anning the place while talking with the children. "The
rifle be gone from the hangin's, and the tracks in the snow be hern.
Yis, yis, I see it all. She went out in hope of gittin' the leetle uns
here somethin' to eat, and that was her rifle we heerd, and her bullit
made that hole in the ham of the buck. What a disapp'intment to the
poor creetur when she seed she hadn't hit him! Her heart eena'most
broke, I dare say. But the Lord was in it--leastwise, He didn't go
agin the proper shapin' of things arterwards. Come, Bill, let's stir
round lively, and git the shanty in shape a leetle, and some vict'als
on the table afore she comes. Yis, git out your axe, and slash into
that dead beech at the corner of the cabin, while I sorter clean up
inside. A fire is the fust thing on sech a mornin' as this; so scurry
round, Bill, and bring in the wood as ef ye was a good deal in
'arnest, and do ye cut to the measure of the fireplace, and don't
waste yer time in shortenin' it, fur the longer the fireplace, the
longer the wood; that is, ef ye want to make it a heater."

His companion obeyed with alacrity; and by the time the Trapper had
cleaned out the snow, and swept down the soot from the sides of the
fireplace, and put things partially to rights, Bill had stacked the
dry logs into the huge opening, nearly to the upper jamb, and, with
the help of some large sheets of birch bark, kindled them to a flame.
"Come here, leetle uns," said the Trapper, as he turned his
good-natured face toward the children,--"come here, and put yer leetle
feet on the h'arthstun, fur it's warmin', and I conceit yer toes be
about freezin'."

It was not in the power of children to withstand the attraction of
such an invitation, extended with such a hearty voice and such
benevolence of feature. The children came promptly forward, and stood
in a row on the great stone, and warmed their little shivering bodies
by the abundant flames.

"Now, leetle folks," said the Trapper, "jest git yerselves well
warmed, then git on what clothes ye've got, and we'll have some
breakfast,--yis, we'll have breakfast ready by the time yer mother
gits back, fur I know where she be gone, and she'll be hungry and cold
when she gits in. I don't conceit that this leetle chap here can help
much, but ye girls be big enough to help a good deal. So, when ye be
warm, do ye put away the bed to the furderest corner, and shove out
the table in front of the fire, and put on the dishes, sech as y