d himself as Reuben Claxton.
"Miss Lily, who is a great friend of my sister Dora, told me that you
would be glad to see me; and so I have come, and I should much like to
have a hunt with you in the forest," he said abruptly.

It was his way, I found. He always went directly to the point, whether
in talking or in doing anything: and I liked him the better for that.

Uncle Mark invited him to stay with us.

"I said that I would if you asked me, so they will not be expecting me
at home again," he answered.

In ten minutes we were on as friendly terms as if we had known each
other all our lives. Next day we started with our guns, accompanied by
Mike and Quambo, and our three dogs. The sky was bright, the air calm,
and, except for the snow and the leafless trees, we might have supposed
ourselves to have been in the middle of summer.

We had not gone far when we caught sight of an animal making its way
along the trunk of a fallen tree. I soon recognised it to be a marten,
and was just going to fire, when I perceived another creature coming out
of a hole hard by. The former animal was evidently bent on attacking
the latter. The marten immediately stopped, and carefully eyed the
hermit, the character of which I could not at first make out on account
of the distance it was from us. Quambo would probably have known, but
he and Mike were some way behind us. Of the marten I had no doubt; I
recognised it by its agile and graceful movements, by its length, which
was about a foot and a half, with a bushy tail somewhat under a foot
long, and by its dark tawny coat and white throat, its pointed muzzle,
and bright and lively eyes. We stopped to watch what would take place,
keeping back the dogs, which were about to rush forward and seize the
animals.

The marten soon made up its mind to assault its opponent, which, instead
of retreating into its hole, came boldly forward and ascended the fallen
trunk. I at once saw that it was an "urson," or porcupine; although my
companion supposed it to be another animal, as he could not see the long
quills with which the English porcupine is armed. This creature was
fully two feet long. Its back was covered with thick hair of a dusky
brown colour; its head was short, and its nose blunt; it had small round
ears, very powerful teeth, short limbs, and feet armed with strong
crooked claws. These particulars I was afterwards able to exhibit to
him.

The porcupine stood eyeing its oppon