54 BOWDOIN BOYS IN LABRADOR. 



the owner. At the discharge of the last one, the partridge 

 fell not to the ground, but flew to another and remote cluster 

 of spruces. To this thicket Cole hastened and stood watching 

 to discover his bird. Gary came up and after waiting a little 

 while, said, " It is no use to delay longer, time is too precious." 

 The value of this last cartridge forced Cole to linger. He was 

 reluctant to admit it was wasted. In a few minutes he heard 

 something fall to the ground, he knew" not what it was, but 

 with eager steps pressed towards the place, and when near it a 

 slight flutter and rustling of wings led him to discover the par- 

 tridge, uninjured except that one leg was broken ; that by faint- 

 ness or inability to hold its perch with one foot it had fallen to 

 the ground. The darkness and rain of that night then closing 

 around them were rendered less dark and disagreeable by the 

 assurance that kind Providence showed its hand when the help 

 of an unseen power was needed to deliver them from the perils 

 of the unknown river. It rained hard all the next forenoon, 

 and as the river was rough, the men stayed in camp, hoping 

 Joe would come across, until noon, when a start was made for 

 the house. A crazy raft took them across the river, the waves 

 at times nearly washing over them, and landing on the other 

 side, they started on the last tramp of the trip, which the rain 

 and thick underbrush, together with their weakened condition, 

 made the worst of the trip. About 3 P. M., they struck a 

 path, and in a few minutes were once more under a roof and 

 their perilous journey was practically done. 



Seventeen days had been used in making the three hundred 

 miles, all but about seventy-five of which were covered afoot. 

 When they came in, besides the blankets, cooking tins and in- 

 struments, nothing remained of the outfit with which they 

 started on the return except three matches and one ball cart- 

 ridge for the revolver, which, in Cole's hands, had proved their 

 main stay from absolute starvation. The following day, Sun- 

 day, after having had a night's rest in dry clothes and two civi- 

 lized meals, Joe took them to Northwest .River, where Mr. 

 McLaren, the factor of the Hudson Bay Company's posts 

 showed them every kindness till a boat was procured to take 



