Two of us went to Canada on a hunting trip.

The last lap of the journey into camp called for a fifteen-mile horseback ride through the woods.

The native who was to be our chief guide met us with our mounts at a way station far up in the interior of Quebec.

He knew my friend--had guided him for two seasons before; but I was a stranger in those parts.

Now until that hour it had never occurred to me that I was anywhere nearly so bulksome as this friend of mine was.