FOXES AND SNOW-SHOES 207 



laces. In front of the cross-bar was a little opening, 

 to let the toes move when the foot was fastened to the 

 bar, by slipping through a stirrup-like loop. These 

 shoes were a trifle less than four feet long, and a foot 

 and a half across at the broadest jDart. 



" You stick to the regular model, I see," said the 

 Doctor. 



" Yes, I do ; the mighty long ones and the round 

 ones may have their uses in places and spots, but I 

 don't want none of 'em," said Nez. 



On arriving at the hollow, Nez slipped his feet into 

 the loops, and went across the drift with slow, even 

 strides, swinging one foot over and past the other, his 

 hands in his pockets, his body bending slightly for- 

 ward. The boys were surprised to see that the shoes 

 sunk several inches into the snow. 



" I thought they would help you keep on top," said 

 Nat ; "I don't think they are much better than boots." 



" For a small snow like this, they are not," said Olaf, 

 who had come up from the direction of the river. 

 " But fancy to yourself a snow eight feet deep or ten, 

 without a crust to hold you up. How should one Avalk 

 on it ? At the first step one sinks, at the second one 

 would fall and smother. With snow-shoes one may go 

 on, sinking but a little, and if many men walk one after 

 the other, soon a good trail is made. Beneath this trail 

 may be the frozen sea or the deep ravine, but the snow- 

 shoe will not let the Avearer sink to it. The snow-shoe 

 means food and life in the far northlands. There Nat- 

 ure gives it to the fourfoots themselves — from the fur 

 foot-pad of the Fox to the widening hoof of the 

 Caribou." 



