“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 held them over the fire till they was done black, and Nipitabo ate one, and I ate the tother, with a lump o’ snow to wash it down!”
“It must have been rather dry eating,” said Charley, laughing.
“Rayther; but it was better than the Injin’s leather breeches, which we took in hand next day. They was uncommon tough, and very dirty, havin’ been worn about a year and a half. Hows’ever, they kept us up; an’ as we only ate the legs, he had the benefit o’ the stump to arrive with at the fort next day.”
“What’s yon ahead?” exclaimed Charley, pausing as he spoke, and shading his eyes with his hand.
“It’s uncommon like trees,” said Jacques. “It’s likely a tree that’s been tumbled across the river; and from its appearance, I think we’ll have to cut through it.”