The Surveyor-General then took his leave, and Martin Super remained. Mrs Campbell was the first who spoke:
“Super,” said she, “I hope we shall be very good friends, but now tell me what you mean by your—totem, I think you called it?”
“Why, ma’am, a totem is an Indian’s mark, and you know I am almost an Indian myself. All the Indian chiefs have their totems. One is called the Great Otter; another the Serpent, and so on, and so they sign a figure like the animal they are named from. Then, ma’am, you see, we trappers, who almost live with them, have names given to us also, and they have called me the Painter.”
“Why did they call you the Painter.”
“Because I killed two of them in one day.”
“Killed two painters?” cried the girls.
“Yes, miss; killed them both with my rifle.”
“But why did you kill the men?” said Emma; “was it in battle?”
“Kill the men, miss; I said nothing about men; I said I killed two painters,” replied Martin, laughing, and showing a row of teeth as white as ivory.
“What is a painter, then, Super?” inquired Mrs Campbell.