But Pierre, also, had heard that distant “Ugh-u-u-ugh!” and instantly paused. His own anxiety was lest Adrian should not hear and be still. Fortunately, the wind was in their favor and the sensitive of the moose less apt to them. Having listened a moment, he dropped his pack so softly that, heavy as it was, it scarcely made the undergrowth crack. His gun was always loaded and now making it ready for prompt use, he started back toward his companion. The Indian in his nature came to the . His step was alert, precise, and light as that of any four-footed forester. When within sight of the other lad, listening and motionless, his eye brightened.  
“If he keeps that way, maybe—— Ah!”
 
[Pg 147]
 
The moose called again, but further off. This was a disappointment, but they were on good ground for hunting and another chance would come. Meanwhile they would better make all haste to the thoroughfare. There would be the better place, and out in the canoe they’d have a wider range.
 
“Here, you. Give me the boat. Did you hear it?”
 
“Did I not? But you had the gun!”
 
“Wouldn’t have made any difference if you’d had it. Too far off. Let’s get on.”
 
Adrian lifted the pack and dropped it in disgust. “I can’t carry that load!”
 
Pierre was also disgusted—by the other’s ignorance and lack of endurance.
 
“What you don’t know about the woods beats all. Haven’t you seen anybody pack things before? I’ll show you. When there’s big game handy is no time to quarrel. If a pack’s too heavy, it. Watch and learn something.”
 
Pierre could be both swift and if [Pg 148]he chose, and he rapidly unrolled and divided the contents of the cotton tent. Putting part into the blanket he retied the rest in the sheeting, and now neither bundle was a very severe tax.
 
“Whew! What’s the sense of that? It’s the same weight. How does it help?”
 
Pierre swung the canoe upon his head and directed:
 
“Catch hold them . Carry one a few rods. drop it. Come back after the other. Carry that a ways beyond the first. drop it. Get number one. All time lap over, beyond, over, beyond. So.”
 
With a stick he on the ground, and wasting no further time nor speech, clasped his gun the tighter under his arm and forward again.
 
Adrian obeyed instructions, and though it seemed, at first, a waste to go back and along the carry as he had been directed, found that, in the end, he had his task with small or delay.
 
[Pg 149]
 
“Another bit of woodcraft for my knowledge box. Useful elsewhere, too. Wish I could get through this country as fast as Pierre does. But he’ll have to wait for me, anyway.”
 
For a time Adrian could easily trace the route of his guide by the the canoe had given the leaves and undergrowth but after awhile the forest grew more open and this trail was lost. Then he stopped to consider. He had no intention of losing himself again.
 
“We are aiming for the south. Good. All the big branches of these point that way—so yonder’s my road. Queer, too, how mossy the tree trunks are on the north sides. I’ve heard that you could drop an Indian anywhere in any forest and he’d travel to either point of the compass he desired with nothing to guide him but his instinct. Wish I were an Indian! Wish, rather, I had my own compass and good that went over in my canoe. ! [Pg 150]There’s a of water. That’s the thoroughfare. Now a dash for it!”
 
Adrian was proud of his new skill in finding his own way through a trackless forest, but though he duly reached the stream he could not for a time see anything of Pierre. He did not wish to shout, lest the moose might be near and take fright, but at last he did give a faint halloo and an answer came at once. Then the boat shot out from behind a of and made down the river toward him.
 
The current was swift and strong and there was considerable poling to be done before it touched the shore and Pierre stepped out.
 
“I’ve been looking round. This is as good a place to camp to-night as we’ll find. Leave the things here, and might as well get ready now. Then we can stay out all day and come back when we like.”
 
“But I thought we were to go on up the thoroughfare. Why stop here at all? Other camping places are easy to find.”
 
[Pg 151]
 
“Are they? My, you can ask questions. Good many things go to making right sort of camp. Dry ground, good water to drink, fire-wood, poles—— Oh! shucks! If you don’t know, keep still and learn.”
 
This was excellent advice and Adrian was tired. He to trust to the other lad’s common sense and larger experience, and having so decided, calmly stretched himself out upon the level bank of the stream and went to sleep.
 
Pierre’s temper rose still higher and after he had endured the sight of............