ost burn had
been. Then, too, the rabbit snares were sprung and abandoned. There were
rabbits and partridges enough hanging frozen in the porch to serve the
family needs until spring.

During the cold days of January and February Charley and Toby spent much
time in the cabin assisting Mrs. Twig prepare and tan the caribou skins
into soft buckskin, or occupied themselves outside at the woodpile with
a crosscut saw. The woodpile seemed always to require attention, and
though it was a bit tiresome now and again when they wished to do
something more interesting, it supplied excellent exercise.

But they had their share of sport too. On days when there was a fair
breeze it was great fun sailing an old sledge over the bay ice. They
fitted a mast upon it, and with a boat sail had some rare spins, with
occasional spills, which added to the zest of the sport.

Both Charley and Toby enjoyed, perhaps, most of all their excursions
with the dogs. When Skipper Zeb returned to his trapping path after his
holiday, they took him back, with a load of provisions to Black River
tilt. And twice since, on the fortnightly weekend, when they knew he
would be there, they drove over and spent the night with him in the
tilt, and a jolly time they had on each occasion.

Once on a Saturday the whole family paid a visit to Skipper Tom Ham and
his wife at Lucky Bight, spending a Sunday with them. The journey on the
komatik was a great treat for both Mrs. Twig and Violet, and this visit
supplied food for pleasant conversation during the remainder of the
winter.

One day in January Aaron Slade and his wife, neighbours who lived at
Long Run, some forty miles away and to the southward of Pinch-In
Tickle, drove into Double Up Cove with dogs and komatik, and spent two
whole days with the Twigs. And then, the following week, came David
Dyson and his son Joseph, and to all the visitors Toby, with vast pride,
exhibited his wonderful silver fox pelt.

"'Tis a fine silver!" exclaimed Aaron, holding it up and shaking out its
glossy fur that he might admire its sheen. "'Tis the finest silver ever
caught in these parts! You'll be gettin' a fine price for he, Toby."

And so said David Dyson and Joseph, and David, with a wise shake of his
head, added:

"Don't be lettin' the traders have un, now, for what they offers first.
Make un pay the worth of he."

With these excursions of their own, and the pleasant visits from their
neighbours, and with always enou