XVI
CHRISTMAS EVE ON THE FUR TRAILS
Indian Jake flung the big namaycush into the snow at the tilt door.David and Andy dropped the bag of whitefish by its side, and all,rushing into the tilt, seized their rifles and cartridge bags.
"You lads go up through th' woods and look for 'em on that side,"directed Indian Jake. "I'll go up along th' shore. We'll be sure toget 'em one side or the other."
Without a word David and Andy, at a run, but with as little noise aspossible, took the direction indicated. Indian Jake, running where hewas hidden by brush, stooping low where there was danger that thecaribou might see him, followed the ice close to the shore whereoverhanging brush offered cover to his movements, but where there wasfirm footing, and he could travel at good speed.
As they neared the place where the caribou had last been seen, theboys moved more cautiously. They stole through the trees without asound. Their rifles were held ready for instant use.
Suddenly a shot rang out. At the same instant came a sound of crashingbushes, and three caribou burst through the willow brush that linedthe lake, and dashed into the forest. David and Andy threw theirrifles to their shoulders and fired simultaneously, but with onefleeting glimpse the animals were lost among the thick foliage of thespruce trees.
"They're gone!" exclaimed David in great disappointment. "We missedun, and we won't get any of un now!"
"Jake got in one shot," consoled Andy. "Maybe he knocked _one_ of undown _what_ever."
"Let's have a look where they went through," suggested David, leadingthe way.
"What's that? Did you hear that?" asked Andy, as the sound of amovement came to their ears.
"It's a deer!" shouted David excitedly, running in the direction thecaribou had taken. "We hit un! We knocked one down! See un?"
They had indeed wounded a big caribou. Hidden by the trees it had runfor a score of yards before it fell, and had been out of their line ofvision until they reached a point where they had a clear view of thetrail the fleeing caribou had made in the snow. The caribou was nowvainly struggling to regain its feet, and a bullet from David's riflewas sent to end its suffering.
"A good shot!" said Indian Jake, who had heard the firing and nowovertook the boys.
"Did you knock one down too?" asked Andy excitedly.
"No, I made a clean miss of 'em," Indian Jake confessed. "They got asniff of us and took fright, and I just took a chance shot. You ladsmade good shootin' t' catch 'em running!"
"We never thought we touched un," said David "We never has time t'take fair aim. We just pulls up and lets go."
"_'Twas_ quick shootin'," declared Andy. "I wonder which of us hitun--you or me--Davy?"
But they were never to know that, and it mattered little. They hadsecured fresh meat, which was needed, and that was the chiefconsideration.
"He's good and fat," said David, prodding the carcass with his toe."He's like t' have four fingers o' fat on _his_ back."
"And we'll have deer's meat for Christmas!" exclaimed Andy.
"We'd better skin him right away, before he freezes," said IndianJake, drawing his sheath knife.
With David's assistance Indian Jake deftly and quickly removed theskin, while Andy hurried to the tilt to fetch an ax and a toboggan.Then they dressed the carcass, cut the meat into convenient pieces,and in less than half an hour were returning to the tilt with anabundant supply of fresh meat, and very well satisfied with the resultof their morning's work.
The meat of the bear which Andy had killed at the time of theirarrival had long since been consumed. Of late they had relied uponrabbits and partridges, and, save for a limited stock of pork, werewithout fat, which is a necessity in the severe climate of the North.As David had said, the caribou was fat, and in splendid condition, andyielded them an abundant store for several weeks.
They were as hungry as wolves when they drew the toboggan load of meatbefore the tilt door. David kindled a fire at once, while Andy putover the kettle and Indian Jake cut some luscious steaks to fry, andtheir dinner became a feast.
"Now," said Andy, "we'll have meat and fish both for Christmas, butI'll be missin' th' plum duff. I wish we'd brought some currants andthen we could have the duff, and as fine a Christmas dinner as ever wehas at home."
"You're wishin' for a lot, seems to me," remarked Indian Jake.
In the afternoon a platform was erected outside, upon which to storethe meat and fish. Here the reserve supply would remain frozen untilrequired, and at the same time be safe from the attack of animals. Andwhen they set out upon the trails on Monday morning both Indian Jakeand the boys placed liberal pieces of venison upon their toboggans,with which to stock their other tilts.
The following Friday evening David and Andy reached the Narrows tiltin advance of Indian Jake. They had hurried, for this was Christmaseve, and they wished a long evening to talk of those at home. It wasto be the first Christmas they had ever spent from home, and all day apicture of the snug, warm cabin at The Jug had been before them asthey trudged through the silent, snow-clad wilderness.
It was cold. Their adikys were thickly coated with hoar frost. The furof the hoods, encircling their faces, was heavy with ice, accumulatedmoisture from the breath.
Twilight was deepening, and the snow-covered tilt within was dark.David lighted a candle, and the boys picked the ice from theireyelashes--always a painful operation. A handful of birch bark andsome split wood had been left ready prepared, and David thrust theminto the stove and applied a match. A moment later the fire wasroaring cheerfully.
Then they unpacked their toboggan, stowed the things in the tilt, andAndy took his ax and the kettle to their water hole while David withhis ax went out to the elevated platform and secured a generousportion of the frozen namaycush. And when presently Andy returned withthe kettle of water and David with the fish, the tilt was as warm andcomfortable as any one could wish.
"Now," said David as they removed their adikys, and after shaking thefrost from them hung them upon pegs, "we'll have a fine rest tillMonday. We can sleep till daybreak if we wants. There'll be no workin'on Christmas, _what_ever."
"And we'll have a fine dinner tomorrow," Andy appendedenthusiastically, "and have all day t' talk and do as we please."
"That we will," said David.
"I wish, now, we had some currants t' make th' plum duff like Margaretalways makes on Christmas," said Andy wistfully. "We'll have a gooddinner, but 'twill be no different from what we has every day."
"We've only been havin' th' deer's meat this week, and we never tiresof un, and we've got plenty t' eat, _what_ever," said David.
"That we has, and 'tis wonderful good!" agreed Andy. "We has a finesnug place t' rest in, and as fine grub as any one could want, andenough t' be thankful for. I were just wishin' for plum duff so's t'have somethin' different on Christmas. But we're hunters now, and wecan't expect all the fine things we has at home."
"Plum duff!" the exclamation came from Indian Jake, who had come sosilently that the boys had not heard him until at that moment heopened the door. "Plum duff in a huntin' camp! Ain't you forgot aboutplum duff yet? You'll be wantin' sweets next!"
"I was just _wishin'_," explained Andy.
"They's no use wishin' for things can't be had," said Indian Jake,pushing back the hood of his adiky and warming his fingers for amoment before going out of doors to unpack his toboggan.
Indian Jake was, to all appearances, in no very good humor. The boysfell silent, while David proceeded to fry a pan of fish. Presently thehalf-breed returned with his belongings, and stowing them under hisbunk he remarked:
"Don't meddle with un, now."
After he had hung up his adiky he lighted his pipe and smokedsilently, speaking never a word, and seemingly forgetful of the boys'presence, until David announced:
"Grub's ready, Jake."
This was an appealing announcement. The half-breed knocked the ashesfrom his pipe, helped himself liberally, and at once became moresociable.
"What fur this week?" he asked expectantly, as he ate.
"One marten and one red," announced David. "How'd you make out, Jake?"
"Not so bad," said Indian Jake. "Did you fetch th' marten and reddown?"
"Yes, you can see un after supper if you likes," offered David.
"This is fine fish," remarked Indian Jake, after a little. "'Twas afine catch, Andy."
"Aye, 'twere that!" admitted Andy. "But I never could have got hewithout you and David helpin'."
Indian Jake was silent again, and scarcely spoke another word duringthe whole evening. He examined the marten and fox skins, when Davidproduced them, with an eye of critical appraisement and evidentappreciation, but offered no comments. Once or twice, as the boyschatted of home and made an effort to draw him into the conversation,he merely grunted the briefest reply. Indeed it seemed to be his wishto be left to his pipe and his thoughts, undisturbed, and they said nomore to him nor he to them.