6 CANADIAN NIGHTS 



of course, but I expect they will carry round the 

 dead water and run down the open stream to 

 the head of these ponds where the ice will stop 

 them again. Some are newcomers from home, 

 perhaps going hunting like yourself, but the others 

 know the country, and I think you will find them 

 walking in here in a couple of days." 



" Well, Willie," I said, " the more the merrier. 

 If the frost holds they will be welcome." 



" To you very likely," grumbled Willie, " for the 

 gentlemen hunters are of your kind, but I am not 

 so sure that I shall like the others. They have 

 been ranging the deep woods looking foi lumber 

 and menacing my friends the trees, and have been 

 searching for that solidified curse, gold." 



With that he knocked the ashes out of his pipe 

 and, wrapping himself in his blanket, lay down by 

 the fire. I followed his example, and slept until 

 the sun was a good half -hour high. 



After breakfast — the inevitable hard tack and 

 tea — Willie and I caught a mess of trout through 

 a hole in the ice to eke out the very slender ration 

 of fat pork that we possessed. The day had broken 

 hard and clear. It was freezing in the shade, 

 but a glorious sun struck hot through an atmos- 

 phere absolutely still, and after our midday meal 



