Left on the Labrador: A Tale of Adventure Down North

l as he could have slept in his own bed at home, and perhaps more soundly. He had lain d

The sky was studded with stars, and he stood for a moment to look out over the starlit and now peaceful waters of the bay. No longer were the sh

brightly burning fire at its base were pigmies as compared to its great bulk. The romance and the mystery of the scene

pin' warm and snug the night? I keeps the fire on in t

I heard you chopping

y's wettin' and chillin'?" a

arley answered. "Isn

Toby and I thinks we'll be makin' an early s

you?" asked C

leather shoes and heavy ulster. "You'd be findin' that coa

Charley might wear un. I'll soften up my other skin bo

r Zeb, "he might wea

pers made of heavy blanket cloth, and a pair of knee-high black sealskin boots with moccasin feet. The latter w

sealskin boots which met his knickers, and with a buckskin draw string tied the boot top

u belong here," commen

"I feel a lot more comfo

ing the frying-pan which contained fried salt pork, smoking hot. "

eb and Toby picked up their rifles, and with Skipper Zeb in the lead

y the frosts of untold winters, and rolled down to the base of the cliff. It was the hardest work Charley had ever done, and he felt some pride in the fact that he was able to k

e and tamarack, and here they turned into the forest along the slopes, where wa

with a great whir of win

ridges!" exc

ir shoulders, and with the report of the rifles, which was

two more were shot, and in the end Skipper Zeb and Toby bagged the whole flock of nine. In each case

red up the birds. "We'll pluck un whilst they're warm. 'Tis easier to

rst ones?" asked Charley. "I expected they'd be

fly when you shoots. They're so tame you could almost knock un over with a stick. They flies in a tree when we comes,

nimals or birds, men must hunt the wild things to supply their table, just as a farmer in civilized lands kills chickens from his flock to supply his tab

with forest fragrance. An impudent Labrador Jay[3] scolding them in its harsh voice, came so close that Charley could almost have caught it with his bare hands. Chic

r him to do, and in a wilder country than his father had ever seen. How proud and pleased his father would be when h

rley's attention to a network of tracks that covered the

em?" said Charley. "

marten traps too. Here's some marten signs n

for the fur, don't

has wonderful fine fur. Were

d Charley, "I

ey this winter, what

tracks of a small

n a cabin in the midst of a clearing at the edg

safe and sound and in good

h the porch they entered the cabin. Charley observed that neither the porch door nor the inner door was l

pride after depositing his gun upon the beams overhead. "What does you think of you

eciation. "I'm going to have a bang-up

to-day and to-morrow's to-morrow! Cast away with plenty o' grub and a snug shelter and berth! Not so bad! Not so bad! That's gettin' out of a fi

our home this way," said Charley appreciatively. "D

nd the way of the Lard, to share what we has with castaway folk or folk that's in trouble. 'Tis a pleasure to have you with us, lad. Mrs. Twig and I'll just be

shin' I had some one to hunt with me, when Dad's away. We'll

ou!" and Charley said it with

the Duck's Head for Mother and Vi'let and the cargo," said Skipper

he beach below the cabin, and when he had set out for the Duck's Head, the b

ere white and clean with much scrubbing. Sections of old newspapers and picture pages from old magazines were pasted upon the log walls, and completely covered them. These

ss been built by Skipper Zeb himself. Against the side wall was a shelf upon which stood a silent clock. At one side of the clock w

room, and built against the wall, one at each end of th

be sleepin' with me," Toby advised. "Mother and D

in tiers which reached nearly to the roof, while upon the walls in front hung dog h

rast to his recent experiences, as most comfortable and homelike. This feeling

show Charley everything inside and outside the cabin, and Charley was intereste

he dogs?" Ch

n summer," explained Toby. "Tom Ham lives at Lucky Bight, ten m

raveling with dog

avelin' is good. When the weather's nasty with snow or high winds

cargo from the wrecked boat, Toby and Charley had a pot of grouse stewing

and makin' things tidy around the house. Comin' Monday I'll start settin' up the traps on my path, and I'm thinkin' to take you lads with me on the first round I makes. When you gets back I'm th

see Eskimo sledge dogs in harness! And to set traps with a rea