ANTOINE GARDAPEE. 



CANTO II. ANOTHER WOLVERINE SNOW BLIND. 



I WOULD ask all such "tenderfeet," in whose ranks 

 I was then a recruit, although the term had not 

 been invented, how they would feel to awake in a 

 cabin in a forest where there was no white man within 

 forty miles, except a partner who was off running a line 

 of traps, and find an Indian standing silently by the bed? 

 Just put yourself in his place. 



After the choking sensation which comes with such a 

 scare, and a partly paralyzed heart had begun its regular 

 work, the firelight, which, by the way, the intruder had 

 replenished, showed the features of our friend Ah-se- 

 bun, who gave a saluting grunt and turned toward the 

 fire, where he sat until I arose, washed and dressed and 

 prepared to get breakfast. The door had been held shut 

 against wind and snow by a prop, for there was no fear 

 of animals where there was a man and a fire, and our 

 guest had somehow removed that without disturbing my 

 sleep, but how long he had been in the cabin was un- 

 known. He held down a stool by the fire, while I cooked 

 breakfast, and he sat there and ate enough for half a 

 dozen laboring men, and drank coffee until there was 

 none left. Antoine had taught me never to betray any 

 curiosity, and so I handed over a pipeful of tobacco and 

 waited. Old Raccoon looked at me inquiringly, and I 

 at once filled my pipe, although I never could endure 



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