THE BUILDING OF THE SHACK 83 



&quot; It does ! &quot; declared Mink. 



&quot; It s better than roots ! &quot; concurred Muskrat. 



&quot; Slow Birds ! it makes me hungry,&quot; sighed 

 the Red Widow. 



&quot; So it does me. Good Dame,&quot; piped Whisky- 

 Jack. &quot; You chaps had better slip away home 

 now; I m going to breakfast with the Men. It 

 is n t safe to remain, for I can t stop to look after 

 you.&quot; 



&quot; Go and clear the plates, Feather- front,&quot; 

 cried Carcajou, malignantly. 



Jack sawed the air energetically with his wings 

 and lighted on the wire guy with which Francois 

 had steadied the stove pipe. 



&quot; Shall we move, Comrades ? &quot; asked Black King 



&quot; Wait and see how Jack gets on with The 

 Boy,&quot; pleaded Mooswa. 



&quot; I could sit here and smell that Fish all day,&quot; 

 declared Nekik. 



&quot;So could I,&quot; added Mink. &quot;It s just 

 lovely. I ve never tasted Fish dried in the fire- 

 pot. Once I stole one from a Trapper which he 

 had dried in the sun there was no juice in it.&quot; 



&quot; Pe-e-p ! Peep!&quot; squeaked Whisky-Jack. 

 The Boy looked up at him. 



&quot;What a frowsy-headed old bird!&quot; he ex 

 claimed, shying a stick at Jay. 



Muskwa dug Mooswa in the ribs with his big 



