is, if you do not find me a burden on your hands," he
added with a sad smile.

"A burden!" cried Bounce in surprise; "I tell ye wot, sir, I consider
yer company a honour."

"So you won't return with us, young man?" said Macgregor to March
Marston as he mounted his horse. "I'm in want of a stout young fellow,
and you'll like the life."

"I thank ye, sir, for your good opinion," returned March; "but my mind's
made up: I'll stick by my comrades; I like trappin', but I don't like
tradin'--though I'm obliged to you for bein' so pressin' all the same."

The two parties bade each other adieu and separated--the one retracing
its way through the Wild-Cat Pass; the other, with old Redhand at its
head, descending into the beautiful country that has been briefly
described in the last chapter.

Six quiet and peaceful weeks now succeeded to the stormy period that had
just passed. During this time they wandered pleasantly about in as
beautiful a region of the world as the heart of man could wish to dwell
in. They reached this country after several days' travel. After
arriving they moved about from one beautiful spot to another, setting
their beaver traps in the streams, and remaining a longer or shorter
time at each place, according to their success in trapping and hunting.

The country was of so peculiarly diversified a formation, that, within
the compass of ten miles, every possible variety of scenery existed--
from the level stretch of prairie to the towering snow-peaks of the
mountains; from the brake-encompassed swamp, in which frogs, ducks,
geese, plover, and other denizens of the marshes maintained perpetual
jubilee, to the dry bush-dotted mounds and undulating lands, where the
badger delighted to burrow in the sandy soil, while in other places, the
wolf, the fox, and the grisly bear prowled amid the dark recesses of the
forest.

It was a truly beautiful and a pre-eminently enjoyable region, and, in
the midst of it, under the spreading branches of a magnificent pine,
which grew on the top of a little mound that commanded an extensive
prospect on every side, the trappers pitched their camp, and began their
campaign against the fur-bearing animals that dwelt there.

It was a quiet sunny Sabbath morning when our trappers arrived at the
tree above referred to. They had encamped the previous night on a
swampy piece of ground, having travelled too late to afford time to
search for a better spot, so that they were glad