40 THE DRAMA OF THE FORESTS 



ing straight in the direction where the sun had been at that 

 precise moment. 



THE bear's deduction 



Owing to their knowledge of wood-craft some Indians are 

 very clever at deduction. 



On Great Slave Lake near Fort Rae an Indian cripple, 

 named Simpson's Brother, had joined a party of canoe-men for 

 the purpose of hunting eggs. After paddUng toward a group of 

 islands, the party separated, finally landing on different isles. 

 They had agreed, however, to meet at sunset on a certain 

 island and there eat and sleep together. While at work sev- 

 eral of the Indians saw Simpson's Brother alone on a Httle 

 rocky islet, busily engaged in gathering eggs. Toward even- 

 ing, the party met at their rendezvous and took supper to- 

 gether, but strange to say, Simpson's Brother did not appear. 

 After smoking and talking for a while, some grew anxious about 

 the cripple. The Bear began to fear lest some mishap had 

 befallen him; but The Caribou scoffed at the idea: he was sure 

 that Simpson's Brother was still working and that he would 

 soon return with more eggs than any of them. The Bear, how- 

 ever, thought they ought to search for him, as his canoe might 

 have drifted away. But The Mink replied that if anything 

 hke that had happened, the cripple would certainly have fired 

 his gun. "But how could he fire his gun if his canoe had drifted 

 away?" asked The Bear, "for would not his gun be in his 

 canoe?" So they all paddled off to investigate the mystery. 

 On nearing the island, they saw the Brother's canoe adrift. 

 When they overhauled it, sure enough his gun was aboard. 

 They then landed on the httle isle where the cripple had been 

 at work and began caUing aloud for him. As they received no 

 answer, some of the Indians claimed that he must be asleep. 

 The Bear rephed that if he was asleep their shouting would 



