My brother's a fine fellow," the young man sneered, but not bitterly.
"He ought to be," said Bates, surveying the sample of the family before him rather with a glance of just criticism than of admiration.

"What's your calling, then ?" Alec pulled his mitts out of his pocket and slapped his moccasins with them to strike off the melting snow.

"What do you think it is, now ?" Bates eyed him with some interest in the challenge.

"I don't know," he said at last.

"Why didn't your brother want ye to do it ?" "'Twasn't grand enough.