skins' worth
of powder, caps, shot, and bullets. Then he selected for himself a
couple of pairs of trousers, one pair made of moleskin and the other of
tweed, costing ten skins; two shirts and a suit of underwear, ten
skins; half a dozen assorted traps, ten skins. Finding that he had
used up all his quills, he drew on those set aside for his wife and
son-in-law's family and bought tobacco, five skins; files, one skin; an
axe, two skins; a knife, one skin; matches, one half skin; and candy
for his youngest grandchild, one half skin. On looking over his
acquisitions he discovered that he must have at least ten skins' worth
of twine for nets and snares, five skins' worth of tea, one skin worth
of soap, one skin worth of needles and thread, as well as a tin pail
and a new frying pan. After a good deal of haggling, the Factor threw
him that number of quills, and Oo-koo-hoo's manifest contentment
somewhat relieved the trader's anxiety.

A moment later, however, Oo-koo-hoo was reminded by his wife, Ojistoh,
that there was nothing for her, so she determined to interview the
Factor herself. She tried to persuade him to give her twenty skins in
trade, and promised to pay for them in the spring with rat and ermine
skins, or--should those fail her--with her dog, which was worth fully
thirty skins. She had been counting on getting some cotton print for a
dress, as well as thread and needles, to say nothing of extra tea,
which in all would amount to at least thirty-five or forty skins.
When, however, the Factor allowed her only ten skins, her
disappointment was keen, and she ended by getting a shawl. Then she
left the trading room to pay a visit to the Factor's wife, and confide
to her the story of her expectations and of her disappointment so
movingly that she would get a cup of tea, a word of sympathy, and
perhaps even an old petticoat.

In the meantime, Oo-koo-hoo was catching it again. He had forgotten
his daughter; so after more haggling the trader agreed to advance her
ten skins. Her mind had long been made up. She bought a three-point
blanket, a small head shawl, and a piece of cotton print. Then the
grandsons crowded round and grumbled because there was nothing for them.

By this time the trader was beginning to feel that he had done pretty
well for the family already; but he kept up the appearance of bluff
good humour, and asked:

"Well, Oo-koo-hoo, what wad ye be wantin' for the laddies?"

"My grandsons ar