near to guide
him."
"Jamie'd never be gettin' lost whatever," asserted Andy. "He's
wonderful good at findin' his way about."
"'Tis goin' to snow, and 'twill be dark early," suggested David, as
the little party turned down the brook to retrace their steps to camp.
"There's a bend in the brook here; let's cut across un and save time.
If she sets in to snow to-night 'tis like to keep un up all day
to-morrow, and we'd better get back as quick as we can to cut plenty
of wood and have un on hand."
"Very well," agreed Doctor Joe. "You go ahead and guide us, David."
"'Twill be fine and cosy just bidin' in camp and studyin' up the
things in the book," said Obadiah as they followed David in a short
cut toward camp. "We'll be havin' a fine time even if it does snow too
hard to go about."
"Yes," agreed Doctor Joe, "we can do that and learn a great many
things about scouting."
Suddenly David held up his hand for silence, and stooping peered
through the trees ahead. The others followed his gaze, and there, not
above fifty yards away and looking curiously at them, stood a caribou.
Only David and Doctor Joe had brought rifles. Almost instantly
David's rifle rang out, and the caribou turned and disappeared.
"I'm sure I hit he!" exclaimed David running in the direction the
caribou had taken. "I couldn't miss he so close, and a fair shot!"
"You hit he!" exclaimed Andy who had dashed ahead. "You hit he, Davy!
Here's the mark of blood!"
A trail of blood left no doubt that the caribou had been hard hit, but
it was followed for nearly a mile before they came upon the prostrate
animal.
"Now we'll have plenty of fresh deer's meat!" burst out Obadiah
enthusiastically. "We'll have meat for supper, and I'm wonderful
hungry for un!"
"Yes," agreed Doctor Joe, "we had better dress it at once. There are
enough of us to carry all the meat back with us to camp, and that will
save making a return trip."
"'Twill be a fine surprise for Jamie when we comes back with deer's
meat," said Andy enthusiastically.
"'Twill make us a bit late and he'll be thinkin' we finds the cache,"
suggested David. "I hopes he won't be comin' up the brook again to
look for us."
"I hardly think he'll do that," said Doctor Joe, "but to be sure he
does not some of you had better go to the brook and leave a sign to
tell him which way we've gone. David and I will skin and dress the
caribou."
"Come along, Seth," Andy volunteered. "We'll be goin' o
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