"
"Th' free traders don't go north o' th' Straits much. Why don't ye try
it there, sir?" suggested the mate.
"Ice. Too much ice. I've been thinkin' it over. Th' trouble is we
couldn't get through th' ice in th' spring until after th' Hudson's
Bay people had gobbled up everything. Th' natives down that coast is
poor as Job's turkey, an' they has t' sell their fur soon's th'
furrin' season's over. I hears th' company gets th' fur from 'em fer
a song. Them natives'll give ye a silver fox fer a jackknife an' a
barrel o' flour, an' a marten fer a gallon o' molasses. But the's
money in it if a feller could get there in time," he added
thoughtfully.
"What's th' matter with goin' down in th' fall before th' ice blocks
th' coast? Th' _Maid o' th' North_ is sheathed fer ice, an' we could
freeze her in, some place down th' coast, an' be on hand t' sail when
th' ice clears in th' spring, We could let th' folks know where we
were t' freeze up, an' we'd pick up a lot o' fur before th' ice
breaks, an' th' natives'd hold th' rest until we calls comin' south.
The's a big chanct there," said the mate, conclusively.
"I dunno but yer right. I hadn't thought o' goin' down in th' fall t'
freeze up. We'd have t' be gettin' t' our anchorage by th' first o'
October.
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