FEASTING ROYALLY. 65 



queer old fellow would not listen to. " Wagh !" cried he, 

 " yer ain't a-talkin' to a tenderfoot from the settlements. 

 In the woods we all helps another, an' no blessed muss 

 about it. Come, old coon," he continued, " I'm a-gwine 

 to raise your nose for breakfast." 



So saying, the old trapper unsheathed his shining 

 knife, and separated the "mouffle," or overhanging 

 upper lip of the moose, and placed it in his possible 

 sack. Meantime Pierre recovered his arms, and between 

 them the two trappers butchered the carcass and re- 

 turned to camp, staggering under the weight of as 

 much meat as they could carry. The hide was sus- 

 pended to a pole cut from the ill-fated poplar; in which 

 position the hunters hoped it would act as a sufficient 

 scare-wolf. 



When they arrived at the camp, they found that 

 Gaultier had not been idle. A glittering pile of fish 

 lay upon the bank ; and just as they approached the 

 fire, the young hunter drew in a large tittameg, or 

 white-fish, which he threw among the others. That 

 morning the party feasted royally. Old Jake shared 

 his bonne bouche with his companions; and being in 

 high good humour, as he ordinarily was when he had 

 done anything unusual, or whenever he was satisfying 

 his appetite on favourite viands, he volunteered to tell 

 the youths his own morning adventures. 



" Why," said Pierre, " I thought you had neither seen 

 nor shot anything to-day except the moose of course." 



"Wagh !" exclaimed the trapper, "your tongue wags 



