eavers all dive and escape, but as they must come up to
breathe at the holes in the ice, they place nets and take them in that
way, but they always leave a sufficient number to keep up the stock;
they also take them in traps baited with the asp-wood, but that is more
difficult."

"But there is another sort of beaver, ma'am, called the land-beaver,
which is more easily taken," observed Martin; "they make holes in the
earth like rabbits. The Indians say that these beavers are those who
are lazy and idle, and have been driven out by the others for not
working."

"Now, tell us what you do when you go out to hunt the beaver in the
winter, Malachi?"

"We never hunt the beaver only, ma'am; we go out to hunt everything; we
go to the beaver lakes, and then we set our traps for beaver, otter,
martin, mynx, cats, foxes, and every other animal, some traps large and
some small. We build our hut, and set our traps all about us, and
examine them every day; we cut what flesh is good, and we employ
ourselves skinning the animals which we take."

"Is the beaver flesh good?"

"Yes, ma'am, very tolerable eating; perhaps the best we find at that
time."

"But what a miserable life that must be," said Mrs Campbell.

"Well, ma'am, you may think so, but we hunters think otherwise," replied
Malachi; "we are used to it, and to being left alone to our own
thoughts."

"That's true," observed Martin; "I'd rather pass the winter hunting
beavers, than pass it at Quebec, miserable as you may imagine the life
to be."

"There must be a charm in the life, that is certain," observed Mr
Campbell; "for how many are engaged in it who go out year after year,
and never think of laying up any of their earnings."

"Very true, sir," replied Martin; "what they make from their skins is
spent as soon as they get to Quebec, as I know well, and then they set
off again."

"Why they are like sailors," observed Alfred, "who, after a long cruise,
spend all their wages and prize-money in a few days, and then go to sea
again for more."

"Exactly," replied Malachi; "and what's the use of money if you keep it?
A trapper can always take up as much powder and ball as he wants upon
credit, and pay with a portion of his skins on his return. What does he
want with the rest? It's of no use to him, and so of course he spends
it."

"But would it not be better to put it by until he had sufficient to buy
a farm, and live comfortably?"

"But does he live comforta