THE BUILDING OF THE SHACK 87 



my Man-brother, the safeguard of the Boun 

 daries.&quot; 



&quot; You have not had the hot-meat thrust in 

 your throat, friend of the rascally Cub/ objected 

 Jack, angrily. 



&quot;Hush, Chatterer!&quot; growled Bear; &quot;let 

 Mooswa speak.&quot; 



&quot; The horn-crowned Lord of the Forest gives 

 expression to a noble sentiment,&quot; declared Pisew. 

 &quot; By all means let the Kit-Man grow free of the 

 Boundary Fear, until his claws are long and his 

 bone-cracking teeth are strong.&quot; 



&quot; He must have a Mother also,&quot; said the Red- 

 Widow softly. &quot; You have all forsworn malice 

 to my Babe, Stripes, until he is of full strength 

 let the Man-Cub have the same guard.&quot; 



&quot;What about Fra^ois?&quot; objected Whisky- 

 Jack. &quot; By my Stone-crop I 11 wager he taught 

 that Chick the trick of the hot pork.&quot; 



&quot; For him,&quot; continued Mooswa, gravely, &quot; in 

 defence of our rights and our lives the full law of 

 the Forest ; by night, the lone road and the cry 

 of Blue Wolf and his Brothers ; by day, the 

 strong clasp of Muskwa ; at close quarters, the 

 stamp of my hoofs ; and for his Traps and their 

 Bait, the cunning of Carcajou and Black King.&quot; 



&quot; This is fair it is a good Law,&quot; said Black 

 Fox. 



