For three days nothing unusual happened. Hunger commenced to nip at
every one, for, as we know, it was the Seventh Year of the Rabbit cycle,
and they were scarce. All the others envied old Muskwa, slumbering
peacefully, nourished by the fat of his Summer's pillage.
The narrow body of Lynx was getting narrower, the gaunt sides of Blue
Wolf gaunter. Fisher and Marten were living on Deer Mice, Squirrels, and
small game; and the Red Widow's family were depending almost entirely
upon Spruce Partridge--the flesh of these birds had become particularly
astringent, too. The gray-mottled, pin-tail Grouse had entirely
disappeared--better eating they were, the Widow contended; but in the
Seventh Year it was not a matter of selection at all, and each Animal
was poaching on the other's preserve--all because of the scarcity of
Wapoos. But in spite of the general starvation, every one left a small
dole of his food for Carcajou, whose paws were too sore to prowl about.
He felt the restricted diet more than any of them, being a perfect
gourmand,--"Gulo the Glutton," that was his name; and he liked good
living.
On the fourth day Whisky-Jack startled his comrades with the
announcement that Francois had acquired a train of four dogs from
Nichemous, who was passing down the ice-road of the river with a
Free-Trader. Blue Wolf snuffed discontentedly at the news; they were
his enemies, and many a scar he carried as souvenir of combats with
these domesticated cousins. Family instinct, however, led him to skulk
close to Francois's Shack one evening hoping to see the dogs. He went
often after the first visit, though advised by Carcajou that it would
end in his getting a destroying blast from the Firestick.
"They haven't got one," Rof assured him. "You destroyed the only
Ironstick they had."
"That was an old Trade Musket," retorted Wolverine. "Francois is too
clever to put his good Ironstick out in the wet. You'll find that he
has another, if you don't keep away. What's the attraction, anyway?" he
asked. "There can't be anything to eat there, with those yelping
Huskies about."
It was Whisky-Jack who gave the secret away. "Blue Wolf's in love," he
said, solemnly; "three of the Train are of the sister kind, and Rof's
got his eye on one. Francois calls her 'Marsh Maid,' but the
Train-leader is a big Huskie Dog, and he'll chew Growler the Wolf into
little bits--I sha'n't mind, Rof's too surly for me."
Blue Wolf became a great dandy; brushed his coat--scraped the snow away
from a moss patch in the Jack-Pines, and rubbed his shaggy fur till it
became quite presentable.
The big fight that Jack anticipated so eagerly materialized, but,
contrary to Jay's forecast, Rof trounced the Huskie soundly. After that
he came and went pretty much as he desired--growled his admiration of
Marsh Maid, and took forcible possession of Huskie's White Fish.
All this nearly brought sorrow to the Red Widow's family, for Stripes,
the Kit-Fox, having his curiosity roused by Jack's recital of Blue
Wolf's doings, incautiously ventured close to the Shack one day to have
a look at the Train. With an angry howl Huskie swooped down upon him,
and but for Rod, who, hearing Stripes's plaintive squeal, rushed out and
drove the Dog off, he would have been most effectually eaten up. The
young Fox fled for his life, and his tale of this adventure filled the
Red Widow's heart with gratitude toward The Boy.
Within the Boundaries the food fever was strong on the Animals, and
Francois's baits became an almost irresistible temptation. Trap after
Trap Black King and his family robbed, leaving the Meat with the White
Powder in, and taking it when it was clear of this, until Francois was
in despair.
"By Goss!" he confided to The Boy, "I t'ink me we goin' keel no fur
here. Dat Carcajou he de Debil, but mos' all de odder Animal is Debil
too. S'pose I put out de Trap, dey take de bait, cac'e de Trap, and
s'pose me dey laugh by deyselves. I see dat Black Fox two, t'ree time,
an' I know me his track now; ev'ry day I see dat tracks. But we must
catc' him. What fur we keel now? Not enough to pay fer de grub stake."