Different  faces  had  at  times  accompanied
me ;  various  dogs  had  toiled  and  tugged  at
the  oaken  sled,  or  lain  at  night  around  the
wintry  camp-fires ;  and  yet,  still  remote  lay
that  giant  range,  for  whose  defiles  my  steps
had  so  long  been  bound.  But  amid  all
changes  of  time  and  place  and  persons,  two
companions  still  remained  with  me.  Cerf-
vola  the  Untiring,  Spanker  the  Suspicious,
still  trotted  as  briskly  as  when  they  had
quitted  their  Dakotan  home.  If  I  should
feel  inclined  to  doubt  their  strength  and
vigour,  I  had  only  to  look  down  the  hill-side
to  read  a  reassurance — a  couple  of  hundred
feet  beneath  where  I  stood.  There  Spanker
the  suspicious  might  have  been  observed  in
company  with  two  other  savages,  doing  his
utmost  to  terminate  the  career  of  a  yearling
calf,  which  early  spring  had  tempted  to  the
hill-top.  It  was  consolatory  to  notice  that
Cerf-vola  the  untiring  took  no  part  in  this
nefarious  transaction.  He  stood  apart,  watch-
ing it  with  a  countenance  expressive  of  emo-
tions which  might  be  read,  either  in  the  light
of  condemnation  of  cruelty,  or  commendation
of  coming  veal  cutlets.
13  193


THE  WILD  NORTH  LAND.
About  midnight  on  the  3rd  of  April  I
quitted  Dunvegan,  and  turned  once  more
along  the  frozen  river.  The  moon,  verging
to  its  first  quarter,  shone  above  the  southern
shore,  lighting  half  the  river,  while  the  re-
mainder lay  wrapped  in  darkness.
A  half-breed  named  Kalder  accompanied
me — my  former  servitor  having  elected  to
remain  at  Dunvegan.  He  had  probably  heard
strange  stories  of  life  beyond  the  mountains.
