CHAPTER XIV 



A RAINY DAY IN CAMP 



The Finest of all Camps — A Record-Breaking Cook — Fearful Slaughter 

 of Comestibles — Drying Meat from Big Game — A Good Method 

 Described — The Norboe Brothers — Trapping on Bull River — The 

 Trappers' Bill of Fare — Mack Norboe's Biggest Bear — The Big 

 Bear that Got Away. 



The afternoon of September i6th was dominated by 

 misty rain. It was too wet for hunting, but under the 

 giant Canadian white-spruce trees which encircled one 

 side of our camp, we sat, and spat into the camp-fire, 

 and yarned away the hours most comfortably. Big, 

 fleecy white clouds from Bull River floated into our val- 

 ley, dragged softly along the side of the eastern moun- 

 tains, and left the green timber and yellow grass of the 

 slides looking like a freshly varnished oil-painting. Our 

 horses grazed on the rich meadow in front of the tents, 

 snorted with satisfaction, tinkled their bell, and fed until 

 they could feed no more. Dog Kaiser appointed himself 

 special camp-guard, and whenever a horse crossed his 

 dead-line, there was an indignant bark, a bitten pastern, 

 a vicious kick in mid-air at a dog that was always six 

 inches the other way, and a quick retreat. 



It was a busy day for Huddleston, the cook; for in 



camp, the hunter's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of 



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