e second trip at all now, and we'll
take our time with the loads. I'll send Moise up for one pack, which
we will leave here."

"Suppose he doesn't want to come?" asked John.

"Oh, Moise will be glad to come. He's a good packer and a cheerful
man. Besides, I suppose that would be his business as we look at it
among our people. In the old times, when Sir Alexander came through, a
hunter did nothing but hunt. If he killed a head of game the people
around the post had to go out and get it for themselves if they wanted
it brought in."

"But how will Moise find this place?" asked John, anxiously. "I don't
want to lose this head, I'll tell you that."

Alex laughed. "He'll come right to the place! I'll explain to him, so
he'll know right where it is."

"Although he has never been here before?"

"Surely; one Injun can tell another how to go to a place. Besides, our
trail will be as plain as a board-walk to him. He's used to that kind
of work, you see."

All of this came out quite as Alex had said. They took their time in
finishing their journey, but it was long before noon when they arrived
at the boat encampment on the banks of the river, where they were
greeted with great joy by Jesse and Moise. Then, although it was not
yet time for lunch, Moise insisted on cooking once more, a plan to
which John gave very hearty assent, and in which all the others
joined.

After a while Alex and Moise, each smoking contentedly, began to
converse in their own tongue, Alex sometimes making a gesture toward
the mountains off to the east, and Moise nodding a quiet assent. After
a time, without saying anything, Moise got up, tightened his belt,
filled his pipe once more, and departed into the bush.

"Are you sure he'll find that meat?" demanded John, "and bring down
that bighorn head?"

"He certainly will," said Alex; "he'll run that trail like a dog, and
just about as fast. Moise used to be a good man, though he says now he
can't carry over two hundred pounds without getting tired."

"Well, listen at that!" said Jesse. "Two hundred pounds! I shouldn't
think anybody could carry that."

"Men have carried as much as six hundred pounds for a little way,"
said Alex. "On the old portage trails two packets, each of ninety
pounds, was the regular load, and some men would take three. That was
two hundred and seventy pounds at least; and they would go on a trot.
You see, a country produces its own men, my young friends."

"Well, that's t