ur own price, Malachi?" said Mr. Campbell.

"How can I name a price? It was given to me and cost nothing. I leave it
all to you and Martin Super, as I said before."

"You show great confidence in me, I must say. Well Bone, I will not
cheat you; but I am afraid you will be a long while before you are paid,
if you only take it out in goods from my store-house."

"All the better, master; they will last till I die, and then what's left
will do for the boy here," replied the old hunter, putting his hand upon
John's head.

"Bone," said Mr. Campbell, "I have no objection to the boy going with
you occasionally; but I cannot permit him to be away always. I want him
to come home the day after he has been to see you."

"Well, that's not reasonable, master. We go out after the game; who
knows where we may find it, how long we may look for it, and how far it
may lead us? Must we give up the chase when close upon it, because
time's up? That'll never do. I want to make the boy a hunter, and he
must learn to sleep out and do every thing else as concerns a hunter to
do. You must let him be with me longer, and, if you please, when he
comes back keep him longer; but if you wish him to be a man, the more he
stays with me the better. He shall know all the Indian craft, I promise
you, and the winter after this he shall take beavers and bring you the
skins."

"I think, sir," observed Martin, "it's all in reason what the old man
says."

"And so do I," said Alfred; "after all, it's only sending John to
school. Let him go, father, and have him home for the holidays."

"I'll always come to you, when I can," said John.

"I am more satisfied at John's saying that than you might imagine," said
Mrs. Campbell; "John is an honest boy, and does not say what he does not
mean."

"Well, my dear, if you have no objection, I'm sure I will not raise any
more."

"I think I shall gain more by John's affection than by compulsion, my
dear husband. He says he will always come when he can, and I believe
him; I have, therefore, no objection to let him stay with Malachi Bone,
at all events for a week or so at a time."

"But his education, my dear."

"He is certain to learn nothing now that this fever for the woods, if I
may so call it, is upon him. He will, perhaps, be more teachable a year
or two hence. You must be aware that we have no common disposition to
deal with in that child; and however my maternal feelings may oppose my
judgment, it is stil