ures, with their paws and teeth. No human builders could have
formed the work more skilfully. And observe how they thus have made a
pond, ever full of water, above the level of the doorways to their
houses, when the main stream is lowered by the heats of summer. See,
too, how cleverly they build their houses, with dome roofs so hard and
strong that even the cunning wolverine cannot manage to break through
them, while they place the doorway so deep down that the ice in winter
can never block it up inside. How warm and cozy, too, they are without
the aid of fires or blankets."

"How comes it, then, that they have not the sense to keep out of our
traps, father?" inquired Laurence.

"If you had ever been to the big cities, away to the east, you would not
ask that question, boy," answered the old trapper. "You would there
have seen thousands of men who seem wonderfully clever, and yet who get
caught over and over again by cunning rogues who know their weak points;
just as we bait our traps with bark-stone, [see Note] for which the
foolish beaver has such a fancy, so the knaves bait their snares with
promises of boundless wealth, to be gained without labour or trouble.
To my mind, nothing is to be gained without working for it, and pretty
hard work too, if the thing is worth having."

This conversation passed between the old man and his son as they
proceeded along the bank of the pond where some of their traps had been
set. Some had failed to catch their prey, but after the search was
ended, they returned to their camp with a dozen skins as the result of
their labour. One of the animals which had been skinned having been
preserved for their morning meal, it was soon roasting, supported on two
forked sticks, before the freshly made-up fire. This, with some maize
flour, and a draught of water from the stream, formed their repast.

"Now, Laurence, go and bring in the horses, while I prepare the skins
and do up our bales, and we will away towards the fort," said the old
man.

Laurence set off in search of their horses, which had been left feeding
during the night in a meadow at some distance from the camp. The
well-trained steeds, long accustomed to carry them and their traps and
furs, were not likely to have strayed away from the ground. Laurence
went on, expecting every moment to find them, but after proceeding some
way, they were nowhere visible. Near at hand was a rocky height which
overlooked the meadow. He