Ae 
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INDIANS AS GUIDES 135 
The coat is taken off and reversed, then 
we want to know what he has seen. 
For answer, he shakes his head in that 
peculiar, uncertain way so suggestive, and 
which to an Indian is better than words. 
“Was it a deer ?”’ we ask. 
ePer’aps.” 
“T thought you were tracking a moose ?”’ 
now ascending a hill, which he examines 
closely. He is giving more attention to the 
signs on the ground, turning over leaves 
not yet dried out by the sun, pressing his 
fingers into almost invisible indentations 
in the soil, his eyes nevertheless scapes 
the forest in all directions. 
Then he drops on his knees before 

OJIBWA, OR CHIPPEWA, INDIANS OF 
is our way of seeking a more satisfactory 
reply. 
““Mebbe,” and off he starts. 
Soon he points to where a number of 
small twigs have been nipped off, and 
mutters, ‘‘ Moose!” 
We catch his arm and whisper, ‘‘ Fresh 
—done to-day?” 
“Some day!” and we feel that it would 
be some satisfaction if these short answers 
would stick crosswise in his throat. 
Along a few steps farther Michel picks 
up some moose droppings, holds a handful 
to feel their warmth, smells them to detect 
their freshness, and pitches the lot over his 
shoulder—we suppose for luck. We are 
ONTARIO SKINNING A MOOSE 
another pile of droppings. He examines 
part of it, and we gather up the remainder. 
It is warm to the touch and has a fresh 
smell. 
‘“‘Half an hour ago, eh, Michel?” we 
whisper. 
‘“Mebbe!”’ 
opinion. 
“Do you think he is far ahead ?”’ 
“Don’t know.” 
Then it may so chance that, of a sudden, 
the Indian’s face broadens to the heartiest 
smile we have ever seen it assume, and 
following his extended arm we behold it 
pointing to a cow and a bull moose, 
grazing 150 yards away. These he had un- 
is all we can get for an 
