28 MOOSWA 



means fifty cents. You wood-dwellers did n t 

 know that, I suppose.&quot; 



&quot; What do they sell my coat for ? &quot; queried 

 Beaver. 



&quot;Six dollars twelve skins, for a prime, dark 

 one. Kit-Beaver, that s one of your Babies, old 

 Trowel Tail, sells for fifty cents or is given 

 away. You, Fisher, and you, Otter, are nip 

 and tuck eight or ten dollars, according to 

 whether your fur is black or of a dirty coffee 

 colour. But there s Pisew ; he s got a hide as 

 big as a blanket, and it sells for only two dollars. 

 Do you know what they do with your skin, 

 Slink ? They line long cloaks for the White 

 Wives with it ; because it s soft and warm, 

 also cheap and nasty. He, he ! old Feather-bed 

 Fur. 



&quot;Now, Wapistan, the Marten, they call a 

 little gentleman. It s wonderful how he has 

 grown in their affections, though. Why, I remem 

 ber, five years ago the Company was paying only 

 three skins for prime Marten ; and what do you 

 suppose your hide sells for now, wee Brother ? &quot; 



&quot; Please don t,&quot; pleaded Marten, &quot;it s a pain 

 ful subject; I wish they couldn t sell it at all. 

 J m almost afraid to touch anything to eat 

 there s sure to be a Trap underneath. The other 

 day I saw a nice, fat White Fish head, and 



