e trader, taking a few whiffs of the long clay
pipe which was his usual evening comforter, "I hev a plan, and, strange
as it may seem to an unsentimental man like you, love is at the bottom
of it."

"Well, you might have a worse foundation," returned Mowat, with
something of good-natured cynicism on his rugged face.

"Yes," continued MacSweenie, "that iss at the bottom of it--at least
weemen are, an' that's the same thing."

Mowat shook his head doubtfully. "I'm not so sure o' that," he said;
"no doubt women have a good deal to do wi' love--but they're hardly the
same thing."

"Weel, Tonal', we will not fall out on that point to-night, for I hev
got no leisure to dispute. Another time we may tackle it, but I hev
other fish to fry just now, an' we must begin this very night wi' a
grand palaver."

After a few more vigorous whiffs, and a frown indicative of intense
thought, the trader continued--

"I hev no doubt, Tonal', that you hev observed the curious and, if I may
say so, extensive variety of love-makin' that has broken out in the camp
since the arrival o' these Eskimos?"

"I can't say that I have," returned Mowat, gravely.

"Wow, man! for a fuddler ye exhibit a most extraordinary want o'
perception in the more delicate affairs o' human life. Well, well, it
is strange. But I hev observed it, an' I'm goin' to turn it to account,
if I can.

"You must know that I hev been troubled in my thoughts about that
warlike fellow Magadar, for, as you know, he was sweet upon the girl
Adolay before she was carried off by the Eskimo; an' Cheenbuk is such a
strong and bold lad that I felt sure there would be mischief between the
two about her; but to my surprise an' satisfaction Magadar hes gone over
head an' ears wi' that little Eskimo girl Cowlik, who must, I think, hev
been born in an easy-going frame of mind, which seems to hev stuck to
her ever since, and to hev gone on increasing with her years. Then, as
we all know, our Indian Alizay has for long been efter the girl Idazoo.
There's no accountin' for taste, Tonal'. I would sooner be married to a
ship's figure-head myself, but that's his look-out, whatever. I hev
also observed--'deed it would be difficult not to observe--that the man
Oolalik iss castin' sheep's-eyes at that girl Nootka. All this hes
impressed me so much that I hev set myself to observe more closely than
I'm used to do in such matters, and I hev discovered two more cases--
namely, that poor yo