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Updated: May 17, 2025
Colonel Howell left at once to give orders about the placing of his cars, and Norman and Roy were dispatched to the Indian camp to find Moosetooth and La Biche, who were to go a short distance up the river and bring the waiting flatboats down to a point opposite the freight cars. This duty appeared to interest young Zept and he cheerfully joined the other boys in their task.
Young men," he went on, again forcing a smile, "I reckon it's up to us to get this gang busy." There was nothing in this that discouraged Norman and Roy and even Paul seemed interested in the unloading of the boats. Before this was begun, however, Moosetooth spoke in an undertone to Colonel Howell and, shrugging his shoulders, the prospector waved his hand.
They really wanted to find Paul. He was not in the rear car, which fact the young men learned after describing their companion to the colored porter, who smiled significantly when he announced that Paul had left the car some time before. The young men then went through the train and at last found the Count in jovial companionship with Moosetooth and La Biche.
From Lac la Biche the veterans are called each year when the ice is gone out of the Athabasca, to take charge of the great Hudson's Bay Company's fleet of batteaux whose descent of the river means life to those who pass their winters in the far north. These things both boys knew, and hence their interest in Moosetooth Martin and old man La Biche.
But even before La Biche's boat, which was ahead and farthest from the shore, was fully in the grasp of a swirling eddy, the bronzed steersman, his pipe firmly set in his teeth, hurled his body on the steering oar and plunged the far end of it against the oily current. At the same moment Moosetooth dropped his own oar and almost instantly both boats straightened out before the onrushing waters.
He swung the big doors together, locked them, and then exclaimed: "I don't care to get excited over every old greasy Indian that comes along but lead me to old Moosetooth." Roy, who was well pleased over so easily placating his chum, at once led the way around the race track and through the fringe of tepees, tents and other shelters being erected for the housing of the fast gathering arrivals.
"And Moosetooth and La Biche are going to run the boats?" asked Norman. "They certainly are," answered Colonel Howell, "and if you're interested in those things, there'll be plenty of moose and bear and deer standin' on the river banks waiting for a shot." Norman looked at Roy, who was almost a picture of disgust, and then, in self-defense, he said: "I'd like to go if the folks consent.
Non!" came from the statuelike figure of old Moosetooth. Then he pointed to the abrupt cut bank of the river a few hundred yards ahead and called something in the Cree language to La Biche. The latter nodded his head and in turn called aloud in the Indian tongue. Instantly from between the pipes and crates on the forward boat a dozen half-breeds crawled sleepily forth.
Colonel Howell did not welcome another lost outfit and he was quite satisfied when both Moosetooth and La Biche took their empty scows safely through the northern whirlpool. Rising almost from the water, the hills, little less than mountains in height, ran in terraces.
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