158 THE DRAMA OF THE FORESTS 



and all our people before them; for did you not wait until the 

 coming of the free traders before you would give us the worth 

 of our skins? No wonder you are great masters ; it seems to me 

 that it takes great rogues to become great masters." 



The angry Lawson, to save a quarrel, bit his moustache, 

 smiled faintly and, presenting the hunter with even more than 

 Gibeault had given, said : 



"Never mind, my brother, you're a pretty smart man." 



Without replying, Oo-koo-hoo accepted the present so eagerly 

 that he jerked it out of the trader's hand. That pleased Law- 

 son. Presently the Indian threw down a bear skin, saying: 



"My brother, this is to see how you look at me." 



Now the way of the experienced fur-runner is to offer a big 

 price — often an excessive price — for the first skin. He cal- 

 culates that it puts the Indian in a good humour and in the 

 end gives the trader a chance of getting ahead of the native. 

 That is just what Lawson did, and Gibeault refused to raise the 

 bid. 



"My brother," said the Indian addressing the latter, "you 

 had better go home if you cannot pay better prices than the 

 Great Company." 



Gibeault, nettled, outbid his rival for the next skin, and thus 

 it went on, first one and then the other raising the prices higher 

 and higher, much to the delight of the Indians. Oo-koo-hoo 

 had already sold a number of skins for more than their market 

 value before it dawned on the white men that they were play- 

 ing a losing game. Though glaring savagely at each other, 

 both were ready to capitulate, Lawson, pretending to ex- 

 amine some of Gibeault's goods, stooped and whispered : 



"We're actin' like fools. If we keep this up our bosses will 

 fire us both." 



"Let's swap even — ^you take every other skin at your own 

 figure," returned the French half-breed. 



"Agreed," said Lawson, straightening up. 



