reserve you are sure of a fire no matter
how wet the catastrophe.

[Sidenote: Knives]

Your knife should be a medium size two-bladed affair, of the best
quality. Do not get it too large and heavy. You can skin and quarter a
deer with an ordinary jackknife. Avoid the "kit" knives. They are
mighty handy contraptions. I owned one with two blades, a thoroughly
practicable can opener, an awl or punch, a combined reamer, nail pull
and screwdriver, and a corkscrew. It was a delight for as long as it
lasted. The trouble with such knives is that they are too round, so that
sooner or later they are absolutely certain to roll out of your pocket
and be lost. It makes no difference how your pockets are constructed,
nor how careful you are, that result is inevitable. Then you will feel
badly--and go back to your old flat two-bladed implement that you simply
cannot lose.

[Sidenote: Sheath Knives]

A butcher knife of good make is one of the best and cheapest of sheath
knives. The common mistake among amateur hunters is that of buying too
heavy a knife with too thick a blade. Unless you expect to indulge in
hand to hand conflicts, or cut brush, such a weapon is excessive. I
myself have carried for the last seven years a rather thin and broad
blade made by the Marble Axe Company on the butcher knife pattern. This
company advertises in its catalogue a knife as used by myself. They are
mistaken. The knife I mean is a longer bladed affair, called a "kitchen
or camp knife." It is a most excellent piece of steel, holds an edge
well, and is useful alike as a camp and hunting knife. The fact that I
have killed some thirty-four wild boars with it shows that it is not to
be despised as a weapon.

[Sidenote: Compasses]

Your compass should be large enough for accuracy, with a jewel movement.
Such an instrument can be purchased for from one to two dollars. It is
sheer extravagance to go in for anything more expensive unless you are a
yachtsman or intend to run survey lines.

[Sidenote: Concerning Guns]

I have hesitated much before deciding to say anything whatever of the
sporting outfit. The subject has been so thoroughly discussed by men so
much more competent than myself; there are so many theories with which I
confess myself not at all conversant, and my own experience has been so
limited in the variety of weapons and tackle, that I hardly felt
qualified to speak. However, I reflected that this whole series of
articles does not pre