he
jerked it out of the trader's hand. That pleased Lawson. Presently
the Indian threw down a bear skin, saying:

"My brother, this is to see how you look at me."

Now the way of the experienced fur-runner is to offer a big
price--often an excessive price--for the first skin. He calculates
that it puts the Indian in a good humour and in the end gives the
trader a chance of getting ahead of the native. That is just what
Lawson did, and Gibeault refused to raise the bid.

"My brother," said the Indian addressing the latter, "you had better go
home if you cannot pay better prices than the Great Company."

Gibeault, nettled, outbid his rival for the next skin, and thus it went
on, first one and then the other raising the prices higher and higher,
much to the delight of the Indians. Oo-koo-hoo had already sold a
number of skins for more than their market value before it dawned on
the white men that they were playing a losing game. Though glaring
savagely at each other, both were ready to capitulate. Lawson,
pretending to examine some of Gibeault's goods, stooped and whispered:

"We're actin' like fools. If we keep this up our bosses will fire us
both."

"Let's swap even--you take every other skin at your own figure,"
returned the French half-breed.

"Agreed," said Lawson, straightening up.

No longer outbidding one another, they got the next few skins below the
market price. But before the traders had made good their loss the
Indian gathered up his furs and turning to the fur-runners with a
smile, said:

"My brothers, as I see that you have agreed to cheat me, I have decided
that I and my people will keep all our furs until we go out next
spring; so it is now useless for you to remain any longer."

Having read the note Gibeault brought me from Free Trader Spear, I
hastened to hand the half-breed my reply, accepting Mr. and Mrs.
Spear's invitation to be their guest for a few days when everyone would
be gathering at Fort Consolation to attend the New Year's dance; and
again I wondered if "Son-in-law" would be there.

V

MEETING OF THE WILD MEN

WHO IS SON-IN-LAW?

Christmas week had arrived and now we were off for the New Year's dance
to be held at Fort Consolation. Instead of travelling round three
sides of an oblong as we had done to reach Oo-koo-hoo's hunting ground
by canoe, we now, travelling on snowshoes, cut across country, over
hill and valley, lake and river, in a southeasterly direc