that we should have to take to pemmican to-night."

"Well, Jacques, and if we had, I'm sure an old hunter like you, who have
roughed it so often, need not complain," said Charley, smiling.

"As to that, master," replied Jacques, "I've roughed it often enough;
and when it does come to a clear fix, I can eat my shoes without
grumblin' as well as any man. But, you see, fresh meat is better than
dried meat when it's to be had; and so I'm glad to see that you've been
lucky, Mr Charles."

"To say truth, so am I; and these fellows are delightfully plump. But
you spoke of eating your shoes, Jacques; when were you reduced to that
direful extremity?"

Jacques finished reloading the canoe while they conversed, and the two
were seated in their places, and quietly but swiftly ascending the
stream again, ere the hunter replied.

"You've heerd of Sir John Franklin, I s'pose?" he inquired, after a
minute's consideration.

"Yes, often."

"An' p'r'aps you've heerd tell of his first trip of discovery along the
shores of the Polar Sea?"

"Do you refer to the time when he was nearly starved to death, and when
poor Hood was shot by the Indian?"

"The same," said Jacques.

"Oh yes; I know all about that. Were you with them?" inquired Charley,
in great surprise.

"Why, no--not exactly _on_ the trip; but I was sent in winter with
provisions to them--and much need they had of them, poor fellows! I
found them tearing away at some old parchment skins that had lain under
the snow all winter, and that an Injin's dog would ha' turned up his
nose at--and they don't turn up their snouts at many things, I can tell
ye. Well, after we had left all our provisions with them, we started
for the fort again, just keepin' as much as would drive off starvation;
for, you see, we thought that surely we would git something on the road.
But neither hoof nor feather did we see all the way (I was travellin'
with an Injin), and our grub was soon done, though we saved it up, and
only took a mouthful or two the last three days. At last it was done,
and we was pretty well used up, and the fort two days ahead of us. _So_
says I to my comrade--who had been looking at me for some time as if he
thought that a cut off my shoulder wouldn't be a bad thing--says I,
`Nipitabo, I'm afeard the shoes must go for it now;' so with that I
pulls out a pair o' deerskin moccasins. `They looks tender,' said I,
trying to be cheerful. `Wah!' said the Injin; and then I