The Coolidge examiner., 1938-08-04
CHAPTER /
i

~CAAs NAlC AldhGd RllkLSiG GQ iii
der the March sun.
Slowly over the Ungava wastes
that lifted above the timbered val
ley of an ice-locked river crawled
three dark shapes. like crippled ants
crossing white earth. Twice within
mile as they labored over the
naked ridge toward the valley the
two hooded figures slumped to the
hard snow beside the great dog.
When they rose to go on, rawhide
thongs, slipped over their shoulders
and made fast to the almost empty
sled. aided the dog.
Far back on their trail, unnoticed
by the three, skunk four skeleton
shapes. When the two men and the
dog stopped to rest, the four gray
wraithS also lay down. slavering
tongues lolling from red Jaws
trimmed with icicles.
After space the larger of the
two men raised his hooded head
and pushed up his wooden eye
shields. pierced by Sits, from frost
blackened features. 1t was the face
Of a boy of twenty, cracked skin
tight on the bones Of strongly mod
eled jaw and cheeks. deep-set gray
eyes bright from starvation.
IF we don't find the Montagnais
camps-today-t
For an instant he buried his face
in the thick black ruff of the dog
that lay beside him, then sat up and
gazed intently over their back trail.
NOEL" he said, quietly. Did you
ever eat wolf! II I can keep my
sights lined we're going to eat some
tonight, or they're going to eat US"
vat you see, Alan?" The other
hooded figure got stiffly to his feet.
pushed back the eye-shields and the
long wolf-hair fringe of his hood
and stared at the skyline behind
them. The face was that of an In
dian.
BY gar!" he cried. I'VE boil de
kettle tonight. You nevaire eat
wolf but you eat wolf tonight"
The breeze had shifted and the
great dog, following his master,
painfully got to his feet, testing the
air with dilating nostrils.
Swaying giddily on his feet while
he rested a rabbit-skin mitten on
the black-and-white skull of the
husky. Alan Cameron pointed to the
four wolves in the distance. >
See them. Rough?" he said to
the excited dog.
The hair on the husky'S back and
neck rose. A deep rumble came
from the hairy throat as the gaunt
frame stiffened.
With shaking hands Alan drew his
rifle from its skin case, where it lay
lashed on the sled.
You go on with Rough, Noell
They'll follow the trail up. I'll play
dead on the snow and try for a shot.
It's the only way Wen get one!"
The Indian scowled. slowly shak-
ing his head. Dose are white wolf
from de nord-starved out! Dey see
you lie on de snow. here, dey weel
rush you! Suppose you miss dem,
Rough and | weel be too far for to
help"
They won't come close in on us
until dark tell you. The only way
we can get daylight shot is to do
as / sayl" the other insisted.
Here's a chance for some meat
to keep us alive, man! If these
spots will stop dancing-in my eyes,
can get one--from an elbow rest"
Reluctantly, with much shaking of
his head, the Indian acquieSced.
''Marche, Rough!" commanded
Alan. You 60 with Noel. Dyou
hear me?"
The gaunt husky stood stubbornly
in his traces gazing up at his mas
ter with uncomprehending. slant
eyes. There were enemies back on
the trail and Alan was ordering him
to leave him.
Bending over the bewildered
husky Alan spoke sharply into a
hairy ear: ''You go with Noeli
Marche! understand"
A low. protesting whine and the
raising of a white muzzle as the
dark eyes of the great dog searched
his masters scowling face was the
answer. Lifting his nose, his great
throat runbled in bitter protest as
he slowly started the sled.
Harassed by uncertain vision and
weakness, Alan settled himself on
the snow to wait for the approach
of the arctic wolves. Lying fat on
the crust, his body shook with the
pounding of his heart. but the fear
that gripped him, as he practiced
lining his sights on the Sinking
gray-white shapes, was that his un-
certain eyes and jumping nerves
would cause him to miss when food
for Rough and Noel and himself lay
within his reach. Without food they
would never have the strength to
reach the trappers' camps-two
days. perhaps more. beyond them.
So the youth who was already
known at the fur-posts along the
East Coast as a better shot than
even his dead father, Graham Cam