THE DANGERS OF FIRE HUNTING. 51 



CHAPTER IV. 



THE DANGERS OF FIKE-HUNTING. 



" The pass was steep and rugged, 

 The wolves they howled and whined ; 

 But he ran like a whirlwind up the pass 



And left the wolves behind." 



MACAULAY. 



" MIKE, what kind of night would this be for fire- 

 shooting ?" said the Doctor to that meditative Nimrod, 

 who was busy sewing up a moccasin by the light of the 

 camp-fire, after a week of travel. 



" So, so," replied Mike, without looking up. 



" I am going, I think." 



No answer. Mike put on the mended moccasin, and 

 drew off the other. 



" Do you think we can kill anything ?" 



" S'pose," replied Mike. 



" Come Charlie, let us try it for a little while." 



This was all a ruse on the part of Poke, in order to 

 make Mike think our great hunt was an unpremeditated 

 affair, and thereby increase the glory of killing so much 

 game. It had been arranged between us during the 

 day, that we would try fire-hunting that night. It 

 promised to be a cloudy night, which was of great 



