of his forehead.
Thus burdened they jogged round the track at a fast walk.

They were the butt of many jokes before the other men at the gymnasium
discovered the reason for this queer form of exercise. It had been
Horace's idea. He knew that there would be long portages where they
would have to carry the supplies with a tumpline; and he also knew that
nothing is so wearing on a novice.

Fred and Peter found it so. Strong as they were, they discovered that
it brought a new set of muscles into play, and they had trouble in
staggering over a mile with a fifty-pound pack; but they kept at it,
and before the expedition started, Fred could travel five miles with a
hundred pounds, and big Macgregor could do even better.

As soon as the ice on Toronto Bay broke up, they bought a large
Peterboro canoe, which Horace inspected thoroughly. He was a skilled
canoeman; Fred and Peter could also handle a paddle. When the ice went
out of the Don and Humber Rivers, the boys began to practice canoeing
assiduously. The streams were running yellow and flooded, and they got
more than one ducking, but it was all good training.

They decided to start as soon as the Northern rivers were navigable,
for at that early season they would escape the worst of the black-fly
pest, and the smaller streams would be more easily traveled than when
shallow in midsummer. Besides, they all felt anxious to get on the
ground at once. But although the streams were free in Toronto, in the
Far North winter held them locked. It was hard to wait; but not until
May did Horace think it safe to start.

Since Maurice was not going, the boys decided to take only one canoe.
It was impossible to say how long they might be gone, but Horace made
out a list of supplies for six weeks. It was rather a formidable list,
and the outfit would be heavy to transport. They carried a tent and
mosquito-bar, and a light spade and pick for prospecting the blue clay,
besides Horace's own regular outfit for mineralogical testing work.
For weapons they decided upon a 44-caliber repeating rifle and a
shotgun, with assorted loads of shells. It was not the season for
hunting, but they wished to live on the country as far as possible to
save their flour and pork. Fish should be abundant, however, and they
took a steel rod with a varied stock of artificial flies and
minnow-baits.

It was warm weather, almost summery, when they took the northbound
express in Toronto; but when Fr