re it
was possible for the dogs to easily draw them.

While the Indian women were thus busily engaged in fitting out the warm
apparel necessary for travelling in such a cold land the boys were
making themselves useful, under Mr Ross's guidance, in overhauling
carioles, dog-sleds, harness, robes, snowshoes, and other things
essential for the trip on the morrow. While almost everything was novel
and strange to them, they were most interested in the heavy dog-whips,
and, boylike, must try their hands in wielding them. These whips
differed very much from anything they had ever seen in civilisation.
While the handles were only eighteen inches in length, the lashes, which
were loaded with shot, were over fifteen feet long. To skilfully handle
one requires much care and practice. An inexperienced person is apt to
get into trouble when he first attempts to use one.

Sam was the first of the boys to attempt to display his skill, but he
soon found that a heavily loaded dog-whip was a different weapon from an
Irish shillalah. He had admired the skill and dexterity with which Mr
Ross, at the boy's request, had used one, and, foolishly thinking that
he could successfully imitate him, had with any amount of assurance made
the attempt. To his surprise and chagrin the cracker of the whip,
instead of exploding with a pistol-shot-like report at a spot about
fifteen feet away, as it had done for Mr Ross, had by some remarkable
movement, entirely unexpected, squarely landed with stinging effect upon
his nose!

Alec was the next to try his skill. He was a little more successful
than Sam, in that he escaped inflicting any injury upon himself, but he
succeeded in striking Frank upon his ear, although he stood fully six
feet away from the spot at which Alec had aimed. Frank, with his ear
hot and stinging from the effects of the blow so unexpected and so
unintentionally given, wisely decided that he would postpone his first
attempt with a weapon that seemed to be as uncertain as a boomerang.

To the great delight of the boys, as Mr Ross had predicted, toward
evening in came Kinesasis with about a dozen dogs at his heels. The
splendid animals were delighted to get home again after their long
summer's outing, and joyously they greeted Mr Ross and the other
inmates of the household. To our three boys, who had arrived since
their departure, they were somewhat distant and unsociable. It is a
well-known fact that the native dogs are mu