, and though
with the help of the moss and the clay in the bank she might make it
comfortable, yit, ef the vagabond that be her husband has forgot his
own, and desarted them, as Wild Bill said he had, I doubt ef there be
vict'als enough in the shanty to keep them from starvin'. Yis, pups,"
said the old man, rising, "it'll be a good tramp through the snow,
but we'll go in the mornin', and see ef the woman be in want. The boy
himself said, when he stopped at the shanty last summer, afore he went
out, that he didn't see how they was to git through the winter, and I
reckon he left the woman some money, by the way she follered him
toward the boat; and he told me to bear them in mind when the snow
came, and see to it they didn't suffer. I might as well git the
pack-basket out, and begin to put the things in't, fur it be a goodly
distance, and an 'arly start will make the day pleasant to the woman
and the leetle uns, ef vict'als be scant in the cupboard. Yis, I'll
git the pack-basket out, and look round a leetle, and see what I can
find to take 'em. I don't conceit it'll make much of a show, fur what
might be good fur a man won't be of sarvice to a woman; and as fur the
leetle uns, I don't know ef I've got a single thing but vict'als
that'll fit 'em. Lord! ef I was near the settlements, I might swap a
dozen skins fur jest what I wanted to give 'em; but I'll git the
basket out, and look round and see what I've got."

In a moment the great pack-basket had been placed in the middle of the
floor, and the Trapper was busy overhauling his stores to see what he
could find that would make a fitting Christmas gift for those he was
to visit on the morrow. A canister of tea was first deposited on the
table, and, after he had smelled of it, and placed a few grains of it
on his tongue, like a connoisseur, he proceeded to pour more than half
of its contents into a little bark box, and, having carefully tied the
cover, he placed it in the basket.

"The yarb be of the best," said the old man, putting his nose to the
mouth of the canister, and taking a long sniff before he inserted the
stopple--"the yarb be of the best, fur the smell of it goes into the
nose strong as mustard. That be good fur the woman fur sartin, and
will cheer her sperits when she be downhearted; fur a woman takes as
naterally to tea as an otter to his slide, and I warrant it'll be an
amazin' comfort to her, arter the day's work be over, more specially
ef the work had bee