d Alfred, "I shall infinitely
more enjoy a good sleep under my bear skin. At the same time I'll try
what I can do," continued he, laughing, and taking his seat at table.

Notwithstanding Alfred's observation, he contrived to make a very hearty
supper, and Emma laughed at his appetite after his professing that he
had so little inclination to eat.

"I said I was too tired to eat, Emma, and so I felt at the time; but as
I became more refreshed my appetite returned," replied Alfred, laughing,
"and notwithstanding your jeering me, I mean to eat some more."

"How long has John been away?" said Mr. Campbell.

"Now nearly a fortnight," observed Mrs. Campbell; "he promised to come
here Christmas-day. I suppose we shall see him to-morrow morning."

"Yes, ma'am; and old Bone will come with him, I dare say. He said as
much to me when he was going away the last time. He observed that the
boy could not bring the venison, and perhaps _he_ would if he had any,
for he knows that people like plenty of meat on Christmas day."

"I wonder whether old Malachi is any way religious," observed Mary. "Do
you think he is, Martin?"

"Yes, ma'am; I think he feels it, but does not show it. I know from
myself what are, probably, his feelings on the subject. When I have been
away for weeks and sometimes for months, without seeing or speaking to
any one, all alone in the woods, I feel more religious than I do when at
Quebec on my return, although I do go to church. Now old Malachi has, I
think, a solemn reverence for the Divine Being, and strict notions of
duty, so far as he understands it,--but as he never goes to any town or
mixes with any company, so the rites of religion, as I may call them,
and the observances of the holy feast, are lost to him, except as a sort
of dream of former days, before he took to his hunter's life. Indeed, he
seldom knows what day or even what month it is. He knows the seasons as
they come and go, and that's all. One day is the same as another, and he
can not tell which is Sunday, for he is not able to keep a reckoning.
Now, ma'am, when you desired Master John to be at home on the Friday
fortnight because it was Christmas-day, I perceived old Malachi in deep
thought: he was recalling to mind what Christmas-day was; if you had not
mentioned it, the day would have passed away like any other; but you
reminded him, and then it was that he said he would come if he could.
I'm sure that now he knows it is Christmas-day, he