A DEBATE. 147 



" Wai, that's so, sure enuff," replied the trapper ; " I 

 can't exactly figure it out yit. We'll take a walk 

 round, an' mebbe we'll find out the reason." 



The hunters therefore directed their course towards 

 the upper end of the lake, where the stream issued 

 from the woods, down a glen with smoothly-sloping 

 sides, prettily wooded with pines, interspersed with 

 birches and maples. Along the banks of this stream 

 the tracks of beaver were very numerous. 



Continuing to ascend the glen, the party soon came 

 upon another dam, beyond which the glen became 

 considerably wider, the open space being occupied by a 

 lake quite as large as that which they had just left. 

 There were great numbers of beaver lodges, and several 

 of the animals themselves were seen swimming about 

 with all the boldness of conscious security. 



This discovery explained the difficulty which had 

 been suggested by Pierre. The colony down stream 

 was an offshoot of this larger community, whose mem- 

 bers had doubtless assisted the emigrants in construct- 

 ing their dam. In fact, they had enabled them to set 

 up in life for themselves. 



A question now presented itself to the hunters. 

 They were on their way to the head waters of the 

 Peace River, with the hope of reaching a good game 

 country, where they trusted to collect an ample stock 

 of furs. Here were beavers in plenty, and why con- 

 tinue their journey in search of that which accident 

 had already thrown in their way ? The only difficulty 



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