272 A DISAGREEABLE SITUATION. 



bluish tint, and was friable as meal ; it was therefore cer- 

 tain that we were drawing near the cariboos. 



Monai suddenly halted, and nimbly kneeling, unlaced 

 the strings which fastened his snow-shoes to his feet, so 

 as to make as little noise as possible in walking. 



Mr. Howard, turning towards me, made a sign that I 

 should approach him, and whispered in my ear, 



" My dear friend, I have one last hint to give you : don't 

 lose sight of me ; keep within a couple of paces ; and, above 

 all, don't make any noise. The cariboos are close at hand." 



Simultaneously each threw his snow-shoes over his 

 shoulders. Monai, resting his right foot on the snow, 

 softly plunged it in, and then did the same with his left. 

 Mr. Howard placed his feet in the same holes, and I 

 scrupulously imitated my two hunting companions. 



Any one who had been in front of us, and saw us ap- 

 proaching, would have taken us for one man, our move- 

 ments were so identical and uniform. 



Certainly our situation was anything but agreeable, for 

 we sank up to our middle in the snow; but the ardour of 

 the sport prevented us from paying any attention to such 

 minor miseries, Monai, who led the march, and whose 

 eagle eyes penetrated into the sombre depths of the forest, 

 suddenly threw himself flat on his face : he remained so 

 long in this position, which, at his example, we had also 

 adopted, that I thought myself authorized to raise my 

 head and see what was going on. 



The Indian, who appeared to notice everything, east a 

 threatening glance in my direction ; and Mr. Howard 

 dealt me a kick which disagreeably convinced me that I 

 had been guilty of an error. 



