ly because their shyness had greatly tantalized him. One is
always more eager to kill shy game, both on account of the rarity of the
thing, and the credit one gets for his expertness. But the voyageurs had
now got within less than twenty miles of Lake Winnipeg, and Francois had
not as yet shot a single swan. It was not at all likely the eagles would
help him to another. So there would be no more roast swan for supper.

Norman, seeing how eager Francois was to shoot one of these birds,
resolved to aid him by his advice.

"Cousin Frank," said he, one evening as they floated along, "you wish
very much to get a shot at the swans?"

"I do," replied Francois,--"I do; and if you can tell me how to
accomplish that business, I'll make you a present of this knife." Here
Francois held up a very handsome clasp-knife that he carried in his
pouch.

A knife in the fur countries is no insignificant affair. With a knife
you may sometimes buy a horse, or a tent, or a whole carcass of beef,
or, what is stranger still, a wife! To the hunter in these wild
regions--perhaps a thousand miles from where knives are sold--such a
thing is of very great value indeed; but the knife which Francois
offered to his cousin was a particularly fine one, and the latter had
once expressed a wish to become the owner of it. He was not slow,
therefore, in accepting the conditions.

"Well," rejoined he, "you must consent to travel a few miles by night,
and I think I can promise you a shot at the trumpeters--perhaps
several."

"What say you, brothers?" asked Francois, appealing to Basil and Lucien;
"shall we have the sport? Say yes."

"Oh! I have no objection," said Lucien.

"Nor I," added Basil. "On the contrary, I should like it above all
things. I wish very much to know what plan our cousin shall adopt. I
never heard of any mode of approaching these birds."

"Very well, then," answered Norman, "I shall have the pleasure of
instructing you in a way that is in use in these parts among the
Indians, who hunt the swan for its skin and quills, which they trade to
us at the post. We can manage it to-night, I think," continued he,
looking up at the sky: "there is no moon, and the sky is thick. Yes, it
will be dark enough."

"Is it necessary the night should be a dark one?" asked Francois.

"The darker the better," replied Norman. "To-night, if I am not
mistaken, will be as black as pitch. But we need to make some
preparations. It is near sundown, and we