90 A Hunting Trip 



what could she have been doing in this wild 

 country? I finally concluded that she might 

 have been the sweetheart of some one, who 

 although a mighty hunter had lost the keep- 

 sake and failed to find it against his return. 



Our objective point was a small stream 

 called Stillwater, some thirteen miles dis- 

 tant. In order to reach the hunting ground 

 a dense forest of hardwood had to be traversed, 

 along a trail frequented but once a year. The 

 guide, and the rest of the party as his assist- 

 ants, constructed an improvised sled to handle 

 the equipment ; and when this had been packed 

 carefully the horses were attached, and the 

 merry party moved forward, with three of 

 them serving as axemen in the vanguard cut- 

 ting away the fallen trees, for the passage of 

 the outfit. Some seventy-five trees, large and 

 small, had to be removed in order to get 

 through, but the larger and harder were in- 

 significant before the skilful hands of the 

 woodsmen, hewing straight to the line with the 

 chips flying in all directions. About dusk our 

 permanent camping ground was located, and 

 all were busy as beavers arranging for the 



