THE CAVE AND ITS TREASURES. 75 



welcome to yer fun. See if ye can shin it up more 

 graceful than this coon. I guess ye'll find it pretty 

 considerable o' a climb afore ye stands hyur." 



So saying, the old hunter vanished into the cave. 

 He spoke truly when he said that the youths would 

 find the ascent of the rock far from easy. Pierre, who 

 had the advantage of Gaultier in years as well as in 

 muscle, was not long in handing himself upwards, mak- 

 ing use of every excrescence or projection to plant his 

 feet upon. But the latter had several times to relin- 

 quish the attempt and rest before renewing his exer- 

 tions. 



At length, however, he stood in the entrance of the 

 cave and rejoined his companions. Old Jake's descrip- 

 tion of the stores which the Indian had accumulated 

 were not much exaggerated. There were many beaver- 

 skins piled neatly one on the other, and all in good 

 condition. Deer-hides and bear-skins had each their 

 respective places, as indeed had all the others, the ill- 

 fated Redskin having evidently been a lover of order in 

 the arrangement of his effects. 



In all, the trappers counted one hundred beaver, fifty 

 moose and cariboo hides, twenty-five bear-skins, fifteen 

 black foxes, and twenty various, making a very hand- 

 some total. Besides the furs and peltries there was a 

 collection of traps, most of which were in good work- 

 ing order ; and on a shelf were a smooth-bore single gun 

 with long barrel, of small gauge, with pouches, some 

 ammunition, and various small articles used by the 



