346 THE HUDSON BAY ESKIMO. 



and weut outside to get some snow to melt for water, aud returned with 

 it full of snow. He set the kettle down and sprang quickly over the 

 pile of brush and it started into a blaze in an instant. It was now 

 an opportunity for the wolverene to wonder whence should come the 

 supply of meat to boil. One of the old wolves said, " Our brother 

 wonders where you will get some meat to cook for supper." One of 

 the young wolves went out and brought in a brisket of deer's meat. 

 As soon as the wolverene saw the meat he asserted that he did not 

 wonder about the source of the supply of meat, but that he only wished 

 there was some meat ready for cooking. The meat was cut up and 

 placed in the kettle and when it was ready it was served out. The 

 choicest portions were selected for the wolverene and placed before 

 him with the injunction to eat all of it. He endeavored to consume it, 

 but the quantity was too great even for him. He, having finished his 

 meal, was about to place the remainder on one of the poles when a 

 wolf, observing his action, told him not to place it there or else the 

 meat would change into bark. He then laid it down on a piece of 

 clean brushwood and when he suspected the eyes of the wolves were 

 not turned toward him he stealthily inserted the portion of meat be- 

 tween the tenting and the pole. The wolves saw his action and in a 

 few minutes the wolverene became very sleepy and soon retired. One 

 of the wolves carefully displaced the meat from the pole, where the 

 wolverene had put it, and thrust in its ^tead a piece of bark. In the 

 morning when the wolverene awakened his first thought was of the 

 remnant of food. He reached up for it aud found nothing but the piece 

 of bark. The wolves were on the alert and one of them said, "Did I 

 not tell you it would change into bark if you put the meat in that 

 place!" The wolverene hung his head and answered, "Yes," and 

 again laid down to sleep. By the time he awakened the wolves had a 

 second kettle of meat cooked. They desired the wolverene to arise 

 and eat his breakfast. The leader told him to hasten with his meal, as 

 he had discovered some fresh deer tracks. The wolverene thought he 

 would watch how they broke camp and see where they put the tent- 

 ings. He went olf a few steps and while his back was turned the tent 

 disappeared and he failed to discover where it was secreted. The /ini- 

 mals then started off, the young ones taking the lead while the four 

 old ones and the wolverene followed leisurely behind. After they had 

 crossed the river the wolverene began to wonder where they would 

 halt for the night. One of the old wolves told him they must follow 

 the track of the leader and they would come to the sign made for the 

 site of the camp. They continued for the entire day, but just before 

 sundown they came across the bones of a freshly killed deer from wliicli 

 every vestige of meat had been removed, apparently eaten by wolves; 

 so the wolverene thought he would stand a poor chance of getting a 

 sni)per if that was the way they were going to act. The party con- 

 tinued on the track and soon came upon the mark for the tent site. 



