“I suppose you’ll never give me a minute’s peace until I do go out with you,” the other declared, with a laugh; “though it’s pretty hard work paddling around on snow-shoes when there isn’t a trace of crust on top of the fall to hold you up. You see, every step you have to drag a shoe after you, and when the stuff is soft it means real work.”
“Well, you never were known to go back on your word, rain or shine,” said the other, in a satisfied sort of way, as though he did not mean to let it worry him in the least.
Half an hour later they were getting in readiness for the start.
“We’ll carry our guns of course,” said Phil, “for we might run across a caribou, and just now a little venison in camp wouldn’t come in bad. And make sure to take plenty of ammunition along, for while we may not need it you never can tell. Likewise some matches besides your usual supply. I’ll put up a snack for our lunch; and besides we can carry some of that pemmican from the six pound can. Nothing to equal it as a life-saver in a pinch.”
“Whew! to hear you talk,” said the astonished Lub, “one would think you really expected to get lost, and roam through the bush for days before you struck our own camp again; but of course you don’t, Phil?”
“If I did think so I’d hesitate about going out,” the other told him. “In doing what I am, Lub, I’m only taking out an insurance policy. No man expects a fire is really going to come and eat up his house; it’s the last thing he looks for; and yet all the same he wants his mind to be at ease. If it should hit him he is in a condition to rebuild again. Well, chances are ten to one we’ll bring this condensed food back with us; but in case we do need it we’ll be mighty glad we have it along. And that’s the right kind of policy to follow when you’re off in the bush; for it is often the unexpected that happens.”
Presently they had looked after every minute detail that could be thought of; and as X-Ray was very impatient to be off Phil did not have the heart to delay any longer.
“Here we go to hit the snow-shoe trail!” sang out the exultant X-Ray; and then he found it necessary to go through some violent contortions of the body in order to keep himself from tripping over his own feet, encumbered as they were with such unaccustomed appendages.
Phil had given him a staff, however, which he was expected to use in case of any need; and this prevented him from falling.
A minute later, and waving good-by to the others the two started forth.