XXI
THE TRAIL OF THE DESERTER
Indian Jake took a straight course down the lake and through theNarrows. Crossing the lower expansion he turned upon the broad whitebed of the river. This he followed until he reached a point where theice, covering the swift flowing current, became unsafe. Here heentered the forest skirting the north bank, and under cover of thetrees kept his rapid pace until mid-afternoon.
During the forenoon the storm had been steadily increasing inviolence. Traveling had become uncomfortable and difficult, and,choosing a convenient place to pitch his tent, Indian Jake stretchedit between two trees. A full ten feet of snow covered the forest floorand with no attempt to clear a camping place he proceeded to makehimself comfortable on the surface of the snow.
He first secured the tent around the bottom with long pegs that sunkdeep into the snow and held the canvas firm and taut. Then with his axhe cut two green butts of trees, and laying them side by side and afew inches apart just within the tent, erected his tent stove uponthem. The green butts would not burn easily, and their ends, extendinga considerable distance beyond the stove on each side, would supportit and prevent its sinking when the snow beneath melted with the heat.From within the stove he withdrew three lengths of stovepipe, joinedthem and set them in position, and the stove was ready for a fire.
Before kindling the fire, however, Indian Jake gathered severalarmfuls of boughs, snapping them from low-hanging limbs with a defttwist of the wrist. These he spread with some care, as a carpet forthe tent, and as a protection from the snow beneath. Indian Jake'sshelter now prepared to his satisfaction, he unlashed the toboggan,carried the contents within, and stowed them away with a view tocomfort and convenience.
Then taking his ax he devoted himself to chopping firewood of properlength for the stove. Swinging his ax dexterously and industriouslyfor thirty minutes, a sufficient supply was accumulated to serve hisneeds for several hours. This he piled in neat tiers just within thetent entrance, where it would be at hand when required. With a pieceof birch bark for tinder, he now lighted a fire in the stove, andtaking his kettle and ax went to the river for water.
When he returned a few minutes later the tent was warm andcomfortable. He placed the kettle upon the stove, removed his adiky,and turned his attention to the preparation of dinner. Indian Jake hadeaten nothing since early morning, and he was hungry.
Some fried whitefish and pork, some generous pieces of camp bread, andseveral cups of hot tea made a substantial and satisfying meal. Whenthey were disposed of, the half-breed sliced black tobacco from aplug, filled his pipe, lighted it from the fire with a shaving, andsettled himself for luxurious rest.
After the manner of those who are much alone, Indian Jake had thehabit of thinking aloud, and now he proceeded to converse audibly withhimself.
"Fifteen hundred dollars worth of fur," said he. "It's a fine hunt,takin' it all, with what th' lads got. I never had half as much fur atone time in my life before. I made a good hunt myself. With theirs itmakes a fine lot. But they're dead, and they'll never know what I got;I never told 'em. And they'll never know what I does with any of it."
He was silent for a time, then continued:
"They was good fellers t' hunt with. They had a good lot o' grit, too.It was pretty hard for 'em sometimes, on nasty days, but they stuck toit, and got th' fur. I had some good times with 'em, too. Had a goodtime Christmas, surprisin' 'em with th' goose and puddin'. I wonderwhy 'tis I like t' surprise folks, and get a good time out'n doin' it.I had one surprise for 'em they'll never know about. I wonder howthey'd have liked _that_ surprise.
"They brought th' fur down to th' Narrows tilt when I told 'em to. Th'little feller wanted me t' bring mine in too, but I wa'n't goin' t' let'em know what I had. He kinder suspicioned me, or somethin'. The wayit turned out their fur was safe enough. I'd have got th' fur anyhowwhen I went up t' look for 'em.
"If I'd known where their traps were set I could ha' gone over 'em.They might have some fur in 'em. I could 'a' struck 'em up and tookcare of 'em, too, like I did on my trail. 'Twouldn't have hurt me anyto do that much for Tom Angus. He let me hunt his trail. But he'llfind 'em when he comes in next fall."
After a little silence he mused:
"I wonder how Tom Angus is goin' t' take it when they don't show up."
Indian Jake's pipe had gone out. He pushed the ashes down in the bowl,relit it, renewed the fire in the stove, and rising looked out betweenthe tent flaps at the falling snow. Returning to his seat he remarked:
"Likely t' be a nasty day tomorrow, and I may as well stay here. Nouse travelin' in nasty weather. They's plenty o' time. Guess I'll takeit easy. Nobody to worry about me, and I'm just as much t' home hereas anywhere. I got grub enough. I may meet up with some o' th' Injuns,and I can travel with them.
"Home!" said he, after a silence. "Th' lads were thinkin' a big lotabout th' time when they'd go home. Now they'll never go there. Home'sth' finest place in th' world t' be when a feller has one. Huh! What'sth' use thinkin' about that. I'll be gettin' homesick for a home Iain't got. This tent's a good enough home. It's got t' suit me,anyhow. It's all right."
The next day it stormed, as Indian Jake had predicted, and he did notleave his camp, but the morning following was clear, and he again setforward.
At midday the half-breed halted to boil the kettle, and making his waytoward the river to obtain water, he suddenly stopped and sniffed theair. The wind was blowing up from the opposite side of the river.
"Smoke!" he exclaimed. "They's some one camped across the river!"
Cautiously he stole down to the river bank, and from the cover ofbrush scanned the opposite shore. His sharp eyes quickly detected halfhidden by trees and drift, a small log tilt. Smoke was rising from theprotruding stovepipe.
"Who can that be trappin' in there?" Indian Jake asked himself.
As though in answer to his question the tilt door opened, and UncleBen Rudder, with kettle and ax, came down to the river, cut open awater hole, filled his kettle and returned to the tilt.
"Th' old wolverine!" exclaimed Indian Jake when Uncle Ben haddisappeared. "What's he doin' in here? Tried t' keep me from huntin'!If he'd had _his_ way Thomas Angus wouldn't have let me have the SealLake trail! Always meddlin' with other folks' business! Well, I gotth' trail, and th' fur too, you old skunk!"
The half-breed grinned triumphantly, and his face was not pleasant tosee then.
"He'll find out somethin' before I'm through with him," added IndianJake, and turning about with his unfilled kettle he cautiouslyreturned under cover of the trees to his toboggan. "Wouldn't he liket' run on me now! Wouldn't he like t' know about th' fur I've got!"
Indian Jake resumed his journey. To light a fire would be toodangerous, for even with the wind in an opposite direction, a whiff ofsmoke carried across the river might disclose his presence to UncleBen, and Indian Jake had reason to look upon Uncle Ben as an enemythat just at the present time he did not care to encounter.
Camping at night and traveling leisurely by day, Indian Jake continueddown the valley of the Nascaupee until, one afternoon, a little wayabove the place where the river empties into Grand Lake, he fell uponnumerous indications of the presence of bears. A careful examinationsatisfied him that these were made late the previous fall, and thatthere were at least two, and possibly more bears, hibernating in theimmediate vicinity. His Indian instinct to permit no game to escapehim was aroused. Presently the bears would come forth from their longwinter sleep. They would be hungry, and could easily be trapped. Thetemptation was too strong to be resisted.
"I'll have time t' get away over th' ice," he decided. "I can fix upsome sort of a canoe while I'm waitin', and if I get caught by th'break-up I can make out. Like as not some of th' Injuns'll be alonganyhow. They'll let me go along with 'em. I'm thinkin' I'll stay herea while and trap bear."
And so Indian Jake pitched his camp, made himself comfortable, andbegan the building of deadfalls, in anticipation of the time when thebears woul
d come forth from their dens.
Here in the seclusion of the forest the half-breed was safe enoughfrom discovery. None would pass this way save the Indians who were hisfriends, and Uncle Ben Rudder, upon whom he looked as anuncompromising enemy. But not until after the break-up in June wouldUncle Ben pass down the river and into Grand Lake in his boat. IndianJake had the advantage of time. He would break camp and be away beforeJune. In any case there was no probability that Uncle Ben would goashore here, and even though he did, Indian Jake's tent wassufficiently hidden to escape detection. He took good care that thisshould be the case, and he also took good care to leave no trace alongthe river bank that would give hint of his presence, or arousesuspicion that he was in the vicinity.