The Gaunt Gray Wolf: A Tale of Adventure With Ungava Bob

ng noisily. Bob's bunk was vacant. It was evident that Shad had slept long and that the hour was late, and he sprang quickly

day, and as he left the window to make a hasty toilet his nerves tingled in eager anticipation, for he was at last at the threshold of the great Labrador wilde

ide, neatly folded. Some one had placed them there while he slept. He donned them quickly, and desce

itously: "I hopes you had a good rest, and fee

ank you, and feel fine and dandy. Whew!" he exclaim

plained. "'Tis well t' have plenty o' rest after a wettin' in th' Bay. Di

casins upon her feet. Her wavy chestnut-brown hair, gathered with a ribbon, hung down her back; her oval face, lighted by big blue eyes, was tanned a

now; he's wantin' t' wash up," directed Mrs. Gray

e you quite recovered from your injury? When I was at Fort

ir," answered Emily, flushi

ad after her fall till she goes t' th' hospital in St. Johns t' be cured. They's a fresh towel on the peg above th' bench, sir,

dged Shad, turning to

sot." And Emily, glad of a respite from the embarrassing presence o

to clear the table he conducted Shad and Bob to a convenient seat near the boat landing, where they could enjoy a cooling breeze

ou smok

I was trying for a place on the 'varsity nine, and I had to drop smoking. A fellow can't

like snowshoe ra

cs minutely, with thrilling detail of battles that

, "have you decided to go with

in', sir, where you w

e talked over the possibilities of making such a tr

could spare, whatever, with his gettin' ready t' go t' th' trails," Richard finally explained. "His mother an' me

o' th' Big Hill trail t' help Bob an' Ed Matheson in with their outfit, an' they starts th' firs

ives you a fine trip an' a fine view o' th' country. It takes un a month t' go in, but runnin' bac

exclaimed Bob. "An' I were never thinkin'

e you won't find me a nuisance around her

treat t' have you visit us

t was fina

and clothing supply for a ten months' absence from home was to be made

at the tents and log tilts, and one new tent was to be made. It was imperative, too, that each minor necessity that

sand dollars, derived from the salvage of a trading schooner the previous year, had been deposited in a St. Johns bank, and

Mountaineer Injuns, an' a bit o' their lingo, he'll be able t' do a snug bit o' tradin' with un, along with his trappin

earn t' keep th' books. She's a smart lass, an' she'd learn, now, in a winter or two winters, whatever, an' 'twould

f suspense when Bob, lost in the snow, was given up for dead, was still a vivid remembrance to her. She recalled those tedious months of grief as one

f these he was to hunt himself, the other one Ed Matheson had agreed to hunt on a profit-sharing basis. Dick Blake and Bill Campb

explore the surrounding woods in search of wild flowers, and after supper he would tell her

ving Uranos from his throne; how from some of the drops that fell from Uranos's wounds sprang giants, the forefathers of the wild Indians; ho

st, recounted very modestly his own adventures. Emily particularly liked to have Bob tell of Ma-ni-ka-wan, an Indian maiden who nursed him back to heal

an' they gives me an Indian name meanin' in our talk 'White Brother o' th' Snow.' They were thinkin' I'd stop with un, an' th

y as Bessie, now?"

don't go teasin' Bo

said Emily; "he's so wo

to Shad. "She's Tom Black's lass. Tom is th' factor's man over t' th' post, an' th' Blacks be great friends of our

ad. "Manikawan was a little brick, and the Nascaupees bull

h'ard in summer," Bob explained. "If you

nter, and see something of the life of real, uncivilised Indi

ut," he added doubtfully, "I'm fearin' you'd find th' winter wonderful

rryin' about you; now, would

ed two years ago," said Shad. "I have one sister, but

ttle sister?

arried sister, and has a little girl

' have you stay," B

, I'm sure, but," said Shad regretfully,

purchased at the Hudson's Bay Company's trading post, fifteen miles across the bay. Shad, too, found it necessary to mak

e sandy beach below the post, and with him was Bob's old friend, Dougla

is mornin', I were thinkin' t' go back t' Kenemish by way of Wolf Bight t' have a talk with you, but your comin'

, the factor, Douglas and Bob seated themselves upon a ben

u'll have to be a wonderful sight more careful than on th' Big Hill trail. Last year when I goes on th' Big Hill trail some Mingen Injuns come t' th' last tilt an' made some trouble, an' told me they'd never let a white trapper

ed Bob, adding, however, "I'm

cautioned Douglas. "You was findin' th' Nasca

living-room of the cabin. Mrs. Black, a stout, motherly woman, had countless questions to ask of Do

es in the shop, and prepared for immediate departure to Wolf Bight. When all was ready, Bob left

rom beneath her apron a buckskin cartridge pouch, upon which she had neatly worked in silk

arries it on th' trail remember we're all thinkin' of you down h

ways be rememberin'," Bob stammered in acceptance, for

Bob. We'll be missin' you

bye, B

e Bessie still standing in the cabin door, waving her handkerchief to him, and he regrett

n Dick Blake, Ed Matheson, and Bill Campbell, Ungava Bob's trapping companions, joined him and Shad at Wolf Bight, where they were to spend the n

candle light, and with the first grey hints of coming d

were carried in the canoe. The bulk of the provisions and the heavier outfit for the trails, made up into easily portaged packs, were stowed in the boat. This arrang

ll at the oars pulled off into the curtain of heavy morning mist that lay upon the waters. Then Bob kissed his mother and Emil

was begun, and with heavy hearts the little family upon the shore turned