quipment. It was hardly more than a packload for a strong Indian but the
sled was taken in the hope that it might bring in a return load of fresh
meat.

Philip and Norman carried rifles carefully protected in mooseskin cases.
Paul carried nothing but his camera and an automatic revolver. Roy took
the first turn at the sled. The morning was fair but cold, and the bright
sun had no effect upon the snow-laden trees.

When the enthusiastic hunters reached the Fort McMurray settlement just
below the camp they left the river and struck inland. Within an hour they
had passed through the pines and poplars fringing the river and had
reached the summit of a "hog-back" range of hills beyond which there was
known to be a little valley running at right angles to the course of the
river.

When the four travelers reached the top of the "hog-back" and saw the
frozen snow-covered valley before them, like children out for a lark,
Philip no less active than the others, they coasted into the valley.
Until the sun was high above them they made their way along the frozen
creek toward the head of the wide defile. About noon, camp was made, tea
was brewed and, partly behind the protection of a little frozen
waterfall, bannock and cold meat were added to the hot tea. No time was
lost in cooking.

With faces and ears protected by their heavy caps, and with heavy mittens
to guard their fingers against frost bite, not one of the party
complained of the intense cold.

"It's all right," explained Philip, "unless the wind comes up, and if it
does we'll have to go into camp."

But in the valley no wind arose to make any trouble. The party set
forward to reach the head of the valley before time to go into camp. They
did this by three o'clock and then, mounting an elevation and passing
through a thin fringe of dwarf pines, the boys found themselves on a
wind-swept plateau where the snow clung with difficulty.

They had seen plenty of deer, rabbits and small game during the day but
had done no shooting. They were after caribou or moose. The first look
over the desolate plateau, where not even trees broke the landscape, was
far from inviting. As the sun began to go down and little was to be seen
other than a few rocky irregularities and a thin covering of snow with
drifts here and there like white islands, camp prospects were not as
inviting as they had seemed in the valley behind them.

"Come on," exclaimed Roy, as the party paused on the edge o