en under the ruthless
spears. When Bob realized the extent of the wicked slaughter he was
disgusted with himself for having taken part in it.

"'Twas wicked t' kill so many of un when we're not needin' un, an' I
hopes th' Lard'll forgive me for helpin'," he said contritely.

[Illustration: "Saw her standing in the bright moonlight"]

Aside from the inhumanity of the thing, it was a terrible waste of
food, for it would only be possible to utilize a comparatively small
proportion of the meat of the slaughtered animals. Perhaps
seventy-five of the carcasses were skinned, after which the flesh was
stripped from the bones and hung in thin slabs from the poles inside
the wigwams to dry. The tongues were removed from all the slaughtered
animals, for they are considered a great delicacy by the Indians; and
some of the leg bones were taken for the marrow they contained. The
great bulk of the meat, however, was left for the wolves and foxes, or
to rot in the sun when summer came.

The deer killing was followed by a season of feasting, as is always
the case amongst the Indians after a successful hunt. In every wigwam
a kettle of stewing venison was constantly hanging, night and day over
the fire, and marrow bones roasting in the coals, and for several days
the men did nothing but eat and smoke and drink tea.

It was, however, a busy time for the women. Besides curing the meat
and tongues, they rendered marrow grease from the bones and put it up
neatly in bladders for future use; and it fell to their lot, also, to
dress and tan the hides into buckskin.

The passing deer herds brought in their wake packs of big gray and
black timber wolves, and the country was soon infested with these
animals. At night their howls were heard, and they came boldly to the
scene of the caribou slaughter and fattened upon the discarded
carcasses of the animals. Now and again one was shot. With plenty to
eat, they were, however, comparatively harmless, and never molested
the camp.

February was drawing to a close when one day Sishetakushin, Mookoomahn
and two other Indians packed their toboggans preparatory to going on
an excursion. Bob noticed the preparations with interest, and inquired
the meaning of them.

"The tea and tobacco are nearly gone, and we are in need of powder and
ball," Sishetakushin answered.

To get these things Bob knew they must go to a trading post, and here,
he decided, was a possible opportunity for him to find a means