Chapter 10 BRINGING IN SOME GAME

The snowstorm proved such a heavy one that for three days the party at Professor Jeffer's cabin were completely stormbound. Once Andy and Chet went out-in an endeavor to bring the dead moose in, but were unable to accomplish their object.

During the time spent at the cabin, the boys became very well acquainted with Barwell Dawson, and found the hunter and explorer a person very much to their liking. Although he was rich and well educated, he did not act as if he considered himself above them. He took a lively interest in all they had to tell, and knew how to "draw them out," so that, almost before he knew it, Andy had related the details of his troubles with his shiftless Uncle Si and with the mysterious Mr. A. Q. Hopton.

"More than likely that fellow, Hopton, will bear close watching," said Barwell Dawson. "If he is a sharper-and it looks as if he might be-he will try to swindle both you and your uncle. It was very unwise for your uncle to try to do business with him without seeing a lawyer."

"Uncle Si wanted to get the money without my knowing it," answered Andy, bitterly. He was glad to open his heart to somebody who could understand him.

"I believe you-and that is not to your uncle's credit. You say he is shiftless and lazy?"

"Very-and everybody around here knows it."

"Then he is not fit to be your guardian."

"I don't believe he is, legally. He just said he was going to be, that's all."

"Well, that doesn't make him so," answered the hunter, with a grim smile.

With Andy he went over the papers the boy had brought from home. They seemed to prove that the lad's father owned a divided interest in a large tract of timber in the upper portion of Michigan. The papers had evidently been drawn up by somebody who knew very little about legal matters, and the phraseology was highly perplexing. After poring over them for an hour, and asking Professor Jeffer's advice, Barwell Dawson shook his head slowly.

"I think it is an honest claim, and in your father's favor," he said. "But it will take a skillful lawyer to unravel it. Certainly your father bought something, and paid for it, for here are the words, 'one thousand dollars, the receipt of which from Andrew S. Graham is hereby admitted.' The writer meant 'acknowledged,' but I guess 'admitted' is good enough."

"I was going to take it to a lawyer in Lodgeport."

"Is he a reliable man, Andy?"

"I don't know-I suppose so."

"Well, supposing you let me look into this matter with you? I am in no hurry to get away from these parts, and I feel that you ought to let me do something in return for what you and Chet did for me."

"I'll be very glad to have your help, Mr. Dawson-if you can spare the time."

"I hope the claim proves of value-for I take you to be the kind of a lad who deserves to get along," said Barwell Dawson, smiling.

During the time spent in the cabin, Barwell Dawson and Professor Jeffer discussed the trip to the far north in many details, and the hunter even traced out an imaginary route on one of the scientist's maps. Both men were equally enthusiastic, and after Mr. Dawson had asked the professor some more questions about himself, he at last consented that the latter should become one of the exploring party.

"But remember," he said, impressively; "if you suffer great hardships or lose your life, nobody must blame me."

"Trust me; no one will be blamed but myself," answered Professor Jeffer, with equal gravity. Then his face beamed. "It will be a wonderful trip, wonderful! And we shall see so many new things,-make so many interesting discoveries! I shall take along a set of the best instruments available, and make all sorts of observations. Such a record alone will be worth all it costs to get it."

"I do not doubt it, Professor."

"And then the fame-think of it, the fame! Why, sir, if we succeed in gaining the North Pole,-or even if we succeed in going above Commander Peary's highest mark, latitude 87° 6',-it will be something for the entire civilized world to know."

"True."

"From today on I shall go into the hardest kind of training," continued Professor Jeffer. "I shall fit myself to withstand the most intense hunger and the most intense cold. It is the only way."

"It is certainly a good idea," answered Barwell Dawson. "It won't do to go up north 'soft,' as they call it."

On the morning of the fourth day it cleared, and Andy and Chet decided to go out once more after the moose. Mr. Dawson's ankle was now well, but he did not want to try walking a long distance on it just yet.

"You can get your game today," he said, "and we can start for Lodgeport tomorrow. There I'll see that lawyer for Andy, and then I'll try to return to my camp back of Moose Ridge, and see what the storm did to it."

"If you want me to, I'll go back to the Ridge with you," said Chet. "I haven't anything else to do, now that I can't get work at one of the lumber camps."

"Very well, I'll be glad of your company."

Andy and Chet were soon on their way to where the latter had left the moose. Fortunately they had been able to borrow snow-shoes from Professor Jeffer, who owned several pairs. Both lads knew how to use the articles, and glided over the newly fallen snow with ease.

"Just imagine we were bound for the North Pole!" cried Andy. "Wouldn't it be great!"

"I'd like to look for my father, Andy," and Chet's face clouded.

"Oh, Chet, I'm sorry I spoke-I didn't want to remind you--"

"Oh, it's all right, Andy. If I don't hear from my father soon, I'd like first-rate to go north with Mr. Dawson's expedition."

"I don't think he'd want to bother with boys."

"We are not so very young. And both of us know how to rough it-and we are pretty good shots, too."

"I guess you've been thinking about it pretty strongly."

"Haven't you?"

"Yes, I have. Mr. Dawson seems to be such a splendid man, the trip ought to be fine, even if the North Pole wasn't reached."

"Just my idea. We would do lots of hunting, and riding behind the Esquimaux dogs. Just think of being on a sledge with eight or ten dogs to pull you over the ice and snow!"

"And the thermometer 50° below zero! Don't forget it is fearfully cold up there."

"Well, it's mighty cold here, sometimes. Anyway, I'd like to go-if he'd take me."

"Same here-but he doesn't want boys, he wants men, and tough ones, too."

So the talk ran on, as the boys made their way to the clump of spruces where Chet had had his adventure. At a distance they saw the stick, with the handkerchief, deep in the snow.

"Well, there is your landmark, anyway," said Andy. "I hope nobody disturbed the game."

"It looks all right," answered his chum. "But of course the snow would cover any tracks, even if the game was disturbed."

With eager hands they uncovered the mound, and soon brought to light the big moose with his wide-spreading antlers.

"Certainly a dandy!" cried Andy, as he surveyed the game. "You can be thankful he didn't hit you before you reached the tree, Chet. He would have smashed you into a jelly."

"Well, as it was, he caused Mr. Dawson a bad fall."

The boys went back to the trees, and after a careful inspection, took a hatchet and cut a long branch for a drag. On this they bound the deer, and then started on the return to Professor Jeffer's cabin, hauling their load behind them.

It was hard work to make progress through the deep snow, and they had to rest several times to catch their breath.

"I think we had better take the long way around," said Chet, after half the distance had been covered. "We can't very well get up the hill this side of the cabin, and, besides, there is a bad gully to cross this side of the brook."

"You show the way," answered his chum. "You know these parts a little better than I do."

By the new route they had to pass through a patch of woods where the snow made the branches of the trees hang low. It was hard work to pass between some of the trees, and once it looked as if they would have to turn back.

"We are earning this meat," was Andy's comment, as he paused to pick up the cap that a branch had swept from his head.

"Looks like it," answered Chet, laconically.

"I guess we should have waited until the weather was better."

Now, as it chanced, Chet was as tired as Andy, and consequently his quick temper showed itself.

"You didn't have to come for the moose if you didn't want to," he cried, quickly.

"Oh, I'm not complaining, Chet."

"It's the same thing."

"Not at all-and there is no cause for you to get mad about it."

"Well, then, don't find fault. I'm pulling as hard on this load as you."

"I know it. We made a mistake to come this way, I am afraid."

"Oh, yes, that's you,-blame that on me, too." Chet now looked thoroughly angry. "I've a good mind to leave the old moose where he is." And he let go of the branch on which the game rested.

"Chet!"

Andy uttered the name reproachfully, and gazed fearlessly into his chum's eyes. There was an awkward pause. Then the face of the quick-tempered youth grew red.

"Well, I don't care--" he began, and took hold of the drag again.

"Yes, you do care,-and I care, too. We can't afford to quarrel, and all over nothing. Come on, we'll get through somehow," said Andy.

"Guess I said too much," murmured Chet, and began to haul on the load as if his life depended upon it. "I thought--Oh, Andy, there's a shot for us!"

The quick-tempered lad, who was equally quick-eyed, stopped and pointed to a tree some distance on their right. Andy saw something move, but could not make out what it was.

"Partridge," announced his companion, and swung his gun around. "I'm going to take a shot when they go up."

He glided over the snow, and Andy came behind him. Then up went four partridge with a whirr that would have startled one not accustomed to the sound. Bang! went Chet's gun, and bang! came the report of Andy's immediately after. Two of the partridges came fluttering down, while the two others circled around in a helpless, dazed fashion.

"We must get those, too!" cried Chet, and blazed away again, and then Andy took another shot. Down came the game, and the boys glided forward to secure the prizes. The partridges were of good size, and plump, and the lads gazed at them and turned them over in deep satisfaction.

"We'll prove to Mr. Dawson that we can hunt," cried Chet. His recent ill humor had completely disappeared.

In getting back to where they had left the moose, Andy struck an icy rock and rolled over and over in the snow. Chet was compelled to laugh, but quickly subsided, thinking his chum might be angry. But though he had hard work to get up and secure the game he had been carrying, Andy retained his peace of mind.

"Fortune of war," he said, as he dug the loose snow from his clothing. "Birr! but it's cold."

"Want to go to the North Pole now?" said Chet, quizzically.

"This minute, if I had the chance," was the quick reply.

The partridges were tied on top of the moose, and once again the two lads headed for the cabin. Soon they came in sight of the place, and set up a loud whistling, which brought the two men to the door.

"A fine moose!" cried Barwell Dawson. "And fine partridge, too."

"Don't you think we are pretty fair hunters?" asked Chet.

"First-class," returned Mr. Dawson.