146 WITH GUN AND GUIDE 



There he was advised of my two signal shots and 

 I've already told of the result. 



It was amusing to me to note the impatient manner 

 in which the guides listened to the tale of my wander- 

 ings, of my hunger, of the finding and use of the old 

 mackinac coat and time-worn sweater, of the nearly 

 empty honey bottle, of the gathering of wood for an 

 all-night fire, of the drinking of two dipperfuls of hot 

 water ; for all of this they cared not a whit. 



But of the moose they would talk over and over 

 again. They would say, " I'm glad you did get lost," 

 and Albert, " I'm glad I put you on the wrong road." 



" But," said I, " supposing I had had to stay by the 

 little brook all night without a cartridge left with 

 which to fire a signal ? " 



" Oh, you'd 'a' bin all right : you'd 'a' had a fire 

 and drank lots of water and you'd 'a' found your way 

 out in the mornin'. We're both glad you got the 

 moose and we don't care a darn that you got lost." 



Therefore, to them "nothing pleaseth, but rare 

 accidents." 



The killing of the moose was the last incident of 

 importance on this memorable trip, and shortly after- 

 ward we packed up our belongings, broke camp, and 

 were soon on our way back to civilization. But 

 the health and vigor that we acquired in the sweet- 

 smelling woods was a reservoir of strength on which to 

 draw through a long winter, full of hard work and 



