indeer meat for our supper, and made coffee. Jakob,
as usual, had some dried fish skin with him to clarify the coffee. After
our meal we went into our snow houses, and taking off my Lapp grass and
stockings, I laid them inside of my kapta on my chest to dry the
dampness out of them during the night. Then I got into my bag. Jakob did
likewise, and after bidding each other good-night we fell asleep. Our
houses were warm and comfortable.

During the night we were startled by the piercing howls of foxes, and
these kept us awake for a time. How dismal those howls sounded. We had
evidently come to a good place to find foxes! Jakob evidently knew what
he was about, and had brought me to the right place.

When we awoke the weather had become colder, the thermometer marking 45
degrees below zero. After a breakfast of reindeer meat and a cup of
coffee we went to reconnoitre on our skees and saw many tracks of foxes.
I was delighted at the discovery, and said to myself, "Paul, do not
leave this place till you have a few fox skins." I wished all the time
that these tracks might be those of the white and silver-gray foxes, for
they were the ones I particularly wanted.

On our return the fishing Lapps from the other side of the lake came on
their skees to pay us a visit, and invited us to come and see them.
Looking at their faces I thought they had not been washed for months,
for a coat of dirt covered their skins. I looked at their fur garments
with great suspicion, and kept away from them without appearing to do
so. I found it necessary to use all the tact I possessed to avoid
wounding their susceptibilities.

After their departure Jakob said: "I am going to take the reindeer to
some friends of mine who have their camp within two hours from this
place, and they will take care of them until we go back." Then he bade
me good-bye, saying, "I will not be long."

I watched him until I lost sight of him and of the reindeer. Then I put
on my skees, took my gun, and went to look for foxes, and soon came upon
fresh tracks of them. Once or twice I thought I saw white foxes, but
they are difficult to see at a long distance, being of the color of the
snow, and I could not be sure. Being satisfied of their presence in our
neighborhood, I returned to the camp.

[Illustration: "I advanced cautiously."]

As I came within sight of our shelter I thought I saw on the snow, near
one of the poles where the reindeer meat was hung, something that