148 



Wi/sffiat Cross 

 JnffteSnoir 



> -'-^v 



So the new life began pleasantly enough ; 

 but as the winter wore away and provi- 

 sions grew scarce and game vanished from 

 the coverts, they all felt the fearful pinch 

 of famine. Every morning now a confused 

 circle of tracks in the snow showed where 

 the wild prowlers of the woods had come 

 and sniffed at the very doors of the tilts in 

 their ravening hunger. 



Noel's father and Old Tomah were far 

 away, trapping, in the interior; and to Noel 

 with his snares and his bow and arrows fell 

 the pleasant task of supplying the family's 

 need when the stock of dried fish melted 

 away. On this March morning he had 

 started with Mooka at daylight to cross the 

 mountains to some great barrens where he 

 had found tracks and knew that a few herds 

 of caribou were still feeding. The sun was 

 dimmed as it rose, and the sun-dogs gave 

 mute warning of the coming storm ; but the 

 cupboard was empty at home, and even a 

 little hunter thinks first of the game he is 

 following and lets the storm take care of 

 itself. So they hurried on unheeding, — Noel 



