nd her and wept. Passively at
first she received these fondlings, but soon the children's caresses
broke down the barriers, and the hot tears began to flow; and the woman
was saved from death or insanity. But her hair turned white shortly
afterward, and she has ever since been that sad little woman that you
have seen her. Kinesasis has never been cruel to her, as, alas! too
many of the pagan Indian husbands are to their wives."

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

THE BEAVERS, AND SOMETHING ABOUT THEM--TWO HUNTERS AT SAGASTA-WEEKEE--A
GENERAL INVITATION TO A BEAVER HUNT ACCEPTED--THE PREPARATIONS--THE
TRIP--DOG-TRAVELLING IN THE WOODS--SAUCY WILD ANIMALS--THE WOLF'S COVE--
THE BOYS' PLUNGE IN THE SNOWDRIFT--THE RESCUE.

The beaver is a very interesting animal. In the previous summer the
boys had been fortunate enough to see a colony of beavers at work during
a beautiful moonlight night. They had also subsequently examined the
wonderful dam these industrious, ingenious creatures had made, and were
much amazed and surprised not only at its size, but also at the clever
way in which every part of it was constructed to meet any emergency that
might occur by flood or freshet.

They also noticed that the Indians did very little hunting of the
beaver, or, indeed, of any of the rich fur-bearing animals during the
summer months. Now, however, that the winter had come they were all
alert and active, and as soon as their fall fisheries were completed
they began making preparations for the winter harvest of furs. On their
success in a great measure depended the happiness and comfort of
themselves and their families. They lived too far north to cultivate
the land with any degree of success, and hence it was only by the sale
of their furs that they were able to buy the essential necessaries for
their simple lives.

The fur is only considered prime in the winter months. That killed in
summer is thin and poor, and for it the hunters receive but a low price.
But when the cold weather sets in, the fur becomes thick and valuable.
Then the hunters leave their homes and go to the distant hunting
grounds, often hundreds of miles away. Many are their hardships and
privations. They take but little food with them, and so have to depend
on what they can hunt or shoot. In some regions where the fur-bearing
animals are fairly numerous those that are good for food are very few.
The result sometimes is that Indians doing well in getting the rich f