THE LAW OF THE BOUNDARIES 61 



Carcajou ; &quot; it is so written in the legends of the 

 Indians/ 



&quot; It is a queer sickness,&quot; continued Wapoos. 

 &quot; The lumps come in our throats, and under our 

 arms, and it kills. Your Majesty knows the Law 

 of the Seventh Season.&quot; 



&quot; Yes, it is that no one shall eat Wapoos that 

 year, or next.&quot; 



&quot; Most wise ruling ! &quot; concurred Carcajou. 

 &quot; The Rabbits with the lumps in their necks 

 are poisonous. Besides, when there are so few 

 of them, if they were eaten, the food supply of 

 the Boundaries would be forever gone. A most 

 wise rule.&quot; 



&quot; Has any one violated this protection-right ? &quot; 

 asked the King. 



&quot; Yes, Your Majesty. This is the Seventh 

 Year, is it not ? &quot; said Rabbit. 



&quot; Bless me ! so it is, &quot; exclaimed Mooswa, 

 thoughtfully. &quot; I, who do not eat Rabbits, have 

 paid no attention to the calendar. I wondered 

 what made the woods so silent and dreary ; that s 

 just it. No pudgy little Wapooses darting across 

 one s path. Why, now I remember, last year, 

 The Year of the Plenty, when I laid down for a 

 rest they d be all about me. Actually sat up on 

 my side many a time.&quot; 



&quot;Yes, it s the Seventh Year,&quot; whined Lynx; 



