ely to hunting down the outlaws, their operations not
to include a territory extending more than twenty miles from Wabinosh
House in any direction. With these precautions it was believed that no
harm could come to Minnetaki or other young girls of the Post.

It was, therefore, on a Monday, the fourth day of November, that Rod,
Wabi and Mukoki turned their faces at last to the adventures that
awaited them in the great North.

CHAPTER IV

RODERICK'S FIRST TASTE OF THE HUNTER'S LIFE

By this time it was bitter cold. The lakes and rivers were frozen deep
and a light snow covered the ground. Already two weeks behind their
plans, the young wolf hunters and the old Indian made forced marches
around the northern extremity of Lake Nipigon and on the sixth day found
themselves on the Ombabika River, where they were compelled to stop on
account of a dense snow-storm. A temporary camp was made, and it was
while constructing this camp that Mukoki discovered signs of wolves. It
was therefore decided to remain for a day or two and investigate the
hunting-grounds. On the morning of the second day Wabi shot at and
wounded the old bull moose which met such a tragic end a few hours
later, and that same morning the two boys made a long tour to the north
in the hope of finding that they were in a good game country, which
would mean also that there were plenty of wolves.

This left Mukoki alone in camp. Thus far, in their desire to cover as
much ground as possible before the heavy snows came, Wabi and his
companions had not stopped to hunt for game and for six days their only
meat had been bacon and jerked venison. Mukoki, whose prodigious
appetite was second only to the shrewdness with which he stalked game to
satisfy it, determined to add to their larder if possible during the
others' absence, and with this object in view he left camp late in the
afternoon to be gone, as he anticipated, not longer than an hour or so.

With him he carried two powerful wolf-traps slung over his shoulders.
Stealing cautiously along the edge of the river, his eyes and ears alert
for game, Mukoki suddenly came upon the frozen and half-eaten carcass of
a red deer. It was evident that the animal had been killed by wolves
either the day or night before, and from the tracks in the snow the
Indian concluded that not more than four wolves had participated in the
slaughter and feast. That these wolves would return to continue their
banquet, probably that n