human
What luck?
gpt
None, said Horace curtly. He looked tired, dirty, and discouraged.
human
I went clear to the Whitefish--nothing doing. But what are you fellows grinning about? What did you find at the head of the river? You haven't--it isn't possible that you've hit it!
gpt
No, not diamonds, said Mac.
human
But we 've found something valuable. And he told of their discovery of the black foxes.
gpt
But the problem is how to get them, he finished.
human
The only way I can see is to shoot them at long range.
gpt
Shoot them! Are you crazy? exclaimed Horace, who was even more stirred by the news than they had expected.
human
Never! Catch 'em alive! They're worth their weight in gold.
gpt
Alive! I never thought of that!
human
Why, their fur is no good now. Besides, suppose you did get a wretched thousand dollars or so for the pelts--what's that? Why, down in Prince Edward Island a pair of live black foxes for breeding was sold for $45,000.
gpt
Gracious!
human
Down there every one is wild about breeding fur. A big syndicate has a ranch that's guarded with watchmen and burglar alarms like a bank. Their great trouble is to get the breeding stock, and they'll pay almost any price for live, uninjured black foxes. If we could manage to catch this pair of old ones and the four cubs without hurting them, they ought to bring--I'd be afraid to guess how much! Maybe a hundred thousand dollars! Kill them? Why, you'd kill a goose that laid golden eggs!
gpt
That's right! I've heard of those fox ranches, of course, said Mac,
human
Why, there's that trap I found in the woods!