t little
would have to be done, beyond clearing them of the bark and hewing the
heavier ends, so as to make the scantling of equal weight and thickness
all throughout their length. The splicing each two of them together
would be an operation requiring the greatest amount of care and labour.

All their designs being fully discussed, each set about his own share of
the work. Karl and Ossaroo betook themselves to the pine-forest, while
Caspar prepared to go in search of the game.

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE.

THE BARKING-DEER.

"Now," said Caspar to himself, as he shouldered his double-barrelled
gun, and started forth, "now to find that same herd of grunters!
They're the biggest animals here I fancy, and their beef's not bad--the
veal isn't, I know. Besides, the hide of the old bull would make--let
me see--how many yards of rope."

Here Caspar entered into a mental calculation as to what length of
rawhide rope, of two inches in diameter, might be twisted out of the yak
bull's skin. Karl had said two inches in diameter would be strong
enough for his purpose, provided the hide of the animal was as tough as
ordinary cow's hide; and this the skin of the yak really is.

The young hunter, after much computation, having stripped the great bull
of his skin, and spread it out upon the grass, and measured it--all in
fancy of course--and cut it into strips of near three inches in width--
had arrived at the conclusion that he would get about twenty yards of
sound rope out of the hide.

Then he submitted the skins of the cows to a similar process of
measurement. There were four of them--there had been five, but one was
already killed. To each of the four Caspar allowed a yield of ten yards
of rope--as each of them was only a little more than half the size of
the bull--besides their skins would not be either so thick or so strong.

There were four half-grown yaks--young bulls and heifers. Caspar
remembered the number well, for he had noted this while stalking them.
To these he allowed still less yield than to the cows--perhaps thirty
yards from the four. So that the hides of all--old bull, cows, and
yearlings--would, according to Caspar's calculation, give a cable of
ninety yards in length. What a pity it would not make a hundred--for
that was about the length that Karl had said the cable should be. True,
there were some young calves in the herd, but Caspar could make no
calculation on these. Their skins might serve fo