Canada, Eastern -- Description and travel -- Fiction; Outdoor life -- Canada, Eastern -- Fiction
Dan’s hunting during this period brought them, besides the second
porcupine, forty more ptarmigans and three snowshoe rabbits. Thus when
they broke camp they were not only well fed but were well supplied
with provisions for several days.
It was early dawn of a keen, cold morning when they turned toward the
boat with the outfit on their backs. The frost crackled under foot,
and when the sun broke out, as they were crossing the berry-covered
ridge, it set the frost-covered earth sparkling and scintillating,
transforming it into a fairy world strewn with diamonds.
From the hilltop they could see the sea stretching far away to the
eastward in a silvery, shimmering sheen.
“Isn’t it immense!” exclaimed Paul, as they sat beside their packs for
a brief rest. “I’ve learned to love the sea, in spite of the rough way
it’s knocked us about, and I’ll be mighty glad to be afloat again.”
“’Tis wonderful fine,” admitted Dan, rising to lead the way down.
A gentle swell was running, and with a good sailing breeze from the
northwest they made excellent progress. To their astonishment,
however, they discovered early in the afternoon a long coast line,
just discernible, directly east of them.
“Now this must be a bay we’re runnin’ into,” suggested Dan when this
new coast was discovered, “and I’m thinkin’ ’t will be best to cross
un, for if we runs t’ th’ head of un we’ll be losin’ a rare lot o’
time.”
Accordingly they took an easterly course, and with sunset made a
comfortable landing and cheerful camp, where driftwood in plenty was
to be found for their stove. It was a cozy, snug camp, and a savory
supper of hot broth and boiled birds, added to the satisfaction of
having accomplished a good day’s voyage to the southward, made them
very jolly and happy.
When they had eaten Dan produced his harmonica and blew a few notes.
Suddenly he ceased the music and listened intently, then springing to
his feet left the tent. Paul, aware that something of importance had
happened, was close at his heels. Outside Dan listened again, keeping
silence for several minutes. Then he asked excitedly:
“Does you hear un? Does you hear un?”
“Yes, what is it?” asked Paul, also excited. “Wolves?”
“Dogs! ’Tis husky dogs! They’s huskies clost by t’ th’ east’ard, an’
them’s their dogs howlin’! Hear un!”
They were silent again for a moment, to be certain that there was no
mistake, and as the distant “How-oo, how-oo, how-oo” came up from the
eastward, Paul shouted:
“Hurrah! Hurrah!” and then threw his cap in the air in an ecstasy of
delight.
“They’s down t’ th’ east’ard, an’ we’ll sure see un tomorrow,” said
Dan. “When I first hears un in th’ tent, I were thinkin’ ’t were
wolves howlin’, they howls so like wolves. But ’t ain’t wolves, ’tis
sure husky dogs.”
“And tomorrow we’ll meet people again, even if they are huskies, and
our troubles will be ended! Oh, Dan, I’m so thankful I can hardly
contain myself!”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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