ng behind a large bush.
"You will get a goot chance, and the gun will kill if ye point
straight, for the trade-guns are fery goot, the most of--wow!"

The sudden end of his remark was caused by Nazinred firing, and
thereafter rising with the shattered fragments of the gun in his hand,
and a little blood trickling from one of his fingers, while an
expression of stern perplexity overspread his visage.

"Well, now, that iss most extraordinary," said the trader, examining the
weapon. "I hev not seen such a thing for years. To be sure, they are
cheap and made of cast-iron, but they seldom burst like that, an' they
usually shoot straight, whatever!--Tell him, Tonal', that he need not
concern himself, for I will give him another."

On this being translated, Nazinred seemed content, and began to examine
his hurt, which by good fortune was a slight one.

"It might have been worse," remarked Mowat gravely; "I've seen many a
man in this country with a short allowance of finger-joints from the
same cause."

"What you observe is fery true, Tonal'," said the trader, with a serious
air, "it might have been worse. There was a bit of the barrel went past
my head that fery nearly put me on a short allowance of life. But come
with me to the store an' we will choose a better one."

Half an hour sufficed to select another fowling-piece, which stood all
the tests to which it was subjected, and as evening was about to close
in the whole party returned well laden with game, and thoroughly pleased
with the weapons.

Meanwhile the men of the establishment had been variously employed,
cutting and hauling firewood, attending the nets, etcetera, while the
women had been busy making moccasins and mending garments. The cook--an
Orkney-man--had made extensive preparations for a feast, but this was a
secret between him and MacSweenie; the latter being fond of occasionally
giving his people a surprise-treat.

It was not indeed easy to surprise them at that time with unusually good
food, for the land was swarming with spring life, and they daily enjoyed
the fat of it. But there were some little delicacies which were not to
be had every day in the wilderness of the far north. Among them was a
round object about the shape, size, and consistency of a large
cannon-ball, which was tied up in a cloth and seemed to require an
immense amount of boiling. The smell of this was delicious, and, when
ultimately turned out of its cloth it presented a