Winter Adventures of Three Boys | Page 3

the power and endurance of the guides and drivers
are put to the severest test.
Mr Ross still prided himself on his splendid dogs. In his younger days
he had the reputation of being one of the most active and energetic of
the young officers in the service of the Hudson Bay Company. His
father, who was for many years one of the chief factors in the
Company's service, was proud of his son's endurance and skill, as well
as of his tact and ability in managing strange Indians and thus opening
up new trading posts among them. So constantly employed had he been
in thus advancing the interests of this fur-trading corporation that some
winters he travelled thousands of miles with his own dog-train and
guides. In his wanderings he had met with some strange adventures,
and had passed through some trying ordeals. Later on we may hear
from his own lips the recital of some of these stirring events.
Now, however, that he had retired from active service he had left these
long and dangerous journeys to be taken by younger men. Still, the love

for the dogs was so ingrained within him, and he had so much work for
them to do, that he was the possessor of some very valuable trains,
which every winter did his work and gave him as much pleasure as ever
a man derived from the possession of a fine carriage and a splendid
span of horses.
Knowing well the habits of the old Indian who had charge of his dogs,
Mr Ross said to the boys:
"It is very likely that Kinesasis will come in to-day with some of the
dogs. If he does we will harness them up to-morrow, and if the ice is
strong enough to be safe we will return with them for the others. I
understand he has a number of fine young dogs; doubtless there will be
enough to make a good train for each of you, after they are broken in.
So there will be plenty of work for all to-day, to get ready for the first
day's outing with dog-trains."
Soon everybody was at work. Indian women, under Mrs Ross's
direction, were busily employed in making large mooseskin moccasins
and mittens. Beautiful white blanket overcoats, with warm capotes or
hoods, had already been made for each of the boys. They were to be
worn over the deerskin suits when they stopped to rest in the heavy trail,
and also while the boys were riding over the long stretches of icy roads
where it was possible for the dogs to easily draw them.
While the Indian women were thus busily engaged in fitting out the
warm apparel necessary for travelling in such a cold land the boys were
making themselves useful, under Mr Ross's guidance, in overhauling
carioles, dog-sleds, harness, robes, snowshoes, and other things
essential for the trip on the morrow. While almost everything was novel
and strange to them, they were most interested in the heavy dog-whips,
and, boylike, must try their hands in wielding them. These whips
differed very much from anything they had ever seen in civilisation.
While the handles were only eighteen inches in length, the lashes,
which were loaded with shot, were over fifteen feet long. To skilfully
handle one requires much care and practice. An inexperienced person is
apt to get into trouble when he first attempts to use one.

Sam was the first of the boys to attempt to display his skill, but he soon
found that a heavily loaded dog-whip was a different weapon from an
Irish shillalah. He had admired the skill and dexterity with which Mr
Ross, at the boy's request, had used one, and, foolishly thinking that he
could successfully imitate him, had with any amount of assurance made
the attempt. To his surprise and chagrin the cracker of the whip, instead
of exploding with a pistol-shot-like report at a spot about fifteen feet
away, as it had done for Mr Ross, had by some remarkable movement,
entirely unexpected, squarely landed with stinging effect upon his nose!
Alec was the next to try his skill. He was a little more successful than
Sam, in that he escaped inflicting any injury upon himself, but he
succeeded in striking Frank upon his ear, although he stood fully six
feet away from the spot at which Alec had aimed. Frank, with his ear
hot and stinging from the effects of the blow so unexpected and so
unintentionally given, wisely decided that he would postpone his first
attempt with a weapon that seemed to be as uncertain as a boomerang.
To the great delight of the boys, as Mr Ross had predicted, toward
evening in came Kinesasis with about a dozen dogs at his heels. The
splendid animals were