Mary opened the bark, and found inside of it a pair of mocassins, very prettily worked in stained porcupines’ quills.
“Oh! how beautiful, and how kind of her! Tell her that I thank her, and love her very much. Will you?”
“Yes; I’ll tell her. Where’s the boy?”
“Who, John? I think he’s gone up the stream to take some trout; he’ll be back to breakfast, and that’s just ready. Come, Emma, we must go in with the milk.”
Mr Campbell and those who were with him soon returned.
Malachi Bone then stated that he had brought the buck killed by John; and that, if it suited, he would carry back with him a keg of gunpowder and some lead; that he wished Mr Campbell to calculate what he considered due to him for the property, and let him take it out in goods, as he required them.
“Why don’t you name your 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 shew 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.