the snow in front of the trench lay a
magnificent bull moose which had been slain by
the ride of one of the twain. They had fired
at point-blank ran? into the midst of the herd.
and a hall throu the heart had terminated
the-career of one 0rd of the white domain.

If ' the youths had attempted to check the
rushing herd without first profiting the trench
in the snow they would have on trampled to
death. Asit was. they were somewhat bruised,
and had reason to thank their lucky stars that
it-was no’ worse.

The slain moose was thrown into the trench

covered with snow, and the journey to

Cam Garry resumed. Not once more reclined

on e brush-sledge, and Tom drew him with

mowed vigor over the glittering surface of the

, new to ecamp. Their excitingadventures.

well told by Nat, startled the sharers of the

campfire; and an hour later the Ojibways
been but the moose in triumph. ' ,

“ 9 go to Budd’s tofmorrow,” said Jack,
Messing the heroes of the hour; “ and I advise
you to keep on the look-out for the Blackfoot

whom you met in the tree." ‘
I I,“ We need ve, ourselves no further anxiet
While." hedi‘om. .“He isnow -

m for Blackfoot  anxious to get beyond

! the region wherein watching for traps is a dau-
gerous pleasure.”

: There was no reply, and when the Ojibwayi
had reiurned to their own lodges the white
tenants of the woods cabin fell asleep around
the log-fire.

 

CHAPTER IX.
a scans: AT B‘UDD's CABIN.

A'r da light on the morning after Nat and
Tom’s a ventures on the fox-grounds, the ten-
ants of Camp Garry, with two exceptions, an
_Indian and a half-breed left behind to guard it,
set out for Budd Jenks’s cabin, which, although
it was miles away through the forest, was
within a stone’s throw of e Winnipeg.

The free trap erect heir cabins every-
where, and Bud Janka was not an exception
to the rule. During his hunting life he had
erected manya hutr—the trappers palace—in
the great North Woods.

Our hunting-partyr expected to do some shoot-
ing on the wa to Budd’s, and did not hope to
reach his but ong before sunset. There seem to
be no guiding marks in those vast forests of the
Winnipeg domain; the very bodies of the trees
are covered with snow which has a glittering
crust, and this increases the monotony of the
scene. But the eye of the experienced guide
leads him safely through the forest: he sees
signs that never take him out of his path. and
he travels the unbroken woods with the cer~
i tainty of the traveler on a road' well known to
him. Pecowis and the four Ojibways knew the
, highwa s of the snowy woods, and they led he
: gonna imrods along them as though the road
j tiaci been freshly blazed fbr their accommoda-

on.

On the way several white ptarmigan fell be-
fore the two elegant fowling-pieces which had
i been selected from the camp’s arsenal for that
‘ urpose and Ocono’s arrow transfixeda sleek
‘ are, w ose meat added to the en oyment of
the forest meal. The sun was near t e cold rim
1 of the western horizo

 

u when a. snug cabin,

somewhat fantastically) adorned, ,eted the
i‘gglntfgsgeyes. The Oji ways halte when they
9 1 .

"We go back now,” Ocono said. “ We watch
,gléegv’iagwams and the traps till brothers come
I c .

I " Why not enjoy Budd Jenks’s wedding festi-

,; val With the rest of us?" asked Ned, looking into

‘ the Indian‘s face. “ Iam sure that his invitation
includes you. ”

“ O'ibway and Blackfoot not very good
frien. s,” was Ocono’s  "The no make

, up at white trapper‘s w d 11’; they ght there,
; mebbe. y see new 1"

Ned admitted that Ocono’s refusal to accom-
pen them clear to the cabin was, after all,
polio , and in sight of it they bade the In-

ans -by, and saw them turn their faces
tower Camp Garry. , '

On nearing the cabin in the woods the hun-
ters noticed that its adornment consisted of
evergreens, which the sharp eyes of the Yankee
had discovered somewhere. He had laced
them in the form of an arch above the hu door,
after the manner no doubt of the simple pu pie
hehadleft behind inthe “Pine Tree Sta .

' The Snow-Trail. ' I l?

 

All at once the Junk figure of the Yankee
trapper lea ed from the cabin and bounded
into the mi st of the little party almost at the
threshold.

“1 ’lowed you’d come!” he exclaimed. “ Bu’st
my buttons off! ef I hav'n’t got more relatives
than I thought I hed.” Pecowis seemed to
smile, “But when a fellar marries in these
parts he’s expected to respect the claims ov his
wife’s relations—fur a while, anyhow. Come
in an’ pass yer opinion on the new Mrs. Jenks.
She’s to my notion, if she doesn’t suit an one
else. I call ‘er Tillie. Thet name slides o my
tongdue better than Sha—don-tookah, her Injun
hen le.”

Jenks triumphantly led the way to the cabin,
into which he ushered the hunters of Camp
Garry. It was already ’fllled with a motley
crowd of Indians of both sexes. but the boys’
wandering eyes soon discovered the blushing
Sha—don-tookah. .

For a Blackfoot girl, she was handsome.
Clad in her simple wild arments, which were
adorned by the lace co lar and trinkets, the
theft of which upon a certain occasion had cost
two men their lives, as we have seen, she occu-
pied a central Iposition among a group of her
redrelatives. er eyes grew animated when
she behold the rough face of her new lord
and master, but when they saw the new comers
she started and seemed inclined toshrink away.

“H ur’s Mrs. Sha—nol Mrs. Tillie Jenks,”
said udd, leading his new wife up to the group
of hunters. “I brought ’er all the way hyaron
aptoboggun that I put up for the occasion. She
cost me twenty beavers and a bran new rifle
but I’d hev given my head fur her of they’
asked that.”

Timid as a fawn, Tillie shrunk from the but
ers’ gaze at the first opportunity], and Budd be-
gun to introduce his 1’ ends to is red nests.

“There never was a gal so rich in re lives as
Tillie,” he said, only to repeat the observations.
dozen times before the ceremony of introduc-
tion had concluded. “It looks as ef I’ve tied
myself to the hull Blackfoot nation, but I’m
willin’ to put up with ’em fur a day or so.
Jehu! what eaters they ar’,” and he sighed as
though more than one choice morsel had disap-

red down the throats of his wife’s, relatives.

As night came on new bou hs were added to
the fire, and a primitive we ding supper re-

There were no silver cups and porce ain

ishes in the wild woods of the, fur-lands;
but mirth prevailed just the same around the
board. On this occasion the new bride had
helped to prepare the feast; the dishes of bark

groaned beneath their burden of roasted moose, '

which speedily disa and before the ravenous
ap tites of the Blue feet.

ll the while there was a merry twinklein‘
Pecowis’s eyes—a twinkle which Tom Gray
who was constantly watching him could not
fathom. '

“Something delights the old fellow,” said
the boy to himself, and after the bark dishes
had been tossed back to their laces he '
an o portnnit to question the o d guide. '

“ ecowis to see white trap r have so
my reletfons." chuckled the hilt-breed.

 

" By-‘m—by him run 03 an’leave his pretty wile
here alone.”

“Budd will never do that, Pecowis,” ex-
claimed the boy.

“ch soc!" said the prophet. “Too many
Injun cousins for one man. They eat m«~re
than a pack of hungry wolves. They goin' to
dance now.”

_ This was true. Budd’s voice was heard order-
ing the floor cleared for those wild reels which
distinguish the festive nights at the half civil-
ized stations in the fur-country. The guests
took up staions along the wall, and a few
minutes later the cabin resounded with the

shouts of the dancers and the laughtorof the

spectators.

Sudden y a head was seen at the opening
that led into the left or garret of the cabin.
This place was reached by a rough ladder which
had been displaced .to make room tor the danc-
ers. It was the head of an Indian. A moment
it appeared at the opening, and then a Black‘
foot eaped nimbly among the spectators and
cast his eyes over the usembly.

“ I guess that Injun wasn’t so ick after all,"
drawled Budd Janka, as he called the white
hunter’s attention to the Blackfoot. “ Earl
this morning that red-skin came b ar an’ Till a
said he was one of her cousins. e complained
somewhat of a pain in his back, an‘ the Injun
doctor what took his case in hand discovered
under his hide—what do you think ’

The he s shook their heads.

“W he found the p’int ov a huntin’-knifel
Jes’ whar that Injun brought it from I guess ’ll
never be found out. He war whar he oughtn't
to hev been; I'dbct my rifle on that anyway.
I’m not very proud of my new relations. I’ve
got too many by several hundred. I don't
claim them what carry the p’ints ov knives in
their backs.”

To Nat and Tom, Budd Jenks’s story was a
revelation.

“ We may get into trouble if that Indian sees
us here,” whispered Tom to the companion of
his adventure in the tree. “ We have found
our red lassoer, and, for one, I do not appreci-
ate the situation. "I -

The Indian, much to the ha I’ relief did not
appear to notice them, and crtly afterward
he disappeared. His reappearance could be but
equestrian of brief time, andin one corner oftho
cabin Net and Tom held a council of war.

No doubt of the Blackfoot’s Identity re-
mained. lf theLdid .not recognise him the
knits-wound in t back told the WhOIO story.

“ Shall we alarm Pecowis?” asked om. -

“ Notyet,” was the reply. “ The Blacktm
Budd says, expect to depart at daylight.
our enemy go with them. lie is not aware of
our p nee. Should he discoverus, the place
and t me will protect us.” . .

Those words terminated the council. The
he s resolved to watch the movements of their
okltoe of the-tru- .buauhedidnotmp—
pear to reward, them, ey resumed their enjoys

meat of the novelty of a North Woods dance.
Pecowis was on the floor (gums wild reel
with an In  
into the d of the M

thrown himse

z

_- .r: .3435 ..§g-i;..

   

 

 

is
and few would have recognized in him the le-

gend-teller of the forest camp fire.
in order to get a better view of the dance

 

which now claimed the attention of all present j

on account of its grotesqueness, Nat and Tom
shifted their positions to a place near the door
which was shut, and against it a stalwart Black-
foot had laced his back.

Nat di not see the snake-like figure of the
Indian that crawled among the legs of the red
guests toward him. When near the door the
creeper found as if by accident a rope upon the
floor, and this he put around the boy’s ankles
so oleverlg that Nat did not feel the touch.

When t is work had been accomplished, the
Indian darted at the door and thrust aside the
Blackfoot who, braced against it, was compos-
edlv enjoying the dance. The next instant.
wide flew the door, and as a tremendous yell
seemed to shake the cabin, Nat was jerked oi!
his feet and whisked from the room in the
twinkling)“ an eye. .

He gra bed but vainly at those nearest him;
he shouted at the top of his voice for he] , but
no hand could arrest his progress, for fore
a dozen realized the situation the victim of
Blackfoot cunning was being dragged over the
snow by twenty strong dogs!

Fortunately for Nat he had landed on his
back in the snow. if he had fallen on his face
the sharp ticles of ice that covered the glit-
tering surgge would have cut him badly.

Over the show he Went unable to he p him-

self.

He heard the wolf-like barks of the dogs that
composed the Indian’s team, as well as the
voice of his tormentor urging them on.

“This is what the breaking of a knife’s point
costs mel” said the tortured boy to himself.
“The red fiend seems determined to drag me to
death. The snow feels hot beneath me. It
surely must be on fire.”

‘ It was the friction caused by being dra ged
so rapidly over the surface that crest _
burning sensation, and Net was momentarily
becomin more alarmed. ‘

Wo'ul his tormentor never stop?

On, on he went, hallooing at the top of a cod

ir of Indian lungs to the'snarling team.
%M@n to despair. Nobody seemed to be
f owin hi .

m ,

At last? the terrible journey appeared to be
near its end.

The dogs halted and Nat attemde to rise,
but could not.

The ii are of his torturer appeared before
him, an the rope that encircled his nether
limbs was severed.

Net’s attempt to regain his feet resulted in a
fall 11 n the snow.

“ oi ho!" laughed the Blackfoot. “The
mg white hunter who strike Chiatah in the

cannot lift his hand to hurt.” -
' Nat did' not 9 ak. but answered the Black-
foot with afea'r ’ess look. ‘

“ How he 'like to ride over snow ag’ini”
queried the end. ,

-“ I am in your power,” said Nat.
worst. My time will come."

“ Not if red-man takes white boy a long way

on- -

‘_’Do your

fine Snow-Trail.

the ‘

hel

/

 

“ You should not be so certain of that."
“ Boy go so fast that snow burn him up.”
There was triumph in the Blackfoot’s eyes.
The next moment he started as though he had
heard a sound in direction of the distant hut.
‘ Then he whistled for the dogs by whom he was
presently surrounded. .
l Poor Nat wondered what was going to hap-
pen him next.

 

CEAPTER X.
a roncnn amn.

WE left Nat in a situation not at all inviting.

Having been dragged, feet-foremost, for a

‘ mile or more through the cold woods behind a

lot of snarling dogs, he was well used up and
almost incapable of nsin asingle limb.

The Blackfoot whom e had stabbed in the
tree near the fox traps, was having his revenge.
and Nat feared that he would not hesitate to

i tomahawk him in the snow. But when the

; merciless red—skin hinted at a continuation of

l the awful ourney, and whistled his dogs around

 him as if or thglpurpose of harnessin them to

1 the rope again, at’s hopes disappear , and re-

l’ solution too possession of his heart.

j “One must die somewhere,” he said tohim-

; self. “I will submit no longer without a des-

‘ perate struggle to the insults of my villainous
ca tor."
d e had heard the faint haying of a distant

0 i
‘ §The
l

the Indian had heard it, too. ,
y are following me I” flashed through the
b0 ’8 m ud. “I must go no further than this
I p0 t. I will not!”
i The Blackfoot was kicking the dogs into their
. old places alongside the frosted rope. The
‘ animals were manifesting no little unwilling-
ness to resume the journey; they had doubtless
heard the dog behind them and were anxious to
‘ tarry until he could come up. But their master
as eager to proceed, mastered every one, and in
a ver short time they stood erect in their
‘ pgfii 've horn waiting for the command to
s .
l “ Now, white boy 0 on ag’in,”said the Black~
foot whirling upon at and pointing to the
' snow.
I In one hand the red-skin held the noose which
= had lately encircled the boy hunter's ankles. He
J was eager to be away once more.
Nat did not move but looked his tor-mentor
l squarely in the e e. , ‘
, " Git down, w its boy! Chiatah throw you
in snow an’ tie you pretty soon.” . '
; “ Not until have tried conclusions with
you,” flashed Na as he apron? direct] at the
; savage whom he salt a ow airly in 6 face
with his fist.

The blow which was well delivered staggered
the Blackfoot, and the boy followin it quickly
with another sent him backwar 11 ion the
glittering surface. The attack and n and
almost irresistible as it was. found Chiatah un-

repar’ed for resistance. got did he recover until

at threw himself u ' n im for the purpose of
giving him a sound rubbing.

The twain were almost equallfiamatched in

. strenzth. and the Blackfoot d scarcely

The Snow-Trail.

~1.0

 

touched the snow before they were struggling
like young bears for the mastgiéy.

The strange scene attract the dogs;they
rushed back to become Spectators, but did not
venture to take any part in the combat. Nat was
fearful that they would fly to their master’s as-
sistance and use him roughly, and for a while,
while he struggled with the young Indian he
he t one eye on the animal.

it last t 9 boy secured an advantage which
he did not hesitate to use. The battle had
reanimated his benumbed body; his blood
leaped uite hot through his veins. All at once
he foun himself upon the lndian’s chest and
saw exposed for a moment a short stretch of
red throat. It was Nat’s lon looked for
o portunity, and his hand dar at the wine.
' 6 next instant his fin ers closed on the In ian's
weazen, and tightene there. The Blackfoot
felt the 1gravity of his situation, and attempted
to tear at‘s hand loose.

“Tear away!" cried the boy, with a grim
smile. “ A piece of your Wind-pipe comes
away if you succeed.”

One soon ceases to struggle when a hand that
has the ipe of a vise is at one’s threat. The
Blackfoo realized that Nat must needs come of
con ueror, for the choking which his iri was
adm nistering was forcing him (Chiata ) 0 give
up the fight.

At last Nat rose victorious. At his feet in
the body of the youn Blackfoot to whose devi -
ish cunning he had alien a victim. The dogs
sat on their haunches around him whom they
were surveying with curious expressions on
their canine faces. _

“ Thank fortune my foe isn’t dead 1" Nat said.
detecting life in ‘the Indian. “ I have only
choked him into insensibility—nothin more.
What has become of the dog that was arking
back toward Budd’s a while ago?”

It was time that the haying had ceased.
After all. his friends were not huntingnhim.

“I guessI can find the way back, he said.
:0! ’wonder if these dogs will obey a new mas-

r.

He commenced to disentangle the harness
which had become disarranged b the dogs’ ac-
tion, and for a while the animals id not object.
but when he attempted to form them in line the
largler ones snarled’ and showed their teeth,
wh e the minors actually snapped at his heels.

“ I can't work such a team as this." Nat cried
givingu the task." I had hoped to ride back
to Bud son a sledge made out of branches,
but I’m elected to get there, if at all, by some
other method of locomotion. Git out, you ini-
serly cursi Sta here_ and guard your red-
skinned master i you Will not serve me."

As the snow would not en tirer hear him up
without snow-shoes, Nat felt gustifled in de iv-
ing Chiatah of his. The Ind en’s shoes not
fit him very well: but a few sticks plaCed under
the leathem straps rendered them uite com-
fortable, and bidding adieu to Chiata and his
do . Nat struck out for the cabin.

The forest around him was full of shadows
which looked like stationary s ctérs. Not a
breath of wind stirred a snowy ‘ugh, and the
cold did not seem so ten'iby intense. Nat
knew that he was mm off with him besides

 

i dextrous movement he managed

Chiatah’s snow-shoes, a pair of frosted ears that
seemed ready to break at the sli' htest touch,‘
and he groaned when he though of the tor-
ments that the fire would inflict.

“ What’s at into the do I left behind!" he
suddenly ex med before 6 had half-finished
his journey. " Can itbe possible that the Indian
has recovered so soon and is now my pursueri”

The boy hunter of Lake Winnipeg listened
like one transfixed with curiosity to the noise of
the approaching ck. That the animals were
dogs and not we we he well knew and their
short, sharp yelps, instead of the hayin that
characterizes them when on the trail, to d him
that they were following something by sight.

“ l_must see something of isohase," he
stepping behind annold larch whose northern
side were a heavy ooatin of sleet.

He held in his right and the only weapon
now in his pomession a hunting-knife ta on
from Chiatah's belt. fie did not ex t to find
use for it unless the dogs should an nly scent
him. and leave their quarry. whatever it was,
to pfi their res to him.

" 0 Indian is not with them. He is curshig
the ion of his snow-shoes where 1 left him on
3:)ng Thedogsare hunting on their own

This was true. as the speaker the next'mo»
““i““‘“°i’:°”“' t of a light had

ate a rge spo s' very moon
leaped e. igantic animal, which Nat at once
recogniz as a wapiti stag. He had often
can ht glimpses of this magnificent creature on
the qadian borders, but never before had he
looked so grand as when he halted for in mm
ment in the light. with haught head erect to
breathe a moment and to sen a look of defl-
ance over his back at the 2? fast coming up;

IfNathadpossessed a ‘ e at that moment
he wouldI hedge, ffifllow‘g‘l  impudln‘: and
spared, e s s a. first that
came insight would ban fallen a victim to his

aim.

The hunted stag did not seemtohaltowger a ,
minute in the moonlight. for as a wolfilike uni: .
mai shot into view. he boun ed on straight to;
ward the larch that concealed the boy. v

Nat held his breath. .

Suddenly the noble animal met an'ohstaclein ‘ If i~

the shape of a tree-trunk buried in the snow,
and. meeting it at the end of a leap, how,“
thrown forward to tell in a heap not, live foot
from the astonished youth.

Nat uttered a cry of amazement. .

f‘ The dog’s at least shall not kill the stag!” he
cried. “ win the battle myself.”

Knife in hand he threw himself upon the pros-
trate wapiti and aimed a blow at his throat; but
at the same moment the lordly animal rose, lift
in Nut from the snow! . '  ‘

had ted ’

no of the stout antler ron parlors
Net’s hunting 'aoket, an wit an exclamation
of horror he to t himself borne awe in advance‘
ofthedogs, now almostatthos shoals; "
“ Fortune help me now!” he said, ‘as  a
tosz in-
self around upon the stag‘s back. “ Ky ife'l
lost in the  "I am in the most perilous‘db
i 6. ~ 
additional weight the“ WM

nation of m
Despite t

 

 

20

kept his distance from the dogs; it was the
want,of bottom in the pursuers that must ac-
count for this.

“Hold on, Natl” the youth said more than
once to encoura e himself, as he bugged the
thick, heated nec of his strange captor. “You
are goin toward Budd Jonkss cabin, but at a
rate and n a manner not at all desirable.”

0n, on went. the stag, displaying in his race
for life that wonderful endurance for which his
race is n The speed of his pursuers began
to diminish. Nat no longer saw them, although
their gasping yelps told him‘ that they were
still on the trai .

At last the wa iti halted at the edge of a
thicket of snowy ushes and young trees, whose
dreary aspect sent a shudder to Net’s heart.

He attempted to strip elf his jacket for the

urpose of springing from the stag’s back, for

urmg his ra id ride he had not succeeded in
disengagin t e garment from the antler. The
boy wor as he had never worked before. He
felt that to be carried into the dismal thicket by
the stag would be to perish miserably there.

He had relieved himself of one sleeve when the
forest rung with the clear report of a rifle, and
the wagiti Kitched forward. carrying Nat with
him. is t 9 line of white bushes he struck the
snow, head-foremost. and his forced rider per»
formed a somersault which tore the jacket
loose and more than half buried its owner
among the shrubbery.

The wapiti, thong mortally shot, was trying
toregain his feet, when an ndianfled-loo in
person leaped u n him, knife in hand, an
struck a. blow at is throat.

“ Peoowisl thank Heaven !” exclaimed Net.

The slayer of the sta turned upon the boy
Nimrod and stared at im as though he had
emerged from a tomb.

“.Where man cousin come from?” fell from
Pecowis’l lips. “ We hunt everywhere for him.
The little hunters have been scared white as
snow.”

“I am not surprised. Where are they, Pe-
eowis!”

“ Not far off. mebbe.”

Straightening himself, the half-breed guide
sent a yell through the forest that might have

heard several miles.

Nat. rescued at last by an unexpected bulls
watched Pecowis skin the stag. while he wai
ferried, Jack and Tom to come up.

 

CHAPTER XI.
rou snoorrs STRANGE Gum

A‘l‘ an early hour in the morning that fol-
lowed the festival at Budd Jenks’s cabin. and
Net’s thrilling adventure with the Blackfoot
and the wapiti. the hunters of Winnipeg set out
on their return to Camp Garry.

They more than half-ex ted to find a fresh
trailleading in the direction of the fox traps.
but they were agreeably disappointed. As a

on of the Yankee trappers company had
sported during the festivities at the cabin. the
hunters were inclined to four that a raid on
their traps was intended. T 1e boys even went
I! far alto believe that they would find the

WM

V camp in the woods utterly destroyed, and their

guards massacred.

They had much to fear from the lawless red-
men of the far North.

The Blackfootseldom yields to any restraint.
He is a good hunter when not ruled by indo-
lence, and it is said to his shame that the larger
Kart of his peltry is the product, not of his

eroism, but of his thieving exploits. The oc-
cupants of the winter camp, however, found
the traps not only secure. but holding fast b
two legs a fine silver fox, an animal which a -
ways delights the hunter’s eyes.

he skin of one of these creatures brings fifty

dollars—sometimes more—in trade at the Com-
pany’s posts. They are scarce and, therefore,
much sought after, and a free trapper who
brings even one to the counter finds himself the
cynosure of all e es. I’ecowis was overjoyed
to find the fox still alive, and the skin in good
condition. The animal was dispatched by a
she blow on the head, and before the carcass
coul get cold the beautiful pelt had been strip-
ped of! to adorn perhaps the robe of some prin~
cess of the flowery kingdom.

Camp Garry was found in prime condition.
Goose and his friends had refurnished the
larder, and shortly after reaching home the en-
tire party sat down to roasted Lmoose, and the
inseparable settened pemmicau.

Ocono spun astory which the ho were in-
clined to doubt. It was to the eflec that three
of the light dogs which escaped with their lives
from the painter, had been seized upon and
killed h some strange animal which was nei-
ther wo verine or wolf although it here a strik-
ing resemblance to the latter.

he dogs had been in the habit of hunting
their own food; they had strayed from the
camp to some neighboring barrens where three
of them had fallen victims to the destroying
powers of the mysterious slayer.

Ocono magnified his powers of exaggeration
while spinning the narrative, and the y Nim-
rods demanded to be led at once to the haunts
of the dog-killer.

Already the sun had crept behind the snow
bushes that lined the shores of Winnipeg, and
the cold disk of a. silvery moon was appearing
above the rim of the horizon. The flva dogs
left looked forlorn and lonely, but they exhibit-
ed a great deal of life when the Indians led them
from the cabin, having first given them the re-
mains of the feast.

The barrens were several miles from camp.
They were plain-like patches of ground, with

 

here and there clumps of trees and bushes. At
certain seasons of the year moose and other
deer congregate here in great numbers. Thev
always nd something nutritious in the bark
and roots of the bushes, and ’neath the white.
coating that winter ives the ground. they man-
age to pick ,up a ew lichens and succulent
mosses. Moosecreeping on the barrens'in au-
tumn is one of the cruftiest of all Northern
sports, for then the birch-bark horn is broeu‘g t
into use, and the noble bull moose is decoy to
his doom.

The Winnipeg hunters, anxious to avenge the
death of the ogs, were eager to reach the bar-_
ram. and when they did they found them uui'u-

/

The Snow-Trail. ’

 

which had sprung up since their departure from

camp. ,
Ocono pomted out as near as he could the
spots where the half-devoured carcasses of the
ogs_had been found, and showed where he had
obtained a momentary glimpse of the slayer.
_ Him not here now, but send dogs out and
him come by and by.”

The dogs were se free, and they at once he-
gan to venture upon the plain, followed secretlv
by the hunters who kept their bodies as close to
the snow as ible. '

“We have to chase the dog-eater in," said
Pecowis, growing tired of following the dogs,
and a council was held in the shadow of some
bushes.

It was agreed that Pecowis and the Indians
should make a circuit of the barrens, while at
the bottom of a ravine secure from observa‘
tion. the four boys should await their return.
This ravine ran along the western side of the
plain, and its banks 'would effectually protect
the boys from the wind which had veered
around to the west.

The party was thus divided, and having seen
Pecowxs and the Indians depart, the four boys
 a place in the ravine and began their

1.
They had concluded that 0cono’s narrative
about the death of the dogs had been founded
on a meag '
Ojibway’s questionable veracity was as well
known as his name.

“Hark!” suddenly said Tom, interrupting
Ned who was delivering an opinion on the In-
diau’s story. “There goes the fourth dog 1"

“ We all heard that yelp," said Jack.
" There it goes again. Keep quiet. The second
ye'Ile was not uttered as far away as the first."

he boy had scarcely ceased when an animal
not quite as lar e as a wolf appeared on the
white surface 0 the snow about five yards
from their position. It had the shape of a dog,
but the boys were undecided, and Nat was
about to the merit of cold lead 11 n the
intruder, w en it gave another dog-1i yelp
and fell over. _

The four left their nosey quarters and sprung

er particle of truth, for the old'

habited and Swept by a cold northern wind !

forward to find one of their five dogs With an 1

Indian arrow sticking in his body

tothe feathered sha cono says that the
dog-killer looked like and unlike a wolf.
Wolves we know do not fire arrows into the
bodies of d s. We have been taught to distin-
guish the In ian nations of the Great North by
their, arrows. Let me try my hand on this
one.

, he shaft was drawn from the body of the
poor d now dead, and Jack stepped into the
moonlig t and be n to examine it.

"It is an Oj bway arrow,” he said at

length.
6 boys looked amazed. .

“Imposiblel No Ojibway would shoot our
dogs." cried Tom.

“Here is the proof,” Jack answered, extend-
ing the arrow. “ See! the feathers ive the
slayer dead away. And the point! ho calls
this arrow other than as Jim;

“This solves the m‘isteryd’ said dark pointing  cumbemd

 

'31

eive.

“ Let us go and hunt the scoundrel!" ex-
claimed Ned. “ I’m expecting to hear the death
yelps of the other dogs every minute.”

“Rather let us wait here,” counseled Jack.
“Having but wounded the dog. the Indian will
be a t to follow him.”

Al , therefore, agree to wait, and back
went to the nest in the snow.

The minutes were on, but not a figure came
in sight. Peoowis' and his friends must be com-
pleting the circuit of the harrens. A watch in
a Winnipeg ni ht is one of the loneliest watches
imaginable. ccasionally the silence is broken
by the dismal hoot of the great white ow], or
the bark of the mischievous fox; but when one
hears nothing but the beating of his own heart
or the cracks of the fronen trees. the watch
becomes still lonelier.

Thus it was on this occasion. Tom had fallen
over on his back, and with capote drawn over
his chin, was looking u ward at the starsflvhoee
light always lends to he snow the glitterof a
diamond—field. ..

If the mind of the boy was far away he saw
the diflerent constellations. His companions
were watching down the ravine for the slayer
of the dog.

All at once Tom saw a dark object between
him and a bright star. It seemed to him that
some demon had poked his head over the bank
of the ravine, and was looking down upon
them. The boy knew that no clump of bushes
formed the apparition, for the to of the banks
were entirely denuded of shru bery of any

they

kind. He fancied while he studied the ob ect‘
that the wind swayed the long hair in whic it 7

was framed.

Silently the great head had appeared on the
bank, and there it had remained motionhees.
with the exception of the waving hair, as a
rock oratree. .

Tom Gray studied the specter a long time
without. alarming his companions. He thought
that, after all it might prove nothing

uncom-
mon, and he did not want to he laughed at for '

his gains. ~
“ ’1! try a shot any way,” he said to himself,
disengaging his rifle from a few folds that in-
t, and as the weapon was raised to
his shoulder with its muzzle directed to all

appearances. at the stars overhead, his [action '

can ht Ned’s eye.

“ ere, no star shooting, old fellow,” the dis-
coverer said in a merry tone. “ We can’t afford
to waste ammunition on'tha planets, 30—” -‘

“You will obl' e me by keeping our obser-
vations to oursel a moment,” said om rather
tnrtly, an the next moment the report of his
piece broke the stillness.

“ Merciful father! look out!” called out Jack
as he hugged the wall of the ravine. “ Tom has
shot— ’ ‘, .

Crash! upon the snow not five feet away had
fallen the body of some large and strange-
looking animal.

The little hunters stared at the hugo‘oarcass
which had brought an avalanche of snow With
it from the hank above. and as itlay perfectly

There was no reply: the proof was conclu- I

 

 

 

The Snow-Trail.

 

still an the spot where it had fallen, they ven-
tured to approach.

At first they called it a buffalo, but when
they felt the wool, long, soft, and close, and
saw the bandsome'horns which were almost
united at the base, they knew that Tom had
shot an animal they had never before seen.

This was true. The aEparition which had
come between Tom and t estars was a musk
sheep, a beautiful animal sometimes found near

Lake Winiggmg. It often obtainsa weight of ‘

four hundr nds, and Tom's victim was a
male of gigantic proportions. Down to the tip
of its nose, it was covered with soft, downy
hair, and the large full eyes still contained an
intelligent gleam.

The four were admiring the musk sheep, for-
getful of the dog-killer and Pecowis’s mission.
when a shout startled all and they sprung up to
face the old guide in lperson.

Pecowis and the ndians had heard the shot
and had hastened back to the ravine. The re-
ported . that the myste of the death the
dogs had been fathom They had ca tnred
an O'ibwa creepin along the edge of t e bar-
ren c oth in a we f’s skin, and he had proved
to he the same red-skin from whom they had
lately purchased the pack. The Indian was
trying to exterminate them in order to sell an-
other lot to the young huntersl

As the Indian was an Ojibway, he had been
dismissed with an injunction to make himself
scarce, and egortions of Tom’s strange prize
were convey to camp as food and trophies.

CHAPTER XII.
run unnicmn max.

Om: night, not lon after the shooting of the

-musk sheep, Ned an Jack found themselves

algma in the strong cabin in the midst of Camp
rry. ~

The remainder of the huntin party had de-

rted on a brief visit to the e to which the

her had been tracked, as has been recorded,
for one of the Ojibways had discovered fresh
bear tracks in that part of the country.

Ned, who had contracted a severe cold, did
'not feel well enough to accompany the y,
and Jack had volunteered to remain wit him
in the cabin, and thus do guard duty and cheer
him at the same time.

' The boys had a good fire roaring in the rude
fire-place which the skill of Pecowis had built
and the warmth caused themto forget the cold
winds that howled though the forests.

The big shield of the winter moon hung sus-
pended in the heavens, but its li ht contained
no heat. and the two boys fair y shuddered
when they thought of their companions toiling
across the wind-swept barrens or through the
desolate woods.

“ That was a fanciful story Ocono was giving
us last night," suddenl remarked Ned. ‘

“About the ' medicine-man!"

is Yes." I.

“ I do not know. You cannot tell when an
,Ojihway is telling a story. While you are lis-
tening to an IndianJou cannot separate history

, no’s jabber.

 

from tradition. What was the exile’s name!”

“ Pow0wo, or some such outlandish cogna-
men,” laughed Ned. “ The aflnir happened
hundreds of years ago, did it not?"

“Bless you, no. 1t is an event of to-day.”

“Well, I did not pay much attention to Oct)-
1 was in no humor for listening
last night. But I would like to see this old ex-
ile. What if he should take a notion to visit us
to-ni ht?”

“ he is the character described by Ocono, I
should prefer a stponement of his visit.”

The last wo had scarcely left Jack’s

li
, when a sound made the two boys glance at tg:

door.

“ Powowo!” laughed Ned. “Talk about but-
terflies, and you’ll see their wings.”

Jack did not reply.

He was certain t at the strange sound had
not been groduced by the wind. t was of more
import t an the blowing of a bunch of half-
frozen snow against the door.

The next moment it was repeated, and the
door flew open as the two boys leaped erect with
exclamations of enuine horror.

If the spectac e that greeted their eyes did
not clothe Ocono’s narrative in the garments of
truth, they would readin admit that the Ojib-
wa was a beggarly story-teller.

fore them stood a tall Indian, whose eyes
had the glare of a madman's. His physique
was gaunt and wolflsh, and he looked more than

, half-starved as he stood on the threshold star-

ing, not at the brace of frightened boys, but at
the fat shoulder of a moose that adorned the
wall behind them. He had entered the cabin
like a demon of the storm, for, snow-flakes
poured in after him, and the cold wind flared
the fire until it seemed about to go out.”

“Well,” said Jack, recovering first, “ who
are you and what do you want?”

“Powowo seeli ht and smell moose-hum ,”
said the Indian. ‘ Him can’t stop long, for he
'red-men hunt their old medicine-men because
the Great Spirit make Tewee, the Snow Rose,
die when Powowo wanted to cure her.”

“ It is really the old exile,” said Ned. “ Tewee
was the name of the chief’s child who fell sick,
and who was placed under his care. I recollect
that much of Ocono’s narrative.”

“ What right pale boys have to moose-hump
when Powowo hungry in the big woods, when
the Evil Spirit steals all his snares and frightens
the me from his path?”

“ ive him the cooked meat in the chest,”
Jack said, moving toward the camp’s larder as
he s oke.

“ owowo want hump.”

“ You can’t have it. ”

Ned stepped to the right and planted himself
firme between the moose meat and the ban-
ished medicine—man. -

For a moment a contemptuous gleam lit up
the de the of the exile’s eyes: it was then
succee ed by flashes of rage, and be dashed for-
ward with an animal-like cry, knocking‘Ned
to the floor and almost into the fire.

“ Raw moose make Powowo strong!” he
cried, as he wrenched the‘moose quarter from
ifs nail and turned with a cry of victory to the

oor. '

The Snow-Trail. ‘ 23

But he stopped in the middleof the room
when he discovered that Jack had closed the

' rtal and was standing with his back against !
30 D

The youth had resolved thattheir last uarter
of moose should not be carried oil by an ndian
who was hunted by his nation for what was
calleda medicine-man’s cowardly murder of a
patient.

For a moment Powowo stood undecided be-
fore Jack, and seemed about to surrender the
meat, but hunger and rage mastered every
good intention.

- “ Let Powowo out, boy!” he shouted.

“ Put down the canarter.”

There was no rep y.

Ned could not but admire the resolution dis-
played by his comrade.

“Stand your ground, Jack!” he exclaimed.

“ I will!” was the response.

All at once the quarter of moose was lifted
above the Indian’s head, and he strode forward
as if to crush the boy at the door.

“ Powowo git out, any way! He will take
his supper into the forest and eat it there i"

Jac could only brace himself and raise his
arms to ward off he threatening stroke. for he
had leaped weaponless to the door. The novel
weapon held by the half-crazed Indian hovered
over his head, and would have descended with
crushing force if Ned had not rushed to the

rescue.

The peril in which Jack’s heroism had placed
him was too imminent not to admit of prompt
action, and Ned sprung at the Indian and
grabbed madly at the moose quarter.

Powowo staggered back under the boy’s on-
slaught, and t e twain went to the floor to-
gether, the red exile on top.

Jack instantly left his post. and a gust of
wind blew the door 0 1:. He flew to Ned’s as-
sistance, and seized tde lpéitn, who tpossessed
the wet o a iau esp is gaun appear-
ancegoand Jack aasthmled back without cere.
mony. He struck the side of the cabin, but
fortunately was not knocked senseless, and re-
turned at once to the battle.

Ned was a child in the hands of the old exile.
They were searchini for his throat, and the
youth was trying to cep them away, for they

ad the grips of a vise. *

“ Help, ackl help!”

The res se was a blow from one of the
guns whic Jack Baldwin had matched from
one corner of the cabin, and Powowo rose from
his victim with a howl of pain.

“Repeat the dose, Jack. Heavens! look at
the door.”

A glance was all that Jack could bestow in
that direction. It showed him a dozen lon
noses. and double that number of mad e es, bu
whether thev hel to wolves or ogs he
could not teli.

Powowo was recovering from the first blow,
when Jack dealt another which the medicine-
man warded of! with his arms. and the next in.
stant the multer stood wee nless before the
scarlet fiend, for the rifle been jerked from
his hands in the twinkling of an eye! '

“ White boys give up meet new!" cried the
Cree, glancing from the speechless youths to

i thelmeet which had rolled to the edge of the
1 cos 5.

“ Not yet!" was Ned’s answer.

“ Him call his dogs in.”

“Those animals are not wolves, Jack,” cried

Ne .
i “ But they are none the less terrible it they
{are as hungry as their master. Here they
come i”
, Sure. enough, the ask at the door made at
.‘ that moment a rush or the meat.
‘ They sprung between Powowo and his youth-
ful antagonist, and seized hold of the disputed
1 prize, in its of the imprecations hooped upon
‘ them by t eir master.

It seemed for a minute as though the quarter
would be torn into threads by the haif—famished
pack to which clung pieces of sledge harness;
but the stronger dogs, acting in concert, begin
to drag the rize toward the door.

Powowo orgot his foes in his eagerness to

revent the meat from being devoured before

is e es. He lealped into the midst of the pack
and ioked the 033 right and left. 0pc was
sent whirling into the fire from which he
bounced in a blaze, sprung clear over the
others and shot across the threshold to go down
the forest like a torch shot from a cannon.

The rest of the brutes, not minding the medi-
cine—man’s kicks, returned to the charge. They

wowo was as determined that they should not.

“ Now! put an end to this aflair,” exclaimed
Nod as the Indian’s back was mo
turned to Jack and himself.

Down came the clubbed musket which Jack
had been holdin aloft for some time, and the
old Indian reel toward the door with a hell-
smothered cr . .

“You‘ve led him Jack."

“Not by a long shot.” was the reply ‘-
though at that moment Powowo fell headlong
in the snow just beyond the portal. ‘

“Now for the dogs! Let them have the son-
tents of the revolvars.” '

revolvers which the boys had sna bed from
the ammunition chest, and the dogs relinquished
their grasp on the coveted quarter, and tied
with yelps of terror.

'As the pointed tail of the last onedise
Jack closed the door. and Ned braced self
against it until the stout birch-wood barricades
had been fixed in their old places.

“By Jove! it was a close shave, Jack,” said
.Nedas he stepped from the door and caught
his companions eye. “Hereafter we’ll keep
our door barricaded and I Will never wish for
another visit from the demon of Ooono’s story.
I’ve had my curiosity Entitled.”

“ Hark! Powowo v worth a donor: deed
‘Creesyet. Hemaybegoing to renew the at-

tack.” _ I

The boys lided to the little window to the
ri ht of the oor, and ventured to look out.

n the cold moonlight they saw the medicine-
uum trying to harness his dogs to the sledge
which had carried him to the cabin. He sue-
eeeded at last, and with a fierce look attic
cam be disc in the forest.

. “ hat loo promised Authority" add
Jack. - ,

 

An instant later bang! bang! ban 1 went the -

were determined to possess the meat; but Po- .

\

.4.

 

 

84

The Snow-Trail.

 

“ I hope not,” was Ned's reply.

 

CHAPTER XIII.
Gmrnmo A GRIZZLY.

“ Win'r bin matter here. man cousin: f” ex-

I~ claimed Pecowis who entered the cabin an hour

'whicb Pecowis said

after the repulse of Powowo and his dogs.

The keen eyes of the old hunter had seen that
something startling had taken place during the
absence of the hunting- rty to the lake.

“ Powowo been row in’ bout,” cried 0cono
exhibiting a bro en feather which he ha

icked up at the door. “What did 0cono say
t ni ht about the old medicine-man? Him
been 11 h sure enough.” a

“ We have had the old madman for an unin.
vited guest,” laughed Jack who rocceded to
tell the story of Powowo’s visit to he cabin.

The auditors listened with absorbing interest,
and Jack was not once interrupted.

Ocoao, who recollected that Tewee’s father
had offered forty rifles for the exile’s scalp, was
for hunting him at once, and the other Ojib-
ways manifested a willingness to join in the
chase, but they were persuaded to relinquish
the project for the present, although they
vowed that they would yet hunt Powowo down
and gain the reward.

After the Indians had been quieted, Pecowis
drew from the pile of greased traps in one
corner of the cabin an enormous trap that
boasted of double springs. It was a load for
the hercnlean hunter.

“This trap hold ’iml” the old fellow ex-
claimed with pride as he stood over the grizzly
trap,>which he had de ‘ted in the mi dle of
the room. .
Ne‘AYou found been at the lake, then?” asked

“ We got a. shot at a black mass on the snow,
was a grimly,” Tom replied.
“ To me it looked like a cabin on runners, so
large it was.” -

“ Or a moving mountain,” observed Nat,
merrily.

“ Come, come. Sir Munchausen,” cried Ned,
“your e as are excellent magnifying-glasses;
that l wi I admit, but a grily, however huge
hemay be, isnotto be com red to a moving
mountain, nor even to a rapper’s cabin on
wheels.”

“ Ask 0cono.”

Th'n created a laugh on all sides, for the
Ojibway’s powers of exaggeration were so well
known throughout Camp G and he was
not pressed to confirm Nat and om’s estimate
of the size of the bear.

Pecowis, meanwhile, was paring the mon-
ster trap. and Jack and ed were informed
that it was tobe conveyed to the lake and set
there in hopes of entrapping the bear who had
escaped the bullets sent through the moonlight
after him.

Bear traps are enormous thing:

They must prodi ous readth of jaws
and eat strength to bod the monsters who

are ly styled the kings of the Winnipeg
’ w The springsv almost successfully resist
liosh'engthofflisbardissttrapper,audths

 

traps have who secured to a tree or a log in
order to prevent them from being dragged away
by the bear when caught. Sometimes the are
attached to a piece of wood light enoug for
Bruin to pull through the snow. He thus re—
turns to his den and leaves, at the same time, a
broad trail for the trap er to follow.

Yet that night—the rec trap rs of Winni-
ngrLand allow nothin to fatigue them—the

—trap was conVeye to the lake, where it
was set and baited with the mutilated moose
uarter over which Powowo’s dogs had waged
urious battle.

Pocowis was confident that the camp would
soon be regaled on bear-steaks, but several days

assgd away without witnessing the promised
eas .

It was near the close of the fourth day after
the segtin of the giuly-trap. when Tom
Gray, on is return Camp Garry with a
broken gun, neared the little lake.

He had left his companions a mile behind in
the midst of the first genuine rabbit hunt they
had enjoyed since leaving .York Factory. Tom
was one of those hunters who never enjoy a
hunt with a. broken gun. and he intended to re-
arm himself at the cabin and return to the rab—
bit rounds before the sport ended.

“ ’ll take a peep at the bear-trap as I go by.”
the boy said to himself. turning slightly from
his course for that p . “We avoided it
this morning, just as though Pecowis had given
up all hopes of securing the bear as bigas a
mountain. ’

Tom had never seen the trap since it had been
set. but he had a pretty accurate idea of its lo-
cation, and in order to reach it as soon as posi-
ble, he plunged into the thicket that rose above

v the ice in the center of the lake.

A hare jumped up before him, ran a few steps
and looked curiously at Tom until he was
tempted to try a shot with his revolver but
just as he was gettin ready to do so the long-
eared inhabitant of t e island scampered away
as though he had been frightened by something
closer t an the boy.

Tom proceeded on, and was about to emerge
from the thicket, when crashl went the bushes
on his right, and he turned to see an avalanche
oi snow strike the ground.

“That was no hare!" exclaimed the boy.

The next moment a huge object rose from the
snow-bed, and the young hunter found himself
confronted by a hear!

The grizzly at times will fly from a man, but
there are occasions—when he emerges hungry
and gaunt from his hibernacle or w en wound-
ed—upon which he boldly attacks all who op-
pose him, and many times comes ofi! victorious.

Against such a monster Tom Gray’s gun was
useless, for, clubbed, it could make no impres-
sion on the bear’s head, and it is not to be won-
dered at that the he ’s first thou ht was flight.

He could not be at from the ar-trap, for
he had expected to find it near the edge of the
bushes.

“If my rifle was in good condition.” sighed
the boy, “we mi ht have bear-steaks around
the fire to-night. tut] gins}: retragit, and whet;

return equi or t a ray e game Wil
have vaiiishedif’?ed ' I

As brain was Kremlin: and displaying two

The Snow-Trail. 86

 

rows of horrid teeth, Tom was about tcbeat a 1
retreat, when the rattle of a chain fell on his 1

cars. ‘
The Grizzly had been caught in the trap! l
“ He cannot move fast with the stick fastened
mam chain,” Tom said. “ I need not fly after

The boy looked in vain for the heavy piece of
timber to which Pecowis had secured the trap’s
chain by means of a stout staple. He believed,
however, that it was cOVered with snow, else
w did not the animal advance to meet him!

rawing his revolver with one hand and hold-
ing his hunting-knife in the other, Tom went
forward, resolved to deliver one shot square in
thegrizzly’s eye, with the hope of reaching the
ram.

An instant later he stopped as his face sudden-
ly grew white, for, with a harsh growl like a
challenge, the grizzlfidsprung erect, showing
Eons that the trap ' not greatly incumber

1m.

“ Horrors I” almost screamed the young hunt-
er. “ The staple has been pulled from the log!"

This was true.

The grizzly, as if understanding Tom’s ox-
clamntion came at him and although be
dragged the heavy trap behind him, the startled
boy sprung back in time to escape a terrible

hu .

'ghe dense bushes behind him seemed to cut
oflhis escape. He had lately forced his way
through them; but then no hear was at his
heels. Now he dared not turn his face from
the one that confronted him.

“ I must try one shot 1” fell from his lips, as
he leveled his revolver at the shaggv throat of
themonster, once more on his hinder feet and
advancing. “ Fortune guide my bullet l”

Tom’s fingers touched the trigger, and at the
report of the revolver the grizzly dropped on
al fours and retreated a few feet, leaving a.
crimson trail on the snow.

“ Hit, but not killed l” e'aculated Tom.

No! the bear was not illed, and Tom was

 

soon toregret that he had not carried out his ,
first impulse and fled. l
He_watched the bear with the smoking wea-

m his hand, watched hiin,alasl too long,
or all-at once the ferocious brute rushed for-
ward Signet before Tom could deliver his sec- 
o s o |
The ho hunter of Winni instinctively re- -
treated, elivering as he id so a shot fair-in I
the grizzly’s front, but as well might be have I
fired against a stone wall. ,
The following moment the bear rose like a l
mountain before him, and a nick blow from ‘
his paw sent Toni reeling against the bushes,
almost dense enough to prevent him from full-
ing upon the snow. The paw struck his right
shoulder and caused the boy to dro the revolver
with a cry of pain, but he instant y transferred
the hunting-knife to his right hand, and struck
madly at the hour’s breast as they closed for one
bf those terrible grapples which almost invariv
ably resultin the deathof the human outage
nist.
Tom “.1 thegriulywent totbe new»!

“Tatum” heard the rattle of the tree‘s l

chain, and than the monster fell
burying him under the light crust, snow-sham
“'3le did td pair
om ra no es .
He aimed a blow at the gi'issly’s heart and
sunk his knife to the hilt beneath the thick skin,

but at the same moment the animal’s teeth

closed on his right shoulder and wrenched ace-y
of suffering from his throat.

“ While there’s life there’s hope,” said Tom,
and again and again be struck, but With de-
creasing strength.

He aimed almost invariabli‘at brain’s h
but dos iring at last of tting that vi
organ, 8 plunged his knife into the bear’s
throat, and gave it such a wrench in the wound
thug made that his shoulder was abandoned by
his 09.

The grizzl was now desperatel wounded.
Tom saw t but be was rapidly losing
strength himse f. Indeed, he felt that every
blow would be his last.

His foe stood squarelyover him, fury in his
eye and blood on teeth and tongue.

His mouth, when open, looked like a. cavern
to poor Tom Gray.

‘ One more blow for the seat of life!” ejacu-
lated the boy, and summoning all his strength.
he struck at the bear's side.

Did his blade reach the long-soughtfor organ

at last!
He felt a quiver over the boat’s h
frame. and as be wit w the knife the y
ered aside and fell in the snow,
ened b his own blood!
“ Thank ortunel" ‘

These two words fell fervently from the

dun victor’s ii and he mruedhise can
i x m we:

is antagonist to see him dying almost
reach of his arm.

Tglm rose with difliculty and stood over the

I . a ,
ngeythen saw the trapsnd its chain, but tbs
log, or stop-weight, was missing.

After awhile Tom resumed his M to
Camp Germ whose red-skinned guards he star-
tled with story and his woebegone appear-
once.

The hear was found to be one of the latent
of the rinly species, but Tom, Gray did not re-
cover rom the effects of his terrible oombatum
til long after the last steak thus well won had
been devoured. '

He resolved a hundred times, while m
irriganever to visit s bear-trap without s loaded

Such resolutions must be kept a: the hm
grounds of W innipeg. .

CHAPTER XIV.
A NIGHT WITH THE venom

“ Lis'rmu- bells!"

“ The royagcurs are coming!" ,

It was a clear, cold ni ht a week after Tom‘s
tussle with the entra pe grizzly, and the merry
jingle of bells, lining ed with the voices of men;
reached the ears of Nat and Ned, who were
returning. to camp from a short moonlight
incursion into the forest.

A few moments‘later a company of men and

i

 

 

8. I The Snow-Trail.

 

a} lot of dogs arrived at Camp Ga , and the
former were soon chattering in ench to
Pecowis, whom they seemed deli hted to see.

A great many of the dogs ha bells on their
necks, and as each gave forth a. musical jingle
when disturbed, the night was full of sweet
sounds.

The compang was com
gin , both re and half— reed, on their way to

ork Factory, where the were to enter the
service of the Hudson Bay Com any. They
were stalwart fellows, we l-fed an merry, as
their pemmican bags a voices proclaimed
gndutlge main cabin of the camp was soon filled

y m.

The Indian ms, or boatmen, were
young men, whose h ack hair glistened with a

rofusion of grease. It was plaited into comely

do and ornamented with highly-colored
feathers. which lent it a fantastic appearance.
Huge silver medals hung from wampum neck-
laces. Ned, who thought that each medal had
been obtained by gallant service. was somewhat
chagrined to learn that they had been pur-
chased at some trading- for a few skins.
In their broad leather be ts the cop r-colored
magwrs carried the fire-bag. so iugiespensablo
in the Winnipeg country. The boys already
knew that deep in the recesses of these bagl
were pipes, tobacco, flint and steel.

The half-breeds had the hlackest of eyes, and
were rather good-looking. Their hair was long
and straight, in some instances reaching to
Qiaircappmwhich were garnished with gilt
buttons. These were the men who, in their light
but strong boats navigate the far northern
rivet-swan who, in the midst of a thde dan-
sg, sing their wild songs that make the fore

ring.

They are, as a rule, of French origin, their
ancestors were the traders and. trappers of the

rest Fur Company in in .afancy. Strange

and flows through their veins. French-Cana-
dian, Enelish, Cree. Crow and Ojibway. Their
natures are as varied as their adventures; but
under the magmr’a doublet always beats
a rough b'atunieneroue . His .beset~
, ting sin in dr enness; then vanity gets the
hand, and a criticism on his dress is sure
mug about a quarrel which in the fur-land
usual; results in fatal stabs.

S were the men who reached Camp Ga
one night. Their do s were housed in a dese
cdenhm months 11 one, and the ruddy fire-
Ight revealed the swnrth features of the vis-
itors to the four boys, w o, with a single ex.

hadnevsr met a company of voyageurs
before.

Pemmican bags were opened in the but, and
when all had satisfied the inner man, pipes
were reduced and the men stretched them-
selves ‘fore the fire for the story-telling hour.

of a lot of roya-

 

This enjoyable time in the snowy woods always
lastsuntil the pipes have been emptied; but on
“is oceasion it threatened to be kept up till
dawn for the voyagmrs possessed an inexhaust- l
We. ml of anecdote and narrative whichi
charmed the boy hunters. l
~ “What a golden hourl” ejaculated Nat,
lancing at Tom who reclined on his couch of
gear-shins ou the well-lith hearth. “I

could listen to these olly fellows all ‘winter.
You-have heard them fore, but—”

“I always enjo these meetin " was the
quick response. “ am intensely rested to-
night, for I believeI never heard any of these
stories before.”

Tom had hardly ceased when one of the
coyayeure sprung u and buried an insulting
epithet at one of the ndians.

The next instant the arrow-like Assiniboine
was on hisfeet, and the two men faced each
other with knives in their hands.

“ This isn’t the first time a pleasant hour has
been interrupted b a word or a look. 01d
grudges often brea in upon the story hour,
and lood flows when laughter should be the
order of the night.”

“ They will not fight, surely,” said Nat.

“The will if no one interferes,” replied
Tom. ‘The half-breed has been drinking. I
believe it is Pierre 124er a rough character
of the region. ”

The position of the two men riveted the eyes
of all upon them.

It was as Tom had said. Among the voya-
geurs a look, a word causes blood to flow.

Nat rose quickly and acting on a humane im-

ulse threw himself between the would-be
uelists; but he was rudely jerked aside by a
stron arm and told to keep] out of the melee.

“ ese fellows alwa s ave their fights out
unless one of the Erty terferes, which is sel-
dom done,” said In, as he sent an implorlng
glance for peace to the captain of the boatmcn,
who complacently smoked his pipe as though
something of no especial moment was going

on. .
Suddenly the Indian made a pass at his

whiter antagonist who warded off the stroke,

and then followed it with a blow that was up

pleaded by his friends.

N“They are not mad after all!” exclaimed

at.

d “ You will see presently,” was Tom’s rejoin-
er.

The Assiniboine. who was forced back a few
figs, was watching the half‘breed Pierre

ranc with his hawkélike eyes.

All at once he uttered a singular , and,
leaping clear of the floor. threw himse n n
his foe. At the same .time be dealt a bow
which drove his knife to the hilt into the voya-
geur’s shoulder.

Ned, Jack and Nat uttered cries of horror.

“ Now comes the real battle,” said Tom
calmly.

The next moment the men were close to-

ether. using their knives with quick motion.

verybody looked on without speaking; the
boys were too horrified to utter a sound.

Suddenly Pierre reeled from the Assiniboine
and sunk against the wall nearest him with a
death glare in his eyes.

“ He is dyin l" exclaimed Jack. “The half-
hreed will out he Indian to pieces now. ”

“ I think not," Tom answered.

Pierre Infranc had quarreled with his last

The Aseiniboine stood erect with the fatal
knife clutched in his right hand.and with his

‘ red royageur.

The 

S

 

es fixed on his Victim dying in the light of

e cabin fire.

At last the red-skin raised his left hand and
faced the company. This meant that he was
ready tobe judged for the life he had taken.
Almost instantly a score of hands were lifted,
and the Assiuiboine counted them mentally
while he seemed to hold his breath.

Having done this he put up his knife and left
the cabin.

“ What does that mean?” asked Ned of Tom.

“ The Indian has been tried and acquitted,”
was the reply. “Those men know Pierre Ls-
franc’s insulting character; they have adjud d
him the aggressor in this instance and is
slayer is set free. The scene we have witnessed
is not an unusual one in the life of the voya-

cur.

“ Will the Indian return?”

“No. He will find employment elsewhere.
He prefers to leave this company. 'ng
from the voyageur’s stand int, I do not blame
the Aesiniboine a. great al. Lafranc must
have insulted him grossly.

The half-breed uoyngeur was alread dead.

After awhile the body was incased n a coffin
of birch-bark, and laid to rest under the snow.
Amound of white alone marked his last restin -

lace, and the only burial service was am e

ymn chantedin a musical tone by the soy-
agcurs over the grave.

“Pierre is more fortunate than the majority
of his companions,” remarked Tom Grady to the
three boys whose hearts had been sad sued by
the catastrophe. “The royagcurs generally
find graves among the terrible rapids of the
rivers. They expect to be buried there, and
they havea wild song in which the express
such a hope. I once saw the rapids o the Nel-
son ingult a whole boat-load of soy ears.
They died like heroes, rough fellows t ough
they were. Pierre Lnfranc would have died
like them.”

After the burial the company went back to
the cabin, and once more the story went round.
I But the boys had lost all interest in legendary
ore.

“Let us go into the woods until these rough
fellows leave. They take their departure at

midnight.” ~

. “ l I want to at away from them,”

said ack in reply to ed's words. “I have

had enough of the voyaamrs. Come. Nat.”
The three boys stole un uestioned from the

cabin. and were glad to flu themselves in the

 

woods once more.
After a short consultation, they a d to
proceed to a certain spot not far away n he

of getting a shot at a moose, but they found the l
moon shining coldly on a d barrenmcross ‘
which blew an icy wmd that seemed to pene- i
trate to the very marrow of their bones.

“ This is too cold,” shuddered Nat.

“ Hark 1”

At that moment from out the distance came
the cry of the bull-moose. and the boys began
to throw up an embankment of snow. It was
evident that the animal was approaching.

‘ “Yonder he lsl" suddenly exclaimed ack.
Ned and Net looked over their comrade’s out-
strdichedar and perceived the familiar shape .

d the antler king of the Winnipeg Barrens.

9°“ ‘ snowy plains to

“ He is harnessed to a sledge,” said Neil.

“Nonsensel” r

“ There he goes. L001: for yourself. If he is
not dragging a sledge behind him set me down
for a he t-breedl"

“He surely isl Can we bring him down!”

“ It is a long shot.”

“Let us try at any rate." - .

The rifles of the he s were simultaneously
dischnr ed, and to the surprise the bull-moose
drop on the snow. '

'1‘ e trio rushed forward.

“ Will wonders never cease?” exclaimed Nat.
“ Powowo has exchanged his dogs for a moose."

This was true. In the sled drawn by the '
moose. was the dead body of owowo, the mad
medicme-man. An arrow in his side told that
$26] vengeance of the tribe had overtaken him
8. BS .

While the boys were contemplati the scene
before them the barking of a loto dogs, and
the jingle of bells told them that the soyageurs
were de 'ng from their cabin. .

They eft at midnight leaving in the mindset
the three boys a night they would never forget.

CHAPTER. XV.

NO was AND A niseus’nin Hmssun.

Tan romance of the snowy trail was drawing
to a close. The four boys greatly deplored this,
for they had enjoyed themselves among the
white forests that border on Lake Winnipeg,
end they were reluctant to pack up'tor de-

ture.

“(In the number of pelts that had accumulated ‘
at Camp Garry, we need not speak. The party
had been very successful in the pursuit of game, '
and Jack did not shoot wide of the mark when
he asserted in a moment of pardonsble enthusi-
agn, that each pelt could tell an interesting
s ry. .

But the youthful Nimrods could not tarry
much longer in the great North Woods. '

0n the day preceding the one set apart for
the long-delayed return to the Fur Company's
nearest post, the iearless tour resolved to pay a
farewell visit to the harrens, the scene of more
than one exciting adventure. Pecowis, who
was busil engaged in snorting the pelts and
packing t e well-oiled traps, remained in camp
and the boys’ sole companion was the youn
Indian in Ocean's party, an Ojibway, named '
simply Feathers. 4 -

T 0 four hoped to find me of some men
the harem. and confl ently expected that
their last shots would not prove gamelsn ones.

But when the cast their eye: over the great
hold no moving objects, they
were greatly disappointed. and threatened to re
turn at once. ‘They descended to the bed of the
ravine from whence Tom had shot the musk.
sheep. and indnl in a brief council. The
snow was becom ng pliable under their feet
oncemore, the sun had I. bust glare, and
the white trees seemed crown with diamonds,
sure sign that the handset firing would soon
break e icyfettersof the “Wanda-ad
unlock the how doors of Winnipeg. ’ I

“ We are going away at the beginning of the
musqnaw season,” exclaimed Jack. “ Bruin
will sood leave his hibernscle, if, indeed, he has
not done so already.” .

 

 

28‘

The Snow-Trail.

 

Pardon me for saying that smoking a mus-
quaw out is not all sport,” re marked Ned, with
a sly wink at Tom and Nat, which served to
recall Jack’s ludicrous experience at one bear’s
smoking out.

Jack made no reply to this sally, but went
on in a regretful strain. It was true that
the bear season was approaching, but what
need they care for that? They were going
south to numerous lakes which would soon fur-
nish glorious wing sport amon thousands of
luscious water-fowl, and when ‘om remarked
that chasing geese was more sport than being
chased by a hear, there was a hearty laugh in
which even Jack joined.

“Where is Feathers?" suddenly asked Ned,
who for the first time had missed the Indian
from the council.

“ Here he comes, all excitement,” said Tom,
catching sight oi‘. Feathers, who was coming
down the ravine at a re id gate. “The red-
skin has seen something. ell, what is it. boy '1'”

The question was addressed to the Ojibwa ,
who had halted before the young hunters. e
was almost out of breath, and before he found
his tongue he sent a quick glance over his shoul-

er.

“ Bear out already, an’ hungry tool” he said.

“ A bear?” echoed the four in different tones.

“ One run Feathers a long way,” persisted the
Ojibway. “ Him come presently, little hunters.
Lots of bear tracks where Feathers saw the mad
old fellow.” 4

The boys instinctively turned to that end of
the ravine in which the Indian had reappeared,
and the next instant, with one. accord, they
started from the sight that encountered their

gaze.

There stood in the middle of the gulch, facing
them with threatening mien, not one, but two
bears, full grown, and can fromtheir long win.
ter’s nap, and decidedly ferocious of aspect.

They had chased Feathers into the ravine, but
had halted to inspect the grou whose presence
they had not bargained for. till they showed
no signs of retreat.

“ See! one chess Feathers, but him git his
brother to come ’longl” exclaimed the Indian,
pointin toward the bears. “Ahl they come
on. en bear git real hungry him don I: think
that the hunter's gun kin ki ’

There was a good deal of truth in the Ojib-
way’s observation, for the two monsters had de-
liberately advanced upon the b0 5.

“ We must hold at least two bu lets in reserve,”
said Tom. “ Nat and I will keep our loads.
Nowvyou fellows do your duty."

“ a will render your loads useless,” said
'Ned, hoastingly, with a glance at Jack, who
was lifting his rifle to his shoulder. “ What
are you oing to do, Feathers?”

“ Feat ers give hear an arrow ” was the reply
as the red hand took a shaft from the orna-
mented quiver on the Ojibway’s hack and fitted
it to the bow-string.

The bears were owly advancing. Their size
became more apparent to the five hunters who
waited for them in the ravine. They might
have been mates so companionable were they,
for side by side they marched upon the toe.

“ Ready l—flrel” whispered Jack. and‘the tol-

 

lowing second two rifles cracked and drowned
the twang of the bow-string which released the
feathered shaft.

A loud howl of pain filled the ravine, and one
of the huge monsters rose on his hinder feet, and
clawed madly at the Indian arrow which stuck
him in the side'of his face.

“Whats target!" exclaimed Ned. “Quick!
Tom; deliver your shot.”
Tom Gray, whose rifle was alread at his

shoulder, did not hesitate, but fired at t e stand-
ing bear, which staggered back and tell in the
snow.,

“ Hurrah l” burst from Net’s throat.

“ We are not out of the woods yet,” said
Jack. “The worstisto come. We areto be

changed.”
“ y a dying hear at that.”

The animal which had not received the arrow
had been wounded behind the shoulder by
Ned’s bullet, which had failed to touch a vital

. At any rate, he had fallen to the snow
ut Tom’s shot had seemingly roused him, an
be was now rushing forward with head erect

and a lavish display of teeth.

The be S, who had not had time to reload, in-
stinctive y drew back. Nat alone stood his
ground, as his rifle had not been discharged.

“The last hear is mine!” murmured the boy,
drawing up coolly and taking the deliberate aim
of an old hunter.

It was an exciting and rilous moment; but
Nat had proved himsolf a are under tflng cir-
cumstances, and his coolness was not ' e y to
desert him now.

He did not deliver his fire until he could see
the mad eyes of the bear. Then his rifle spoke,
and without a groan the monster stopped in his
tracks to fall shot squarely through the brainl

The victors were gathered around the car-
casses when a shout, accompanied by a laugh,
assailed their ears, and looking up they were
surpi ised on beholding Budd en s, the tree
trapwr, standing on the bank above.

“ e meet ag’in,” the Yankee said, as be
halted before the group. “ I’m a free man once
more! It does a fellar good to assert his free-
dom even of it costs him a wife.”

“We don’t understand you,” said Ned.

“ I’ll explain. About two weeks ago I made
Sha—don-tnokah Mrs. Budd J enks. Wal, I
brou ht her to my shanty, ex tin’ to be the
happ est man in the Winnipeg entry. Tillie—
I couldn’t go her lnjun name—seemed to think
a good deal ov me, an’ I intended to make her
happy. But I didn’t marry the whole Black-
foot nation. I thought I didn’t, but I ess the
Injun preacher what fined us put a few
words sideways that saddled the whole tribe
onto me. Tillie told me aforehand that she hed
several uncles, and mebbe a dozen cousins; that
war all right, but I’ve been keepin’ a reg’lar
b(:ardin’-house since I brought Tillie home. We
hovn’t had one hour to ourselves. First came
six uncles an’ their families. The halt ov a
young moose went at the first meal. Then the
cousins began to arrive, an’,” with a chuckle,
" I guess they’re comin’ yet! I don’t minda
new red relations—a tellar what ties himself to
an lujun gal in these _ must expect thet—
but 1 can’t brother—in- aw a whole nation. I've

 

 

The Snow-Trail.

89

 

retired from that business. Budd Jenks is a
free man ag’inl”

“ But your wife—”

“I hevn’t any at this writin’,” was the in-
terruption. “I just turned Tillie over to her
own. throwed in: all the pelts 1 bed on hand

acked m traps on a toboggan up yonder, an
Fit out. yer I am—Budu Jenks, ex-hrother-
iii-law to the Blackfoot nation, a sadder but a
wiser man i" . . _

The comical expressxon Visible on the free
trepper’s face as he concluded a] 0st produced
a. general laugh; but out of respec for the poor
fellow, the boys refrained.

As the carcasses of the bears were very
heavy, they could not be taken to camp with-
out assistance from Ocono and the half-breeds,
which was cheerfully rendered, and the animals
were quickly deprived of their skins.

Pecowis burst into a fit of laughter when he
saw Budd J enks’s forlorn condition. The old
guide knew at once that the wedding had
turned out according to his prophecy, and he
felt revenged on the free trapper for the joke
the latter had played on him in getting him to
shoot at the severed elk-head.

Budd announced his intention of retiring, for
a while at least, from the scenes of his brief
married life, and he assisted in the final packing
up.

One morning Camp Garry. with its snow-cov-
cred cabins, stood deserted, and the hunters of
Winnipeg were pushing toward one of the Com-
pany’s forts.

The Ojibways accompanied them the entire
distance, for they had a share in the furs which
had been gathered during the hunt. From the
fort the Indians would return to their lodges
somewhere among the Winnipeg wilds.

The four boys had enjoyed their winter so-

ourn on the great hunting-grounds of the far

orth, and Pecowis and his fellow half-breeds
wore dismissed with costly presents, which al-
wavs make light a hunter’s heart.

Here let us take leave of the heroes of the
Snow Trail. Safe from the cold winds of the
Winnipeg woods. they can gather around the
log-fires of the fur fort, and tell to a jolly crowd
the story of their advsntures.

THE END.

 

The Dime Dialogues No. 3|.

Containing twenty Minor Dramas, Extravaganza
’Burlesques, Forces, Dress and Humorous Pieces, for
the Amateur Stage, Parlors. Schools and Exhibitions.
All original and by favorite authors, professors.
teachers and amateurs.

For sale by all newsdealers, or sent, post-paid. on
receipt of price—ten cents.

BEADLE AND ADAMS. PusmsnERe.
98 William Street. New York.

 

Half-Dime singer's Library

1 WaoA. EuMAl and 59 other Songs.
‘2 CAPTAIN Dun and 57 other Songs.

.3 Tn: Gusseom' fin and 89 Other Songs.

4 JOHNNY MORGAN and 60 other Songs.
5 I‘m. STRIKE You Wm: A Imam“ and 62 others. .
6 Gnome TEE CEARMER and 56 other Songs. ‘
7 THE BELLE or ROCKAWAY and 52 other Songs,

8 YOUNG FELLAH, You’nE Too FRESH and 60 others‘
9 Sim YOUNG Gnu. and 65 other Songs.

10 I'M THE GOVERNOR’S ONLY SoN and 58 other Songs.
11 MY FAN and 65 other Songs. ‘

12 CouiN’ Tnao‘ run RYE and 55 other Songs. ’
13 THE ROLLXCKING IRISHMAN and 59 other Songs. >
14 OLD Doe TRAY and 62 other Songs. ‘
15 WaoA. Camus and mother Songs. 
16 IN 'rms WHEAT BY AND Br and 62 other Sony.
17 NANor LEE and 58 other Songs. -
18 PM Tat Bow m-r's Bouxn'ro  and Mothers. ‘
19 THE Two QRPEANS and 59 other Songs.

20 WHAT ARE m WILD WAVEs SAYING, Smile?
' and 59 other Songs.

21 INnioNAN'r POLLv Woo and 59 other Songs. L.
22 Tux-2 one Ann-CHAIR. and 58 other Songs.
23 ON Coan ISLAND BEACH and 58’other Songs.
24 One Smox, me How-Conn MAN and 60 others. -‘ ,
25 I‘m 1N Love and 56 other Songs.
25 PAaAnn or ran Gwen's and 56 other Songs.
27 Yo, HEAVE, Ho! and 60 other Songs.
28 "I‘m NEVEa no To (313 u up So and 60 others.
29 BLUE BONNE'rs OVER THE BORDER. and 54 others.
30 THE MERRY LAUGHING MAN and 56 other Songs. f-
31 SWEET Fonem-un-Nor and 55 other Songs.
32 LEETLE BABY MINE and 53 other Songs.
33 DE BAN-)0 AM Dr. INSTRUMENT ron ME and 53 others.
34 Turn and 50 other Songs. ‘
35 Jun 10 PLEASE 'raE Born and 52 other Songs; .7
36 SKATING ON ONE IN THE Gonna and 52 others. .
87 Roman KaA‘NKs and 59 other Songs.
38 Nu. Basement and 53 other Scngs. .
89 Tar: Gnu. I LErr BEmNn ME and 50 other Songs >
40 "1‘15 am A Lri'ru FAnEn me and 50 others
41  WmuunNA and 60 other Songs.
4.2 Durance [N was RAM and 68 other Songs.
43 a. M. s Pnulou. comE'rE, and 17 other Songs.

Sold everywhere by Newsdealers, at five cell
per copy. or sent post-paid, to any address, on re-
ceipt of 85.7: cents per number. ',

BEADLE AND ADAMS, Penna-Eu.
98 WitLiAn Swarm. N" Your.

 

 

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SPEAKERS AND DIALBGUES I
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THE MOST ATTRACTIVE SERIES, .
g Most Available, Adaptive and Taking Collections
Declamations, I —°"' Farces,
Recitation, Notable Passages, Dialogues, Minor Dramas,
Speeches, Extempore Efforts, Colloquies, Acting Charadee,
Gracious, Addresses, Burlesques, Dress Pieces,

INALLTHEFIELDSOI'

Wll, Humor, Blll‘ltSflllB, Satire, Eloquence flIlll Argument,

SCHOOL EXHIBITIONS ANDMHOME ENTERTAINMENTS.

——¢o¢——-—.
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1—DIME AMERIch SPEAKER. l3—Dmm Scaoon SPEAKER.
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10—Dm SPREADEAGLE SPEAKER. 22—DIME JOLLY SPEAKER.

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Each Speaker, 100 pages 12mo., containing from 50 to 75 pieces.

THE DIME DIALOGUES

Arefllled with o ‘ nal and specially prepared contributions from favorite and
po ular caterers or the Amateur and School Stage—giving more taking and

ective dialogues, burlesques, social comedies. domestic farces, exquisite dress
and exhibition dramas than any collection over ojmd at any price.

DIME DIALOGUES NUMBER ONE. DIME DIALOGUEs NUMBER SEVNEEN, Lib
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DIME DIAwGUES NI'MBER EIGBTEEN.
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8' FOI‘ sale by all newsdealers; or sent, poet-paid. to any address, on receipt
of price—TEN (JEN-rs EAcB.

’ BEABLE e AnAxs, Publishers, as William en, New York.

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‘, POPULAR

DIME HAND-BOOKS.

BEADLE AND ADAMS, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK.
Each volume 100 127710 pages, sent post-paid 'on receipt of price—ten cent: each.

GAME AND PASTIME SERIES. ’

HAND-BOOK OF SUMMER SPORTS—Comprising Walking, Running, Jump-
ing Hare and Hounds. Bicycling, Archery, etc. With Complete America-i!
an English Athletic Rules.

HAND-BOOK OF WINTER SPORTS. Embracin Skating,‘(on the ice and on
roller-5,) Rink-Ball, Curling, Ice-Boating and F00 ball.

HAND-BOOK 0F PEDESTRIANISM—Giving the Rules for Training and'Prw
tice in Walking, Running, Leaping, Vaulting, etc. , r ,

CRICKET AND FOOT-BALL—A desirable Companion, contain! complete
instructions in the elements of Bowling, Batting and Fielding; 3 the Re-
vised Laws of the Game: Remarks on t e Duties of Umpires; t e Mary-le-Bone
Cricket Club Rules and Regulations ;- Bets, etc.

DIME BOOK OF CROQUET—A complete ide to the game, with the latet
rules, diagrams, Croquet Dictionary. Par or Croquet, etc. ‘ . -

DIME GUIDE TO SWIMMING—Embracing all the rules of the art for both
sexes. '

YAOHTING AND ROWING—This volume will be found very complete as a.
guide to the conduct of watercraft, and full of interesting information alike to
the amateur and the novice.

RIDING AND DRIVING—A sure I .
fillets directions for the road and eld; and a specific section of (1

formation for female equestrians.

BOOK OF 100 GAMES—Outdoor and In-door SUMMER GAMES, for Tourists
and Families in the Country, Picnics, etc., comprising 100 Games, Forfeits, etc.

DIME CHESS, INSTRUCTOR—A complete hand-book of instruction, giving
the entertaining mysteries of this most interesting and fascinating of games.

YOUNG PEOPLE’S SERIES:

l—DIME GENTS’ LETTER-WRITER—Embraclng Forms, Models, Suggestions
and Rules for the use of all classes, on all occasions.

2— IME BOOK OF E’l‘IQUETTE—For Ladies and Gentlemen: being a Guide to

rue Gcntility and Gem-Breeding, and a Directory to the Usages of society.

3-DIME BOOK OF Vl‘JRSES—Comprisln Verses for Valentines, Mottoes. Coup-
lets St. Valentine Verses Bridal and arriage Verses, Verses of Love, etc,

4—DIME BOOK OF DREA S—Thelr Romance and Myste : with a complete

in grating; Dictionar . Com iled from the most accr ited sources. '
1 0:0 {UN fiTflLEfi—glom prising the art of Fortune’l‘elling, how to
reat ai'ac er, e .

6—DI  LAntES’ ngngfi-Wégg'rfilfigeiiving the various forms of Letters of

an men s , 0 0c etv. etc.
14%qu {53013535, CA%KE§)T——ii rr'élause and (Plague) ml Dndship, ma}. Court
law. in racn asoacom eta ore ic ionar ,e ..

8~DI E BALL-R 0M COMPANION—And pGuide to Danging. {living rules
of Etifluette hints on Private Parties, toilettes for the Ball-room etc.

12—pm Book or BEAUTY—A delightful book, mu of interesting informa-
tion. It deserves a. place in the hands of every one who would be beautiful.

FAMILY SERIES.

1. DIME COOK BOOK. 4. DIME FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
2. DIME RECIPE BOOK. 5. DIME DRESSMAKING AND MIL-
8. DIME HOUSEWIFE‘S MANUAL. LINERY.

W The above hooks are sold by Newsdealers everywhere, or will 99 sent,

iide to correct Horsemanship, with com-
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post-paid, to any address, on receipt (.1 price. 16 cents each. BEADLE & ADAMS.’ ‘

Publishers, 98 William street, New York.

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3,9 Octavo Pages. Price, Jf’ivc Cents.

 

A NEW LIBRARY, PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY.

Deerhllnter, the Boy Scout of the Great North «'oods. By Oll
C’oomes.

2. Bufl‘alo Bill, 1‘. om Boyhood to Manhood. By Col. Prentiss Ingrabam.

3. Kit Carson, King of Guides; or, Mountain Paths and Prairie Traik. By
Albert W. Aiken.

4. Gordon Lillie the Boy-Interpreter or the Pawnees. By Major R. B.
Stoddard, Ex- out.

No. 5. Bruin Adams. old Grizzly’e Boy Part1. By Colonel Prentiss Ingrahnm.

6. Deadwood Dick as a Boy ; or, Why Wild Ned Harris the New England Farm
lad became the Western Prince of the Road. By E. L. Wheeler.

N0. 7. Wild Bill, the Pistol Prince. From Early Boyhood to His Tragic Death.
By Colonel Prentiss Ingraham.

No. 8. The Prairie Ranch; or, The Young Cattle Herders. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr.

No. 9. Bovin Joe: The History of a “Border Boy.” Brief Scenes from the Life of
Josep E. Badger, Jr. By A. H. Post,

No. i0. Texas Jack, the Mustang King. By 001. Prentiss Ingraham.

N0 11 ch‘flay sk '34“ A Story 0‘ School-dc Scra es and Colle 6 Ca  B
. ' - Maj. H. B. SL’oddurd. 3' P g pers y

No. 12. Maripo-a Marsh; or, The Golden Treasure of Spring Steel. By J. E. Badger, Jr.

No. 13. Roving Ben. A Story of a Young American who wanted to see the World. By
John J. Marshall. ‘

No. 14. Spring Steel, King of the Bush. By Jos. E. Badger, Jr.
No. 15. Wide-Awake George, the Boy Pioneer. By Edward Willem.
No. 16. The Boy Wizard;-or, The Silver-land Seekers. By Barry Ringgold.

No. 17. Peter Pepper" ran. the Greenhnrn from Gotham. His('nmir‘nl Ad-
venturesinthe ountry. By Noah Nufl.

No. is. Adrln on the Prairie, and Amateur Hunters on the liuil‘alo
Range. By 011 Gnomes. Ready August 16th.

No. 19. The Fortune Hunter; or. Roving Joe es Miner. Cowboy, Trapper and Hum”.
By A. H. Post. Reedy August. 23d.

No. 20. Trapper Tom, the Wood Imp. By T. C‘. Harhnugh. Ready August. 30th.

No. 21. Yellow flair. the Boy Chief of the Pawnecs. By Colonel Prentiss
Ingmham. Ready September 6th. -

No. 22. The Snow 'l‘rail'. or, The Boy Hunters of Fur Land. By T. C. Herbaugh.
Reedy September 13m.

No. 23. 011! Grizzly Adams, the Bear Tamer. By Dr. Frank Powell. Ready
. September 20th. .

Beadle’s' Boy’s Library is for sale by all Newsdealers, five cents per copy; or sent
by mail, on receipt of six cents each.

BEADLE AND flDAMS, Publishers,

No. 98 William St. New York.

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