CHAPTER V
THE MOOSE HUNT
For several days the storm continued, and during that time no member ofthe party dared to leave camp, except to gather wood for the fire,which by great exertion and care was kept burning.
It was a miserable time for all. La Tour fumed and fretted at thedelay, and the other whites shared his feelings, although the Indiansseemed stolidly content with the forced inaction.
Temporary tents had been hastily made out of spruce boughs, and thesebeing covered thickly with snow, afforded passable protection; yet theywere poor places in which to spend a long day, and their occupants soongrew utterly weary of them.
Raoul was hard put to it to while away the dreary hours. His uncle wasin too ill a humour to be pleasant company, and so the boy fell backupon the society of the men, who were inclined to be rough in theirways and coarse in speech.
On the evening of the third day of the storm La Tour called Raoul tohim, and said in a sneering tone:
"How much good can your prayers do, think you? If you were to pray forthe storm to stop, would it have any effect? You certainly couldn'twish a better chance to show what you can do."
Raoul was sorely puzzled to reply. He suspected that his uncle wasonly seeking to make fun of him, and yet it did not seem right torespond in the same spirit, thus making a jest of what was so sacred.
Looking very confused, he kept silence, until La Tour exclaimedimpatiently:
"Have you lost your tongue? Why don't you answer me?"
"Because I don't know what to say," murmured Raoul. "Aunt Constancetold me that we must not expect every prayer to be answered right away,and maybe even if she were to pray for the storm to stop it would notdo it."
At this point La Tour's better nature asserted itself. He began tofeel ashamed at thus teasing the boy, and to be impressed by hisevident sincerity, so patting him affectionately upon the shoulder, hesaid:
"Don't mind my foolish words, Raoul. I didn't mean to hurt yourfeelings, or to weaken your faith. Keep on doing what you feel to beright, even if you are made fun of by those who ought to know better."
Raoul was deeply touched by these words, and thenceforward admired hisuncle more than ever.
Ere he closed his eyes that night he did pray fervently for the stormto abate, and then curled up in his blankets to sleep as soundly as ifin his own snug bed in Fort St. Louis.
He was awakened next morning by his uncle giving orders to the men inso cheery a tone that it was evident there had been a great change inhis spirits; and, in making his way out of the half-buried tent, Raoulat once understood the reason, for the storm was all over, and the sunshone dazzlingly upon a world of spotless white.
"Good!" cried Raoul joyously. "Now we needn't stay here any longer. Iam so glad," and he felt like dancing a little by way of expressing hisfeelings.
In his delight at the return of fine weather he might have forgotten tobe thankful for the answer to his prayer, had not Monsieur La Tourreminded him by calling out:
"Good-morning, Raoul. You see the snow has ceased, and perhaps it wasyour prayers that caused it to stop."
Raoul laughed, and shook his head in disclaimer of such being the case.
"And now, uncle, we can be off again, can't we?" he responded. "I hopewe won't have any more such storms."
In their journey across country they presently came to the region wherehuge moose, the grandest of all antlered animals, were to be found, andLa Tour, as their supply of food was running low, decided to halt for afew days, in order that they might have a moose hunt.
This was good news to the whole party, and there was keen competitionamong the members to be allowed to take part in the hunt, La Tour'spurpose being to have one-half of the men accompany him, while the restremained at the camp.
Raoul took it for granted that he was to go, and was quite dismayedwhen his uncle let fall a remark which implied that he was to staybehind.
"Why, uncle," he exclaimed, "am I not to go with you?"
"Well, I hadn't thought about it, Raoul," was the reply. "Won't it berather hard work for you to keep up with us? And then there may besome danger, you know."
"Oh, but I don't mind either the hard work or the danger," Raoulpromptly responded. "Please let me go too, uncle, I want to so much."
"Very well then," replied La Tour, good-naturedly. "You can comealong, but you'll have to look after yourself, for I'm going to give mywhole attention to the moose."
Mounted upon broad snow-shoes, which enabled them to travel with easeand speed over the deepest snow, the hunting-party set forth amid thecheers of those who regretfully remained behind. They were all in highspirits, and the men made little boasts among themselves as to which ofthem would be the first to sight a moose, and to get the first shot atone.
"This heavy fall of snow will make things easier for us," Monsieur LaTour said to Raoul, as they tramped along together. "The big fellowswill not be able to run very fast through such deep drifts."
It was not until mid-day drew near that signs of moose were seen, andthen one of the keen-sighted Indians, who was in the van, came hurryingback to announce that he had found fresh tracks in the snow.
After examining them La Tour consulted for a moment with hiscompanions, and then laid out his plan of campaign, which was that theparty should spread out in a wide line, so as to cover as much groundas possible, and yet keep within hearing of signals, so as to be ableto gather together again at the proper time.
"As for you, Raoul, you had better follow me," he said. "You'll notmiss any of the excitement, and you'll be less likely to get astray."
This suited Raoul perfectly, and having seen to it that his gun wasready for instant action he followed his uncle's lead, although it wasno easy matter to keep pace with his rapid stride.
On they went through the forest, with every sense alert to detect theproximity of their prey.
Presently La Tour stopped short, and bent his gaze intently to theright. Raoul looked in the same direction, but at first could not makeout anything, yet from his uncle's action, it was plain that he musthave sighted a moose, for he began to creep forward stealthily, withhis gun held in readiness to fire.
Raoul, holding his breath, kept close behind, and at last his eyes fellupon a dark form scarcely distinguishable from the thick evergreenagainst which it stood.
"There he is! I see him!" he whispered to himself, while his heartthrobbed wildly.
Just then La Tour levelled his gun, and the silence was shattered byits startling report.
A moment later the evergreens were violently agitated, and out of themrushed a huge bull moose, made furious by the wound, which at oncecharged fiercely down upon the hunters.