78 MOOSWA 



&quot;They ve got a stove,&quot; the Courier answered. 



&quot;What s a stove? &quot; asked Lynx. 



&quot; You 11 find out. Mister Cat, when they make 

 bouillon of your ribs. It s that iron-thing with 

 one long ear.&quot; 



&quot;Is that their breakfast that pile of wood- 

 meat ? &quot; queried Beaver. 



&quot;Yes, meat for the stove,&quot; piped Jack. &quot; Do 

 you think they have teeth like a wood-axe and 

 eat bark because you do ? &quot; 



&quot; They have queer teeth, sure enough,&quot; re 

 torted Trowel Tail. &quot; See this tree stump, cut 

 flat from two sides, all full of notches, as though 

 a Kit-Beaver who did n t know his business had 

 nibbled it down. How in the name of Good 

 Dams they can fell trees into a stream that way 

 I can t make out. This tree fell on land and 

 they had to carry the logs. They re silly crea 

 tures and have much to learn.&quot; 



&quot; There s The Boy ! &quot; whispered Jack, nudg 

 ing Muskwa in the ribs with his wing. 



They all peered eagerly at the door of the 

 tent, for a white-skinned hand was unlacing it. 

 Then a fair face, with rosy cheeks, topped by a 

 mass of yellow hair, was thrust through the open 

 ing, and presently a lad of fourteen stepped out, 

 stretched his arms upward, and commenced whist 

 ling like a bird. 



