There was, however, but little sentiment in the minds of Mr Ross and
the Indians. On the contrary, they were very much annoyed at the delay
the refractory young dogs were causing, and so had to adopt prompt
measures, or they well knew that the night would be upon them ere home
was reached. The younger puppies were packed in the carioles around our
travellers, and some of the more obstinate older ones were led by ropes
fastened to their collars and tied to the sleds, while the great
majority, coaxed by little pieces of meat occasionally dropped on the
ice, kept well up to the trains. Thus on they pushed until they reached
the rapid current in the lake where the thin ice had given them so much
trouble in the morning. Fortunately the additional hours of bitter cold
had so strengthened it that no serious difficulty was anticipated in
crossing over, even if the loads were much heavier.

But another event occurred, quite unexpected, indeed, and which, while
it did much to impede their progress, created a good deal of excitement
and interest. The first intimation of its coming was the sudden cry of
wild geese not very far away. Their "Honk! honk!" was very distinct,
and not only excited the boys, but also the dogs. The loose dogs, in
spite of all the calls of the Indians, at once dashed off in the
direction from which the loud calls were coming, while the sleigh dogs
were almost unmanageable. Prompt and quick were the men to act. The
excited dog-trains were bunched and tied together and left in charge of
a couple of Indians, while Mr Ross and the boys and a couple of Indians
went forward to investigate.

To the right, a couple of hundred yards away, was a rocky island, on one
side of which was a reedy marsh. From among the reeds and rushes the
loud calls of the geese were coming. Into these plunged the dogs, while
the men and boys climbed up on the rocks where they could overlook the
whole spot, which was only of a few acres in extent. The experienced
eyes of the Indians took in the whole situation at a glance. The young
geese had not been strong enough to fly away to the sunny South Land
when the call to go had come, and so the old geese had left them behind
to perish. And so now here they were, over twenty of them. A novel
goose hunt was organised, and, while the boys looked on, the Indians,
with the dogs' help, soon secured quite a number. Some of them were
easily killed, as they were securely frozen to the