CHAPTER X

BRINGING IN SOME GAME

The snowstorm proved such a heavy one that for three days the party at Professor Jeffer's cabin were completely stormbound. Once Andy and Chet went out--in an endeavor to bring the dead moose in, but were unable to accomplish their object.

During the time spent at the cabin, the boys became very well acquainted with Barwell Dawson, and found the hunter and explorer a person very much to their liking. Although he was rich and well educated, he did not act as if he considered himself above them. He took a lively interest in all they had to tell, and knew how to "draw them out," so that, almost before he knew it, Andy had related the details of his troubles with his shiftless Uncle Si and with the mysterious Mr. A. Q. Hopton.

"More than likely that fellow, Hopton, will bear close watching," said Barwell Dawson. "If he is a sharper--and it looks as if he might be--he will try to swindle both you and your uncle. It was very unwise for your uncle to try to do business with him without seeing a lawyer."

"Uncle Si wanted to get the money without my knowing it," answered Andy, bitterly. He was glad to open his heart to somebody who could understand him.

"I believe you--and that is not to your uncle's credit. You say he is shiftless and lazy?"

"Very--and everybody around here knows it."

"Then he is not fit to be your guardian."

"I don't believe he is, legally. He just said he was going to be, that's all."

"Well, that doesn't make him so," answered the hunter, with a grim smile.

With Andy he went over the papers the boy had brought from home. They seemed to prove that the lad's father owned a divided interest in a large tract of timber in the upper portion of Michigan. The papers had evidently been drawn up by somebody who knew very little about legal matters, and the phraseology was highly perplexing. After poring over them for an hour, and asking Professor Jeffer's advice, Barwell Dawson shook his head slowly.

"I think it is an honest claim, and in your father's favor," he said.

"But it will take a skillful lawyer to unravel it. Certainly your father bought something, and paid for it, for here are the words, 'one thousand dollars, the receipt of which from Andrew S. Graham is hereby admitted.'

The writer meant 'acknowledged,' but I guess 'admitted' is good enough."

"I was going to take it to a lawyer in Lodgeport."

"Is he a reliable man, Andy?"

"I don't know--I suppose so."

"Well, supposing you let me look into this matter with you? I am in no hurry to get away from these parts, and I feel that you ought to let me do something in return for what you and Chet did for me."

"I'll be very glad to have your help, Mr. Dawson--if you can spare the time."

"I hope the claim proves of value--for I take you to be the kind of a lad who deserves to get along," said Barwell Dawson, smiling.

During the time spent in the cabin, Barwell Dawson and Professor Jeffer discussed the trip to the far north in many details, and the hunter even traced out an imaginary route on one of the scientist's maps. Both men were equally enthusiastic, and after Mr. Dawson had asked the professor some more questions about himself, he at last consented that the latter should become one of the exploring party.

"But remember," he said, impressively; "if you suffer great hardships or lose your life, n.o.body must blame me."

"Trust me; no one will be blamed but myself," answered Professor Jeffer, with equal gravity. Then his face beamed. "It will be a wonderful trip, wonderful! And we shall see so many new things,--make so many interesting discoveries! I shall take along a set of the best instruments available, and make all sorts of observations. Such a record alone will be worth all it costs to get it."

"I do not doubt it, Professor."

"And then the fame--think of it, the fame! Why, sir, if we succeed in gaining the North Pole,--or even if we succeed in going above Commander Peary's highest mark, lat.i.tude 87 6',--it will be something for the entire civilized world to know."

"True."

"From today on I shall go into the hardest kind of training," continued Professor Jeffer. "I shall fit myself to withstand the most intense hunger and the most intense cold. It is the only way."

"It is certainly a good idea," answered Barwell Dawson. "It won't do to go up north 'soft,' as they call it."

On the morning of the fourth day it cleared, and Andy and Chet decided to go out once more after the moose. Mr. Dawson's ankle was now well, but he did not want to try walking a long distance on it just yet.

"You can get your game today," he said, "and we can start for Lodgeport tomorrow. There I'll see that lawyer for Andy, and then I'll try to return to my camp back of Moose Ridge, and see what the storm did to it."

"If you want me to, I'll go back to the Ridge with you," said Chet. "I haven't anything else to do, now that I can't get work at one of the lumber camps."

"Very well, I'll be glad of your company."

Andy and Chet were soon on their way to where the latter had left the moose. Fortunately they had been able to borrow snow-shoes from Professor Jeffer, who owned several pairs. Both lads knew how to use the articles, and glided over the newly fallen snow with ease.

"Just imagine we were bound for the North Pole!" cried Andy. "Wouldn't it be great!"

"I'd like to look for my father, Andy," and Chet's face clouded.

"Oh, Chet, I'm sorry I spoke--I didn't want to remind you----"

"Oh, it's all right, Andy. If I don't hear from my father soon, I'd like first-rate to go north with Mr. Dawson's expedition."

"I don't think he'd want to bother with boys."

"We are not so very young. And both of us know how to rough it--and we are pretty good shots, too."

"I guess you've been thinking about it pretty strongly."

"Haven't you?"

"Yes, I have. Mr. Dawson seems to be such a splendid man, the trip ought to be fine, even if the North Pole wasn't reached."

"Just my idea. We would do lots of hunting, and riding behind the Esquimaux dogs. Just think of being on a sledge with eight or ten dogs to pull you over the ice and snow!"

"And the thermometer 50 below zero! Don't forget it is fearfully cold up there."

"Well, it's mighty cold here, sometimes. Anyway, I'd like to go--if he'd take me."

"Same here--but he doesn't want boys, he wants men, and tough ones, too."

So the talk ran on, as the boys made their way to the clump of spruces where Chet had had his adventure. At a distance they saw the stick, with the handkerchief, deep in the snow.

"Well, there is your landmark, anyway," said Andy. "I hope n.o.body disturbed the game."