in preparing them for the table is to
hold them so close to a hot fire that the scales will speedily blister
off. The next thing is to boil them for a long time, especially if they
are the tails of old beavers. Then it is best to allow them to get
thoroughly cold, as they taste very much better then, than when eaten
hot. On carving them the correct method is to cut the meat in long
strips from the powerful central bone. These are then to be served up
and eaten with a little salt. Beavers' tails thus prepared make a very
dainty dish. Indeed, it is one of the great delicacies of the country,
prized alike by both Indians and travellers. The other two great
delicacies of the country are the moose's nose and the bear's paws.

"That looks queer to me," said Sam, "that the delicacies of a country
should be the beaver's tail, the bear's paws, and the moose's nose. If
such is the case, you see that when here eating even the delicacies of
the land you are reduced to extremities!"

"A very good one, Sam," shouted the boys. "Old Ireland forever!"

The beavers' tails, although never tasted before by the boys, were very
much enjoyed by them. They racked their brains and memories to try and
think of some article of food that had a taste somewhat similar, but had
to give it up. So they had to agree with Alec that if you wished to
know just how beavers' tails tasted--well, you must eat one.

As the evening promised to be a calm and beautiful one, Mr Ross said
that they had better start not long after midnight. They could travel
on the back trail until they reached the camp where the storm had struck
them without much difficulty; after which in all probability they would
have to make a fresh trail. A blizzard storm in that land quickly
obliterates a trail, and thus the return journey is often made without a
single evidence of any other trip ever having been made in that region
of country. Their great success in capturing so many beavers meant a
large additional weight on their sleds. However, against that was the
fact that their vigorous appetites had very considerably reduced the
weight of their outfit, and in addition their dogs had, since they left
home, devoured about a thousand-weight of fish. Forty-seven beavers
weigh a good deal when they have to be drawn many scores of miles on
dog-sleds, and so, in spite of the lightened loads, it was no easy
matter to arrange them on the sleds.

That they might be ready to