e north, and comes from the Horn Mountain that we passed at
the end of Great Slave Lake; it is the country of the Beaver Indians.
My relations meet me frequently on that river. There are great plains
on both sides of that river, which abound in buffaloes and moose-deer."

"I don't believe it--wauch!" said English Chief. As this was a
discouraging reception of his remarks, Coppernose relapsed into silence.

Soon afterwards the large canoe was observed to make for a low grassy
point; and as it was about the usual camping time, English Chief made
for the same place. The hunters reached it about ten minutes later, and
bore into camp two reindeer, four geese, and a swan, besides a large
quantity of berries gathered by the fair (or brown) hands of Darkeye.

"There is plenty of game everywhere," said Reuben, in answer to a query
from his leader, "we might have killed much more if we'd had more time--
but enough is as good as a feast, as the sayin' goes in my country."

"In _your_ country?" said Mackenzie, with a smile.

"Ay, I claim to be a Scotchman--though I was born and raised in Canada--
my father hailed from the land o' cakes."

"Does Lawrence claim the same nationality on the same ground, Reuben?"

"He does not!" answered Lawrence for himself, while busy cleaning his
father's gun.

"The lad loves the Canadians," replied Reuben, with a chuckle; "besides,
he couldn't claim it on the same ground, seein' that I am fully half a
Scot, while he is at least three-quarters a Canadian."

"More the better luck for him," said one of the Canadians, who had
already kindled a fire, before which one of his comrades was busily
engaged setting up juicy venison steaks to roast.

"Oui," observed another; "vraiment, Canada beats Scottish land
altogeder."

"Ha! Faderland ees more best, den all ze vorld," said the German,
quaffing a can of water with as much zest as if it had been his own
native Rhine wine.

"I warrant me," said Mackenzie with a laugh, "that our trusty guide,
Coppernose, would not give the wilderness here for Canada, Scotland, and
Faderland put together. What say you, lad?"

Coppernose looked gravely at his questioner, but made no reply.

"Boo!" said English Chief; regarding his countryman with a look of
contempt; "hims no onerstan' Eengleesh."

"He understands how to eat a rumpsteak of venison, however," said
Mackenzie, with a laugh, as Coppernose at that moment coolly
appropriated a mass of half-roasted