SETTING OUT OF THE TRAPS 99 



to-day, and he has discovered our home here in 

 this cut-bank, you say. Well, Son, thou art the 

 King, because of thy Wisdom ; but together we 

 must advise against this Slayer, who has the cun 

 ning of Carcajou and the Man-knowledge of 

 Wiesahkechack.&quot; 



&quot; What shall we do, Dame ? &quot; 



&quot; Now, thy red Brother, Speed, must take the 

 message to the strong runners of our Comrades, 

 Mooswa and the others, as has been arranged, to 

 meet ; and when Fran9ois has passed with the 

 Traps, go you five after this Man, and gain 

 knowledge of where they are placed, and do all 

 things necessary for safety in the Boundaries. 

 The Watcher over Animals has sent soft snow 

 last night, the first of this Cold-time, so your 

 task will be easy. Just the length of a brisk 

 run, higher up the Pelican, is a cut-bank with a 

 hole as good as this. Before you were born, 

 with your beautiful silver coat, I lived there. 



&quot; Now, Francois, even as he told the Man- 

 Cub, will trap here, and who knows but he may 

 put his Fire-medicine with its poison breath in 

 the door of our Burrow, and seek to drive us 

 out to be killed.&quot; 



&quot; That is true, Most Wise Mother ; the sight 

 of the twisting red-poison is more dreadful than 

 anything ; for it smothers and eats up, and is 



