Victor, laughing.

"Zat is not troo. It vas mine horse vat tombled. Of course I could not
go on riding upon noting after mine horse vas down."

At supper Herr Winklemann was quieter than usual, and rather cross. His
propensity to tumble seemed to be a sore subject with him, both as to
body and mind. He made more than one cutting remark to Victor during
the meal. After supper pipes were of course lighted, and conversation
flowed freely. The only two who did not smoke were Ian Macdonald and,
strange to say, Winklemann. That worthy German was a brilliant
exception to his countrymen in the matter of tobacco. Victor, under the
influence of example, was attempting in a quiet way to acquire the art,
but with little success. He took to the pipe awkwardly.

"Vat vor you smok?" asked Winklemann, in a tone of contempt to Victor.
"It is clear zat you do not loike it."

"How d'you know that I don't like it?" asked Victor, with a blush and a
laugh.

"Becowse your face do show it. Ve does not make faces at vat ve
loikes."

"That may be," retorted Victor, somewhat sharply. "Nevertheless, I have
earned a hunter's right to enjoy my pipe as well as the rest of you."

"Bon, bon, c'est vrai--true," cried Rollin, letting a huge cloud escape
from his lips.

"Bah! doos killing buffalo give you right to do voolishness? Do not try
for deceive yourself. You loike it not, bot you tink it makes you look
loike a _man_. Zat is vat you tink. Nevair vas you more mistouken. I
have seen von leetle poy put on a pair of big boots and tink he look
very grand, very loike him fadder; bot de boots only makes him look
smaller dan before, an' more foolish. So it is vid de pipe in de mout
of de beardless poy."

Having thrown this apple of discord into the midst of the party,
Winklemann shut his mouth firmly, as if waiting for a belligerent reply.
As for Victor, he flushed again, partly from indignation at this attack
on his liberty to do as he pleased, and partly from shame at having the
real motive of his heart so ruthlessly exposed. Victor was too honest
and manly to deny the fact that he had not yet acquired a liking for
tobacco, and admitted to himself that, in very truth, his object in
smoking was to appear, as he imagined, more like a man, forgetful or
ignorant of the fact that men, (even smokers), regard beardless
consumers of tobacco as poor imitative monkeys. He soon came to see the
habit in its true light, and gave it up,