"
A man with a bundle of high-class furs is a man of means in any
frontier town. The magistrate was trader, too, so they set about
disposing of their furs and buying the supplies they needed.
The day was nearly done before their new canoe was gummed and
ready with the new supplies. When dealing, old Sylvanne had a
mild, quiet manner, and a peculiar way of making funny remarks
that led some to imagine he was "easy" in business; but it was
usual to find at the end that he had lost nothing by his manners,
and rival traders shunned an encounter with Long Sylvanne of the
unruffled brow.
When business was done -- keen and complete -- he said: "Now,
I'm a goin' to give each of ye a present," and handed out two
double-bladed jackknives, new things in those days, wonderful
things, precious treasures in their eyes, sources of endless joy;
and even had they known that one marten skin would buy a quart of
them, their pleasant surprise and childish joy would not have
been in any way tempered or alloyed.
"Ye better eat with me, boys, an' start in the morning." So they
joined the miller's long, continuous family, and shared his
evening meal.
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