~-{ To CARIBOO AND BACK }-

“Well, now, I don’t like the looks of those
clumsy rafts,” John Nott had confided to the
professor. “Nothing but a lot of logs bound
together with withes, and a great untrimmed
tree sticking out at the back, like a bushy tail,
for no purpose at all that I can see since you
can’t steer by it.”

“It helps steady the raft, say our native
friends,” the other reminded him. ‘But I’ll ad-
mit that neither do I appreciate the prospect of
spending hours and days on a platform of logs,
with a railing around, where the animals will
be tied, and a flat stone in the middle to cook
on if we get stuck or are in a hurry o can’t go
ashore for a meal.”

“Then why not follow young Jim’s lead and
trade your horse for a canoe?” suggested the
tailor.

“Tl do it!’ the professor agreed quite
eagerly. “Bon’s not really needed for the pack.
There are enough horses without him. I’d have
bought a dugout anyway, if I hadn’t spent my
last cent on ammunition at Fort Edmonton, -
knowing it may be gunning or starving before
long with us.”

“You’re right for once,” cried the tailor,

[130]