econd-hand rifle, Oo-koo-hoo would not deign to
touch them. Without more ado, he turned on his heel and walked away.

On reaching camp, the old hunter learned from the children that the
women had gone to pay a visit to the nuns; so he followed them, and,
without even speaking to the Sisters, ordered the women to come home.
On the way he eased his wrath by telling them that never again would he
buy prayers or masses from the priest with black fox skins, and that if
they ever wanted masses, he would pay for them with nothing but the
skins of skunks. He did not see why he had to pay for masses, anyway,
when Free Trader Spear had made them a standing offer of all the
prayers they wanted free of charge, provided that he, Oo-koo-hoo, would
trade with him. He added that he had half a mind to accept Spear's
offer, just to spite the priest.

So after meditating for a while upon his steadfast belief that any fool
of an Indian is better than a white man, and that the only good white
men are the dead ones, he got into his canoe and paddled across the
lake to interview the opposition trader.

When he told Spear what a splendid black fox he had, and how the priest
had already offered him a hundred skins for it, the Free Trader said:

"I'll give you a hundred and ten for it," and the old reprobate added,
"and I'll throw into the bargain half-a-dozen prayers for the women."

The offer was at once accepted. On handing over the goods to
Oo-koo-hoo, the trader asked where the black fox was, and was told that
it was in keeping of the priest. So without delay Mr. Spear paddled
back with The Owl to get the skin. When the priest learned how the
hunter had stolen a march on him, he was righteously indignant; but he
dared not complain, since he was not supposed to deal in furs. There
was nothing to do but hand over the magnificent skin to the Free Trader
although he knew right well that in London or Paris it would bring
twenty times the price paid for it.

Next day old Granny came crying to Oo-koo-hoo and complaining that the
priest had refused to officiate at the wedding on the day agreed upon.
The nuns had told her that his refusal was due to his determination to
discipline The Owl for his rudeness and irreverence. That seemed to
worry the hunter considerably, for, though he cared nothing for the
priest's benediction, he did want the wedding to come off upon the day
appointed. It touched his pride to be balked in his plans. He