CARIBOO HUNTING. 149 



'' Gentleman just please himself," replied the Indian. 

 " You did very foolish ; nice lot of caliboo, them. Maybe 

 other gentleman get shot, though." 



" Oh, it's the fresh steak for supper you are thinking 

 of," thought I to myself, feeling as discontented and 

 generally uncharitable as possible. " I hope sincerely 

 they have not, though ; " and I trudged after the Indian 

 homewards in an unenviable mood. Fortunately there 

 was an old road leading across the barren towards the 

 settlements, and, presently striking it, we obtained easy 

 walking. A couple of hours, the latter part by moon- 

 light, brought us to our camp. No smoke issued from 

 the top, and everything was as we left it. The others 

 had not returned, and we made up a fire and cooked the 

 meal we so much needed. 



" I was almost afraid you were lost, John," said I, as 

 the blanket which covered the entrance was withdrawn 

 by the returning hunter and my companion, very late in 

 the evening ; " any sport ?" 



" Never fear," replied Williams, laughing, as he lugged 

 in a great sack of potatoes, and produced a bottle of new 

 milk, and some loaves of home-made bread ; " here's our 

 game. We just had first-rate dinner at settler s ; good 

 old man, that old Harrison." 



They, too, had fired at cariboo, and wounded a young 

 one slightly. It had led them a race of some miles, and 

 finally, having joined a fresh herd, had escaped through 

 the confusion of tracks. However, we retired to our 

 repose on the soft bed of fir-boughs that night, quite 

 satisfied and hopeful. We were in a fine country, evi- 

 dently full of game, and we looked forward to our future 

 shots with confidence, satisfied, from what we had seen. 



