CHOOSING THE KING 5 



&quot; for they eat you, old Fat Tail. I heard the two 

 White Men who camped on our river last Winter 

 say that your Brother, whom they caught when 

 they raided your little round lodge, tasted like 

 beefsteak, whatever that is. He, he ! And 

 Fran9ois the Guide ate his tail and said it was 

 equal to fat bacon.&quot; 



&quot; Unthinking Wretch ! &quot; cried Umisk angrily, 

 bringing his broad tail down on a stone like the 

 crack of a pistol. 



&quot; I picked his bones,&quot; taunted the Jay ; &quot; he 

 was dead, and cooked too, so it did n t matter.&quot; 



&quot; Cannibal ! &quot; grunted Bear. 



&quot; They eat you also, Muskwa ; only when 

 they re very hungry though, they say your 

 flesh is like bad pork, strong and tough.&quot; 



Black Fox interrupted the discord. &quot; Com 

 rades,&quot; he pleaded, &quot; don t mind Jack ; he s 

 only a Jay, and you know what chatterers they 

 are. He means well does he not tell us when 

 the Trappers are coming, and where the Traps 

 are ? &quot; 



&quot; Yes, and steal the Bait so you won t get 

 caught,&quot; added Jay. &quot; Oh, I am good I help 

 you. You re a lot of crawling fools all but 

 the King. You can run, and fight, but you don t 

 know things. That s because you don t asso 

 ciate with Man, and sit in his camp as I do.&quot; 



