a-weekee was made in a few days. With the exception
of an upset of a canoe in one of the rapids, where they were trying to
work up stream instead of making a portage, nothing of a very startling
nature occurred. Alec was the boy who was in this canoe, and he was
quite carried under by the rapid current, and only reappeared above the
surface a couple of hundred feet lower down. Fortunately there were
some canoes near at hand, and he was quickly rescued. But the accident
gave them all a great fright. They lost everything in the canoe that
would not float. They most regretted the loss of three reliable guns.
After this they were much more cautious, and the boys were taught the
admonitory lesson that these sports and adventures were not to be
enjoyed without many risks, and that there was at all times as great [a]
demand for caution and watchfulness as there was on certain occasions
for daring and courage.

Three Boys in the Wild North Land--by Egerton Ryerson Young

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.

THE EXCURSION IN THE REINDEER COUNTRY--NUMEROUS HERDS--THE BATTLE
BETWEEN REINDEER AND WOLVES IN THE LAKE--REACHING THE HERDS--THE LONG
STALK FOR THE LEADER--ALEC'S SUCCESSFUL SHOT--CONSTERNATION OF THE
HERD--ABUNDANCE OF VENISON.

To see and, if possible, to hunt a herd of reindeer, both on land and in
the water, was one of the ambitions of the boys. They had frequently
heard some remarkable stories of these animals from northern hunters
whose homes were in regions where they occasionally visited in their
migrations, and so they were much pleased when Mr Ross, returning one
day from the Hudson Bay Company's Fort, informed them that a number of
the Indians from that land were there trading, and that he had obtained
the permission of the Hudson Bay Company's officials for them to return
with these Indians for some sport in that land. He also added that the
Indians themselves had stated that the herds of reindeer this year were
numerous, and that it would be a very great pleasure to take charge of
the young "palefaces," who were so highly spoken of by the red men, and
do all they could to assist them in their sports in their country.

This was glorious news, and, as the weeks were now rapidly going by, no
time was to be lost.

Alec deeply regretted the loss of his favourite gun, but Mr Ross
speedily replaced it with another; and so, well supplied, and with a
couple of Mr Ross's Indians as servants to look after the camp and