"Let us be gone," said the general, smiling; "leave them these few combs."
"Oh!" said the guide, shrugging his shoulders, "they will soon be carried away by the vermin."
"The vermin! What vermin do you mean?" the general asked.
"Oh! the raccoons, the opossums, but particularly the bears."
"The bears?" said Doña Luz.
"Oh, señorita!" the guide replied, "they are the cleverest vermin in the world in discovering a tree of bees, and getting their share of the honey."
"Do they like honey, then?" said the lady, with excited curiosity.
"Why, they are mad after it, señorita," the guide, who really seemed to relax of his cynical humour, rejoined. "Imagine how greedy they are after it, when they will gnaw a tree for weeks, until they succeed in making a hole large enough to put their paws in, and then they carry off honey and bees, without taking the trouble to choose."
"Now," said the general, "let us resume our route, and seek the residence of the trappers."
"Oh! we shall soon be there, señor," replied the guide; "the great Canadian river is within a few paces of us, and trappers are established all along the streams which flow into it."