The Boy Hunters | Page 6

had come back without the skin. He looked quite crest-fallen;
and his great moustachios appeared bleached and drooping.
"You have not got it?" interrogated the Colonel, in a faltering voice.
"No, Colonel," muttered Hugot, in reply.
"You tried everywhere?"

"Everywhere."
"You advertised in the papers?"
"In all the papers, monsieur."
"You offered a high price?"
"I did. It was to no purpose. I could not have procured a white buffalo's
skin if I had offered ten times as much. I could not have got it for a
thousand dollars."
"I would give five thousand!"
"It would have been all the same, monsieur. It is not to be had in Saint
Louis."
"What says Monsieur Choteau?"
"That there is but little chance of finding what you want. A man, he
says, may travel all over the prairies without meeting with a white
buffalo. The Indians prize them beyond anything, and never let one
escape when they chance to fall in with it. I found two or three among
the fur packs of the traders; but they were not what you desire,
monsieur. They were robes; and even for them a large sum was asked."
"They would be of no use. It is wanted for a different purpose--for a
great museum. Ah! I fear I cannot obtain it. If not to be had in Saint
Louis, where else?"
"Where else, papa?" interrupted Francois, who, with his brothers, had
stood listening to the above dialogue. "Where else, but on the
prairies?"
"On the prairies!" mechanically echoed his father.
"Yes, papa. Send Basil, and Lucien, and myself. We'll find you a white
buffalo, I warrant you."

"Hurrah, Francois!" cried Basil; "you're right, brother. I was going to
propose the same myself."
"No, no, my lads; you've heard what Monsieur Choteau says. You need
not think of such a thing. It cannot be had. And I have written to the
Prince, too. I have as good as promised him!"
As the old Colonel uttered these words, his countenance and gestures
expressed disappointment and chagrin.
Lucien, who had observed this with a feeling of pain, now interposed.
"Papa," he said, "it is true that Monsieur Choteau has great experience
in the fur-trade; but the facts do not correspond with what he has
stated,"--(Lucien, you will observe, was a keen reasoner). "Hugot has
seen two or three of these skins in Saint Louis. Some one must have
found the animals to which these belonged. Moreover, I have heard, as
Monsieur Choteau asserts, that they are highly prized by the Indian
chiefs, who wear them as robes; and that they are often seen among the
tribes. This, then, proves that there are white buffaloes upon the
prairies; and why should we not happen upon them as well as others? I
say with Francois and Basil, let us go in search of them."
"Come in, my lads; come in!" said their father, evidently pleased, and
to some extent comforted, with the proposal of his boys. "Come in to
the house--we can talk over it better when we have had our suppers."
And so saying, the old Colonel hobbled back into the house followed
by his three boys; while Hugot, looking very jaded and feeling very
hungry, brought up the rear.
During the supper, and after it, the subject was discussed in all its
bearings. The father was more than half inclined to consent to the
proposal of his sons from the first; while they, but particularly Basil
and Francois, were enthusiastic in proving its practicability. I need
hardly tell you the result. The Colonel at length gave his consent--the
expedition was agreed upon.

The naturalist was greatly influenced by the desire he felt to gratify his
friend the Prince. He was influenced, too, by another feeling. He felt
secretly pleased at the bold and enterprising character thus exhibited in
his children, and he was not the man to throw cold water upon any
enterprise they might design. Indeed, he often boasted to his neighbours
and friends how he had trained them up to be men, calling them his
"boy-men," and his "jeunes chasseurs." And truly had he trained them
to a complete self-reliance, as far as lay in his power. He had taught
them to ride, to swim, to dive deep rivers, to fling the lasso, to climb
tall trees, and scale steep cliffs, to bring down birds upon the wing, or
beasts upon the run, with the arrow and the unerring rifle. He had
trained them to sleep in the open air--in the dark forest--on the
unsheltered prairie--along the white snow-wreath-- anywhere--with but
a blanket or a buffalo-robe for their beds. He had taught them to live
upon the simplest food; and the knowledge of practical botany which
he had imparted to them--more particularly to Lucien--would enable
them, in case of