of a large cat.

"Dere a 'possum," exclaimed Quambo; and we hurried after it with the
dogs.

"Master 'Possum" was not going to be caught so easily, however. In an
instant it was up a tree, and lost to sight amid the branches, while the
dogs yelped around it.

"The creature is lost," cried Reuben.

"No fear ob dat," answered Quambo. "We soon find him out."

Then he and Mike, with the rest of us, began to collect all the decayed
branches to be found above the snow. We soon bad enough wood for a
fire; when Quambo striking a light, it quickly blazed up, and the flames
exhibited the opossum making its way along one of the branches. The
dogs leaped about, and yelped loudly. Quambo had thrown himself on the
ground to watch the animal's proceedings; for the moment we had
attempted to take aim, it had nimbly sprung round to the dark side,
apparently watching us as eagerly as we were watching it. Mike on this
hurried off to a little distance and lifted his rifle. He fired, and
down came the opossum.

The dogs seized it, and in a few moments life was extinct. There was no
shamming now, though the Irishman gave it another blow, after we had
taken off the dogs, just to make sure. He having slung it over his
back, we put out the fire to prevent the risk of igniting the trees, and
proceeded homewards well content with our evening's sport.

It was the last idle day we had for some time, for we had an abundance
of work to get through before the return of spring, which was now
rapidly approaching. It was the least pleasant time of the year, too;
for we had thaws of two or three days at a time, during which the
hardened snow was turned into slush. Then frost would come on again,
and hold the timber with such a grasp that we could not move it. We
occupied the time in putting up sheds, and in such other work as could
be done before the ground was clear. No one, however, complained; for
we knew that the snow would soon disappear, that the leaves would again
come forth, and that the rivers would be open, when we should be able to
move about much more rapidly in our canoes than we had done over the
frozen ground.

CHAPTER FOUR.

UNCLE MARK'S GOOD OPINION OF REUBEN--MIKE LAFFAN'S FIDDLE--THE BEAVER--
REUBEN'S DESIRE TO TURN TRAPPER--QUAMBO TAKES A PIPE--KEPENAU'S CANOE--
ASHATEA PADDLES REUBEN HOME--KEPENAU'S SAGACITY--UNCLE MARK WELCOMES
KEPENAU AND HIS DAUGHTER--THE OLD TRAPPER--REUBEN CARRIES SAMSON'S
PACK--ASHA