himself. Unquestionably the easiest game for him to get would be
human.

For there were no deer in the region, and the caribou were all
herded on Katahdin and Traveller. The previous severe winter had
decimated the partridges, and big is the catamount that will tackle
a moose. I mentioned the theory to Alaric.

"Um--yes, perhaps," he said, and eyed me dubiously.

Then I wished that I had not said anything. It is not well to let
your guide think that you are afraid.

In the morning, when we had attained our valley's mouth, Alaric was
about to keep with me, instead of leaving me as before; but that
made our hunting much slower, for we could cover much less ground,
and I sent him around the other way.

"All right," said he. "But keep a good lookout behind you now."

He disappeared in a cedar swamp, and I made my way along the slope
of a hill. I watched indeed behind as well as in front, and in
every fox's track I crossed I saw a catamount's, until finally I
got used to the situation, and believed that the "Indian devil" had
concluded to let me alone.

The day was fine. The sun shone bright, and the softening snow,
dropping from the upper branches of the trees, kept up a constant
movement in the woods. I took and held a good pace, and with my
eyes searching the snow ahead and on all sides of me for signs of