ng out of the tree and hurried away into the dense forest.
The women, like the men, knew what clever animals these wolverines are
to find out where venison or other game has been hid away until needed.
So, as their curiosity was excited, they carefully searched the tree,
which was a very large one, and there in among the dense branches they
found the pack of Kinesasis. They were not able to reach it, but
reported their discovery when they returned to the village. Kinesasis
and others were soon after it. It was well that they found it when they
did, as the wolverine had cut through the outer coverings of deerskin,
and had already ruined several valuable furs. In an hour more there
would have been nothing worth taking away, so terribly destructive are
these animals when they thus find anything of fur or game.

"Strange to say, old Wahbunoo would not accept anything from Kinesasis.
The death of the old chief had very much disturbed him, and it also gave
him such an idea of Kinesasis's prowess that he had to respect him. The
bag of gold also disappeared, and to this day none knows what became of
it. Kinesasis carried his furs to the Hudson Bay Company's store, and
received enough for them to make him and Shakoona comfortable for many a
day."

"I have always heard that Indians were so honest with each other about
their furs and traps," said Alec; "but this stealing of Kinesasis's
whole pack seems to knock that idea over. What are we to believe about
it?"

"What you have heard about the honesty of the Indians is the truth,"
said Mr Ross. "This stealing of the furs of Kinesasis was not an
ordinary theft for gain. The object of it was to prevent him from
having sufficient gifts to satisfy the father of the maiden of his
choice. The fact that the furs were hid away as they were showed this.
They could not bury them, as the ground was frozen like granite; they
dare not burn them for fear of detection; and the ice was too thick on
the rivers or lakes to be quickly cut through. It was very evident that
they did not try to sell them."

"But did not the thieves hide them there so that they could go and get
them, and sell them when the excitement of their loss had passed over?"
said Alec, who was a boy who had a habit of seeing things from different
sides and liked to have all the difficulties cleared up.

Mr Ross admired this trait in Alec's character, and always endeavoured
to meet it in a way that was helpful to the