226 



Caribou -Hunting. 



' 



A GOOD CHANCE. 



The good chance was so long in coming that I was well-nigh in 

 despair. Sebatis had crossed to another clump of bushes, and, being 

 rid of him, I was just about to resort to my pipe, when I heard the 

 peculiar and unmistakable castanet sound caused by the split hoof 

 of the caribou striking together as he recovered in his stride, and 

 looking out on the barren I saw five caribou, trotting full speed, 

 almost abreast of me, and not over forty yards distant. They raised 

 such clouds of snow that I could only see their heads and occasion- 

 ally their shoulders, but as it was my only chance I fired at the 

 second caribou in the herd, and unfortunately only wounded him. 

 He tried to keep up with the herd, but they soon distanced him, and 

 I was hurrying on in pursuit, when "bang!" goes Sebatis's gun 

 from behind some bushes, and down goes my caribou. 



" I wounded that caribou, Sebatis ; there were four others ahead 

 of him." 



" Sartin that's too bad. I don't see 'im 't all, only this one. You 

 see I been look other side bushes, and when I hear gun I run this 

 way ; then I see caribou kin' of limpin', you see, an' I rhink may be 

 get away, so best shoot 'im more." 



" Who kill 'im that caribou ? Two guns fire, on'y one caribou 

 dead," said a voice over my shoulder, in tones that could be none 

 other than those of Tomah. 



