CHAPTER VII.
Mr.Buck and myself concluded we would try our luck at lead mining for the summer and purchased some mining tools for the purpose.

We camped out and dug holes around all summer, getting just about enough to pay our expenses--not a very encouraging venture, for we had lived in a tent and had picked and shoveled and blasted and twisted a windlass hard enough to have earned a good bit of money.
In the fall we concluded to try another trapping tour, and set out for Prairie du Chien.

We knew it was a poor place to spend money up in the woods, and when we got our money it was all in a lump and seemed to amount to something.

Mr.Brisbois said that the prospects were very poor indeed, for the price of fur was very low and no prospect of a better market.

So we left our traps still on storage at his place and went back again.