their being
able to make a good hunt of it. All agreed to this proposal, as it would
be of great importance to them to kill a large number of these animals.
It is true they had now provision enough to serve for several days--but
there were perhaps months, not days, to be provided for. They believed
that they could not be far from the wooded countries near the banks of
the Mackenzie, as some kinds of the animal they had met with were only
to be found near timber during the winter season. But what of that? Even
on the banks of the great river itself they might not succeed in
procuring game. They resolved, therefore, to track the herd of deer
which Norman had seen; and for this purpose they agreed to make a stay
of some days at their present camp.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

A BATTLE WITH WOLVES.

Next morning they were up by early daybreak. The days were now only a
few hours in length, for it was mid-winter, and they were but three or
four degrees south of the Arctic circle. Of course they would require
all the day for the intended hunt of the caribou, as they might have to
follow the track of the herd for many miles before coming up with the
animals. Lucien was to remain by the camp, as it would never do to leave
the animals they had already killed without some guard. To have hung
them on the trees, would have put them out of the reach of both wolves
and foxes; but the lynx and wolverene are both tree-climbers, and could
easily have got at them there.

They had reason to believe there were wolverenes about; for these fierce
and destructive beasts are found in every part of the fur
countries--wherever there exist other animals upon which they can prey.
Eagles, hawks, and owls, moreover, would have picked the partridges from
the branches of the trees without difficulty. One proposed burying them
in the snow; but Norman assured them that the Arctic foxes could scent
them out, and dig them up in a few minutes. Then it was suggested to
cover them under a pile of stones, as there were plenty of these lying
about.

To this Norman also objected, saying that the wolverene could pull off
any stones they were able to pile upon them--as this creature in its
fore-legs possesses more than the strength of a man. Besides, it was not
unlikely that one of the great brown bears,--a species entirely
different from either the black or grizzly bears, and which is only met
with on the Barren Grounds--might come ranging that way; and he cou