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 32 X 
 
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 6 
 
YO 
 
 Pas;e i86 
 
THE 
 
 YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 Or, SNOWFLAKES AND SUNBEAMS 
 A Tale of the Far North 
 
 BY 
 
 R. M. BALLANTYNE 
 
 4 
 
 ?if 
 
 Illustrated by M. MacKinlay 
 
 ni>w 
 
 
 Piijja 1 86 
 
 BLACKIE & SON LIMITED 
 
 LONDON AND GLASGOW 
 
Blackie & Son Limited 
 so Old Baiiey, London 
 17 Stanhope Street, Glasgoio 
 
 Blackie & Son (India) Limited 
 
 Wanaiek HouM, Fort Street, Bombay 
 
 Blackie & Son (Canada) Limitb) 
 Toronte 
 
 !t)7ii;.. 
 
 Printed in Great Britain by Blackie &f Son, Ltd,, Glasgow 
 
Author's Preface 
 
 In writing this book my desire has been to draw an 
 
 exact copy of the picture which is indelibly stamped on 
 
 my own memory. I have carefully avoided exaggeration 
 
 in everything of importance. All the chief, and most of 
 
 the minor incidents are facts. In regard to unimportant 
 
 matters I have taken the Uberty of a novelist— not to 
 
 colour too highly, or to invent improbabihties, but— 
 
 to transpose time, place, and circumstance at pleasure; 
 
 while, at the same time, I have endeavoured to convey to 
 
 the reader's mind a truthful impression of the general 
 
 effect— to use a painter's language— of the life and country 
 
 of the Fur Trader. 
 
 Edinburgh, 1856 
 
5 
 
Contents 
 
 Chat. 
 I. 
 
 II, 
 
 III. 
 
 IV. 
 
 V. 
 
 VI. 
 
 VII. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 K. 
 
 X. 
 
 XI. 
 
 XII. 
 
 XIII. 
 
 XIV. 
 
 XV. 
 
 XVI. 
 
 XVII. 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 XIX. 
 
 1> *••• 
 
 Plunges the Reader into the Middle of an 
 
 Arctic Winter g 
 
 The Old Fur Trader endeavours to " fix " his 
 
 Son's " Flint " ,6 
 
 The Counting-room 26 
 
 A Wolf Hunt in the Prairies ... 3, 
 
 Peter Mactavish becomes an Amateur Doctor 44 
 
 Spring and the VorAGBuxs - - - - 53 
 
 The Store jg 
 
 Farewell to Katb y© 
 
 The Voyage -- 
 
 Varieties, Vexations, and Vicissitudes - - 84 
 
 Charley and Harry begin their Sporting Career 90 
 
 The Storm ^ 
 
 The Canoe „- 
 
 The Indian Camp ,28 
 
 The Feast ,», 
 
 The Return j^q 
 
 The Scene Changes je^ 
 
 The Walk Continued ,yo 
 
 Shows how the Accountant and Harry skt 
 
 THEIR Traps ,8© 
 
 5 
 
6 CONTENTS 
 
 Chap. Pi^ 
 
 XX. Ptarmigan Hunting - ... jgg 
 
 XXI. The Winter Packet ig^ 
 
 XXII. Chances - - .... 3,, 
 
 XXIII. Hopes and Fears 221 
 
 XXIV. Good News and Romantic Scenery - - 231 
 XXV. An Unexpected Meeting .... 239 
 
 XXVI. The Chase 253 
 
 XXVII. Old Friends and Scenes .... 26* 
 
 XXVIII. The First Day at Home - - - - 271 
 
 XXIX. How it all ended 270 
 
 ) 
 
Page m 
 
 
 i88 9 
 
 
 197 9 
 
 
 211 9 
 
 
 221 9 
 
 
 231 H 
 
 
 239 fl 
 
 
 252 fl 
 
 
 265 1 
 
 
 271 fl 
 279 I 
 
 Illustrations 
 
 1, 
 
 ;V 
 
 F«dng 
 Going ROUND THE Traps - - . Frontispiece ^"^ 
 
 1 
 
 Full Spkhd - - . . 
 
 40 
 
 A Pleasant Interlude - - . . 
 
 - 120 
 
 
 They meet Jacqu-es Cahadoc 
 
Pll 
 
 8U 
 
 ye; 
 of 
 ho 
 am 
 em 
 ma 
 
 we 
 of 
 drc 
 exj 
 
 ex{ 
 eac 
 tha 
 the 
 ten 
 mil 
 
THE 
 
 YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 Plunges the reader into the middle of an Arctic Winter; conveys him 
 into the heart of the WUdemesses of North America; and intro- 
 duces him to some of the principal personages of our Tale. 
 
 Snowflakes and sunbeams, heat and cold, winter and 
 summer, alternated with their wonted regularity for fifteen 
 years in the wild regions of the Far North . During f his space 
 of time, the hero of our tale sprouted from babyhood to boy- 
 hood, passed through the usual amount of accidents, ailments, 
 and vicissitudes incidental to those periods of life, and, finally, 
 entered upon that ambiguous condition that precedes early 
 manhood. 
 
 It was a clear cold winter's day. The sunbeams of summer 
 were long past, and snowflakes had fallen thickly on the banks 
 of Red River. Charley sat on a lump of blue ice, his head 
 drooping, and his eyes bent on the snow at his feet, with an 
 expression of deep disconsolation. 
 
 Kate reclined at Charley's side, looking wistiully up in his 
 expressive face, as if to read the thoughts that were chasing 
 each other through his mind, like the ever-varying clouds 
 that floated in the winter sky above. It was quite evident to 
 the most careless observer, that what^^wr r»;/.h^ hf ♦H- •s'- » 
 
 !• r ••iigiit. uc niv usual 
 
 temperaments of the boy and the girl, their present state of 
 mind was not myous, but, on the contrary, very sad. 
 
zo 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 " It won't do, sister Kate," said Charley; " I've tried him 
 over and over again; I've implored, begged, and entreated 
 him to let me go; but he won't — ^and I'm determined to run 
 away, so there's an end of itJ" 
 
 As Charley gave utterance to this unalterable resolution, he 
 rose from the bit of blue ice, and, taking Kate by the hand, 
 led her over the frozen river, climbed up the bank on the 
 opposite side — an operation of some difficulty, owing to the 
 snow, which had been drifted so deeply during a late storm 
 that the usual track was almost obliterated — and, turning into 
 a path that lost itself among the willowa, they speedily dis> 
 appeared. 
 
 As it is possible our reader may desire to know who Charley 
 and Kate are, and the part of the world in which they dwell, 
 we will interrupt the thread of our narrative to explain. 
 
 In the very centre of the great continent of North America, 
 far removed from the abodes of civilized men, and about twenty 
 miles to the south of Lake Winnipeg, exists a colony, composed 
 of Indians, Scotchmen, and French-Canadians, which is known 
 by the Red River ^ Settlement. Red River Settlement being 
 eight hundred miles removed from the sea, and five hundred 
 miles from the nearest market, with a series of rivers, lakes, 
 rapids, and cataracts separating from the one, and a wide 
 sweep of treeless prairie dividing from the other, the settlers 
 have long since come to the conclusion that they were bom 
 to consume their own produce, and so regulate the extent of 
 iheir farming operations by the strength of their appetites. 
 Of course there are many of the necessaries, or at least the 
 luxuries of life, which the colonists cannot grow — such as 
 tea, coffee, sugar, coats, trousers, and shirts; and these, 
 consequently, they procure from England, by means of the 
 Hudson's Bay Fur Company's siiips which sail once a year 
 from Gravesend, laden with supplies for the trade carried on 
 with the Indians. And the bales containing these articles are 
 conveyed in boats up the rivers, ca'-ried past the waterfalls and 
 rapids overland on the shoulde'-s of stalwart imvaueurs. and 
 
 "Red River Settlement became the colony of Manitoba in the 
 year 1870. 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TR/.DERS „ 
 
 finally landed at Red River, after a rough trip of many weeks' 
 duration. The colony was founded in 1811, by the Earl of 
 Selkirk, previously to v.Iuch it had been a trading post of the 
 Fur Company At the time of which we write, it contained 
 about 5000 souls, and extended upwards of fifty miles along 
 the Red and Assmiboine rivers, which streams supplied the 
 settlers with a variety of excellent fish. The banks were clothed 
 with fine trees; and immediately behind the settlement lay 
 the great prairies, which extend in undulating waves-almost 
 
 Although far removed from the civilized world. ? ' con- 
 taining within its precincts much that is savage, and vc.y little 
 that IS refined Red River is quite a popubus paradfse. as 
 compared with the desolate, solitary establishments of the 
 Hudson s Bay Fur Company. These lonely dwellings of the 
 trader are scattered far and wide over the whole continent- 
 north, south, east, and west. Their population generally 
 2TT- VtW^"" men~seldom to thirty. They are 
 planted m the thick of an uninhabited desert-their next neigh- 
 bours being from two to five hundred miles ofl^-their occasional 
 visitors, bands of wandering Indians-and the sole object of 
 their existence being to trade the furry hides of foxes, martens 
 beave^, badgers, bears, bufl^aloes, ^d wolves. It Xno ' 
 then, be deemed a matter of wonder, that the gentlemen who 
 have charge of these estabhshments. and who. perchance! 
 may have spent ten or twenty years in them, should look 
 upon the colony of Red River as a species of Elys-" n^a 
 ^ f aIu °^ '''*' ? ^^^^^ '^^y '"^y ^^y ^^dr weary heads. 
 fTomT T''"^r °^ '^''' ^^y« ^"^ P^^^^f"^ f-I'^ty. free 
 mTv f r'' °^ ' '''^^'"'" ^°"S ^^^^ b^^^ts and wild men. 
 Many of the retiring traders prefer casting their lot in Canada^i 
 
 bu not a few of them «„o*. out the remainder of their existence 
 
 Stv or', r~^Pr';"y '^°^^ ^^°' ^^^'"g ^^ft home as boys 
 hfty or sixty years before, cannot reasonably expect to find the 
 
 friends of thwr nhiuu^^A „.u .u- , r:' . ^ i" unu mc 
 
 l,r^«« ♦ -— -- -ns.r.n^va ,Tiicxc iiicy leri mem. and cannot 
 hope to remodel tastes and habits long nurtured in the back- 
 By " Canada " the coloniea of Quebec and Ontario are meant. 
 
la 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 j 
 ! 
 
 i 
 
 woods, so as to relish the manners and customs of civilized 
 society. 
 
 Such an one was old Frank Kennedy, who, sixty years before 
 the date of our story, ran away from school in Scotland; got 
 a severe thrashing from his father for so doing, and, having 
 no mother on whose sympwthizing bosom he could weep out 
 his sorrow, ran away from home, went to sea, ran away 
 from his ship while she lay at anchor in the harbour of New 
 York, and after leading a wandering, unsettled life fc/ several 
 years— during which he had been alternately a clerk, a day- 
 labourer, a store-keeper, and a village-schoolmaster — he wound 
 up by entering the service of the Hudson's Bay Company, in 
 which he obtained an insight into savage hfe, a comfortable 
 fortune, besides a half-breed wife and a large family. 
 
 Being a man of great energy and courage, and, moreover, 
 possessed of a large, powerful frame, he was sent to one of 
 the most distant posts on the Mackenzie River, as being admir- 
 ably suited for the display of his powers both mental and 
 physical. Here the smallpox broke out among the natives; 
 and, besides carrying off hundreds of these poor creatures, 
 robbed Mr. Kennedy of all his children save two, Charles 
 and Kate, whom we have already introduced to the reader. 
 
 About the same time the council which is annually held at 
 Red River in spring, for the purpose of arranging the affairs 
 of the country for the ensuing year, thought proper to appoint 
 Mr. Kennedy to a still more outlandish part of the country — 
 as near, in fact, to the North Pole as it was possible for mortal 
 man to live — and sent him an order to proceed to his destina- 
 tion without loss of time. On receiving this communication, 
 Mr. Kennedy upset his chair, stamped his foot, ground his 
 teeth, and vowed, in the nearing of his wife and children, that 
 sooner than obey the mandate, he would see the governors and 
 council of Rupert's Land hanged, quartered, and boiled down 
 into tallow! Ebullitions of this kind were peculiar to Frank 
 Kennedy, and meant nothing. They were simply the safety- 
 valves to his superabundant ire— and, like safety-valves in 
 general, made much noise but did no damage. It was well, 
 however, on such occasions to keep out of the old fur 
 
 tr 
 
 at 
 
 or 
 
 th 
 
 to 
 
 he 
 
 ha 
 
 Tc 
 
 m 
 
moreover. 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 13 
 
 trader's way, for he had an irresistible propensity to hit out 
 at whatever stood before him— especially if the object stood 
 on a level with his own eyes and wore whiskers. On second 
 thoughts, however, he sat down before his writing-table, 
 took a sheet of blue ruled foolscap paper, seized a quill which 
 he had mended six months previously, at a time when he 
 happened to be in high good humour, and wrote as follows: 
 
 Fo«T Paskisegun, 
 
 Jtm* isth, 18 — . 
 
 To the Governor and Council of Rupert's Land, 
 Red River Settlement. 
 
 Gentlemen— I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of 
 your favour of 26th April last, appointing me to the charge of 
 Peel's River, and directing me to strike out new channels of 
 trade in that quarter. In reply, I have to state that I shall 
 have the honour to fulfil your instructions by taking my 
 departure in a light canoe as soon as possible. At the same 
 time I beg humbly to submit, that the state of my health is 
 such as to render it expedient for me to retire from the service, 
 and I herewith beg to hand in my resignation. I shall hope to 
 be relieved early next spring. I have the honour to be, gentle- 
 men, your most obedient humble servant, 
 
 F. Kennedy. 
 
 " There!" exclaimed the old gentleman, in a tone that 
 would lead one to suppose he had signed the death-warrant, 
 and so had irrevocably fixed the certain destruction, of the 
 entire council— " there I" said he, rising from his chair 
 and sticking the quill into the ink-bottle with a dab that split 
 it up to the feather, and so rendered it useless for all time 
 coming. 
 
 To this letter the co^'ncil gave a short reply, accepting his 
 resignation, and appointing a successor. On the following 
 spring, old Mr. Kennedy embarked his wife and children in 
 a ^sr* canoe, and in process of time landed them safely 
 in Red River Settlement. Here he purchased a house with 
 six acres of land, in which he planted a variety of useful 
 
H 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 i ^ 
 
 vegetables, and built a summer-house, after the fashion of a 
 conservatory, where he was wont to solace himself for 
 hours together with a pipe, or, rather, with dozens of pipes, 
 of Canada twist tobacco. 
 
 After this he put his two children to school. The settlement 
 was, at this time, fortunate in having a most excellent academy, 
 which was conducted by a very estimable man. Charles and 
 Kate Kennedy, being obedient and clever, made rapid pro- 
 gress under his judicious management; and the only fault that 
 he had to find with the young people was, that Kate was a little 
 too quiet and fond of books, while Charley was a little too 
 riotous and fond of fun. 
 
 When Charles arrived at the age of fifteen, and Kate 
 attained to fourteen years, old Mr. Kennedy went into his 
 conservatory, locked the door, sat down on an easy chair, 
 filled a long clay pipe with his beloved tobacco, smoked 
 vigorously for ten minutes, and fell fast asleep. In this con- 
 dition he remained until the pipe fell from his lips and broke 
 in fragments on the floor. He then rose, filled another pipe, 
 and sat down to meditate on the subject that had brought hdm 
 to his smoking apartment. " There's my wife," said he, look- 
 ing at the bowl of his pipe, as if he were addressing himself to 
 it, " she's getting too old to be looking after everything herself 
 (puff), and Kate's getting too old to be humbugging any 
 longer with books; besides she ought to be at home 
 learning to keep house, and help her mother, and cut the 
 baccy (puff), and that young scamp Charley should be 
 entering the service (puff); he's clever enough now to 
 trade beaver and bears from the red-skins, besides he's (puff) 
 a young rascal, and I'll be bound does nothing but lead the 
 other boys into (puff) mischief— although, ic be sure, the 
 master does say he's the cleverest fellow in the school; but he 
 must be reined up a bit now. I'll clap on a double curb and 
 martingale. I'll get him a situation in the counting-room at 
 the fort (puff), where he'll have his nose held tight to the 
 grindstone. Yes, I'll fix both their flints to-morrow," — and 
 old Mr. Kennedy gave vent to another puff so thick and long, 
 that it seemed as if all the previous puffs had concealed them- 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 15 
 
 selves up to this moment within his capacious chest, and rushed 
 out at last in one thick and long-continued stream. 
 
 By " fixing their flints ", Mr. Kennedy meant to express the 
 fact, that he intended to place his children in an entirely new 
 sphere of action; and, with a view to this, he ordered out his 
 horse and cariole ^ on the following morning, went up to the 
 school, which was about ten miles distant from his abode, and 
 brought his children home with him the same evening. Kate 
 was now formally installed as housekeeper and tobacco-cutter; 
 while Charley was told that his future destiny was to wield the 
 quill in the service of the Hudson's Bay Company, and that 
 he might take a week to think over it. Quiet, warm-hearted, 
 affectionate Kate was overjoyed at the thought of being a help 
 and comfort to her old father and mother; but reckless, joyous, 
 good-humoured, hare-brained Charley was cast into the depths 
 of despair at the idea of spending the live-long day, and day 
 after day, for years it might be, on the top of a long-legged 
 stool. In fact poor Charley said that he " would rather become 
 a buffalo than do it ". 
 
 Charley and Kate were warmly attached to each other. 
 Moreover, they had been, ever since they could walk, in the 
 habit of mingling their little joys and sorrows; and although, 
 as years flew past, they gradually ceased to sob in each other's 
 arms at every little mishap, they did not cease to interchange 
 their inmost thoughts. It was natural, therefore, that on Mr. 
 Kennedy announcing his decrees, Charley and Kate should 
 hasten to some retired spot where they could commune in 
 solitude; the effect of which communing was to reduce them 
 to a somewhat calmer and rather happy state of mind. Charley's 
 sorrow was blunted by sympathy with Kate's joy, and Kate's 
 joy was subdued by sympathy with Charley's sorrow; so that, 
 after tlie first effervescing burst, they settled down into a cahn 
 and comfortable state of flatness. 
 
 A week later found Charley and his sister seated on the lump 
 of blue ice where they were first introduced to the reader, and 
 where Charlev announced his iinalt*»rahl«» rt-anUre^ t-n tni« owo<'> 
 foUowmg it up with the statement, that that was " the end 
 
 * A sort of sleigh. 
 
l6 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 of it ". He was quite laistaken, however, for that was by no 
 means the end of it. In fact it was only the beginning of it. as 
 we shall see hereafter. s s .« 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 The old fur trader endeavours to " fix » his son's " flint ", and finds 
 the thing more difficult to do than he expected 
 
 Near the centre of the colony of Red River, the stream from 
 wmch the settlement derives its name is joined by another, 
 called the Assiniboine. About five or six hundred yards from 
 the pomt where this union takes place, and on the banks of 
 the latter stream, stands the Hudson's Bay Company's trading 
 post. Fort Garry .1 It is a massive square building of stone, 
 l-our high and thick walls enclose a space of ground on which 
 are built six or eight wooden houses, some of which are used 
 as dwellings for the servants of the Hudson's Bay Company 
 and others as stores, wherein are contained the furs, the pro- 
 visions which are sent annually to various parts of the country 
 and the goods (such as cloth, guns, powder and shot, blankets' 
 twme, axes, knives, &c., &c.) with which the fur trade is 
 carried on. Although Red River is a peaceful colony, and not 
 at all hkely to be assaulted by the poor Indians, it was, never- 
 theless, deemed prudent by the traders to make some show of 
 power; and so, at the comers of the fort, four round bastions 
 of a very imposing appearance were built, from the embrazures 
 of which several large black-muzzled guns protruded No 
 one ever conceived the idea of firing these engines of war; and 
 indeed, it is highly probable that such an attempt would have 
 been attended with consequences much more dreadful to those 
 behind than to those who might chance to be in front of the 
 guns. Nevertheless, they were imposing, and harmonized weU 
 with the flag-staff, which was the only other mihtary symptom 
 
 of Ma2tSa "^^ ** " '***' *""" became the city of Winnipeg, capital 
 
 (D393) 
 
was by no 
 ng of it, as 
 
 ', and finds 
 
 ream from 
 f another, 
 'ards from 
 i banks of 
 ^'s trading 
 
 of stone. 
 
 on which 
 \ are used 
 ZIompany, 
 , the pro- 
 5 country, 
 
 blankets, 
 ' trade is 
 % and not 
 as, never- 
 B show of 
 I bastions 
 nbrazures 
 Jed. No 
 war; and 
 )uld have 
 1 to those 
 nt of the 
 lized well 
 symptom 
 
 sg, capital 
 
 393) 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,y 
 
 about the place This latter was used on particular occasions 
 such as the arnyal or departure of a brigade of boatr^o the 
 
 The fort stood as we have said, on the banks of the Assini- 
 
 wW /'r u' T"^^' '^^^ °^ ^^^^h the land was somt 
 what wooded, though not heavily, with oak. maple. popTar 
 aspens, and willows, while, at the back of th; fort.^hrS 
 praine rolled out like a green sea to the horizon and S 
 beyond that again to the base of the Rocky Mounta^is rt 
 p^ams at this time, however, were a sheet of unbroken snow 
 and the river a mass of solid ice. ' 
 
 oil 7'^uT u " '^^ ^*y ^^"°^'"g *h^t on which our friend 
 
 might have been seen standing at the back gate of Fort G^ 
 gazmg wistfully out into the prairie in the direction of the* 
 bwer part of the settlement He was watching a smdl speck 
 which moved rapidly over the snow in the dLction o7the 
 
 Jf Y^r"^ ^^^ ''"' ^"^'"^ ^^^ Kennedy," said he to him- 
 self (a least we presume so. for there was no one elL^^^ 
 ^hot to whom he could have said it. except the dL p^ 
 which, every one knows, is proverbially a de^ subjectT "No 
 m^ m the settlement drives so furiously. I shouldn't wonder 
 
 And, truly, the reckless driver did" go "just at that moment 
 He came up to the corner of the new fence, where the r^d to^k 
 a rather abrupt turn, in a style that insured a capsize ^n 
 
 sTe^tT, "Tl: ''' ^P^"^^' ^°^ *--<i sharpTund. tJe 
 sle gh turned sharp over, and the occupant was pitched out at 
 full length, while a black object that m^ht ha^e Cen mistaken 
 for h« hat. rose from his side like a rockft. and, flyfng oTr ^^^ 
 
 ttlrrr^^!^^! -J^i-atastrophe occurred, and 
 MrinT.. «,i.i W"" ";■'.»' "F "'" re-aaju3t himself in the 
 
 ■.JL?""* ^'^^ "P™ ' P^ of "88- and scrambling 
 
i8 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 back to the scat from which it had been so unceremoniously 
 ejected. 
 
 In a few minutes more the cheerful tinkling of the merry 
 sleigh-bells was heard, and Frank Kennedy, accompanied by 
 his hopeful son Charles, dashed up to the gate, and pulled up 
 with a jerk. 
 
 " Ha! Grant, my fine fellow, how are you?" exclaimed Mr. 
 Kennedy, senior, as he disengaged himself from the heavy 
 folds of the buffalo robe, and shook the snow from his great- 
 coat. " Why on earth, man, don't you put up a sign-post and 
 a board to warn travellers that you've been running out new 
 fences and changing the road, eh?" 
 
 " Why, my good friend," said Mr. Grant, smiling, " the 
 fence and the road are of thcnselves pretty conclusive proof 
 to most men that the road is changed; and, besides, we don't 
 often have people driving round comers at full gallop; 
 
 but " 
 
 " Hallo! Charley, you rascal," interrupted Mr. Kennedy— 
 " here, take the mare to the stable, and don't drive her too fast. 
 Mind, now, no going off upon the wrong road for the sake of 
 a drive, you understand." 
 
 " All right. Father," exclaimed the boy, while a bright smile 
 lit up his features and displayed two rows of white teeth — " I'll 
 be particularly careful;" and he sprang into the light vehicle, 
 seized the reins, and with a sharp crack of the whip dashed 
 down the road at a hard gallop. 
 
 " He's a fine fellow that son of yours," said Mr. Grant, " and 
 will make a first-rate fur trader." 
 
 " Fur trader!" exclaimed Mr. Kennedy—" just look at him! 
 I'll be shot if he isn't thrashing the mare as if she were made 
 of leather." The old man's ire was rising rapidly as he heard 
 the whip crack every now and then, and saw the mare bound 
 madly over the snow. 
 
 " And see!" he continued, " I declare he /^<w taken the wrong 
 
 turn after all." 
 
 *' True," said Mr. Grant; uc Ii never reach tuC stabiC by 
 that road— he's m\ich more likely to visit the White-horse 
 Plains. But come, friend, it's no use fretting. Charley will 
 
emoniously 
 
 F the merry 
 npanied by 
 d pulled up 
 
 ilaimed Mr. 
 I the heavy 
 n his great- 
 gn-post and 
 ,ng out new 
 
 liling, " the 
 lusive proof 
 es, we don't 
 full gallop; 
 
 Kennedy — 
 her too fast. 
 ' the sake of 
 
 bright smile 
 teeth—" I'll 
 ight vehicle, 
 yhip dashed 
 
 Grant, " and 
 
 look at himl 
 
 e were made 
 
 as he heard 
 
 mare bound 
 
 enthevs^rong 
 
 the stable by 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,9 
 
 ^^^^^ -^ ^""^ ^^^^ "^^ '^ -^ -- -^ »^- a 
 
 fist^it t^rfn^"""?^.^"^ ^ '^^'^ «^°"" °f ^^«P«'r. Shook his 
 
 fid to^h^Zsl'^^ "^""^"^ ^°"' ^' --P-^^^ ^« 
 It must not be supposed that Frank Kennedy was very deeolv 
 offended with his son, although he did shower on Wm a con- 
 siderable amount of abuse. On the contrary, he loveS Z 
 veiy much. But it was the old man's nature to give wa/S 
 m le bums of passion on almost every occasion ifwh^h^w: 
 fee mgs were at all excited. These bursts, however, were like the 
 h tie puffs that ripple the surface of the s'ea on a cZZZ^'s 
 day They were over in a second, and left his good-hui^ured 
 rough, candid countenance in unruffled serenity Chariev 
 knew this well, and loved his father tenderly, so hat Ws con- 
 science frequently smote him for raising his anger so^ often- 
 and he over and over again promised his sister Kate to do S 
 SL o H ^. " . "" "^T^ ^y*^"S that was likely to amioy 
 
 ^^iTT^T'- ^"'"^^' Charley's resolves, like thos^ 
 of many other boys, were soon forgotten, and his fatheV^ 
 equammity was upset generally two or three tim^ a day- 
 but after the gust was over the fur trader would kiss Ws' 
 M him a " rascal ", and send him off to mi and fetch 
 
 ^:rof s3 '-'-'''^ '-''''''' -^ otherrthTr u": 
 
 , " Well Kennedy,'* said Mr. Grant, throwing himself back 
 m his chair, elevating his chin, and emitting a long Sn stream 
 of white vapour from his -ips, through which hf 'g^ed It JS 
 
 Zi:T!t^'7>'b ^^""^^y' ^o -haffortunat: 
 cnance am I indebted for this visit? It is not often that we 
 j have the pleasure of seeing you here " 
 
 |by'L^e^^o7l^I;lt^^^^^^^^ volumes of smoke, which, 
 [his friend. and~said,"thariey""'' ""' '''^^ °"^' '^^^^^^ 
 " And what of Charley?" said Mr. Grant, with a smile, for 
 
:=r VTT. ".^XKrxt: " 
 
 M 
 
 ao THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 he was well aware of the boy's propensity to fun, and of the 
 father's desire to curb it. 
 
 " The fact is," replied Kennedy, *' that Charley must be 
 broke. He's the wildest colt I ever had to tame, but I'll do it 
 — I will — that's a fact. 
 
 " Yes," he continued, after a moment's silence, " I've made 
 up my mind to tame him, and I want you, Mr. Grant, to help 
 me. 
 
 Mr. Grant looked as if he would rather not undertake to 
 lend his aid in a work that was evidently difficult; but, being 
 a good-natured man, he said: ** And how, friend, can I assist 
 in the operation?" 
 
 " Well, you see, Charley's a good fellow at the bottom, and 
 a clever fellow too — at least so says the schoolmaster — though 
 I must confess, that so far as my experience goes, he's only 
 clever at finding out excuses for not doing what I want him to. 
 But still, I'm told he's clever, and can use his pen well; and 
 I know for certain he can use his tongue well. So I want to 
 get him into the service, and have him placed in a situation 
 where he shall have to stick to his desk all day. In fact, I want 
 to have him broken into work; for you've no notion, sir, how 
 that boy talks about bears and buffaloes and badgers, and life 
 in the woods among the Indians. I do believe," continued the 
 old gentleman, waxing warm, " that he would v , ingly go 
 into the woods to-morrow, if I would let him, and never show 
 his nose in ^he settlement again. He's quite incorrigible. But 
 I'll tame him yet; I will!" 
 
 Mr. Kennedy followed this up with an indignant grunt, and 
 a puff of smoke, so thick, and propelled with such vigour, that 
 it rolled and curled in fantastic evolutions tr wards the ceiling, 
 as if it were unable to control itself with dehght at the absolute 
 certainty of Charley being tamed at last. 
 
 Mr. Grant, however, shook his head, and remained for five 
 minutes in profound silence, during which time the two friends 
 puffed in concert, until they began to grow quite indistinct and 
 ghost-like in the thick atmosphere. 
 
 At last he broke silence. 
 
 " My opinion is, that you're wrong, Mr. Kennedy. No 
 
, and of the 
 
 ley must be 
 >ut I'll do it 
 
 " I've made 
 rant, to help 
 
 mdertake to 
 
 ; but, being 
 
 can I assist 
 
 bottom, and 
 ter — though 
 .3, he's only 
 ivant him to. 
 n well; and 
 >o I want to 
 I a situation 
 fact, I want 
 ion, sir, how 
 ;ers, and life 
 3P*^inued the 
 V ingly go 
 
 1 never show 
 rigible. But 
 
 It grunt, and 
 
 vigour, that 
 
 3 the ceiling, 
 
 the absolute 
 
 ined for five 
 
 2 two friends 
 idistinct and 
 
 innedy. No 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS „ 
 
 doubt, you know the disposition of your son better than I do' 
 but even judging of it from what you have said, I'm quite sure 
 that a sedentary life will ruin him." 
 
 " Ruin him! Humbug!" said Kennedy, who never failed to 
 express his opinion at the shortest notice, and in the plainest 
 language— a fact so well known by his friends, that they had got 
 mto the habit of taking no notice of it. " Humbug!" he 
 repeated, " perfect humbug! You don't mean to tell me, that 
 the way to break him in, is to let him run loose and wild when- 
 ever and wherever he pleases?" 
 
 " By no means. But you may rest assured that ^^ne him 
 down won't do it." *' 
 
 " Nonsense!" said Mr. Kennedy, testily; " don't tell me. 
 Have I not broken in young colts by the score? and don't 
 
 curb?" ^^^ "^^^ *° ^ ^^^"^ ^'"*^ *^ *° ''^''^ °" ^ ^°°'* ^^'■°"S 
 " If you had travelled farther south, friend," repi-'cd Mr 
 Grant, " you would have seen the Spaniards of Mexico break 
 m their wild horses in a very different way; for, after catching 
 one with the lasso, a fellow get^ on his back, and gives it the 
 rein and the whip-aye, and the spur, too; and before that 
 race is over, there is no need for a curb." 
 
 " What!" exclaimed Kennedy, " and do you mean to argue 
 from that, that I should let Charley run~and help him too? 
 bend hun off to the woods with gun and blanket, canoe and 
 tent, all complete?" The old gentleman puffed a furious puff, 
 and broke into a loud sarcastic laugh. 
 
 " No, no " interrupted Mr. Grant; " I don't exactly mean 
 that; but I think that you might give him his way for 
 a year or so. He's a fine, active, generous fellow; and after 
 the novelty wore off, he would be in a much better frame of 
 mmd to listen to your proposals. Besides " (and Mr Grant 
 smiled expressively), " Charley is somewhat hke his father. 
 He has got a will of his own; and if you do not give him his 
 
 way, I very much fear that he'll " 
 
 TT .i«i; iiivjuiicu ivir. ivenneay, abruptlv 
 " Tak^ it,'^ said Mr. Grant. 
 The puff that burst from Mr. Kennedy's lips, on hear- 
 
THE YOUNC. FUR TRADERS 
 
 1 1 
 
 ing this*, "vnv^d have done credit to a thirty-six pounder. 
 " Take itl" »ai4 he. " He'd better not.* 
 The latter part of this speech was not, in itself, of a nature 
 calculated to convey much; but the tone of the old trader's 
 voice, the contraction of his eyebrows, and, above all, the 
 overwhelming flow of cloudlets that followed, imparted to it 
 a significance that induced the belief that Charley's taking 
 his own way would be productive of more terrific conse- 
 quences than it was in the power of the most highly imaginative 
 man to conceive. 
 
 " There's his sister Kate, now," continued the old gentle- 
 man; " she's as gentle and biddable as a lamb. I've only to 
 say a word, and she's off like a shot to do my bidding; and 
 she does it with such a sweet smile too." There was a touch of 
 pathos in the old trader's voice as he said this. He was a 
 man of strong feeling, and as impulsive in his tenderness as 
 in his wrath. " But that rascal, Charley," he continued, " is 
 quite diflferent. He's obstinate as a mule. '^ » be sure, he has 
 a good temper; and I must say for him he never goes into the 
 sulks, which is a comfort, for, of all things in the world, 
 sulking is the most childish and contemptible. He generally 
 does what I bid him, too. But he's always getting into scrapes 
 of one kind or other. And during the last week, notwithstand- 
 ing all I can say to him, he won't admit that the best thing for 
 him is to get a place in your coun'^^ing-room, with the prospect 
 of rapid p /motion in the service. Very odd. I can't under- 
 stand it at all;" and Mr. Kennedy heaved a deep sigh. 
 
 " Did you ever explain to him the prospects that he would 
 have in the situation you propose for hip\?" inquired Mr. 
 Grant. 
 
 " Can't say I ever did." 
 
 " Did you ever point out the probable end of a life spent in 
 the woods?" 
 
 " No." 
 
 " Nor suggi^-st In thj t the appointment to the office 
 here would onJ / b ;^-t? rorarv. and to see how he eot on in 
 it?" 
 
 " Certainly not.** 
 
 u,l - I I 
 
K pounder. 
 
 of a nature 
 sld trader's 
 >ve all, the 
 sarted to it 
 ey's taking 
 rific conse- 
 imaginative 
 
 old gentle- 
 *ve only to 
 iding; and 
 ) a touch of 
 He was a 
 idemess as 
 tinued, " is 
 ure, he has 
 >e3 into the 
 the world, 
 [c generally 
 nto scrapes 
 :withstand- 
 st thing for 
 le prospect 
 in't under- 
 gh. 
 
 t he would 
 |uired Mr. 
 
 fe spent in 
 
 the office 
 erot Ml iQ 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,3 
 
 " T^.en my dear sir, I'm not surprised that Charley rebels. 
 You have left him to suppose that, once placed at the desk 
 here, he is a prisoner ir life. But see, there he is," said Mr. 
 Grant, pointing, a , ».. spoke, towards the subject of their con- 
 vrrsation wb. va. p.p.ag the window at the moment; "let 
 
 a ?ew ijllut'r' ' '"' ""^" ^^^^ ^^ -" "«^- *o --n in 
 " H.P. ph!" ejaculated Mr. Kennedy, " you may try '» 
 In .aiother minute Charley had been summoned, and was 
 
 seated, cap m hand, near the door 
 
 back^to'tiYfil^^*^'^/' '''^'" ^'- ^'^"'' «*^"^'"g ^^th W8 
 under hi .r,^?' ^'ru"\ P^^"^ ^'^^ «P«rt. and his coat-tails 
 r!t n ^,""«- Charley, my boy, your father has just been 
 speaking of you. He is very anxious that you should enter the 
 service of the Hudson's Bay Company; and as you are a cTeler 
 boy and a good penman, we think that you would be likely to 
 get on If placed for a year or so in our office here. I need 
 scarcely pomt out to you, my boy, that in such a position you 
 would be sure to obtain more rapid promotion than if you 
 were placed in one of the distant outposts, where you wouW 
 have veiy httle to do. and perhaps little to eal. and no 
 one to converse with, except one or two men. Of course, we 
 would merely place you here on trial to see how you suited Zt 
 and If you prove steady and diligent, there is no saying how 
 fast you might get on. Why. you might even come to fill ^^ 
 place in course of tmie! Come now, Charley, what think you 
 
 wi^^r'T' ' ^^'V'''^ ^^^'' "^^ °^ *^^ S~""d ^Wle Mr. Grant 
 was sp pk, ig. He now raised them, looked at his father, then 
 at his mterrogator, and said: ' 
 
 " It is very kind of you both to be so anxious about my 
 prospects. I thank you. indeed, very much; but I-a^^^ 
 
 " Is?h" It. eh?'' '"''" "'' "^^ '^*'^^' '^ - -^^ ^°-- 
 
 J'r}%,bl\".°. "P^y' ^"* -^ ^--n his eyes again ..d 
 
 lm\\l\ ir -rr^ """^ ''"^''' ^""'^' * P«c"«ariy sweet, candid 
 smile), as if he meant to say that his father had hit t» - naiJ 
 quite on the top of the head that time, and no misrake. 
 
84 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 " But consider," resumed Mr. Grant, " although you might 
 probably be pleased with an outpost life at first, you would be 
 sure to grow weary of it after the novelty wore off, and then 
 you would wish with all your heart to be back here again. 
 Believe me, child, a trader's life is a very hard and not often 
 
 a very satisfactory one " 
 
 " Aye," broke in the father, desirous, if possible, to help the 
 argument, " and you'll find it a desperately wild, unsettled, 
 roving sort of life, too, let me tell you! full of dangers both 
 
 from wild beasts and wild men " 
 
 " Hush," interrupted Mr. Grant, observing that the boy's 
 eye kindled when his father spoke of a wild, roving life and 
 wild beasts, "your father does not mean that life at an 
 outpost is wild, and interesting or exciting. He merely means 
 
 that— a— it " 
 
 Mr. Grant could not very well explain what it was that Mr. 
 Kennedy meant, if he did not mean that so he turned to him 
 for help. 
 
 " Exactly so," said that gentleman, taking a strong pull at 
 the pipe for inspiration. " It's no ways interesting or exciting 
 at all. It's slow, dull, and flat. A miserable sort of Robinson 
 Crusoe life, with red Indians and starvation constantly staring 
 
 you in the face " 
 
 " Besides," said Mr. Grant, again interrupting the somewhat 
 unfortunate efforts of his friend, who seemed to have a happy 
 facility in sending a brilliant dash of romantic allusion across 
 the dark side of his picture — " besides, you'll not have oppor- 
 tunity to amuse yourself, or to read, as you'll have no books, 
 and you'll have to work hard with your hands oftentimes, like 
 
 your men " 
 
 " In fact," broke in the impatient father, resolved, 
 apparently, to carry the point with a grand coup — " in fact, 
 you'll have to rough it, as I did, when I went up the Mackenzie 
 River district, where I was sent to establish a new post, and 
 had to travel for weeks and weeks through a wild country, 
 where none of us had ever been before — where we shot our own 
 meat, caught our own fish, and built our own house — and were 
 very near being murdered by the Indians — though, to be sure, 
 
h. you might 
 )u would be 
 OF, and then 
 here again, 
 id not often 
 
 , to help the 
 I, unsettled, 
 angers both 
 
 It the boy's 
 
 ing life and 
 
 life at an 
 
 ;rely means 
 
 'as that Mr. 
 rned to him 
 
 ong pull at 
 
 or exciting 
 
 )f Robinson 
 
 ntly staring 
 
 e somewhat 
 Lve a happy 
 ision across 
 iave oppor- 
 B no books, 
 ntimes, like 
 
 , resolved, 
 —"in fact, 
 Mackenzie 
 V post, and 
 Id country, 
 Lot our own 
 —and were 
 to be sure, 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 35 
 
 attenvards they became the most civil fellows in the country 
 and brought us plenty of skins. Ay, lad, you'll repent of you^ 
 obstinacy when you come to have to hunt your own dinner 
 uIj\T^ many a day up the Saskatchewan, where I've 
 had to fight with redskms and grizzly bears, and to chase the 
 buffaloes over miles and miles of prairie on rough-going nags 
 
 l.^ISLo?"^^ ^''^^'^ ^"""^ ^ ^^^"^^^ ^"«w whether I sat on—-" 
 
 Oh! exclaimed Charley-starting to his feet, while his 
 
 eyes flashed and his chest heaved with emotion-" that's the 
 
 p^ace for me Fatherl Do please, Mr. Grant, send me there, 
 
 and 1 11 work for you with all my might!" 
 
 Frank Kennedy was not a man to stand this unexpected 
 miscarnage of his eloquence with equanimity. His first action 
 was to throw his pipe at the head of his enthusiastic boy, with- 
 out worse effect, however, than smashing it to atoms on the 
 opposite wall. He then started up and rushed towards his 
 
 vanishLd°' "^^ '^^ "^"^'^ '^^^^^^^ precipitately and 
 
 " So," said Mr. Grant, not very sure whether to laugh or 
 
 be angry at the result of their united efforts, " you've settled 
 
 the question now, at all events." 
 Frank Kennedy said nothing, but filled another pipe, sat 
 
 wZf ^T '1 -^'T "^ '^' ^'' ^"'^ «P^^^"y enveloped 
 himself, and his friend, and all that the room contained, in 
 thick impenetrable clouds of smoke. 
 
 Meanwhile his worthy son rushed off in a state of great glee. 
 He had often heard the voyageurs of Red River dilate on the 
 delights of roughing it m the woods, and his heart had bounded 
 as they spoke of dangers encountered and overcome among 
 the rap^ds of the Far North, or with the bears and bison-buu! 
 of the praine, but never till now had he heard his father 
 corroborate their testimony by a recital of his own actual 
 
 7rZ"% '"^ !^'^°"^^ '^' °'^ gentleman's intention w^ 
 undoubtedly to damp the boy's spirit, his eloquence had 
 
 T^:^r^^:^^f^^^ *^^t it was with a\op andl 
 
m 
 
 36 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 The Counting-room 
 
 Everyone knows the general appearance of a counting- 
 room. There are one or two peculiar features about such 
 apartments that are quite unmistakable and very character- 
 istic; and the counting-room at Fort Garry, although many 
 hundred miles distant from other specimens of its race, and, 
 from the peculiar circumstances of its position, not therefore 
 likely to bear them much resemblance, possessed one or two 
 features of similarity, in the shape of two large desks and 
 several very tall stools, besides sundry ink-bottles, rulers, 
 books, and sheets of blotting-paper. But there were other 
 implements there, savouring strongly of the backwoods and 
 savage life, which merit more particular notice. 
 
 The room itself was small, and lighted by two little windows, 
 which opened into the courtyard. The entire apartment was 
 made of wood. The floor was of unpainted fir boards. The 
 walls were of the same material, painted blue from the floor 
 upwards to about three feet, where the blue was unceremoni- 
 ously stopped short by a stripe of bright red, above which the 
 somewhat fanciful decorator had laid on a coat of pale yellow; 
 and the ceiling, by way of variety, was of a deep ochre. As 
 the occupants of Red River office were, however, addicted to 
 the use of tobacco and tallow candles, the original colour of 
 the ceiling had vanished entirely, and that of the walls had 
 considerably changed. 
 
 There were three doors in the room (besides the door of 
 entrance), the doors of the bedrooms of the three clerks. No 
 carpets graced the floors of any of these rooms, and, with the 
 exception of the paint afore-mentioned, no ornament what- 
 ever broke the uniformity of the scene. This was compensated, 
 however, to some extent, by several scarlet sashes, bright- 
 eoioufed shot=belis, and gay portions of winter costume 
 peculiar to the country, which depended from sundry nails in 
 bedroom walls; and, as the three doors always stood open. 
 
counting- 
 ibout such 
 
 character- 
 )ugh many 
 
 race, and, 
 t therefore 
 one or two 
 
 desks and 
 les, rulers, 
 were other 
 woods and 
 
 e windows, 
 Iment was 
 ards. The 
 n the floor 
 iceremoni- 
 ; which the 
 •ale yellow; 
 ochre. As 
 iddicted to 
 I colour of 
 walls had 
 
 lie door of 
 :lerks. No 
 i, with the 
 lent what- 
 npensated, 
 es, bright- 
 r costume 
 [ry nails in 
 tood open. 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS vj 
 
 these objects, together with one or two fowling-pieces and 
 canoe-paddles, formed quite a brilliant and highly suggestive 
 background to the otherwise sombre picture. A largi open 
 fire-place stood in one comer of the room, devoid of h grate 
 and so constructed that large logs of wood might be piled up 
 on end to any extent. And really the fires made in this manner, 
 and in this individual fire-place, were exquisite beyond de- 
 scription. A wood fire is a particularly cheerful thing. Those 
 who have never seen one can form but a faint idea of its splen- 
 dour; esf^aally on a sharp winter night in the arctic regions, 
 where tiie thermometer falls to forty degrees below zero 
 without mducmg the inhabitants to suppose that the worid 
 has reached its conclusion. The billets are usually piled up 
 on end, so that the flames rise and twine round them with a 
 fierce intensity that causes them to crack and sputter cheer- 
 tully, sending innumerable sparks of fire into the room, and 
 throwmg out a rich glow of brilliant light that warms a man 
 even to look at it, and renders candles quite unnecessary. 
 
 The clerks who inhabited this counting-room were, like 
 itself, peculiar. There were three-corresponding to the bed- 
 rooms. The senior was a tall, broad-shouldered, muscular man 
 -a bcotchman-very good humoured, yet a man whose under 
 lip met the upper with that peculiar degree of precision that 
 indicated the presence of other quahties besides that of good 
 humour. He was book-keeper and accountant, and managed 
 the affairs entrusted to his care with the same dogged per- 
 severance with which he would have led an expedition of dis- 
 covery to the North Pole. He was thirty or thereabouts. 
 
 Ihe second was a small man-also a Scotchman. It is 
 curious to note how numerous Scotchmen are in the wilds of 
 North America This specimen was diminutive and sharp. 
 Moreover he played the flute-an accomplishment of which 
 he was so proud, that he ordered out from England a flute of 
 ebony, so elaborately enriched with silver keys that one's 
 fingers ached to behold it. This beautiful instrument. like 
 mosr ocner instruments of a delicate nature, found the climate 
 too much for its constitution, and, soon after the winter began, 
 spht from top to bottom. Peter Mactavish, however, wL a 
 
 if 
 
a8 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 mechanical genius. Instead of giving way to despair, he 
 laboriously bound the flute togethe: with waxed thread, and 
 was able to play with great effect sundry doleful airs, whose 
 influence, when performed at night, usually sent his 
 companions to sleep, or drove them to distraction. 
 
 The third inhabitant of the office was a ruddy, smooth- 
 chinned youth of about fourteen, who had left home seven 
 months before, in the hope of gratifying a desire to lead a wild 
 life, which he had entertained ever since he read " Jack the 
 Giant Killer ", and found himself most unexpectedly fastened 
 during the greater part of each day to a stool. His name was 
 Harrj^ Somerville, and a fine cheerful little fellow he was— 
 full of spirits, and curiously addicted to poking and arranging 
 the fire, at least every ten minutes— a propensity which tested 
 the forbearance of the senior clerk rather severely, and would 
 have surprised any one not aware of poor Harry's incurable 
 antipathy to the desk, and the yearning desire with which 
 he longed for physical action. 
 
 Harry was busily engaged with the refractory fire, when 
 Charley burst into the room. 
 
 " Hallo!" he exclaimed, " what's up?" " Nothing," said 
 Charley, " but father's temper, that's all. He gave me a 
 splendid description of his life in the woods, and then threw 
 his pipe at me because I admired it too much." 
 
 Ho!" exclaimed Harry, making a vigorous thrust at the 
 fire, " then you've no chance now." 
 " No chance! what do you mean?" 
 
 " Only that we are to have a wolf-hunt in the plains to- 
 morrow, and if you've aggravated your father, he'll be taking 
 you home to-night, that's all." 
 
 " Oh! no fear of that," said Charley, with a look that seemed 
 to imply that there was very great fear of " that ". much more, 
 m fact, than he was willing to admit even to himself. " My 
 dear old father never keeps his anger long. I'm sure that he'U 
 be all right again in half an hour." 
 
 'Hope so, but doubt it I do," said Harry, making another 
 
 g, with a deep 
 
 
 stool. 
 
 it the Src, and retu: 
 
 
 sigh. 
 
despair, he 
 
 thread, and 
 
 airs, whose 
 
 sent his 
 
 ly, smooth- 
 lome seven 
 lead a wild 
 " Jack the 
 ily fastened 
 s name was 
 V he was — 
 i arranging 
 hich tested 
 and would 
 s incurable 
 vith which 
 
 fire, when 
 
 ling," said 
 ;ave rne a 
 then threw 
 
 rust at the 
 
 plains to* 
 be taking 
 
 iat seemed 
 uch more, 
 Jlf. "My 
 ! that he'll 
 
 ig another 
 igh, to his 
 
 THE YOUNG FTJR TRADERS ,9 
 
 "Would you like to go with us, Charley?" said the senior 
 clerk, laying down his pen and turning round on his chair (the 
 senior clerk never sat on a stool) with a benign smile 
 
 " Oh! very, very much indeed," cried Charley; " but even 
 should father agree to stay all night at the fort, I have no horse, 
 and I m sure he would not let me have the mare after what 
 i did to-day." 
 
 "Do you think he's not open to persuasion?" said the senioi- 
 
 " No, I'm sure he's not." 
 
 " Well, well, it don't much signify; perhaps we can mount 
 you. 
 
 Charley's face brightened. 
 
 . »S°''\^^ continued, addressing Harry SomerviUe, "go. 
 tell Tom Whyte I wish to speak to him." 
 
 Harry sp.ang from his stool with a suddenness and vigour 
 that might have justified the belief that he had been fixed to 
 It by means of a powertu! spring, which had been set free with 
 a sharp recoil and shot him out at the door, for he disappeared 
 m a trice. In a few minutes he returned, followed by the 
 groom Tom Whyte. ' 
 
 " Tom," said the senior clerk, " do you think we could 
 manage to mount Charley to-mortow?" 
 ^ •' Why, sir, I don t think as how we could. There ain't an 
 
 b?d/"" ^''''^^^ ^^^"^ ^""^'^ '■^'^"''^'* "^^ ^^^"^ ^°t'8 
 
 clerk^"^''"'^ ^"^ ^^''*' *^^ ^'°^ P''"^'"' ^"Sgested the senior 
 Tom Whyte was a cockney, and an old soldier, and stood 
 so boh upright that it seemed quite a marve' how the words 
 ever managed to dimb up the steep ascent of his throat, and 
 turn the corner so as to get out at liis mouth. Perhaps this was 
 the cause of his speaking on aU occasions with great delibera- 
 tion and slowness. 
 
 "Why, you see sir." he replied, "the brown pony's got 
 cut under the fetlock of the richt hind leirr nnH T 'o J',.i a1^ 
 to L Esperance the smith's, sir, to look at 'im, sir; and he says 
 to me, says he. That don't look well that 'oss don't '-and 
 
 1 1 
 
—'•-'■■■■ - ■'"■-" 
 
 3© 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 he's a knowing feller, sir, is L'Esperance, thoueh he » an 
 'alf-breed " 
 
 " Never mind what he said, Tom," interrupted the senior 
 clerk; " is the pony fit for use? that's the question." 
 
 " No, sir, 'e haint." 
 
 " And the black mare, can he not have that?" 
 
 " No, sir, Mr. Grant is to ride 'er to-morrow." 
 
 " That's unfortunate," said the senior clerk; " I fear, 
 Charley, that you'll need to ride behind Harry on his gray 
 pony. It wouldn't improve his speed, to be sure, having 
 two on his back, but then he's so like a pig in his movements 
 at any rate, I don't think it would spoil his pace much." 
 
 " Could he not try the new horse?" he continued, turning 
 to the groom. 
 
 " The noo 'oss, sirl he might as well try to ride a mad 
 buffalo bull, sir. He's quite a young colt, sir, only 'alf-broke— 
 kicks like a windmill, sir, and's got an 'ead like a steam-engine; 
 'e couldn't 'old 'im in no 'ow, sir. I 'ad 'im down to the smith 
 •tother day, sir, an' says 'e to me, says 'e, ' That's a screamer, 
 that is.* ' Yes,' says I, ' that his a fact.' * Well,' says 'e " 
 
 " Hang the smith," cried the senior clerk, losing all patience, 
 " can't you answer me without so much talk? Is the horse too 
 wild to ride?" 
 
 " Yes, sir, 'e is," said the groom, with a look of slightly 
 offended dignity, and drawing himself up— if we may use 
 such an expression to one who was always drawn up to 
 such an extent that he seemed to be just balanced on his heels, 
 and required only a gentle push to lay him flat on his back. 
 
 " Oh! I have it," cried Peter Mactavish, who had been 
 standing, during the conversation, with his back to the fire, 
 and a short pipe in his mouth—" John Fowler, the miller, 
 has just purchased a new pony. I'm told it's an old buffalo 
 runner, and I'm certain he would lend it to Chariey at once." 
 " The very thing," said the senior clerk. " Run, Tor.., give 
 the miller my compliments, and beg the loan of his horse for 
 Chariey Kennedy. I think he knows you, Charley?" 
 
 The dinner-bell rang as the groom departed, and the clerks 
 prepared for their mid-day meal. 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 3, 
 
 • 7^^ senior clerk's order to run was a mere form of speech, 
 intended to mdicate that haste was desirable. No man imaSned 
 for a moment that Tom Whyte could, by any possibilityfn^n. 
 
 ?„m tf /"" 'T.^'J'^' '^' ™y' *^^"*y y^^^ before. 
 Tom, therefore, walked off to the row of buildings inhabited by 
 
 the men. where he sat down on a bench in front of his bed 
 and proceeded leisurely to fill his pipe. * 
 
 The room in which he sat was a fair specimen of the dwel- 
 mgs devoted to the employ is of the Hudson's Bay Company 
 tiiroughout the country It was large, and low L the Lf. 
 built entirely of wood, which was unpainted-a matter, how- 
 ever, of no consequence, as, from long exposure to dust and 
 tobacco-smoke, the floor, walls, and ceiling, had become 
 
 rt.e??n . '°'' °^ ^r^ "" ^""''^ '^P' ^'^S wooden boxes 
 ranged m tiers round the room. Several tables and benches 
 stood about the floor, in the centre of which was a large doub^ 
 iron stove, with the word Canon stamped on it. TWs served 
 at once for cooking and warming the place. Numerous guns 
 axes, and canoe-paddles hung round die walls or wereS 
 IIir'T'r'* *^' rafters sustained a miscellaneous ma^ of 
 Tnlt' ^^'"°'"' conspicuous among which were snow- 
 shoes, dog-sledges, axe-handles, and nets. 
 
 h^n^-"? f^^^ '"'^ ,"«^*'^ ^' P^P^' Tom Whyte thrust his 
 
 •I 
 
 lU 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 A wolf hunt in the prairies-Charley astonishes his father, and breaks 
 in the noo 'oss " effectually 
 
 of "^cl" ftrfs™:;*" ["^^ "i *« ""«'>- -8- 
 
 apfh^r >. >n-rmomct« laiiges, lor many months to- 
 
 gether, from zero down to 20, 30, and 40 degrees belozo it. In 
 different parts of the countiy the intensity of the frost varies a 
 
3a 
 
 I 'H 
 
 
 W I 
 
 iflHl 
 
 THB YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 httle, but not sufficiently to maie any appreciable change in 
 »on s Bay, where the winter i, eight months long, the sSrk 
 
 low^rXn^d^te^tlTw^^o rhrhif S5^^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 rftcr;^thTh'' "r ^" r^ cunofand^^ttlu 
 enects, which, although scarcely noticed by the inhabitanf, 
 make , ^ • ^^^ J^^ ^.^^^ oVthose wh^S 
 
 the country for the first time. A youth goes out to wafk onZe 
 
 ^stce l^df;^!^^^^^^ "^rT- «^« '-^« are btr and 
 ms face ruddy In half an hour he returns with his face blue 
 
 feitf-a^ss;trx:d;s3 
 r.^=;-j--%-H?*e.^5- 
 
 kast so ,t feels to him-and so in reality it would ,u™^S 
 
 Jt^t'L^rSptertSi;-^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 of Ae purest white, for five or six months of the year ImnellM 
 
 weight permt«irgThL1„rm'Ar'::yorth: t^Jt 
 .now „to which man or horse, from'^thei grStt "It 
 
 rtr.^;r^-pIiLr;.%tit"?^^^^ ^ 
 
 *awc come the "lative positi„S;?;;ra;rm:;tr«Lr 
 
ERS 
 
 eciable change in 
 le shores of Hud- 
 5 long, the spirit- 
 imate) sometimes 
 ray in the regions 
 fall considerably 
 Bit. Cold of such 
 i and interesting 
 
 the inhabitants, 
 F those who visit 
 it to walk on one 
 s are brown and 
 ith his face blue, 
 itter effect being 
 bair and breast, 
 aps he clings to 
 10 know, that it 
 i'inter, continues 
 ;et begin to lose 
 ;s, vanish; then 
 y, and peculiar, 
 /ho has had his 
 t on his insteps, 
 unhappy youth 
 inkle-bones — at 
 uld turn out to 
 
 members into 
 
 uried in snow, 
 arance of a sea 
 year. Impelled 
 the settlement, 
 of their light 
 ; surface of the 
 :reater weight, 
 ully laborious, 
 when the first 
 an is reversed. 
 
 •'''V 39 
 
/ 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 The snow becomes suddeniv soft «n tK-,* ^u l 
 
 wolf sink deep into it and h^ k^^^ 
 
 along, while th'e lotg l^of the h^e S. V'' ^^^^^^^^ 
 
 through and dash aside the snow at a ratr^K k^'"? u° P'""^*' 
 
 very fleet, is sufficient. neverS ^t Tvetktih^cr^' ""^ 
 
 give his rider a chance of shooting it Th! • k u- ^^^ ^"'^ 
 
 Riv^r are not much addicted to^h.' ["^^^^^'tants of Red 
 
 of the Hudson's LvSe^rJ 'P^*^' ^"' *^^ gentlemen 
 
 wastoahuntofthtLcS^^^^^^^ P^^"^ ^*' -^^ it 
 
 Kennedy was now so anSs to go "'""^ '"^"' ^^^^^^^ 
 
 dee?rS! Ze.'S Ithtr-'^T ^" ^ ^"^^ °^ 
 ^ere a sea of dian.onCo ling out^T^^^^^ ^t''''f «« ^^ ^^ 
 the walls of the fo; c to the horfzon " '^^'^ '^^^* ^^°"» 
 
 The ihcimometer stood at in° ;« ♦!.- l j 
 thin*," as Tom Whyte «pr^^ i ■.t.tM''r; ""' ""> ' 
 right away iuio slush " tL^ ' . ^""^ '■*« " ""■"'n' of 
 
 in frosty climes was Wrf til j '" °' *°^« "h" d*'" 
 
 »o„ J the hi e^ot^lf 1 rr^' " "" '''^'T' -"^^ of 
 
 The scene in the couit-varrf nf ir„t, V^ * f ' 
 the cheerful snirit of ,h, ^ °P°"J?"'y ""'""onized with 
 upright soIenS^^J v^hic*' ™"7- Tom Whyte, with that 
 features, was mldCi^Z'^^T^"'" "^ •>» characteristic 
 
 -rgy he -deavoufero^rr^nrhete'-'n 
 Indian boy, to whom mf.jin«,»,.i» u • P °* ^ ^mall 
 
 -5U. and^otherwise^a'Srhle iiX'" ^ ^^"^ "^ 
 
 often skittish. ReLn „I7otTho^wt'' '^^ r''' " 
 I can't comprehend PV.„ •• ? , '^' "" another not. 
 somediver so W- -fiff ^ "" "^^ f 'V not, but how-' 
 r„.~u „ ,' ^ " "ts more nor above th. l:t„ .. _, 
 
 ge*^;'bi;o„r;«:." "' "'^"'"' *"• "'^ -^-i^'nk hait' 
 
 ;< i; 
 
 (D393) 
 
 3 
 
TITE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 Joseph merely gave a grunt, and continued to gaze at Tom's 
 fishy eyes, which were about as interesting as the face to which 
 they belonged. 
 
 " Yes, Joseph," Tom continued, " that's a fact. There's 
 the noo brown 'oss now, it's a skittish 'un. And there's Mr. 
 Kennedy's gray mare, wot's a standin' of beside me, she aint 
 skittish a bit, though she's plenty of spirit, and wouldn't care 
 hanythink for a five-barred gate. Now, wot I want to know is, 
 wot's the reason why?" 
 
 Just as the groom was about to entertain Joseph with one of 
 his theories on the point, Charley Kennedy and Harry Somer- 
 ville hastily approached. 
 
 " Ho, Tom!" exclaimed the former, " have you got the 
 miller's pony for me?" 
 
 " Why, no, sir; 'e 'adn't got his shoes on, sir, last night " 
 
 " Oh! bother his shoes," said Charley, in a voice of great 
 disappointment. " Why didn't you bring him up without 
 shoes, man, eh?" 
 
 " Well, sir, the miller said 'e'd get *em put on early this 
 momin', an' I 'xpect 'e'U be 'ere in 'alf a hour at farthest, sir." 
 
 " Oh, very well," replied Charley, much relieved, but still 
 a little nettled at the bare possibility of being late. " Come 
 along, Harry, let's go and meet him. He'll be long enough of 
 coming if we don't go to poke him up a bit." 
 
 " You'd better wait," called out the groom, as the boys 
 hastened away. " If you go by the river he'll p'r'aps come by 
 the plains, and if you go by the plains he'll p'r'aps come by 
 the river." 
 
 Charley and Harry stopped and looked at each other. Then 
 they looked at the groom, and as their eyes surveyed his 
 solemn, cadaverous countenance, which seemed a sort of 
 bad caricature of the long visages of the horses that stood 
 around him, they burst into a simultaneous and prolonged 
 laugh. 
 
 " He's a clever old lamp-post," said Harry, at last; " we 
 had better remain, Charley." 
 
 " You see," continued Tom Whyte, '* the pony's 'oofs is 
 in an 'orrible state. Last night w'en I see'd 'im, I said to the 
 
ize at Tom's 
 ice to which 
 
 :t. There's 
 there's Mr. 
 me, she aint 
 ouldn't care 
 t to know is, 
 
 with one of 
 arry Somer- 
 
 yon got the 
 
 t night " 
 
 )ice of great 
 up without 
 
 m early this 
 arthest, sir." 
 ed, but still 
 :e. " Come 
 g enough of 
 
 as the boys 
 aps come by 
 ips come by 
 
 ther. Then 
 urveyed his 
 1 a sort of 
 3 that stood 
 d prolonged 
 
 t last; " we 
 
 ly's 'oofs is 
 I said to the 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 3f 
 
 » 
 
 peculiar to arctic citaatr Dur^t ,7',°' """"' "'*''^'' "« 
 
 looi inick, which become gradually thicker an J «,« 
 consolidated as winter advance ?« c • ^ ^ ^^'^ 
 
 craah on the back of Mr KtneTy's .;,, Ll^ f VhT'"* 
 was not " «jki>»iQh »» u •^ ^ " mare, i he mare 
 
 violent contact with .rsLlTndt"boy '"Xtir^ .'r" 
 ™- .he cofrt. wither- rnla^r^-l --t! 
 
36 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 M 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 ^■^i ■ 
 
 
 ^^^^ ^ 
 
 
 ^^■' ■ 
 
 
 ■^^■^' H 
 
 
 ^^^^ ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^^^^B 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 ■ 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 by the senior clerk, Peter Mactavish, and one or two friends 
 who had come to take part in the wolf-hunt. They were 
 all armed with double- or single-barrelled guns or pistols, 
 according to their several fancies. The two elderly gervtlemen 
 ?ilone entered upon the scene without any more deadly weapons 
 than their heavy riding whips. Young Harry Somerville, who 
 had been strongly advised not to take a gun lest he should 
 shoot himself, or his horse or his companions, was content 
 to take the field with a small pocket pistol, which he crammed 
 to the muzzle with a compound of ball and swan-shot. 
 
 " It won't do," said Mr. Grant, in an earnest voice, to his 
 friend, as they walked towards the horses — " it won't do to 
 check him too abruptly, my dear sir. 
 
 " Just permit me," continued Mr. Grant, " to get him sent 
 to the Saskatchewan or Athabasca for a couple of years. By 
 that time he'll have had enough of a rough life, and be only 
 too glad to get a berth at head-quarters. If you thwart him 
 now, I feel convinced that he'll break through all restraint." 
 
 " Humph!" ejaculated Mr. Kennedy, with a frown. " Come 
 here, Charley," he said, as the boy approached with a dis- 
 appointed look, to tell of his failure in getting a horse; " I've 
 been talking with Mr. Grant again about this business, and 
 he says he can easily get you into the counting-room here for 
 a year; so you'll make arrangements " 
 
 The old gentleman paused: he was going to have followed 
 his wonted course, by commanding instantaneous obedience; 
 but as his eye fell upon the honest, open, though disappointed 
 face of his son, a gush of tenderness filled his heart. Laying 
 his hand upon Charley's head, he said, in a kind but abrupt 
 tone: " There now, Charley, my boy, make up your mind to 
 give in with a good grace. It'll only be hard work for a year 
 or two, and then plain sailing after that, Charley!" 
 
 Charley's clear blue eyes filled with tears as the accents of 
 kindness fell upon his ear. Ere he could reply to the question, 
 Mr. Grant's voice, pitched in an elevated key, interrupted 
 them. 
 
 " Eh! what?" said that gentleman to Tom Whyte. " No 
 horse for Charley! How's that?" 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 wo friends 
 rhey were 
 or pistols, 
 gei'.tlemen 
 ly weapons 
 rville, who 
 he should 
 as content 
 e crammed 
 shot. 
 
 Dice, to his 
 on't do to 
 
 5t him sent 
 years. By 
 nd be only 
 hwart him 
 estraint." 
 ti. " Come 
 vith a dis- 
 rse; " I've 
 siness, and 
 m here for 
 
 'e followed 
 obedience; 
 sappointed 
 rt. Laying 
 but abrupt 
 IT mind to 
 
 ; for a year 
 
 • 
 
 accents of 
 e question, 
 nterrupted 
 
 yte. "No 
 
 37 
 
 " No, sir." said Tom. 
 
 " r^^l^) ^^^ ,^'°'^" P°"y- " ^^'^ ^'- Grant, abruptly. 
 Cut is fetlock, sir," said Tom, slowly 
 
 * And the new horse?" 
 " 'Taint 'alf broke yet, sir." 
 
 chlr^r' rh'^'f ^f ^,\^""^d"'t d« to take an unbroken 
 charger Charley, for, although you are a pretty good rider 
 you couldn't manage him, I fear. Let me see." 
 
 Please, sir," said the groon., touching his hat, "I've 
 borrowed the miller's pony for 'im, and 'e's sure to be 'ere 
 m 'alf a hour at farthest." 
 
 us" wl Si" ^;'"f''1 ^'- ^''"'' " y°" ^^" «°°" ov^rt-ke 
 H.'rrv 'n "^V^r^y °"t, straight into the prairie, and 
 Harry will remam behind to keep you company " 
 
 So saying, Mr Grant mounted his horse and rode out at 
 the back gate, followed by the whole cavalcade 
 
 ..Jr^ '!''' '1*°° ^'^•" ''^^ ^^''^'y^ J°oJ^"g with a very 
 perplexed air at his companion. " What's to be done?" 
 
 m.^r7 ^^'''f^ "^^ "°* '^^^ ^^^^ ^^ to be done, and 
 made no difficulty of saying so in a very sympathizing tone 
 
 furtrthe'nth'"''' Charley very eame^ly^'take hif 1^';; 
 but this the other would not hear of; so they came to the con- 
 dusion that there was nothing for it but to wait I patiendy 
 
 Zna L n " "T'' °' '''' ^^P^^*^^ ^°-^- I« th^e mean- 
 time Harry proposed a saunter in the field adjoining the fort 
 
 Charky assented, and the two friends walked away, lea^ng 
 
 the gray pony along with them. ^ 
 
 ex^eme end of which commences a growth of willows and 
 underwood, which gradually increases in size tilUt blcomes 
 
 mfirnte s^' f r '^T.^' ^^^"^ "P *^^ river for^r;; 
 rS T^ f"'* '^^ '*^^^^' ^^^' ^ the boys passed it 
 Charley suddenly conceived a strong desire to see the re- 
 
 "'aTbroke"'' 'T "' "'^.^' ^°"^ ^^^^^ ^^^ sai'w s'o^; 
 ^ .^ alf broke ; so he turned the key, opened the door, and went 
 
 inJ!il?h'''1 "°*^'"^ ^'y P"""^^"' "^°"t this horse, except- 
 mg that his legs seemed rather long for his body, and, upon a 
 
 ! t 
 
 1- 
 
 
 I 
 
 <K i* 
 
 S3 
 
 >«>'L 
 
 
38 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 I 
 
 closer examination, thei-e was a noticeable breadth of nostril 
 and a latent fire in his eye, indicating a good deal of spirit, 
 which, like Chariey's own, required taming. 
 
 " Oh," said Charley, " what a splendid fellow! I say, 
 Harry, I'll go out with him." 
 
 " You'd better not." 
 
 " Why not?" 
 
 " Why.? Just because if you do, Mr. Grant will be down 
 upon you, and your father won't be very well pleased." 
 
 " Nonsense," cried Chariey. " Father didn't say I wasn't 
 to take him. I don't think he'd care much. He's not afraid 
 of my breaking my neck. And, then, Mr. Grant seemed to 
 be only afraid of my being run off with— not of his horse being 
 hurt. Here goes for it!" In another moment, Chariey had 
 him saddled and bridled, and led him out into the yard. 
 
 " Why, I declare, he's quite quiet; just like a lamb," said 
 Harry, in surprise. 
 
 " So he is," replied Chariey. " He's a capital charger; and 
 even if he does bolt, he can't run five hundred miles at a 
 stretch. If I turn his head to the prairies, the Rocky Moun- 
 tains are the first things that will bring him up. So let him 
 run if he likes— I don't care a fig." And springing lightly into 
 the saddle, he cantered out of the yard, followed by his friend. 
 
 The young horse was a well-formed, showy animal, with 
 a good deal of bone— perhaps too much for elegance. He 
 was of a beautiful dark brown, and carried a high head and 
 tail, with a high-stepping gait, that gave him a noble appear- 
 ance. As Charley cantered along at a steady pace, he could 
 discover no symptoms of the refractory spirit which had been 
 ascribed to him. 
 
 " Let us strike out straight for the horizon now," said Harry, 
 after they had galloped half a mile or so along the beaten track. 
 " See, here are the tracks of our friends." Turning sharp 
 round as he spoke, he leaped his pony over the heap that lined 
 the road, and galloped away through the soft snow. 
 
 At this point the young horse began to show his evil spirit. 
 Instead of following the other, he suddenly halted and began 
 to back. 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 39 
 
 ' Hallo, Harryl" exclaimed Charlev " hnlH „„ . k. u . 
 this monster begun liis tricla." ^' ™ ' ■"'■ "'« » 
 
 r^r,!^"' ! ?''''' "'* ** *'''P." shouted Harry 
 
 more vigorously than even "^ '"°"' ""<• ''''='' 
 
 "There, my fine fellow, quiet now " «aM n.,\. ■ 
 soothing tone, patting the horse's S ^ ?• >> '" * 
 
 taow you can't go fa'r in thatTe^'; anyholrC^^i" 
 ^^.^glanced over his shoulder, and i„ LTmmen'sf ^ft 
 
 .n^.d"^t."&i': hil W„h'""'" *°. '•'•"' ^^'''«' »"> *• 
 .ha. was t^mScttforlS'" ""P^""' "^^ ' P"-" 
 anofter snort ^d Xw ^^^^''T^/'' ?""""■"'' ^' S've 
 young rider. '^ ^ ^'' *''"'' "'™st unseated his 
 
 to tiS^rett-i-tTe^h "' '"' "^"^ '" *■= -'"'' »<• *' 
 old S^:;:.'^;''..""^. - "= P-ed: .. yo„,e off now. 
 
 with excitement; gavf Wm he 't- fl T. t'' ""'' 
 and flew over the whll „w ' ' "ounshed his whip; 
 
 behind him hkfalurtc'aner' '"""* '"' *' ™°" '" """^ 
 While this httle escaoade W5.« h--- —-.-a . .. . 
 
 !', ' I 
 
 iu 
 
 P 
 
I- 
 
 if 
 
 1(1 
 
 40 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 Words cannot convey an adequate conception of the peculiar 
 fascination, the exhilarating splendour of the scene by which 
 our hunters were surrounded. Its beauty lay not in variety of 
 feature in the landscape, for there was none. One vast sheet 
 of white alone met the view, bounded all round by the blue 
 circle of the sky, and broken, in one or two places, by a patch 
 or two of willows, which, rising on the plain, appeared like 
 little islands in a frozen sea. It was the glittering sparkle of 
 the snow in the bright sunshine; the dreamy haziness of the 
 atmosphere, mingling earth and sky as in a halo of gold; the 
 first taste — the first smell of spring after a long winter, burst- 
 ing suddenly upon the senses, Hke the unexpected visit of 
 a long absent, much loved, and almost forgotten friend; the 
 soft, warm feeling of the south wind, bearing on its wings 
 the bilmy Influences of sunny climes, and recalling vividly 
 the scenes, the pleasures, the bustling occupations of sumtner. 
 It was this that caused the hunters' hearts to leap within them 
 as they rode along — that induced old Mr. Kennedy to forget 
 his years, and shout as he had been wont to do in days gone 
 by, when he used to follow the track of the elk, or hunt the 
 wild buffalo; and it was this that made the otherwise mono- 
 tonous prairies, on this particular day, so charming. 
 
 The party had wandered about without discovering any- 
 thing that bore the smallest resemblance to a wolf, for 
 upwards of an hour. Fort Garry had fallen astern (to use 
 a nautical phrase) until it had become a mere speck on the 
 horizon, and vanished altogether. Peter Mactavish had twice 
 given a false alarm, in the eagerness of his spirit, and had 
 three times plunged his horse up to the girths in a snovr-drift. 
 The senior clerk was waxing impatient, and the horses restive, 
 when a sudden " hallo!" from Mr. Grant brought the whole 
 cavalcade to a stand. 
 
 The object which drew his attention, and to which he 
 directed the anxious eyes of his friends, was a small speck, 
 rather triangular in form, which overtopped a little willow- 
 bush not more than five or six hundred yards distant. 
 
 " There he is!" exclaimed Mr. Grant. " That's a fact," 
 cried Mr. Kennedy; and both gentlemen, instantaneously 
 
tie peculiar 
 I by which 
 1 variety of 
 
 vast sheet 
 y the blue 
 by a patch 
 )eared like 
 
 sparkle of 
 less of the 
 
 gold; the 
 ter, burst- 
 id visit of 
 riend; the 
 I its wings 
 ng vividiy 
 »f sumtner. 
 ithin them 
 V to forget 
 days gone 
 r hunt the 
 iise mono- 
 
 ering any- 
 
 wolf, for 
 
 m (to use 
 
 5ck on the 
 
 had twice 
 
 t, and had 
 
 mo\7-drift. 
 
 ses restive, 
 
 the whole 
 
 which he 
 nail speck, 
 tie willow- 
 t. 
 
 's a fact," 
 ntaneously 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 I 
 
 4z 
 
 giving a shout, bounded towards the object; not, however 
 ho^r H H ?r' f')' ^^° ^^« "^'^""^^d on a fleet LndTtrln ' 
 
 th?l t '" '^'^r^ ^y '^ y^'^'- A moment aftemarS! 
 ri^e speck rose up and discovered itself to be a veritableTolf 
 Moreover, he condescended to show his teeth, and t^n 
 concemng it probable that his enemies were too numerouJ 
 for him, he turned suddenly round and fled away Cten 
 minutes or so the chase was kept up at full speed ^and as the 
 
 krS'Xti^o f^^"°" '' ^'^ starting^poiCthe wolf 
 aTi tie Bf,t !o [y" P^'^'frs-indeed. distanced them 
 a little But soon the snow became deeper, and the wolf 
 plunged heavily, and the horses gained c^on^iderably 7l 
 though to the eye, the prairies seemed to be a unifor^ level 
 
 em" dToThTaTT «^f %-^"»^*--. - whichTiftrof 
 some depth had collected. Into one of these the wolf now 
 plunged and laboured slowly through it. But so deep was th^ 
 snow that the horses almost stuck fast. A few mSerLw! 
 ever, brought them out. and Mr. Grant and Mr KeiredT 
 who had kept close to each other during the nm,' pulS uo 
 for^a moment on the summit of a ridge toleathe therpami:;^ 
 
 " What can that be?" exclaimed the former, pointing with 
 his whip to a distant object which was moving^^a^? T^ 
 
 J!u^u'^ ^^f '^^^'^^" "^^ Mr. Kennedy, shading his eves 
 with b3 hand, and peering in the c ectionLicated^ " wC 
 that s another wolf, isn't it? No, it .uns too fast for thar' 
 
 « if ?T^ r^^ ^'' ^"^"'^' " w-'^at can it be?" 
 It 1 hadnt seen every beast in the country," remarked 
 Mr. Kennedy, "and didn't know that there^are no such 
 animals north of the equator, I should say it was a r^ad 
 dronjedary mounted by a ring-tailed roarer." 
 
 " It'fnoTri!''; '"'"^y'r"°' P^^^^blel- exclaimed Mr. Grant. 
 It s not Chariey on the new horse!" 
 
 Mr. Grant said this with an air of vexation that annoved 
 his friend a httle. H*» wn»u ^^* u , . ,1 .5""°"®'* 
 
 tehng a horse without leave, no matter how wildltmth be- 
 but he d.d not a. aU relish the idea of making an apX f» 
 
 !■ !• 
 
l iyii i i l^ j P WJ i jnBB 
 
 4* 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 the lad's misconduct, and, for the moment, did not exactly 
 know what to say. As usual in such a dilemma, the old man 
 took refuge in a towering passion, gave his steed a sharp cut 
 with the whip, and galloped forward to meet the delinquent. 
 
 Charley had had a long run since we last saw him. After 
 describing a wide curve, in which his charger displayed a sur- 
 prising aptitude for picking out the ground that was least covered 
 with snow, he headed 5.traight for the fort again at the same 
 pace at which he had started. At first, Charley tried every 
 possible method to check him, but in vain; so he gave it up, 
 resolving to enjoy the race, since he could not prevent it. The 
 young horse seemed to be made of lightning, with bones and 
 muscles of brass, for he bounded untiringly forward for miles, 
 tossing his head and snorting in his wild career. But Charley 
 was a good horseman, and was quite satisfied that the horse could 
 not run for ever. At last he approached the party, in search of 
 which he had originally set out. His eyes dilated and his colour 
 heightened as he beheld the wolf running directly towards 
 him. Fumbling hastily for the pistol which he had borrowed 
 from his friend Harry, he drew it from his pocket, and pre- 
 pared to give the animal a shot in passing. Just at that moment 
 the wolf caught sight of this new enemy in advance, and 
 diverged suddenly to the left, plunging into a drift in his 
 confusion; and so enabling the senior clerk to overtake him, 
 and send an ounce of heavy shot into his side, which turned 
 him over quite dead. The shot, howevr, had a double effect. 
 At that instant Charley swept past, and his mettlesome steed 
 swerved as it heard ihe loud report of the gun, thereby almost 
 unhorsing his rider, and causing him unintentionally to dis- 
 charge the conglomerate of bullets and swan-shot into the 
 flank of Peter Mactavish's horse — fortunately at a distance 
 which rendered the shot equivalent to a dozen very sharp and 
 particularly stinging blows. On receiving this unexpected 
 salute, the astonished charger reared convulsively and fell 
 back upon his rider, who was thereby buried deep in the snow, 
 not a vestige of him being left, no more than if he had never 
 existed at all. Indeed for a moment it seemed to be doubtful 
 whether poor Peter did exist or not, until a sudden upheaving 
 
ot exactly 
 e old man 
 shaq> cut 
 nquent. 
 im. After 
 yed a sur- 
 ist covered 
 the same 
 ried every 
 [ave it up, 
 It it. The 
 bones and 
 for miles, 
 It Charley 
 orse could 
 I search of 
 his colour 
 y towards 
 bor/owed 
 , and pre- 
 it moment 
 ance, and 
 ift in his 
 take him, 
 ch turned 
 ble effect, 
 ome steed 
 by almost 
 lly to dis- 
 : into the 
 I distance 
 sharp and 
 nexpected 
 ' and fell 
 the snow, 
 had never 
 i doubtful 
 ipheaving 
 
 THB YOUNG FUR TRADERS ^, 
 
 second shot ^cZuuZuTLT""""": '««»^hile, .he 
 past Mr. Kennedy lil::::Kr„r '"""« '"'"'■ """=" ««« 
 
 •oo much for hin,. TS^Sferhrrrf;? »' 'r'" T 
 streaming straight out hi-h^A j *;"• *■* "« brown curb 
 
 citement^his tSft clenchrf ' h V ^ '^^ ^^^ "'* «' 
 like an incarnate fiend .h!^',^ ^ ^°"* *="'"8 "'""S ""^ 
 recklessnessr^LV^ J^ i?H T''"' 'P'"' "' '^"■"W^'' 
 session of him 2^,^°";, '^^^"IVo"- »d g'ee. took pos- 
 
 brought it do™ ":hT:^::^tTi "" '"^''"''• 
 
 uttered a shout of defiance *«*„ , f"^ * "="=''• """^ 
 
 the loudest war-XT*?, 1 '"'"'''"''>'"'<'''>"''»''. 
 
 lungsof theS«fZg^,:i'2' -""1 ""^ *' ''"^" 
 Seeing and hearing th?'ld ^^£,7^^"^ ?'' °"8°»- 
 •lashed oir in purauk»^,k JT ■; "''' *'"*''^ »'"'"' and 
 displayed in thecTaleTfthe ^K^'" ^'^ *» "« <-" 
 
 JJl^ fe,TCu:b»r„n^°T'r''i? ""^ Somerville, 
 so they contentTtT,r 1 *™; "^ '"""^ *'= "w ehase 
 
 wards L"o«ltii?Zlro"? '™'''^« *'" %>« '°- 
 
 ^ Meanwhile/cil^iLrS^-S^^tAd'C'G ''"''^ T ' 
 began to wonder whether th. «!m! ^ ""^^ ™'' "<»» 
 
 so, whether it were1^i„f„*hir?hri"''f "P™' ^<'' ^ 
 l«s neck bmken, or to Ar™ &t' L""""" °'«"""S 
 that presented itself *° """ snow-drift 
 
 four and five feet high with « Lf ? , ' ^' "^^ ^^*^«en 
 outside, and a deep fnoZdrift ont e Z^^ Tk'T ^^°"^ *^« 
 the young horse h'ad ZtllVt^'^' ^"^"^ '''' *^«' 
 dia not, at the moment see tL't'tur " '""'^P ^^'^' ^s he 
 
 be done, he prepareTfor r^^ thi h T '"•^*'^^"S ^^«^^ ^o 
 F parea tor it. As the horse bent on his haunches 
 
 If' 
 It" 
 
 
 
 > <l 
 
11 
 
 
 44 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 to spring, he gave him a smart cut with the whip, went over 
 like a rocket, and plunged up to the neck in the snow-drift, 
 which brought his career to an abrupt conclusion. The sudden 
 stoppage of the horse was one thing, but the arresting of 
 Master Charley was another, and quite a different thing. 
 The instant his charger landed, he left the saddle like a harle- 
 quin, described a curve in the air, and fell head foremost into 
 the drift, above which his boots and three inches of his legs 
 alone remained to tell the tale. 
 
 On witnessing this climax, Mr. Kennedy, senior, pulled 
 up, dismoimted, and ran — with an expression of some anxiety 
 on his countenance — to the help of his son; while Tom Whyte 
 came out of the stable just in time to receive the " noo 'oss " 
 as he floundered out of the snow. 
 
 " I believe," said the groom, as he surveyed the trembling 
 charger, " that your son has broke the noo 'oss, sir, better nor 
 I could 'ave done myself." 
 
 " I believe that my son has broken his neck," said Mr. 
 Kennedy, wrathfully. " Come here and help me to dig him 
 out." 
 
 In a few minutes Charley was dug out, in a state of insen- 
 sibility, and carried up to the fort, where he was laid on a bed, 
 and restoratives actively applied for his recovery. 
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 Peter Mactavish becomes an amateur doctor; Charley promulgates 
 his views of things in general to Kate; and Kate waxes sagacious 
 
 Shortly after the catastrophe just related, Charley opened 
 his eyes to consciousness, and aroused himself out of a 
 prolonged fainting fit, under the combined influence of a 
 strong constitution, and the medical treatment of his 
 friends. 
 
 Merliral <T*»a<TnAn«- ir> *Uo n-UAc ^f XT^-t.U A^ : 1... xU- 
 
 '•- ■■« •-■IV rrii-jc \J2. A-?l/llli -rmicilta, L;y IIXC 
 
 way, is very original in its character, and is founded on 
 
vent over 
 low-drift, 
 le sudden 
 esting of 
 at thing. 
 e a harle- 
 most into 
 f his legs 
 
 r, pulled 
 le anxiety 
 m Whyte 
 loo 'oss " 
 
 rembling 
 )etter nor 
 
 said Mr. 
 ) dig him 
 
 of insen- 
 on a bed. 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 omulgates 
 agacious 
 
 y opened 
 
 Dut of a 
 
 nee of a 
 
 of his 
 
 . I >.t-_ 
 
 a, uy iHc 
 
 mded on 
 
 consum^tior dLe J' .„H T" T'" "" "'"'esirable 
 an amateur way mil "^uT f°"' '" °>'"1= i" 
 
 verified. And, L ^'^ :^j:z^z :^:^:r:::- " 
 
 possMe notice. ^' '"' "°"""8. on the shortest 
 
 Jw« •■r„f r^i'™^ J-/-}" "Jocor; and. as the 
 cannot always be found ^ ^' ^J^ '"""S'' '» ""o. and 
 .0 res. content wifhaLTet' TrT"' '° "''I ^'■^^''^ ''»'' 
 Peter Mactavish was the fet " t^hS^we; ' H ""^'^■ 
 t..at laudanum had the effect of nr„!. ^f "' ""* '™'« 
 that Charley looked s„mewh«sI«ov 2. "P" "■'' ''^"^ 
 sciousness, he diough. it aXfaable to h«'" -^'°™""^ '""" 
 to slumber, and went to th?m^- ° I *" P^Pe-^ity 
 
 .raced a small piS^fltrr^Tuu'b^'tketrVVt 
 he emptied into a wine-glass „nrf„.f- ."'"'"* 
 
 was laudanum, and po'el'l^^^Llt's'tZTTh^ *' 
 
 practice, just after sevLl T.t '° ""'"tec'i a httle private 
 office uAder 4e mS„„ At°^"P"l.'T? ^ ''" "-e 
 quiet for a short ttoe ^"""'"^ ''"' '"«" '">ain 
 
 h»\^d\'?s;"di'^ir:^Kr''^^ "ri- •"'«■■"« 
 
 lay), " how is he now?" ^ ""'■" "" "'^'='' Charley 
 
 closed the door behiid him 'Ti ,, ' '""'' ''^ ^^''^ 
 
 Physic. Which I think hi^^e h&':™„:./r;,.^..,!f 
 
 Mr. Kennedy frowned slightly, and made one 
 
 or two 
 
 Ml 
 
 11, 
 III 
 
46 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 physic, 
 
 which were not calculated 
 
 remarks in reference to 
 
 to gratify the ears of a physician. 
 
 " What did you give him?" he inquired, abruptly. 
 
 " Only a little laudanum." 
 
 " Only, indeed! it's all trash together, and that's the worst 
 kind of trash you could have given him. Humph!" and the 
 old gentleman jerked his shoulders testily. 
 
 " How much did you give him?" said the senior clerk, who 
 had entered the apartment with Harry a few minutes before. 
 
 " Not quite a wineglassful," replied Peter, somewhat 
 subdued. 
 
 " A what!" cried the father, starting from his chair as if he 
 had received an electric shock, and rushing into the adjoin- 
 ing room, up and down which he raved in a state of distrac- 
 tion, being utterly ignorant of what should be done under the 
 circumstances. 
 
 " Oh dear!" gasped Peter, turning pale as death. 
 
 Poor Harry Somerville fell rather than leapt off his stool, 
 and dashed into the bedroom, where old Mr. Kennedy was 
 occupied in alternately heaping unutterable abuse on the head 
 of Peter Mactavish, and imploring him to advise what was 
 best to be done. But Peter could only make one or two insane 
 proposals to roll Charley about the floor, and see if that would 
 do him any good; while Harry suggested in desperation that 
 he should be hung by the heels, and perhaps it would run 
 out! 
 
 Meanwhile the senior clerk seized his hat, with the inten- 
 tion of going in search of Tom Whyte, and rushed out at the 
 door; which he had no sooner done, than he found himself 
 tightly embraced in the arms of that worthy, who happened 
 to be entering at the moment; and who, in consequence of 
 the sudden onset, was pinned against the wall of the porch. 
 
 " Oh, my buzzum!" exclaimed Tom, laying his hand on 
 his breast, " you've a'most bu'st me, sir; w'at's wrong, sir?" 
 
 " Go for the doctor, Tom, quick! run like the wind. Take 
 the freshest horse; fly, Tom, Charley's poisoned; laudanum 
 — quick!" 
 
 " 'Eavens an' 'arth!" ejaculated the groom, wheeling round, 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 and stalking ^pidly off to the stable like a n«,r nf • 
 passes, while the senior clerk returned to ,Lk i '"''"' '°"™- 
 he found Mr. Kennedy still tvTn, ^et]^^^^^^^^^ 
 aghast and deadly pale; and Hal^' q. •^^"^^^'^''^ "*'" 
 a maniac at his young friend as if h^ Somervjlle staring like 
 to see him explode, afthouah To lu ^'"'^"^ "^^^''^ "^°"^*^«t 
 ing soundly, and comtn^i tf 'Pf u "'"' ^' ^^ «'««?- 
 that was goi^g on ar^unThim 1' L /*^''"^'"^ '^' "°'^« 
 on the label of the ha"?emZ' nS J u"""^'' '^' '""'^^ 
 prolonged cheer. ^^ ^^''^' ^"^ ^^ ""^^ed a loud, 
 " It's only tincture of » 
 
 such a row? eh!" "' ^^^^ ^ Vo" J"ck up 
 
 "It's only tincture of rhubarb," reoeated th. k j- 
 
 Uttered a sigh Tdwo til •'..''''''' ^"'^ *I'"»™h 
 brea.«. ^ **^ •""=' '»<° removed from his 
 
 languidly roJd Z hTliUo^,^^ *"* ''"'"^ "' >■« '""«! 
 
 and cariolc, who cS hi ' ""'" "''""S "i* a ho,.e 
 been taken s^d^nlt m „ Ih - '" "^^ ™''' "''"' ''»'* 
 
 and «, ^ did:^.t;::!/,i: tr.hTj^r'' -" *' '^-• 
 
 An> where has 'e been tooli to>" inaSrf T 
 
 w^th^ "pLS'Tu^sht'rd \r-^-^^''^-^ *e 
 
 " Oh dearl" said Tom. rubbing his long nose in great per- 
 
 it 
 
It 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 It's an 'orrible case o' sudden an' onexpected 
 
 iliii 
 
 48 
 
 plexity. 
 pison." 
 
 She was sorry for it, but couldn't help that; and, thereupon, 
 bidding him good morning, shut the door. 
 
 Tom's wits had come to that condition which just precedes 
 " giving it up " as hopeless, when it occurred to him that he 
 was not far from old Mr. Kennedy's residence; so he stepped 
 into the cariole again and drove thither. On his arrival, he 
 threw poor Mrs. Kennedy and Kate into great consternation 
 by his exceedingly graphic, and more tnan slightly exagger- 
 ated, account of what had brought him in search of the 
 doctor. At first Mrs. Kennedy resolved to go up to Fort 
 Garry immediately, but Kate persuaded her to remain at 
 home, by pointing out that she could herself go, and if any- 
 thing very serious had occurred (which she didn't believe), 
 Mr. Kennedy could come down for her ii-imediately, while 
 she (Kate) could remain to nurse hpr brother. 
 
 In a few minutes Kate and Tom were seated side by side 
 in the little cariole, driving swiftly up the frozen river, and 
 two hours later the former was seated by her brother's bed- 
 side, watching him, as he slept, with a look of tender affection 
 and solicitude. 
 
 Rousing himself from his slumbers, Charley looked vacantly 
 round the room. 
 
 " Have you slept well, darling?" inquired Kate, laying her 
 hand lightly on his forehead. 
 
 " Slept, eh! Oh yes, I've slept. I say, Kate, what a precious 
 bump I came down on my head, to be sure!" 
 
 " Hush, Charley!" said Kate, perceiving that he wa:, be- 
 coming energetic. " Father said you were to keep quiet — 
 and so do I," she added, with a frown — " shut your eyes, sir, 
 and go to sleep." 
 
 Charley complied by shutting his eyes, and opening his 
 mouth, and uttering a succession of deep snores. 
 
 " Now, you bad boy," said Kate, " why won't you try to 
 rest?" 
 
 " Because, Kate, dear," said Charley, opening his eyes 
 again, " because I feel as if I had slept a week at least, and 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 — - 49 
 
 not being one of the seven sleeoers I don't .l,;„i. •• 
 to do more in that way just noT^-id- I "^"^ 
 
 ticuiarly wicked BMtr, l^tb'i^^^u-^ ''"'''^- *"" P"' 
 a talk with you." ' ' *" """""" '<> have 
 
 ha„d?;ieta^dt„wTrc&?r' "".^ ^^^ '^O" 
 way, else I'll go away I'd leave^^u ?• "'" """' '"'" '" '"« 
 
 foi JToXII^T- Buf;^:- 2r,T '"'/''^ """ 
 how it was that I got Di,ch^T?Lf?"' ','" ""= ""' »' »" 
 ">d who i, was thK£d m^* "«-''«8«l ';hinoceros, 
 
 and how did I come L;,!. T ^' \ ^^^ ™™ ' ' "^'"l. 
 before commL^ryour d^Ze K ^ ''.'"'P'"''^ "«'• 
 
 « w ^^'^ u^°"' ^^*^now go on." 
 
 u Z ' I.' y°" "^"8' understand •• 
 
 "Must I? Oh! " 
 
 stalil^if y;*:^:t:t:;rgh'ir J* ^t- *« 
 
 completely round, fell headforemost too A, ' '"'' "l/^^S 
 
 Kaie?^ ""'■" 'J'™'''«' a>-'«y. " did any one see me, 
 " Oh, yes!" 
 
 ;;Whof> asked Charl^, somewhat anaously. 
 
 M 
 
 And 
 
 no one else?" 
 
 merry laugh. 
 
 No-oh. yesl by the by, Tom Whyt. 
 ^n, he s nobody! Go on." 
 
 « was there too." 
 
 ft 
 
 
 m 
 
 :;.»' 
 
 CD383^ 
 
 Mi - 1 , 
 
so 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 After Charley had two or three times recommended Kate 
 to proceed^ she continued: 
 
 " Well, then, you were carried up here by Father and Tom 
 Whyte, and put to bed; and after a good deal of rubbing and 
 rough treatment, you were got round. Then Peter Mactavish 
 nearly poisoned you; but fortunately he was such a goose, 
 that he did not think of reading the label of the phial, and so 
 gave you a dose of tincture of rhubarb instead of laudanum, 
 as he had intended; and then Father flew into a passion, and 
 Tom Whyte was sent to fetch the doctor, and couldn't find 
 him; but, fortunately, he found me, which was much better, 
 I think, and brought me up here, and so here I am, and here 
 I intend to remain." 
 
 " And so that's the end of it. Well, Kate, I'm very glad it 
 was no worse." 
 
 " And I am very thankful** said Kate, with emphasis on 
 the word, " that it's no worse," 
 
 " Oh, well! you know, Kate, I meant that, of course." 
 
 " But you did not say it," replied his sister, earnestly. 
 
 " To be sure not," said Charley, gaily; " it would be absurd 
 to be always making solemn speeches, and things of that sort, 
 every time one has a Uttle accident." 
 
 " True, Charley; but when one has a very serious accident, 
 and escapes unhurt, don't you think that then it would— be " 
 
 " Oh, yes, to be sure!" interrupted Charley, who still strove 
 to turn Kate from her serious frame of mind; " but how 
 could I possibly say I was tlxankful, with my head crammed 
 into an old cask and my feet pointing up to the blue sky? eh!" 
 
 Kate smiled at this, and laid her hand on his arm, while 
 she bent over the pillow and looked at him. 
 
 "Oh, Charley! you are disposed to jest about it; but 
 I cannot tell you how my heart trembled this morning, 
 when I heard from Tom Whyte of what had happened. As 
 we drove up to the fort, I thought how terrible it would have 
 been if you had been killed; and then the happy days we have 
 spent together rushed into my mind, and I thought of the 
 willow creek where we used to fish for gold-eyes, and the spot 
 in the woods where we have so often chased the little birds; 
 
.4 
 
 ided Kate 
 
 and Tom 
 bbing and 
 Mactavish 
 I a goose, 
 al, and so 
 audanum, 
 ssion, and 
 Idn't find 
 ch better, 
 and here 
 
 ry glad it 
 
 phasis on 
 
 ourse." 
 istly. 
 be absurd 
 that sort, 
 
 accident, 
 
 -be " 
 
 till strove 
 but how 
 crammed 
 jky? ehl" 
 ■m, while 
 
 : it; but 
 morning, 
 ;ned. As 
 )uld have 
 J we have 
 ht of the 
 1 the spot 
 tie birds; 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 5, 
 
 and the lake in the prairies where we used tn »« ;« 
 
 sisS sSe' Z'T" 'V""^ '""'"y '-^'•«' while his 
 M to gT"' f"';" ?' "^^ " '"•S"'- " I »> '•'M thank. 
 
 ^^ Do zvhat for me?" asked Charley. ^ 
 
 « Why, the office work," said Kate. 
 ^^Tuts! fiddlesticksl But isn't it, now. really a very hard 
 
 ;; Indeed it is; but. then, what cm you do?" 
 « Oh /'?. Char «y impatiently; " run away, to be sure " 
 Oh, don t speak of that!" said Kate anxiouslv " v 
 W « „i„ M, Mo.he. and then it .Jk ^Le. ™™ 
 
 "Well Father don't care much about grievin? me wh^„ 
 that thy days may be lonp in th. ui^ ,..u:_,. .. i .^f*^* 
 
 s; V 
 
 :.' ,! 
 
 j»f 
 
 .;i J 
 
 1l 
 
 i' , ' - 
 
 i 
 ■' 
 
 1 
 
 4' 
 
 irr 
 
•"S*i 
 
 5» 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 Charley was silent for a few seconds; then, heaving a deep 
 sigh, he said: 
 
 " Well, I bdieve you*re right, Kate; but, then, what am 
 I to do? If I don't run away, I must live, Hke poor Harry 
 Somerville, on a long-legged stool; and if I do that, I'lt— 
 
 As Charley spoke, the door opened, and his father entered. 
 
 " Well, my boy," said he, seating himself on the bedside, 
 and takmg his son's hand, " how goes it now? Head getting 
 all right again? I fear Kate has been talking too r^mch to you. 
 Is it so, you httle chatterbox?" 
 
 Mr. ICennedy parted Kate's clustering ringlets, and kissed 
 her forehead. 
 
 Charley assured his father that he was almost well, and 
 much better of having Kate to tend him. In fact, he felt so 
 much revived, that he said he would get up and go out for 
 a walk. 
 
 " Had I not better tell Tom Whyte to saddle the young 
 horse for you?" said his father, half ironically. " No, no, 
 boy, He still where you are to-day, and get up if you feel better 
 to-morrow. In the meantime, I've come to say good-bye, as 
 I intend to go home to relieve your mother's anxiety about 
 you. I'll see you again, probably, the day after to- 
 morrow. Hark you, boy; I've been talking your affairs over 
 again with Mr. Grant, and weVe come to the conclusion to 
 give you a run in the woods for a time. You'll have to be ready 
 to start early in the spring with the first brigades for the North. 
 So adieu!" 
 
 Mr. Kennedy patted him on the head, and hastily left the 
 room. 
 
 A burning blush of shame arose on Charley's cheek as he 
 recollected his recent remarks about his father; and then, 
 recalling the purport of his last words, he sent forth an 
 exulting shout as he thought of the coming spring. 
 
 " Well, now, Chariey," said Kate, with an arch smile, 
 let us talk seriously over your arrangements for running 
 
 awav. 
 
 Chariey replied by seizing the pillow and throwing it at his 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS „ 
 
 SBter's h<ad; but being accustomed to such eccentricities 
 d>eant.c,pated,l,e movement and evaded the blow "' 
 
 .hot^o.£„thi..i„/recl.^'^L"LVuS-l^^^^^ 
 1 U make my fortune at once " crit'ti rko.i t 
 
 ctti ^^r^-: "•""' ' --<!» rue*;'!' Xr^„i 
 
 Great Bm Lake, take you to keep house for me and X„ 
 Im out hunting, you'll fish for whales in the "ate »i leT^ 
 hve Acre to a good old age; so good night, Ka.:,' d^.^a^S 
 
 ^ Kate laughed, and gave her b,»ther a parting kiss, and left 
 
 ! 
 
 CR4^'^LR VI 
 
 Spring 
 
 Voyageurs 
 
 Wint-r with its snow and ics ice- winf*.r r«\*u •* l 
 
 tt """ ""'" "*= ™'-. "Jh^ 'ril^fcfaratr 
 2 oocupattons and employment, is past, and itt^'^g 
 
 The sun no longer glitters on fields of white- the »,™H 
 raan-s axe « no longer heard hacking the oaten billets toTl' 
 
 —carts and gigs have supplanted them The fr<»^ k., i I 
 
 .'Siti^r^i,-- *= t-^ o"f wmtrz'r t 
 i4*«^ei::tSc^i::<^iSr'Thr^"n 
 
 rZl'e'"* '" *' -'«'<• settlemt: hrch^d ^hTX^r 
 
 iiy those who have never known an arctic winter fh* A.v u^ 
 ofanarcticspringcanneverbefullyap;:^,^:;*:':^ 
 
 «it 
 "(I 
 
 
m 
 
 it 
 
 Imm 
 
 I 
 
 ^4 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 Everything bursts suddenly into vigorous life, after the long 
 death-like sleep of nature; as little children burst into the 
 romping gaieties of a r rv day, after the deep repose of a long 
 and tranquil night. T>ie snow melts, the ice breaks up, and 
 rushes in broken masses, heaving and tossing in the rising 
 floods that grind and whirl them, into the ocean, or into those 
 great fresh-water lakes that seem to vie with the ocean itself 
 in magnitude and grandeur. The buds come out and the 
 leaves appear, clothing all nature with a bright refreshing 
 green, which derives additional brilliancy from sundry patches 
 of snow, that fill the deep creeks and hollows everywhere, and 
 form ephemeral fountains whose waters continue to supply 
 a thousand rills for many a long day, until the fierce glare of 
 the summer sun prevails at last and melts them all away. 
 
 Red River flows on now to mix its long pent-up waters with 
 Lake Winnipeg. Boats are seen rowing upon its waters, as 
 the settlers travel from place to place; and wooden canoes, 
 made of the hoUowed-out trunks of large trees, shoot across 
 from shore to shore — these canoes being a substitute for 
 bridges, of which there are none, although the settlement 
 lies on both sides of the river. Birds have now come, their 
 wild cries and ceaseless flight adding to it a cheerful activity. 
 Ground squirrels pop up out of their holes, to bask their round, 
 fat, beautifully-striped little bodies in the sun, or to gaze in 
 admiration at the farmer, as he urges a pair of very slow- 
 going oxen, that drag the plough at a pace which induces one 
 to believe that the wide field may possibly be ploughed up 
 by the end of next year. Frogs whistle in the marshy grounds 
 80 loudly, that men new to the country believe they are being 
 regaled by the songs of millions of birds. There is no mistake 
 about their whistle. It is not merely like a whistle, but it is a 
 whistle, shrill and continuous; and as the swamps swarm 
 with these creatures, the song never ceases for a moment, 
 although each individual frog creates only one little gush of 
 music, composed of half a dozen trills, and then stops a moment 
 for breath before recommencing. Bull-frogs, too, though not 
 iiO numerous, help to vary the sound by croaking vociferously, 
 as if they understood the value of bass, and were glad of 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 having an opportunity to join in the universal hum of life and 
 joy which nses eveiywhere, from the river and swamo ^« 
 forest and the prairie, to welcome back the spring ^' *^" 
 
 too much of i,-i„ so^e o?1htt„tg'^^r%:i:*r 
 scended, generally, from French-Canadl™ ™r« and ?L^ 
 mothers, they united some nf .k. ""' ™ '"» and Indian 
 bad. quktiea' ofToAm«U,^i^i ZT " n" "' *^ 
 
 fostered by the nature S^tru^L^Tupalr ^^ """= 
 
 while some mieht be €»<.«.« oio^ :« *u t . ^anegated beads; 
 
 those already described Thehe?^r • ^^"""^ "^^^ ^ 
 
 duffle socks Lrrnow inlaleH K ^ ™'^' moccasins and 
 
 ,rp. . . ^ ' -rF«^ciiuy, mat nature had 
 
 fur j:^---^«'««e always called buffaloes by American hunten, «id 
 
 
 
 ii: 
 
 iii' 
 
I 'I 
 
 1 ' 
 
 S6 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 supplied a covering which was in itself sufficient. These 
 costumes varied not only in character but in quality, accord- 
 ing to the circumstances of the wearer; some being highly 
 ornamental and mended-^vincing the felicity of the owner 
 m the possession of a good wife— while others were soiled and 
 torn, or but slightly ornamented. The voyageurs were col- 
 lected m groups. Here stood a dozen of the youngest— con- 
 sequently the most noisy and showily dressed— laughing 
 loudly, gesticulating violently, and bragging tremendously. 
 Near to them were collected a number of sterner spirits— 
 men of middle age— with all the energy, and muscle, and 
 bone of youth, but without its swaggering hilarity— men whose 
 powers and nerves had been tried over and over again amid the 
 stirring scenes of a voyageur's life; men whose heads were cool, 
 and eyes sharp, and hands ready and powerful, in the mad 
 whirl of boihng rapids, in the sudden attack of wild beast and 
 hostile man, or in the unexpected approach of any danger; 
 men who, having been well tried, needed not to boast. They 
 were comparatively few in number, but they composed a ster- 
 ling band, of which every man was a hero. Among them were 
 those who occupied the high positions of bowman and steers- 
 man. On these two men frequently hangs the safety of a boat 
 with all its crew and lading. * 
 
 Boat-travelling in those regions is conducted in a way that 
 would astonish most people who dwell in the civilized quarters 
 of the globe. The country being intersected in all directions 
 by great lakes and rivers, these have been adopted as the most 
 convenient highways along which to convey the supplies and 
 brmg back the furs from the outposts. Rivers in America, 
 however, as in other parts of the worid, are distinguished by 
 sudden ebullitions and turbulent points of character, in the 
 shape of rapids, falls, and cataracts, up and down which 
 neither men nor boats can by any possibility go with im- 
 punity; consequently, on arriving at such obstructions, the 
 cargoes are carried overland to navigable water above or below 
 the falls (as the case may be), then the boats are dragged over 
 and launched, again reloaded, and the travellers nrnri>i.d tk,« 
 operation is called tnakitig a portage; and, as these portages 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 any means. »y"geur s iite is not an easy one by 
 
 but are ,uffic,e„ay fSem "o^^lVrT """f^'^- 
 perilous. In such cas« ,h. k . u • ^° '''''"'« °f *em 
 their cargo, =^et«'r™''''7«- ""? "^i"'""' "' P« »' 
 
 full cargis'and cTws ^'isl'elX*- ^'^ '"""'' "** 
 of each boat devolves umr .« I *' '?'"''' ■"^^g'ment 
 
 "St of the creJ ol^^^ ^T" '"^ ''"'™'">- The 
 still and look on, or ^^iTTot^ ^7h T- ^""'•.r"'^ «« 
 while the steersman, ™4^^^n;i''«'J" "^'l-'r^: 
 directs the flying boat as it lv>„^i T ^ ^ ""' ^^"^ <>"• 
 
 athingof life^ ^-i^e^^^Jlt-^e^S^rflrt^' ""' 
 m direct ng his comrarfi> »t rU^ „* l . ^ ^^^'^^ '° ^sist 
 
 pole in hif han^whh tuch "ert'd"' ' ''T^ '"" '°"« 
 forces the boat's h^d aLT f™! ■ T"' "" ™'«>tly 
 
 it might otherwiser«knfd Srot?'" "^'^' j^"™' ««-h 
 damaged. ''°™ "• "^Psized, or seriously 
 
 jwf^iht„:ts or^lf-sf'-r-" °" - 
 
 brows, ffrav hafr^ ^n^ i ' • ^ "'^"' ^^^^ wrinkled 
 strenglh^LirSys^t:- Thin "^^".'''' *« 
 and wann brown cLpleJ^n '^^e ;",|tj« ^fXf p "^^"^ 
 s=e many summers still. These werf^hT^-? ™« '° 
 and old guides-men nf J , P^apa' stejremen 
 
 as oracles^^^r look™ u„ to ^n".;'" "*""" *' °*<'" bo^^d 
 manhood had belsZt in !„''^\™"*'''^'' y™* and 
 and who were thereW , • T^ *' '"^'"'''^ wilderness, 
 
 through tTeligrtd- S^'^ftet '°.^"'' ''"^''- 
 power of threading thpiri,,. . '^'"''' "'n whose 
 
 "f the fotesrhad b^omefseT"/ *' '^'^'™"8 '"'"'^acies 
 
 .':;i_«nerrin'r'c:t?^;^Trt:rtr'i;!:;?!^^ 
 
 m 
 
 
 ^'1 
 
58 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 I 
 
 
 I 
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 The Store 
 
 At whatever establishment in the fur trader's dominions 
 you may chance to alight, you will find a particular building 
 which is surrounded by a halo of interest; towards which 
 there seems to be a general leaning on the part of everybody, 
 especially of the Indians, and with which are connected, in 
 the minds of all, the most stirring reminiscences and pleasing 
 associations. 
 
 This is the trading store. It is always recognizable, if natives 
 are in the neighbourhood, by the bevy of red men that cluster 
 round it, awaiting the coming of the store-keeper or the trader 
 with that stoic patience which is peculiar to Indians. Here is 
 contained that which makes the red man's life enjoyable; that 
 which causes his heart to leap, and induces him to toil for 
 months and months together in the heat of summer and amid 
 the frost and snow of winter; that which actually accomplishes, 
 what music is said to achieve, the " soothing of the savage 
 breast "; in short, here are stored up blankets, guns, powder, 
 shot, kettles, axes, and knives; twine for nets, vermilion for 
 war-paint, fish-hooks and scalping knives, capotes, cloth, 
 beads, needles, and a host of miscellaneous articles, much 
 too numerous to mention. Here, also, occur periodical 
 scenes of bustle and excitement, when bands of natives arrive 
 from distant hunting-grounds, laden with rich furs, which 
 are speedily transferred to the Hudson's Bay Company's 
 stores in exchange for the goods afore-mentioned. And many 
 a tough wrangle has the trader on such occasions with sharp 
 natives, so close are they at a bargain. Here, too, voyageurs 
 are supplied with an equivalent for their wages, part in advance 
 if they desire it (and they generally do desire it), and part at 
 t^e conclusion of their long and arduous voyages. 
 
 The store at Fort Garry stands on the right of the fort, as 
 J. - inter by the front gate, its interior resembles that of the 
 oilicr stores in the country, being only a little larger. A counter 
 
lominions 
 r building 
 ds which 
 verybody, 
 lected, in 
 1 pleasing 
 
 if natives 
 lat cluster 
 the trader 
 . Here is 
 ible; that 
 toil for 
 and amid 
 mplishes, 
 le savage 
 , powder, 
 lilion for 
 !S, cloth, 
 », much 
 )eriodical 
 res arrive 
 s, which 
 >mpany's 
 nd many 
 ith sharp 
 'joyageurs 
 
 advance 
 d part at 
 
 ; fort, as 
 at of the 
 L counter 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 5, 
 
 encloses a space sufficiently wide to admit a dozen men and 
 
 W? K-^''P ^'"'^ *^°^ ^»^° ^'^ "^°re eager than^he'rSt 
 We this counter stood our friend Peter Mactavish, the p^: 
 stdmg genius of the scene. ' ^ 
 
 " Shut the door now, and lock it," said Peter, in an author; 
 Uive tone, after eight or ten young voyageur \Tcm^^ 
 m^ the space in front of the countel 'viX not supply you 
 wiA so much as an ounce of tobacco if you let in'another 
 
 Peter needed not to repeat the command. Three or four 
 stalwart shoulders were applied to the door, wWch shut whh 
 a bang hke a cannon-shot, and the key was turned 
 Hn f 7^' "°^' Antoine," began the trader, «' we've lots to 
 do and not much time to do it in, so pray look sharp." 
 
 Antome, however, was not to be urged on so easily He 
 had been meditating deeply all morning on what he should 
 purchase. Moreover, he had a sweetheart; and, of course he 
 had to buy something for her, before setting out on hTtravers 
 
 w^U mldl" w>: "". \^ 'r ^«^' ^"^ ^^-^ shoulSlred ^d 
 weU made with a dark face and glossy black hair; and he 
 
 entertained a notion that there were one or two poiitsT Ws 
 
 costume which required to be carefuUy rectified, ere he could 
 
 consider that he had attained to perfection: so he brushed 
 
 Itdii^ °^ ""' '^^^'^^^' ---^ ^^« --' -d g-d 
 
 at lim M C;^*'^"''" 'f ^''''^ *^^^^"8 ^ g^«^" blanket 
 at him I know you want that to begin with. What's the use 
 
 of thinking so long about it?-eh? And that, too," he added 
 throv^ang him a blue cloth capote. " Anything els;?" ' 
 
 Oui oui, monsieur," cried Antoine, as he disensaeed 
 himself from the folds of the coat which Peter had to^ 
 over his head. " Tabac, monsieur! tabac!" 
 ihnf}' *° ^^ sure," cried Peter. " I might have guessed that 
 
 htlp^'ST"' '" ^'"' "!?'• ^^'-' ^°- --h -" y- 
 
 l^ u , ^^*f .''^gan to unwind the fragrant weed off a coil 
 which looked like a «nalrp «f «^^u„- i-_L, « „,° °" ^ *^°"' 
 
 
 ' nii' 
 
6o 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 W I ti 
 
 Antoine accepted the quantity; and young Harry Somcr- 
 ville entered the articles against him in a book. 
 
 " Anything more, Antoine?" said the trader. *' Ah, some 
 beads, and silks! — eh! Oho, Antoine! By the way, Louis, 
 have you seen Annette lately?" 
 
 Peter turned to another voyageur when he put this question, 
 and the voyageur gave a broad grin as he replied in the affirma- 
 tive; while Antoine looked a little confused. He did not care 
 much, however, for jesting. So, after getting one or two more 
 articles — not forgetting half a dozen clay (ipes, and a few 
 yards of gaudy calico, which called forth from Peter a second 
 reference to Annette — he bundled up his goods, and made 
 way for another comrade. 
 
 Louis Peltier, one of the principal guides, and a man of 
 importance, now stood forward. He was probably about forty- 
 five years of age; had a plain, olive-coloured countenance, 
 surrounded by a mass of long, jet-black hair, which he in- 
 herited, along with a pair of dark piercing eyes, from his 
 Indian mother; and a robust, heavy, yet active frame, which 
 bore a strong resemblance to what his Canadian father's had 
 been many years before. His arms, in particular, were of 
 herculean mould, with large swelling veins, and strongly- 
 marked muscles. They seemed, in fact, just formed for the 
 purpose of pulling the heavy sweep of an inland boat among 
 strong rapids. His face combined an expression of stem 
 resolution with great good humour; and, truly, his counten- 
 ance did not belie him, for he was known among his comrades 
 as the most courageous, and, at the same time, the most 
 peaceable man in the settlement. Louis Peltier was singular 
 in possessing the latter quality, for assuredly, the half-breeds 
 — ^whatever other good points they boast — cannot lay claim to 
 very gentle or dove-like dispositions. His gray capote and 
 leggings were decorated with no unusual ornaments, and 
 the scarlet belt which encircled his massive figure was the 
 only bit of colour he displayed. 
 
 The younger men fell respectfully to the rear, as Louis 
 
 
 ■"JKi"^^ 
 
 ^55^ 
 
 x^\jt.i.i.i.z.zj^ -y-' v«i X jr ixx 
 
 the day. " Mais, monsieur," he said, " I have to look after 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 6i 
 
 '%^X'^^' T^ *" .*"" "^y '°' " »«"" to-morrow." 
 reter Mactavish gave Louis a heartv shake „f .K- k j 
 before pro«edu,g ,„ ,„ppty y, ,^f ^^^J t.^T,^t 
 and moderate, excepting in the article of uAac, ^r,"L t^ rf 
 wh.ch he was .mmoderate-being an invetera e "mokeT st 
 Ws benS " '"""''" "' "■' "^ "^ "> ^ -coiled for 
 as'JCdrdS 1™ i^- ^■^•" ^' ''"« M-vish. 
 
 Iing2'e''wrd""Vt? '•°"'''' ™"i'=^ *« «""-=• -='- 
 sup^p; ^r ;,agf ^^^^^^^^ rifTe hlror^f r^nTj 
 
 rbnin^btaf^l^nr " * ^ "' *-«'« °'"^--- 
 
 JIS^Vv*^'"'?'^"'"'""''' Mactavish. "Why how 
 was that? You must have lost more than half your spiriS ^^ 
 
 atlh^lMta'e!^' *" "" """"• """ "^ '"--" F-^ois 
 
 whilfZ ""T ""^'r'"' ">' «'«k. bustling about the store 
 while the guide continued to talk. * 
 
 " Oui, monsieur— oui. I lost him, and mv tabac and mv 
 spjri^aiid vety nearly my life, all in'one moLfntr "^ 
 
 should give up my ^oyagem- life, and reLin altogetSr iXe 
 
 n^''::rble"'wh'"^°"' rr- ^^■'- -"S « Lr^' 
 
 me an old woman; and. you know, monsieur, that two old 
 
 the v'yage " ^''' ^ '"^' ^^^ ^^' ^^^^^ ^g^n for 
 
 The voyageurs, who had drawn round Louis when he 
 
 flluded to an anecdote which thev had nf..n "I! Julil' 
 
 TthT, r'' T^ ^'.^^^^ over aga^n; "lau^he^dTouiy 
 «t thxs sally, and urged the guide to relate the sto^ to 
 
 H 
 
 4 
 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 ! 
 
 li 
 
 '*! 
 
 11 
 
 f : 
 
 
 i , ^ 
 
6a 
 
 THE YOUNG FU^ TRADERS 
 
 " monsieur ", who, nothing loath to suspend his operations 
 for a little, leaned his arms on the counter, and said: 
 
 " Tell us all about it, Louis; I am anxious to know how 
 you managed to come by so many losses all at one time." 
 
 " Bien, loiisieur, I shall soon relate it, for the story is very 
 short." 
 
 Harry Somerville, who was entering the pipes in Louis's 
 account, had just set down the figures " 30 " when Louis 
 cleared his throat to begin. Not having the mental fortitude 
 to finish the line, he dropped his pen, sprang off his stool, 
 which he upset in so doing, jumped up, sitting-ways, upon the 
 counter, and gazed with breathless interest into the guide's 
 face as he spoke. 
 
 " It was on a cold, wet afternoon," said Louis, " that we 
 were descending the Hill river, at a part of the rapids where 
 there is a sharp bend in the stream, and two or three great 
 rocks that stand up in front of the water, as it plunges over 
 a ledge, as if they were put there a' purpose to catch it, and 
 split it up into foam, or to stop the boats and canoes that try 
 to run the rapids, and cut them up into splinters. It was 
 an ugly place, monsieur, I can tell you, and, though I've run 
 it again and again, I always hold my breath tighter when we 
 get to the top, and breathe freer when we get to the bottom. 
 Well, there was a chum of mine at the bow, Fran9ois by name, 
 and a fine fellow he was, as I ever came across. He and I were 
 great friends. Well, he was at the bow when we took the rapids 
 — and a first-rate bowman he made. His pole was twice as 
 long and twice as thick as any other pole in the boat, and he 
 twisted it about just like a fiddlestick. I remember well the 
 night before we came to the rapids, as he was sitting by the 
 fire which was blazing up among the pine branches that over- 
 hung us, he said that he wanted a good pole for the rapids 
 next day, and with that he jumped up, laid hold of an axe, 
 and went back into the woods a bit to get one. When he re- 
 turned he brought on his shoulder a young tree, which he began 
 to strip of its branches and bark. ' Louis,' says he, ' this is hot 
 work, give us a pipe,' so I rummaged about for some tobacco, 
 but found there was none left in my bag; so I went to my kit 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 63 
 
 half of ,t off. I went to the fire and twisted it round his neck 
 by way of a joke, and he said he'd wear it as a necklace S 
 mght-and so he did. too. and forgot to take it off in t^ 
 mornmg; and when we came near the rapids I couWn't get 
 at my bag to stow it away. so. says I, • Franfois. you'U have 
 to run with ,t on. for I can't stop to stow it now.' ^In right ' 
 aays he go a-head,' and just as he said it. we came [n sight 
 
 ' T^e ca^^. Tads r;"5 "?°k"^"^ ^^'^ ^ '^^"'^ °^ -b^^- 
 1 ake care, lads I cried, and the next moment we were dash- 
 
 mg down towards the bend in the river A ^ .w m! L V 
 
 the shoot. I saw Francois standing "p on h/l^'eT.^^ 
 
 a better view of the rocks ahead. L Lry n J f nd , e^X 
 
 ing me a signal with his hand how to steer; ...idcn! he^^vl 
 
 a shout, and plunged his long pole into th; ; Tr to ftnd off 
 
 from a rock which a swirl in the stream had concealed For 
 
 a second or two his pole bent like a willow, and we could fZ 
 
 the heavy boat jerk off a little with the trem'endouTstrab; bu 
 
 all at once the pole broke off short with a crack, Francois^ h^fe 
 
 made a flourish in the air. and then he di^pp^^^ d he^d 
 
 foremc^t mto the foaming water, with my tobacco cold 
 
 round hjs neck! As we flew past the place.Ve of his ^ 
 
 appeared, and I made a grab at it. and caught Wm byT 
 
 r.?r ^'ru '^^'' ?"'' °^ "^y "*^" ^^"gl^t me by the foot and 
 held on hke a vice; but the force of the current tore Fr^Ll^'s 
 
 just m time to see my comrade's legs and arms going like^e 
 
 r„t .' "T^n™"' "^ ^' '^^^'^ °^^^ ^^^^-^ tiLs^and dis- 
 appeared Well, we put ashore the moment we got into sSl 
 water, and then five or six of us started off on foof to kS. for 
 u^rL^T '^^k"^ 'r'^ ^^"^^' -^ ^-«<J him pTtchtd 
 
 w^e w?iirhttd T '° ^^ '"S^ ^' ^^°"g^' W"^ ««h-e, 
 
 WmfiirL ? ^ ^'!' *°^^ °^ "" ^^ ^^°^^««' ^d nibbed 
 nim till he began to ahniv o.v.,- ^r i^r i» »"^^^ 
 
 • ,j„^ '^ 7 '6"~ "^ "*= again, uut vou mav 
 
 judge mes garfons, of my misery, when f found that'theToU 
 of tobacco was gone. It had come off 
 
 neck during his 
 
 
 
 ;;? p 
 
64 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 struggles, and there wasn't a vestige of it left, except a bright, 
 red mark on the throat, where it had nearly strangled him. 
 When he began to recover, he put his hand up to his neck as 
 if feeling for something, and muttered faintly, ' the tabac* 
 • Ah, morbleu!' said I , ' you may say that! Where is it?' Well, 
 we soon brought him round, but he had swallowed so much 
 water that it damaged his lungs, and we had to leave him at 
 the next post we came to, and so I lost my friend, too." 
 
 " Did Francois get better?" said Charley Kennedy, in a 
 voice of great concern. 
 
 Charley had entered the store by another door, just as the 
 guide began his story, and had listened to it unobserved with 
 breathless interest. ^ ^^ 
 
 " Recover! Oh, oui, monsieur, he soon got well agam. 
 
 « Oh, I'm so glad," cried Charley. 
 
 " But I lost him for that voyage," added the guide; « and 
 I lost my tabac for ever!" 
 
 " You must take better care of it this time, Louis," said 
 Peter Mactavish, as he resumed his work. 
 
 " That I shall, monsieur," replied Louis, shouldering his 
 goods and quitting the store, while a short, slim, active little 
 Canadian took his place. ^^ 
 
 " Now then, Baptiste," said Mactavish, " you want a 
 
 " Blanket, monsieur." 
 
 "Good. And " 
 
 •* A capote, monsieur!" 
 
 •* And " 
 
 ** An axe- " 
 
 " Stop, .>top!" shouted Harry Somervilie from his desk. 
 " Here's an entry in Louis's account tl it I can't make out— 
 30 something or other— what can it have been?" 
 
 " How often," said Mactavish, goxng up to him with a look 
 of annoyance—" how often have I told you, Mr. Somervilie, 
 not to leave an entry half-finished on any account?" 
 
 " I didn't know tha I left it so," said Harry, twisting his 
 
 f 1 4.-1.: ^~^.^ X^t^nA \n rtfoot r>#»rnlpYitv. " What 
 
 features, anu scruicii;:!^; ma nv-au uj ^ j^—j-s j.. — 
 
 can it have been, 30— 30— not blankets, eh?" (Harry was 
 becoming banteringly oitter). " He covldn't have got thirty 
 
» 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 65 
 
 ^« PeZi, >'^ °' l^""^ ^^''' °^ *^'^ <^°PP" kettles?" 
 « M ^^V*."^^ ^^''^y P°""^« °f te^'" suggested Charley 
 " Oh thf '* "-/^i^y ^>->" said Pete rVtavisr '^• 
 Oh, that was ,t!" cried Harry, " that was iti thirty pipes 
 to be sure— what an ass I am!" ""«y pipes 
 
 "And pray what is that?" said Mactayish. pointing sar- 
 castically to an entry in the previous account-"' 5 i^/ 
 superfine Annette? Really, Mr. Someryille, I wish you would 
 
 Harry could say no more, but stuffed his handkerchief into 
 his mouth and turned away. ^^^mci mto 
 
 " Well, sir," said the offended Peter, " when you haye 
 
 Just then a tall, raw-boned man entered the store and 
 rude y thrustmg Baptise aside, asked if he could «t W, 
 supplies now. *-""*" gci nis 
 
 liket'^e'rlst^ ^''*''"'' '^"P^^' " y°"'" *^^<^ y°- *"rn 
 
 which' andTe' ™.? "''^"^ "^ ^^^"^y' ^ ^«"«t'y from 
 Which, and the neighbounng islands, the Fur Comnanv 
 
 ahnost exclusively recruits its staff of labourers ThesTCn 
 
 r^-H. • ' "' 'l^'y '°°" ^"* "«^d to the country and 
 
 and half-breeds with whom they associate; some of them 
 are the best servants the Company possess. Hugh MatWsoT 
 however, was a very bad specimen of the race,\eh^g rough 
 
 t:'^'^^!^':!!^''^^^ -'^ '-y withal. Upon'reS' 
 
 ;";= ; ' "'. ° """cr, nugn turned sulHIy on his heel and 
 
 strode towards the door. Now, it happenJd that Bapl^^ 
 
 Sr ^'""'' ^' """• "" '"'^8 to leave theV«! 
 
 5 
 
 ■'I! 
 
 ijl I II 
 
 
 M 
 
 i 
 
 P: 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 f 
 
 §' 
 
 
 1 
 
 
Ill ! 
 
 ii I 
 
 s 
 
 I r f 
 
 1 
 
 ii 
 
 66 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 he tripped over it and stumbled, whereat the voyageurs burst 
 into an ironical laugh (for Hugh was not a favourite). 
 
 " Confound your trash!" he cried, giving the little bundle 
 a kick that scattered everything over the floor. 
 
 " Crapaud!" said Baptiste, between his set teeth, while 
 his eyes flashed angrily, and he stood up before Hugh with 
 clenched fists, " what mean you by that? — eh?" 
 
 The big Scotchman held bis little opponent in contempt, 
 so that, instead of putting himself on the defensive, he leaned 
 his back against the door, thrust his hands into his pockets, 
 and requested to know " what was that to him ". 
 
 Baptiste was not a man of many words, and this reply, 
 coupled with the insolent sneer with which it was uttered, 
 caused him to plant a sudden and well-directed blow on the 
 point of Hugh's nose, which flattened it on his face, and 
 brought the back of his head into violent contact with the 
 door. 
 
 " Well done!" shouted the men; " bravo, Baptiste! regardes 
 U nez, mes enfantsf" 
 
 " Hold!" cried Mactavish, vaulting the counter, and inter- 
 cepting Hugh as ht; rushed upon his antagonist; " no fighting 
 here, you blackguards! If you want to do that, go outside the 
 fort;" and Peter, opening the door, thrust the Orkneyman 
 out. 
 
 In the meantime, Baptiste gathered ap his goods and left 
 the store, in company with several of his friends, vowing that 
 he would wreak his vengeance on the gros chien before the sun 
 should set. 
 
 He had not long to wait, however, for, just outside the gate, 
 he found Hugh, still smarting under the pain and indignity 
 of the blow, and ready to pounce upon him like a cat on a 
 mouse. 
 
 Baptiste instantly threw uown his bundle and prepared for 
 battle by discarding his coat. 
 
 Every nation has its own peculiar method of fighting, and 
 its own ideas of what is honourable and dishonourable in 
 
 1 ^ 'Tnu 
 
 iStringent rules regarding the part of the body which may or 
 
eurs burst 
 
 te). 
 
 tie bundle 
 
 ;th, while 
 lugh with 
 
 contempt, 
 he leaned 
 s pockets, 
 
 his reply, 
 s uttered, 
 <yvi on the 
 face, and 
 ; with the 
 
 ! regardes 
 
 and inter- 
 lo fighting 
 •utside the 
 >rkneyman 
 
 Is and left 
 )wing that 
 re the sun 
 
 e the gate, 
 
 indignity 
 
 1 cat on a 
 
 epared for 
 
 hting, and 
 jurable in 
 
 aiiivUiiuij' 
 
 :h may or 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 %h;^.. wa, an. .., t^:^.^^';^^^'^^^ 
 fi^^orfe/Ctttffi"?" '''«'"^'' "P™ •>'■". no. head 
 
 talcing effe^; a. o^^d Ltme",!:;^*;^'' r"-' ^ 
 -.«.e.ha..Hene«„ot^\';;:--ilt.Mra„:? 
 
 o/raittr/ar^iorhr,:!"^' ^ -t 
 
 Owing to his Zk^AnT u ' ""^' W™™'' fashion 
 
 gi™g way ,o ,he natuJtn of h7s ^erc^ If h""''''''"^'"'' 
 and corporeal predilection, .™ i ™f"="nal temperament 
 that cannot be EeS^ ' '""■P""''' h""*'? in a manner 
 
 or inhuman untt beT ? ™"'' " '■"™«^'> >-■->«» 
 wild-fire insteaSof blood orn'T' "'' ""««' ™"^ "» 
 to that ingemous p"cT tf ^^Xrf SelV^'" ""'" !:"» 
 which explodes with unexMr,;^ . j ',^^^8 cracker, 
 
 changing its position taTSoeml "'""''' '"""'"-n^'. 
 
 :"t;^Hsint^iS:;.rjl£^^ 
 
 -enl S"i:Sl^ - " w^.X™da„cerw:' 
 a bite, a ^raTch a dab " fhr"' """If"'' "^^""'O" «"^«ved 
 all at once. Feding H,"^ f ""^^ »" »,''i^'' '" ">e stomach 
 directed blow on sucf an 1 J^ "fT""' '" P'»' » ™"- 
 
 onslaught; and tL ll^n. h"tv he e t"' '°^ ">' "'« 
 through the air .owardrh"lf %":"P'.=f'™ "bject flying 
 
 heavy fist, which hjn~„~ . " ™" " "ack of his 
 
 - cLt/dro^-fii :x^ -lu:- tsr^s; i 
 
 
 
68 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 
 I 'I 
 
 Ifln 
 
 it bad approached, and poor Baptiste measured his length on 
 the ground. 
 
 " Oh pauvre chieni" cried the spectators, " c'est fini!" 
 
 " Not yet," cried Baptiste, as he sprang with a scream to 
 h's feet again, and began his dance with redoubled energy, 
 just as if all that had gone before was a mere sketch — a sort 
 of playful rehearsal, as it were, of what was now to follow. 
 At this moment Hugh shambled over a canoe paddle and 
 fell headlong into Baptiste's arms, as he was in the very act 
 of making one of his violent descents. This unlooked-for 
 occurrence brought them both to a sudden pause, partly from 
 necessity and partly from surprise. Out of this state Baptiste 
 recovered first, and, taking advantage of the accident, threw 
 Mathison heavily to the ground. He rose quickly, however, 
 and renewed the fight with freshened vigour. 
 
 Just at that moment a passionate growl was heard, and old 
 Mr. Kennedy rushed out of the fort in a towering rage. 
 
 Now, Mr. Kennedy had no reason whatever for being angry. 
 He was only a visitor at the fort, and so had no concern in the 
 behaviour of those connected with it. He was not even in the 
 Company's service now, and could not, therefore, lay claim, 
 as one of its officers, to any right to interfere with its men. 
 But Mr. Kennedy never acted much from reason; impulse 
 was generally his guiding star. He had, moreover, been an 
 absolute monarch, and a commander of men, for many years 
 past in his capacity of fur trader. Being, as we have said, 
 a powerful, fiery man, he had ruled very much by means of 
 physical force. On hearing, therefore, that the men were 
 fighting in front of the fort, Mr. Kennedy rushed out in 
 a towering rage. 
 
 " Oh, you precious blackguards!" he cried, running up to 
 the combatants, while with flashing eyes he gazed first at one 
 and then at the other, as if uncertain on which to launch his 
 ire. " Have you no place in the world to fight but here} Eh! 
 blackguards?" 
 
 " Oh monsieur." said Bantiste; lowering his hands, and 
 assuming that politeness of demeanour which seems insepar- 
 able from French blood, however much mixed with baser 
 
 I 
 
) 
 
 length on 
 
 fini!" 
 jcream to 
 i energy, 
 h — a sort 
 :o follow, 
 ddie and 
 ; very act 
 ooked-for 
 irtly from 
 ; Baptiste 
 nt, threw 
 
 however, 
 
 I, and old 
 ge. 
 
 ing angry, 
 ern in the 
 /en in the 
 lay claim, 
 L its men. 
 ; impulse 
 , been an 
 lany years 
 [lave said, 
 means of 
 men were 
 :d out in 
 
 ling up to 
 irst at one 
 launch his 
 here} Eh! 
 
 ands, and 
 lb insepar- 
 vith baser 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 69 
 
 ^"^Go!" ITeJM ^u""^ '!;'* .^°« " *'^"«^'"^' monsieur." 
 ^ Go! cried Mr. Kennedy, in a voice of thunder tum- 
 
 mg to Hugh, who still stood in a pugilistic attitude wkh^eT, 
 httle respect m his looks. ^ 
 
 tin^^!) ^'f "'"'* *° ^^''^ *^" °'"^^''' ^''' Mr. Kennedy con- 
 tmued o advance, grinding his teeth and working his fineera 
 convulsive y. as if he longed to lay violent hold o^fhe Orknev 
 man's swelled nose; so he retr— eH in , '" "' '"^ y^^ney- 
 «in.«..h his face .; .he L'^M't'l^ZZ'^^ hi 
 Assmibome nver t.ows within a hundred yards of the Jate „f 
 
 X S't^ttr r"' '" ;"'" ^''■"^«' ->^ »^ 
 
 patty near to the banit, at a place where it descends some- 
 
 tto H^^h K'^ '■"° *' ''"""■ " ™ towardstt b™k 
 by Mr Kel h"°" Tk"T 'T"''^' "»'' '^Won, followed 
 nri, .1 ^'""^y- "nd bo* of them so .al<en up with each 
 other te neither perceived the fact until Hugh's hrelstmck 
 agamst a stone just at the moment that Mr. Kennedy rSS 
 h.s clenched fist in a threatening attitude. The effect o^S 
 «mbmat,on was to pitch the poor man head over hee s dj^ 
 fl.e bank mto a row of wiUow bushes, through whch as te 
 
 S fi™,*.r" '^'^- ^' ""■" ""•> ' loud crash and^ho? 
 head fi^t, hke a startled alligator, into the water, aifd a iZ 
 of laughter from his comrades and the people beLgineT 
 the fort, most of whom, attracted by the fight werTnow 
 assembled on the banks of the river. 
 
 ■.^^'^^^T'^"'^ "'""' ™"''ed immediately, and he joined 
 Sugh sllSn^' '/ '"' '"^'-"^ changed';hen he Sm 
 K„?l nSm '"" ™'"' ""^ ""'" — » -y 'hat 
 
 ba^^leTd;?:?!' ter'Zf't"'"""^^ f ™."'' 
 Wr. InamLe!;h':;r;di^T;-S=h:ic'?':;tc^S 
 
 S 
 
 
 |W 
 
1W YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 CHAPTER Vni 
 
 Farewell to Kate; departure of the brigade; Charley 
 becomes a voyagei^r 
 
 On the following day at noon, the spot on which the late 
 combat had taken place became the theaito of a stirnng and 
 animater' scene. Fort Garry, and the space between it and 
 the river, swarmed with voyageurs, dressed in their /leanest, 
 newest, itirl most brilliant costumes. The large boats for die 
 north, six m number, iay moored to the river's bank, laden 
 with bales of im^^ anvl ready to start on their long voyage. 
 Young men, wh(» had ,«-/ei ! - -o on the route before, stood 
 with animated lool«i watchin;; xX,t operations of the guides 
 as they passed ci^ical exii i-iaiion upon their boats, over- 
 hauled the oars to see thaf they were in good condition, or 
 with crooked knives poiidied off the top of a mast, the blade 
 of an oar, or the handle of a tiller. Old men, who had passed 
 their lives in similar occupations, looked on in silence; some 
 standing with their heads bent on their bosoms, and an ex- 
 pecsion of sadness about their faces, as if the scene recalled 
 sonjc mournful event of their early life; or possibly reminded 
 them of wild joyous scenes of other days, when the blood 
 coursed w.yrmly in their young veins, and the strong muscles 
 sprang ligntly to obey their will; when the work they had to 
 do was hard, and the sleep that followed it was sound: scenes 
 and days that were now gone by for ever. Others recHned 
 »gaiust the wooden fence, their arms crossed, their thin white 
 hair waving gently in the breeze, and a kind smile playing on 
 their sunburnt faces, as they observed the swagger and cox- 
 com.bry of the younger men, or watched the gambols of several 
 dark-eyed little children whose mothers had brought them to 
 the fort to get a last kiss from papa, and witness the departure 
 of the boats. 
 
 A little apart from the others, a youth and a girl might be 
 seen sauntering slowly towards the copse beyond the stable. 
 These weie Charley Kennedy and his sister"^ Kate, who had 
 
arley 
 
 h the late 
 irring and 
 itn it and 
 : cleanest, 
 Its for die 
 ink, laden 
 g voyage. 
 ?re, stood 
 tie guides 
 ats, over- 
 dition, or 
 the blade 
 ad passed 
 ce; some 
 id an ex- 
 i recalled 
 reminded 
 he blood 
 J muscles 
 ;y had to 
 i: scenes 
 1 reclined 
 lin white 
 laying on 
 and cox- 
 )f several 
 them to 
 leparture 
 
 night be 
 e stable, 
 ivho had 
 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TOaDERS 
 
 "'VI- . '^ '"""«'"'«' f" y=ars, perhaps for 
 
 not ^' g,';™J?^' *^"''5'' I'" q-""" "Miserable, and yo„ „„gh, 
 
 broad-shouldered, gentlemaSv n, T'^'' "^°"^^"t ^ tall. 
 
 ^-te them. Chafle7andtatr";^''^^^^ ^" '^^^^'^' «^«od 
 
 arose, and wiping the tears from Ik '^''"^ '^'^ personage, 
 
 as they shook hafds witt^"e^7cTe;^;;,r ' ''^' ' "^ ^"^^ 
 
 ,, My poor children," said Mr TJ^'- 
 
 I know well why your' helrfc o Addison, affectionately 
 comfort youl I sa^;" entrth'Vi'd ^^ ^°' ^^^^ ^^ 
 farewell, Charley, my dear bov o ? u ^,?^ '""^^ *« ^id you 
 opportunity of d^in J so " ^' "" ' '^^" "°^ ^^^^ another 
 
 inl?h'ofh;rf an^tL"^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^-P^'n. ^I's hand 
 
 a perfect wilderness of rinLf? o T^ ^ "^ ^* ^^"» through 
 Ch^ley to stay at home,.Xe d^' ""^' " ^° ^^-^ "P- 
 ext^me^e'^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^smiling at the poor girl's 
 
 - ^is^^elC^^, ^t;r ^:^« - late now to attempt 
 his father; and I am incl ned to tK^°? T'^ '^' ^°"«^nt of 
 may do him good. c"me k" e ch ttl rl' f '"^^^ °^ ^^^- 
 to us again ere long, im;roved I Tn ?' ^^''l^y ^i" return 
 mentally." ^' 'P'^^^e^, i trust, both physically and 
 
 Pr^'^^iL^^r^ ^ook more com- 
 
 they walked slowly throughte\S>d "^ ^\*!^' ^^'^^' ^^' as 
 advice and counsel ^"^^ ^^^ him much earnest 
 
 J^o^l^t: rr Jl-^-?-. _ W'* > 'ar,e. .a™. 
 P^^sque manner, and a loud"vo7ce" wh.T'^u "'^'^' ^ ^"'^^ 
 
 I si? 
 
 i) 
 
 M 
 
 :i 
 
 Ki*'" 
 
7a 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 ;i*ir 
 
 b, 
 
 I 
 
 souls of his flock, sunk into a deep soft bass of the most thrill- 
 ing earnestness. After a long conversation with Charley, he 
 concluded by saying: 
 
 " I do not care to say much to you about being kind and 
 obliging to all whom you may meet with during your travels, 
 nor about the dangers to which ycu will be exposed, by being 
 thrown into the company of wild and reckless, perhaps very 
 wicked, men. There is but one incentive to every good, and 
 one safeguard against all evil, my boy, and that is the love of 
 God." 
 
 As Mr. Addison spoke, a loud hallo from Mr. Kennedy 
 apprised them that their time was exhausted, and that the 
 boats were ready to start. Charley sprang towards Kate, 
 gave his sister a brotherly kiss at parting, ran out of the wood, 
 and hastened towards the scene of departure. 
 
 " Good-bye, Charley!" cried Harry Somerville, running 
 up to his friend, and givmg him a warm grasp of the hand. 
 " Don't forget me, Charley. I wish I were going with you, 
 with all my heart; but I'm an unlucky dog — good-bye." 
 The senior clerk and Peter Mactavish had also a kindly word 
 and a cheerful farewell for him as he hurried past. 
 
 " Good-bye, Charley, my lad!" said old Mr. Kennedy, in 
 an excessively loud voice, as if by such means he intended to 
 crush back some unusual, but very powerful, feelings that had 
 a peculiar influence on a certain lump in his throat. " Good- 
 bye, my lad; don't forget to write to your old Hang it!" 
 
 said the old man, brushing his coat-sleeve somewhat violently 
 across his eyes, and turning abruptly round as Charley left 
 
 him and sprang into the boat. " I say. Grant, I — I 
 
 What are you staring at? — eh?" The latter part of his speech 
 was addressed, in an angry tone, to an innocent voyageur, 
 who happened accidentally to confront him at the moment. 
 
 " Come along, Kennedy," said Mr. Grant, interposing; 
 and grasping his excited friend by the arm — " Come with 
 me." 
 
 " Ah, to be sure! — ^yes!" said he, looking over his shoulder 
 and waving a last adieu to Charley — " Good-bye, God bless 
 you, my dear boy! I say, Grant, come along — quick, man, and 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 73 
 
 let's have a pipe. Yes; let's have a pipe » Mr K.nr. a 
 essaying once more to crush bark IS u ,r ^^^^^Y, 
 strode rapidly up the bank and enterilThr' ^''^'"^' 
 
 to overwhelm his sorro^in smoTe .^ *t' ^"''' '°"^^' 
 failed. smoke, m which attempt he 
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 The Voyage; the Encampment; a Surprise 
 
 .h« the eyes of friends and s4e.hSsTnS riv2 ^ere Z? 
 i,nt;i fKo ♦!,• 1 .' "^ "^®" °^"t their sturdv backs 
 
 cessive stroke, until ^^^ rie„rrrba4"wTo'' "" 
 anx bus to see the last nf fh.„. k j . , ■ ™'' *«^« 
 
 in order to keep up ^.h thtm 'as 1 ^ '"" '"'" ""■ '■"'"• 
 
 approach tn s^t.J^rc Ko,,„„h -' '^" waiers telling of their 
 
 and floating f;intl7ba;C: '" fe^wdilTr,-" "•'™""- 
 offathero ^^tv, • ""^^ well, to the listening ears 
 
 ot fathers, mothers, wives. .,d sisters left behind. And it w^ 
 
 
 'I' 
 
 
 
 1' 
 
 ! 
 
74 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 interesting to observe how, as Hie rushing boats sped onwards 
 past the cottages on shore, groii'^-. cf men and women and 
 children stood before the open .j-r , a.,; „aved adieu; while, 
 ever and anon, a solitary ux rr - louder than the others 
 m the chorus; and a pair of dark eyes grew brighter, as a voya- 
 geur swept past his home, ;iud recognized his little ones scream- 
 ing farewell, and seeking to attract their sire's attention. It 
 was interesting, too, to hear the men shout as thev ran a small 
 rapid which occurs about the lower part ..:.^ ccaumenr, 
 and dashed in ful) career up to the Lower Fort— which stands 
 about twenty miles down the river from Fort Garry— and 
 then sped onward again with unabated energy, until they 
 passed the Indie-, settlement, with its scattered wooden build- 
 ings and its smai; church; passed the last cottage on the bank; 
 passed the lov j wampy land at the river's mouth; and emerged 
 at last, as evening closed, upon the wide, calm, sea-like bosom 
 of Lake Winnipeg. 
 
 Charley saw and heard all this, during the whole of that 
 long, exciting afternoon; and, as he heard and saw it, his 
 heart swelled as if it would burst its pr ion-bars; his voice 
 rang out wildly in the choruses, regardless alike of tune and 
 time, and his spirit boiled within him as he quaffed the first 
 sweet draught of a rover'j life— a life in the woods— the wild, 
 free, enchanting woods, where all appeared in his eyes bright,' 
 and sunny, and green, and beautiful! 
 
 As the sun's last rays sank in the west and the clouds, losing 
 their crimson hue, began gradually to fade into pray, the ooats' 
 heads were turned landward, "^n a few seconds hey grounded 
 on a low point covered with . lall trees and oushes, which 
 stretched out into the lake. Here Louis Peltier had resolved 
 to bivouac for the night. " Now t^-n, mes garcons," he ex- 
 claimed, leaping ashore, and heiptng to drag the boat a littie 
 way on to the beach; " vite! vite! a terre! ^ terre! Take the 
 kettle, Pierre, and let's have supper." 
 
 Pierre needed no second bidding. He 
 kettle and an axe, with which he hurried in' 
 Laying down the kettle, which he had pi 
 
 sped a large tin 
 cl np of trees, 
 filled with 
 
 water from the lalie, he singled out a dead ti;;e, and with three 
 
 ■%» *■ 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS „ 
 
 «ve fee. i„ ^^Vh' "h" iTp ^f' .^ tT. 'pf^' '" 
 a small bundle of dry erass and twilk ^^^/^^'j *^'^^^ P'^cmg 
 sp>i.ue„ of wood wh,cK ^Hu^roffTnfo/ rC" H^" 
 mg accompl,shed this, Pierre took a flint and 'ted ou^of 
 
 :nrl^:^;;^^nte1^a^^'^^^''' ^" 
 
 its containina fK I ""^ ^ M'^ag, in consequence of 
 
 wui ^ *^ ^^^ "^^ce upon the ripnlinp wat*»r 
 
 mental m caMng ten sparks, winch were severX caom^d" 
 flared wildly on the l.^'vtc^ttt Td aTe^ZlIfr 
 
 STf. :f.i;'ot '--' *= «- »^ enabjzr^:;^' 
 
 Pterre was standing over the great lettle, dancing round it 
 
 p^rtfl^rrt- i;nsL™tLi-"-;!^ - 
 
 u^ lire w^ very fierce and large."a„d"thefl2;;« UmS^S 
 take a pleasure m leapmg up suddenly just under Kme^ 
 
 I,; 
 
 ;:i. 
 
 •»!i. 
 
 '*<{: 
 
 4 
 
76 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 iW'' 
 
 ^': 
 
 nose, thereby endangering his beard, or shooting out between 
 his legs, and licking round them when the light wind ought 
 to have been blowing them quite in the opposite direction. 
 
 Quite close to the tent, the massive form of Louis the guide 
 lay extended, his back supposed by the stump of a tree; his 
 eyes blinking sleepily at the blaze, and his beloved pipe hang- 
 ing from his lips, while wreaths of smoke encircled his head. 
 Louis's day's work was done. Few could do a better; and, 
 when his work was over, Louis always acted on the belief that 
 his position and his years entitled him to rest. 
 
 Six of the boat's crew sat in a semicircle beside the guide 
 and fronting the fire, each paying particular attention to his 
 pipe, and talking between the puffs to any one who chose to 
 listen. 
 
 Suddenly Pierre vanished into the smoke and flames alto- 
 gether, whence, in another moment, he issued, bearing in his 
 hand the large tin kettle, which he deposited triumphantly at 
 the feet of his comrades. 
 
 " Now then," cried Pierre. 
 
 It was unnecessary to have said even that much by way of 
 invitation. Voyageurs do not require to have their food pressed 
 upon them after a hard day's work. Indeed, it was as much as 
 they could do to refrain from laying violent hands on the 
 kettle long before their worthy cook considered its contents 
 sufficiently done. 
 
 Charley sat in company with Mr. Park— a chief factor, on 
 his way to Norway House. Gibault, one of the men who acted 
 as their servant, had placed a kettle of hot tea before them, 
 which, with several slices of buffalo tongue, a lump of pemican 
 and some hard biscuit and butter, formed their evening meal. 
 Indeed, we may add that these viand.., during a great part of 
 the voyage, constituted their every meal. In fact, they had 
 no variety in their fare, except a wild duck or two now and 
 then, and a goose when they chanced to shoot one. 
 
 Charley sipped a pannikin of tea as he reclined on his 
 blanket, and, being fatigued by his exertions and excitement 
 during the day. said nothing. Mr. Park for the same reason, 
 besides being naturally taciturn, was equally mute, so they 
 
THE YOUNG FUP TRADERS 77 
 
 both enjoyed in silence the spectacle of the men eating their 
 supper. " 
 
 Their food consisted of rohbiboo, a compound of flour 
 pcmican, and water, boiled to the consistency of very thick 
 joup. Though not a species of food that would satisfy the 
 fastidious taste of an epicure, robbiboo is, nevertheless, very 
 wholesome, exceedingly nutritious, and, withal, palatable. 
 Pemican, its principal component, is made of buffalo flesh 
 which fully equals (some think greatly excels) beef. The 
 recipe for making it is as follows: First, kill your buffalo— 
 a matter of considerable difficulty, by the way, as doing so 
 requires you ^o travel to the buflfalo grounds, to arm yourself 
 with a gun, and mount a horse, on which you have to gallop 
 perhaps, several miles over rough ground and among badger- 
 holes, at the imminent risk of brftaking your neck. Then you 
 have to run up alongside of a buffalo and put a ball through 
 his heart, which is a difficult thing to do. But we will sup- 
 pose that you have killed your buflfalo. Then you must skin 
 him; then cut him up, and slice the flesh into layers, which 
 must be dried in the sun. At this stage of the process, you 
 have produced a substance which, in the fur countries, goes 
 by the name of dried-meat, and is largely used as an article of 
 food As Its name implies, it is very dry, and it is also very 
 tough, and very undesirable if one can manage to procure 
 anything better. But, to proceed. Having thus prepared dried- 
 meat, lay a quantity of it on a flat stone, and take another stone, 
 with which pound it into shreds. You must then take the 
 animal s hide, while it is yet new, and make bags of it about 
 two feet and a half long, by a foot and a half broad. Into this 
 put the pounded meat loosely. Melt the fat of your buflfalo 
 over a fire and, when quite liquid, pour it into the bag until 
 tuU; mix the contents well together; sew the whole up before 
 It cools, and you have a bag of pemican of about ninety pounds' 
 weight. This forms the chief food of the voyageur, in conse- 
 quence of its being the laijest possible quaaficy of sustenance 
 compressed into the smallest possible apace, and in an ex- 
 tremely convenient, portable shape. It will keep fresh for 
 years, and has been much used, in consequence, by the heroes 
 
 
 
 
 
 .1 
 
 
 
 •a 
 
 \ 
 
 
 ' il 
 
1 
 1 
 
 11 
 
 i 
 
 78 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 of arctic discovery, in their perilous journeys along the shores 
 of the frozen sea. 
 
 The voyageur$ used no plates. Men who travel in these 
 countries become independent of many things that are sup- 
 posed to be necessary. They sat in a circle round the kettle, 
 each man armed with a large wooden or pewter spoon, with 
 which he ladled the robbiboo down his capacious throat, in 
 a style that not only caused Charley to laugh, but after- 
 wards threw him into a deep reverie on the powers of 
 appetite in general, and the strength of voyageur stomachs 
 in particular. 
 
 At first the keen edge of appetite induced the men to eat 
 in silence; but, as the contents of the kettle began to get low, 
 their tongues loosened, and at last, when the kettles were 
 emptied and the pipes filled, fresh logs thrown on the fires, 
 and their limbs stretched out around them, the babel of Eng- 
 lish, French, and Indian that arose was quite overwhelming. 
 The middle-aged men told long stories of what they had done; 
 the young men boasted of what they meant to do; while the' 
 more aged smiled, nodded, smoked their pipes, put in a word 
 or two as occasion offered, and listened. While they conversed, 
 the quick ears of one of the men of Charley's camp detected 
 some unusual sound, 
 
 " Hist!" said he, turning his head aside slightly, in a listen- 
 ing attitude, while his comrades suddenly ceased their noisy 
 laugh. 
 
 " Do ducks travel in canoes hereabouts?" said the man, 
 after a moment's silence; " for, if not, there's someone about 
 to pay us a visit. I would wager my best gun that I hear the 
 stroke of paddles." 
 
 " If your ears had been sharper, Francois, you migh; have 
 heard them some time ago," said the guide, shaking the ashes 
 out of his pipe and refilling it for the third time. 
 
 " Ah, Louis, I do not pretend to such sharp ears as you 
 possess, nor to such sharp wit either. But who do you think 
 can be en route so late?" 
 
 . hat my wit does not enable inc to divine," said Louis; 
 " but if you have any faith in the sharpness of your eyes, 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 75 
 
 or nvo sauntered down to ^Z^^ .7\ht iZV^!:, T 
 newcomers. ^ ^^^ '° ^^^^ the 
 
 " Who can it be, I wonder?" <w;h ri,o«i . , , 
 
 the .ej, and „. now .andtag bSde Sl^fde:""' *"' '* 
 
 that we've attracted sometUnito Z I " ""' '"'^''^ 
 ^^r^ to tHe «,Ht, a7d Se^, ^^^ ^0^-^ 
 
 " Charley, my boy!" 
 
 " Harry Somerville, I declare'" 
 
 coiii'rffif^trtriKxi^ z 'zi ': 
 
 with open mouth and eves and eU„,;T ! ' , *'°°'' 
 a. his young Wend, wh7Spe"ed tHlTf^Zd thf^ 
 m a manner that threw the cook's perfo™a„c4"n that , 
 qmte mto the shade; while he continu™ a , ,"e tte ?^ 
 
 delight ..t '. methina „nt ^"^^''"^'^^t^^f^^iense 
 
 j£.ursVrr^w":-^^^^^^^^ 
 
 " <^harley, I'm going! hurrah!" and he leaned .hn„f • 
 
 tilJThe ■n\ti;,etrZr* ?-' .' "P- «-'e stoo,; 
 almost through the h;;^ "^/rj:"'!.."*'?'^' ^"t. the poker 
 
 smashed 
 
 Whytes best whip on the back of 
 
 •f.; 
 
 ;*!J 
 
 the * noo 'oss 
 
 '■i 
 
 as 
 
8o 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 i i 
 
 T galloped him over the plains for the last time— all for joy, 
 because I'm going with you, Charley." 
 
 Here Harry suddenly threw his arms round bis friend's 
 neck. As both boys were rather fond of using their muscles 
 violently, the embrace became a wrestle, which caused them 
 to threaten complete destruction to the fire as they staggered 
 in front of it, and ended in their tumbling against the tent 
 and nearly breaking its poles and fastenings, to the horror 
 and indignation of Mr. Park, who was smoking his pipe with- 
 in, quietly waiting till Harry's superabundant glee was over, 
 that he might get an explanation of his unexpected arrival 
 among them. 
 
 " Ah! they will be good voyageurs,** cried one of the men, 
 as he looked on at this scene. 
 
 " Oui! oui! good boys, active lads," replied the others, 
 laughing. The two boys rose hastily. 
 
 " Yes," cried Harry, breathless, but still excited, " I'm 
 going all the way, and a great deal farther. I'm going to hunt 
 
 buffaloes in the Saskatchewan, and grizzly bears in the — the 
 
 in fact everywhere ! I 'm going down the Mackenzie River— I 'm 
 going mad, I believe;" and Harry gave another caper and 
 another shout, and tossed his cap high into the air. Having 
 been recklessly tossed, it came down into the fire. When it 
 went in it was dark blue, but when Harry dashed into the 
 flames, in consternation, to save i% it came out of a rich brown 
 colour. 
 
 " Now, youngster," said Mr. Park, " when you've done 
 capering I should like to ask you one or two questions. What 
 brought you here?" 
 
 " A canoe," said Harry, inclined to be impudent. 
 
 " Oh! and pray, for what purpose have you come here?" 
 
 " These are my credentials," handing him a letter. 
 
 Mr. Park opened the note and read. 
 
 "Ah! Oh! Saskatchewan — hum — yes — outpost — wild 
 boy— just so—keep him at it— ay! fit for nothing else. So,'* 
 said Mr. Park, folding the paper, '• I find that Mr. Grant has 
 sent you to take the place of a young gentleman we expected 
 to pick up at Norway House, but who is required elsewhere; 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 '«Ti,„*. ""^'^niact. Is that your desire?" 
 to-morrow mormng. Have you go. /.e„,;"' ""'" ° '" 
 
 brouS:\oT. &z„'ir„tuT?;^ 
 
 to Whom It belonged, and who were recliL J under ks.htr 
 
 enjoymg their pipes, and watching withTool of gT^^^^^^ 
 
 the doings of Harry and his friend ^ ^ 
 
 no'Xr? "'" "*"" "'^"'^^ ^^ ^^^ ^— . Have you 
 
 " Oh yes," said Harry, pointing to the overhanging branches 
 
 of a willow close at hand, " lots more " ^ Drancnes 
 
 Mr. Park smiled grimly, and turrang on his heel re ent^r.^ 
 
 much narrower-so that it only affords shelter forThe bodv 
 as far down as the waist, leaving the extremities loosed 
 
 iL'ethZTh-' ''"''' 7 '' "^^^^'- Possiblelt" haZTe's 
 
 oZn^lro^iir^ ''""'^^ P^^^*^- '- ---tain through! 
 T ^!\^'?*''^^ "^ght. Sometimes, when the weather is verv bad 
 
 a way as ,o slope consJderabroV^^t from Jnd ' '".T"" 
 are spread pieces of bireh bL :: ^r^Z'jf^Z' T^ 
 
 iz^'^j^-;r.rso-;:-r^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 «n J ]' f!!'^ '" "^^'"'^ ""^'^ ^'■"^^'1 ^^« a pretiy large one 
 and looked so comfortable when arranged for . "/±f Tl 
 
 v^nariey resolved to abandon his own tent' and" M?'^ p. "i!^' 
 society, and sleep with his friend ' ^"''^ * 
 
 6 
 
 1 I 
 
 ••I 
 
82 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 " I'll sleep with you, Harry, my boy," said he, after Harry 
 had explained to him in detail the cause of his being sent 
 away from Red River; which was no other than that a young 
 gentleman, as Mr. Park said, who was to have gone, had been 
 ordered elsewhere. 
 
 " That's right, Charley, spread out our blankets, while 
 I get some supper, like a good fellow." Harry went in search 
 of the kettle while his friend prepared their bed. First, he 
 examined the ground on which the canoe lay, and found that 
 the two Indians had already taken possession of the only level 
 places under it. " Humph!" he ejaculated, half inclined to 
 rouse them up, but immediately dismissing the idea as un- 
 worthy of a voyagmr. Besides, Charley was an amiable, 
 unselfish fellow, and would rather have lain on the top of 
 a dozen stumps than have made himself comfortable at the 
 expense of anyone else. 
 
 He paused a moment to consider. On one side was a hol- 
 low, " that " (as he soliloquized to himself) " would break 
 the back of a buffalo." On the other sxde were a dozen little 
 stumps surrounding three very prominent ones, that threatened 
 destruction to the ribs of anyone who should venture to lie 
 there. But Charley did not pause to consider long. Seizing 
 his axe, he laid about him vigorously, and in a few seconds 
 destroyed all the stumps, which he carefully collected, and, 
 along with some loose moss and twigs, put into the hollow, 
 and so filled it up. Having improved things thus far, he rose 
 and strode out of the circle of light into the wood. In a few 
 minutes he re-appeared, bearing on his shoulder a young 
 spruce-fir tree, which, vwth the axe, he stripped of its branches. 
 These branches were flat in form, and elastic — admirably 
 adapted for making a bed on; and when Charley spread them 
 out under the canoe in a pile of about four inches in depth, 
 by four feet broad, and six feet long, the stumps and the hol- 
 low were overwhelmed altogether. He then ran to Mr. Park's 
 tent, and fetched thence a small flat bundle, covered with oil- 
 cloth, and tied with a rope. Opening this, he tossed out its 
 contents, which were two large and very thick blankets— one 
 green, the other white; a particularly minute feather pillow, 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 far under the sheker of ^r *^° P^"°ws at the top, as 
 
 Having comple ed the w^^^^^^^ ''"°' "" '^^''^ ^"'^ *^^"^- 
 
 "Here we are Charley. Have a second supper-do!" 
 Harry paced the smoking kettle by the head of thl K A 
 and squatting down beside it. began to eat as onlvVt ' 
 
 eat who has had nothing since bfelL ' ' " ^""^ ^ 
 
 Charley attacked the kettle too-as he said " o„. f 
 pathy," although he " wasn't hungt^ a bit " And ""n '^T' 
 
 yawned once or twee, and sat on th^ u^fuv, "^ 
 
 ingly at the fire as if ^1^^^ u- ^ ^^'"^'"^ unmean- 
 could not ecSec ust then He "/. '^ 'V" ''' "^^^^ ^^ 
 his own surprise^onrortwi^e and bell T^'r^^' ""^' ^° 
 to the kettle insiead of to h^fSnd ^' t ^ r?',''"^''^ 
 won't do. I'm off to bed»» W v u ^^' Charley, this 
 
 his moccasins, which were wet and «„. "einen removed 
 
 c;; 
 
 
84 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 waters of Lake Winnipeg, which stretched, without a ripple, 
 out to the distant horizon. The great fresh-water lakes of 
 America bear a strong resemblance to the sea. In storms the 
 waves rise mountains high, and break with heavy sullen roar 
 upon a beach composed, in many places, of sand and pebbles; 
 while they are so large that one not only looks out to a straight 
 horizon, but may even sail out of sight of land altogether. 
 
 As Charley sat resting his head on his hand, and listening 
 to the soft hiss that the ripples made upon the beach, he felt 
 all the solemnizing influence that steals irresistibly over the 
 mind t,i> we sit on a still night gazing out upon the moonlit 
 sea. 
 
 A bi?ick cloud passed across the moon, and reminded him 
 thiit but a few hours of the night remained; so, hastening up 
 to the camp again, he lay gently down beside his friend, and 
 arew the green blanket over him. 
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 Varieties, Vexations, and Vicissitudes 
 
 Life is chequered — there is no doubt about that; whatever 
 doubts a man may entertain upon other subjects, he can have 
 none upon this, we feel quite certain. In fact, so true is it, 
 that we would not for a moment have drawn the reader's 
 attention to it here, were it not that our experience of life in 
 the backwoods corroborates the truth — and truth, however 
 well corroborated, is none the worse of getting a little addi- 
 tional testimony now and then, in this sceptical generation. 
 
 Life is chequered, then, undoubtedly. And life in the back- 
 woods strengthens the proverb, for it is a peculiarly striking 
 and remarkable specimen of life's variegated character. 
 
 There is a difference between sailing smoothly along the 
 shoreb of Lake Winnipeg with favouring breezes, and being 
 tossed on its surging billows by the howling of a nor'-west 
 Wind, that threatens destruction to the boat, or forces it to 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 85 
 
 seek shelter on the shore. This difference is one of the 
 chequered scenes of which we write, and one that was 
 experienced by the brigade more than once, during its pas- 
 sage across the lake. ^ ^ 
 
 Since we are dealing in truisms, it may not, perhaps, be 
 out of place here, to say that going to bed at night is not by 
 any means getting up in the morning-at least so several of 
 our friends found to be the case, when the deep sonorous 
 voice of Louis Peltier sounded through the camp on the 
 followmg morning, just as a ^ery faint, scarcely perceptible, 
 light tinged the eastern sky. j r f , 
 
 "Uve! 16ve! l^ve!" he cried, "16ve! live! mes enfants!- 
 borne of Louis s ///a«/, replied to the summons in a way 
 that would have done credit to a harlequin. One or two active 
 little Canadians, on hearing the cry of the awful word live 
 rose to their feet with a quick bound, as if they had' been 
 keeping up an appearance of sleep as a sort of practical joke 
 all mght, on purpose to be ready to leap as the first sound fell 
 from the guide's lips. Others lay still, in the same attitude in 
 which they had fallen asleep, having made up their minds 
 apparently, to lie there in spite of all the guides in the world 
 Not a few got slowly into the sitting position, their hair dis- 
 hevelled their caps awry, their eyes alternately winking very 
 hard and staring awfully in the vain effort to keep open, and 
 tfieir whole physiognomy wearing an expression of blank 
 stupidity that is peculiar to man when engaged in that struggle 
 which occurs each morning as he endeavours to disconnect 
 and shake off the entanglements of nightly dreams, and the 
 reahties of the breaking day. Throughout the whole camp 
 there was a low mufHed sound, as of men moving lazily, with 
 broken whispers and disjointed sentences uttered in very 
 deep hoarse tones, mingled with confused, unearthly noises 
 which, upon consideration, sounded like prolonged yawns' 
 Gradually these sounds increased, for the guide's hve is 
 mexorable, and the voyageur's fate inevitable 
 
 ., ".9^' dear!-yei a-a ow " (yaivmng); " hang vm,r 
 
 level" " " - "~" 
 
 "Oui, vraiment— yei a— a ow—morblcu!" 
 
 ,1" 
 
 ••i.i 
 
 
 
 ■ill 
 
 
86 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 4 
 
 " Eh, what's that? Oh, misire!" 
 
 *' Tare an' agesi" (from an Irishman), " an' I had only got 
 to slaape yit! but — ^yei a — a owl" 
 
 French and Irish yawns are very similar, the only difference 
 being, that whereas the Frenchman finishes the yawn resignedly 
 and springs to his legs, the Irishman finishes it with an ener- 
 getic gasp, as if he were hurling it remonstratively into the 
 face of Fate, turns round again and shuts his eyes doggedly — 
 a piece of bravado which he knows is useless and of very short 
 duration. 
 
 " Lhvel IhveW l^ve!!!" There was no mistake this time in 
 the tones of Louis's voice. " Embark, embark, vite! vitel" 
 
 The subdued sounds of rousing broke into a loud buzz of 
 active preparation, as the men busied themselves in bundling 
 up blankets, carrying down camp-kettles to the lake, launch- 
 ing the boats, kicking up lazy comrades, stumbling over and 
 swearing at fallen trees which were not visible in the cold 
 uncertain light of the early dawn, searching hopelessly, among 
 a tangled conglomeration of leaves and broken branches and 
 crushed herbage, for lost pipes and missing tobacco-pouches. 
 
 " Hallo!" exclaimed Harry Somerville, starting suddenly 
 from his sleeping posture, and unintentionally cramming his 
 elbow into Charley's mouth, " I declare they're all up and 
 nearly ready to start." 
 
 " That's no reason," replied Charley, " why you should 
 knock out all my front teeth, is it?" 
 
 Just then Mr. Fark issued from his tent, dressed and ready 
 to step into his boat. He first gave a glance mund the camp 
 to see that all the men were moving, then he looked through 
 the trees to ascertain the present state, and, if possible, the 
 future prospects of the weather. Having come to r. c>atis- 
 factory conclusion on that head, he drew forth his pipe and 
 began to fill it, when his eye fell on the two boys, who were 
 still sitting up in their lairs, and staring idiotically at the place 
 where the fire had been, as if the white ashes, half-burnt 
 logs, and bits of charcoal, were a sight of the most novel and 
 interesting character, that fiiicd ihem with inrense amazement. 
 
 Mr. Park could scarce forbear smilinK. 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 87 
 
 Hallo youngsters, precious voyageurs you'll make, to 
 be sure, if this is the way you're going to begin. Don't you 
 see that the things are all aboard, an-' ve'll be ready to start 
 '"L.^ '"'""*««' ^"d yo" sitting the., with your neckcloths 
 
 Mr Park gave a slight sneer when he spoke of neckcloths. 
 as if he thought, in the first place, that they were quite super- 
 fluous portions of attire, and, in the second place, that, having 
 once put them on, the taking of them off at night was a piece 
 of effeminacy altogether unworthy of a Nor'wester. 
 ^ Charley and Harry needed no second rebuke. It flashed 
 instantly upon them that sleeping comfortably under their 
 blankets, when the men were bustling about the camp was 
 extremely inconsistent with the heroic resolves of the pre- 
 vious day. They sprang up, rolled their blankets in the oil- 
 cloths, which they fastened tightly with ropes; tied the neck- 
 cloths, held in such contempt by Mr. Park, in a twinkling- 
 threw on their coats, and in less than five minutes were ready 
 to embark. They then found that they might have done thinra 
 more leisurely, as the crews had not yet got all their traps on 
 board, so they began to look around them, and discovered 
 that each had omitted to pack up a blanket. 
 Very much crestfallen at their stupidity, they proceeded to 
 
 ^Ti^,, ^""''^^^ ^^^^"' ^^^" ^* ^^'^^"^e apparent to the eyes 
 of Charley that his friend had put on his capote inside out 
 which had a peculiarly ragged and grotesque effect. These mis- 
 takes were soon rectified, and shouldering their beds they 
 earned them down to the boat and tossed them in Mean- 
 while Mr Park, who had been watching the movements of 
 the boys with a peculiar smile, that filled them with confusion 
 went round the different camps to see that nothing was left 
 behind. The men were all in their places with oars ready, and 
 the boats floating on the calm water, a yard or two from shore 
 with the exception of the guide's boat, the stem of which still 
 rested on the sand awaiting Mr. Park. 
 
 ^ " Who does this belong to?" shouted that gentleman, hold- 
 ing up a cioth cap, part ot which was of a mottled brown a-d 
 part deep blue. 
 
 
 
 
 ' 1 1 Li ^ 
 
 Urn 
 
I>l 
 
 I ^.*1 
 
 88 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 Harry instantly tore the covt i.iig from his head, and dis- 
 covered that among his numerous mistakes he had put on the 
 head-dress of one of the Indians who had brought him to the 
 camp. To do him justice, the cap was not unlike his own, 
 excepting that it was a little more mottled and dirty in colour, 
 besides being decorated with a gaudy but very much crushed 
 and broken feather. 
 
 " You had better change with our friend here, I think," 
 said Mr. Park, grinning from ear to ear, as he tossed the cap 
 to its owner, while Harry handed the other to the Indian, 
 amid the laughter of the crew. 
 
 " Never mind, boy," added Mr. Park, in an encouraging 
 tone, " you'll make a voyageur yet. Now then, lads, give 
 way," and, with a nod to the Indians, who stood on the shore 
 watching their departure, the trader sprang into the boat 
 and took his place beside the two boys. 
 
 " Ho! sing, mes gar9ons," cried the guide, seizing the 
 massive sweep and directing the boat out to sea. 
 
 At this part of the lake there occurs a deep bay or inlet, 
 to save rounding which travellers usually strike straight 
 across from point to poi i! , making what is called ir voyageur 
 parlance a traverse. These traverses are subjects of consider- 
 able anxiety, and freer f'riJy of delay to travellers, being some- 
 times of considerabi- C;?!?;:nt, varying from four and five — 
 and, in such immense r'us as Lake Superior — to fourteen 
 miles, With boats, indeed, there is little to fear, as the inland 
 craft of the fur traders can stand a heavy sea, and often ride 
 out a pretty severe storm; but it is far otherwise with the bark 
 canoes that are often used in travelling. These frail craft can 
 stand very little sea — their frames being made of thin flat 
 slips of wood and sheets of bark, not more than a quarter of 
 an inch thick, which are sewed together with the fibrous roots 
 of the pine (called by the natives wattape), and rendered water- 
 tight by means of melted gum. Although light and buoyant, 
 therefore, and extremely useful in a country where portages are 
 numerous, they require very tender usage; and when a traverse 
 has to be made, the guides have always a grave consultation 
 with some of the most sagacious among the men, as to the 
 
 Q]: 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 89 
 
 
 probability of the wind rising or falling— consultations which 
 are more or less marked by anxiety and tediousness in pro- 
 portion to the length of the traverse, the state of the weather, 
 and the courage or timidity of the guides. 
 
 On the present occasion there was no consultation, as has 
 been seen. The traverse was a short one, the morning fine, 
 and the boats good. A warm glow began to overspread the 
 horizon, giving promise of a splendid day, as the numerous 
 oars dipped with a plash and a loud hiss into the water, and 
 sent the beats leaping forth upon the white wave. 
 
 " Sing, sing!" cried the guide again, and clearing his th^ 
 he began the beautiful quick-tuned canoe song, " e 
 Blanche ", to which the men chorused with such power of 
 lungs, that a family of plovers which, up to that time, had 
 stood in mute astonishment on a sandy point, tumbled pre- 
 cipitately into the water, from which they rose with a shrill, 
 inexpressibly wild, plaintive cry, and fled screaming away to 
 a more secure refuge among the reeds and sedges of a swamp. 
 A number of ducks too, awakened by the unwonted sound, 
 shot suddenly out from the concealment of their night's 
 bivouac with erect heads and startled looks, spluttered heavily 
 over the surface of their liquid bed, and, rising into the air, 
 flew in a wide circuit, with whistling wings, away from the 
 scene of so much uproar and confusion. 
 
 The rough voices of the men grew softer and softer, 
 mellowing down and becoming more harmonious and more 
 plaintive as the distance increased, and the boats grew smaller 
 and smaller, until they were lost in the blaze of light that now 
 bathed both water and sky in the eastern horizon, and began 
 rapidly to climb the zenith, while the sweet tones became less 
 and less audible as they floated faintly across the still water, 
 and melted at last into the deep silence of the wilderness! 
 
 'im 
 
 
IMAGE EVALUATfON 
 TEST TARGET (MV-3) 
 
 1.0 [rli^ IIIIM 
 
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 Corporation 
 
 23 WEST MAIN STREET 
 
 WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 
 
 (716) 873-4503 
 
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90 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 \i !. -.: 
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 
 Charley and Harry begin their sporting career, without 
 much success; Whisky-john catching 
 
 The place in the boats usuaUy allotted to gentlemen in the 
 Company 8 service while travelling is the stem. Here the 
 lading ,8 so arranged as to form a pretty level hollow, where 
 the flat bundles containing their blankets are placed, and 
 a couch IS thus formed that rivals Eastern luxury. There are 
 occasions, however, when this couch is converted into a bed 
 not of thorns exactly, but of comers; and, really, it would be 
 hard to say which of the two is the more disagreeable. Should 
 the men be careless in arranging the cargo, the inevitable 
 consequence is, that " monsieur » will find the leg of an 
 iron stove, the sharp edge of a keg, or the comer of a wooden 
 bo^, occupying the place where his ribs should be. So com- 
 mon IS this occurrence that the clerks usually superintend 
 the arrangements themselves, and so secure comfort 
 
 On a couch of this kind, Charley and Harry now found 
 themselves constramed to sit aU moming- sometime, asleep, 
 occasionally awake, and always eamestly desiring that it was 
 time to put ashore for breakfast, as th-iy had now travelled 
 for four hours without halt, except twice for about five minutes, 
 to let the men light their pipes. 
 
 "Charley," said Harry Somerville to his friend, who sat 
 beside him, it strikes me that we are to have no breakfast 
 at all to-day. Here have I been holding my breath and tighten- 
 ing my belt, until I feel much more like a spider or a wasp 
 than a — a ■" '^* 
 
 " Man, Harry; out with it at once, don't be afraid." said 
 Charley. ' 
 
 " Well, no, I wasn't going to have said that exactly, but 
 I was going to have said, a voyageur, only I recollected our 
 doings this rnoming, and hesitated to take the name until 
 I had won it." 
 
 *• It's well that vnii •n*.,^,:^ - J-. . . , 
 
 J „^, j^„ Jy^, iiiwucsi iiu opinion of your- 
 
 ;'^^«!l^"*^ 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 thout 
 
 lien in the 
 Here the 
 ow, where 
 'aced, and 
 There are 
 Into a bed 
 would be 
 i. Should 
 inevitable 
 leg of an 
 a wooden 
 So com- 
 perintend 
 
 >w found 
 er asleep, 
 lat it was 
 travelled 
 minutes, 
 
 who sat 
 breakfast 
 I tighten- 
 ■ a wasp, 
 
 id," said 
 
 :tly, but 
 cted our 
 ne until 
 
 of your- 
 
 produce inatan. death. -Tnl teTv™. f """"'"' """^ 
 ^^^rs. .ha. „e W. ^^J^ t'Z.'Zt; 
 
 the sun. r.ha, h?" " °" """'• " ''^' »''«'»'' J>»t «»<fcr 
 ing oTa ^',!r ""'""-y? If li-donly A„„gh.„fk^ 
 " I'u g^Idllf,?^' ""•*' »''' H»y. '^•h a r.ao.u.e air. 
 
 you^Xs'l^tS'' "T ""r* -- "> -y «>.« 
 
 clouds!" * ^''" '**"'" """l *»' by firing at Ae 
 
 Charley Wed eanS. ;l.*l"':^'"X"h^" 
 glance, seemed as if comooMd „f ^-i ^' "" * ™'«"y 
 
 r Gulls, I declare!" shou"lXSey«'4:'Ze*:" *' ""'• 
 mg up m haste ^' *"* ^*^^ ti"ie jump- 
 
 "«S'.£^;r,fi„re„^^; ^ttS'in' ''""'r - - 
 
 The two youths draac^H lu!/' ^^'T '" ^ ^'^^^« overhead. 
 
 of the bLt:'ldr.^ ^t^arourTn'T'"* *'*"'«» 
 Aot-l«lts and powder-hor^ ^ I '^ T" "^"y f"' 
 «nd, having loaded thev «i7!^'„ .i ! 'i"'^ '""« """d. 
 out for game TZ^A, T. . b , J''«° "' *« *«=• '^W 
 watched for a f^hX'^-." ^'"'^"°' ^"'^ ^"W havf 
 " ■^'•""»8°«."-id Harry: " tale the firs, shot. Charl^.- 
 
 ^■-^ 
 
 ^* . I- 
 
 
 ':1'. 
 
 "a 
 
92 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 •• Where? where is it?" 
 
 " Right ahead. Look out!" 
 
 As Harry spoke, a small white gull, with bright red legs 
 and beak, flew over the boat so close to them that, as the guide 
 remarked, " he could see it wink!" Charley's equanimity, 
 already pretty well disturbed, was entirely upset at the sud- 
 denness of the bird's appearance, for he had been gazing 
 intently at the rock when his friend's exclamation drew his 
 attention in time to see the gull within about four feet of his 
 head. With a sudden " Oh!" Charley threw forward his gun, 
 took a short, wavering aim, and blew the cocktail feather out 
 of Baptiste's hat, wRile the gull sailed tranquilly away, as 
 much as to say, " If that's all you can do, there's no need for 
 me to hurry!" 
 
 " Confound the boy!" cried Mr. Park; " he'll be the death 
 of some one yet. I'm convinced of that." 
 
 "Parbleu! you may say that, c'est vrai," remarked the 
 voyageur, with a rueful gaze at his hat, which, besides having 
 Its ornamental feather shattered, was sadly cut up about the 
 crown. 
 
 The poor lad's face became much redder than the legs or 
 beak of the gull as he sat down in confusion, which he sought 
 to hide by busily reloading his gun; while the men indulged 
 m a somewhat witty and sarcastic criticism of his powers of 
 shooting, remarking, in flattering terms, on the precision of 
 the shot that blew Baptiste's feather into atoms, and iring 
 that if every shot he fired was as truly aimed, he -a. i cer- 
 tainly be the best in the country. 
 
 Bapti-^te also came in for a share of their repartee. " It 
 serves you right," said the guide, laughing, " for wearing 
 such things on this voyage. You should ywi away such foppery 
 till you return to the settlement, where there are girls to 
 admire you." 
 
 Baptiste was waxing wrathful, when the general attention 
 was drawn again towards Charley and his friend, who, having 
 now got close to the rock, had quite forgotten their mishap in 
 the excitement of expectation. 
 
 Neither of the boys had, up to that time, enjoyed much 
 
inng 
 i cer- 
 
 "It 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 93 
 
 opportunity of shooting. It is true that Harry had once or 
 twice borrowed the fowling-piece of the senior clerk, and had 
 sallied forth with a beating heart to pursue the grouse which 
 are found in the belt of woodland skirting the Assiniboine 
 river, near to Fort Garry. But these expeditions were of rare 
 occurrence, and they had not sufficed to rub off much of the 
 bounding excitement with which he loaded and fired at any- 
 thing and everything that came within range of his gun 
 Charley had never fired a shot before, except out of an old 
 horse-pistol; having, up to this period, been busily engaged at 
 school, except during the holidays, which he always spent in 
 the society of his sister Kate. Just before leaving Red River 
 his father presented him with his own gun, remarking, as he 
 did so with a sigh, that his day was past now; and adding, that 
 the gun was a good one for shot or ball, and if he (Charley) 
 brought down half as much game with it as he (Mr. Kennedy) 
 had brought down in the course of his life, he might consider 
 himself a crack shot, undoubtedly. 
 
 It was not surprising, therefore, that the two friends went 
 nearly mad with excitement when the whole flock of guUs 
 rose into the air like a white cloud, and sailed in endless circles 
 and gyrations above and around their head»-flying so close 
 at times that they might aliuost have been caught by hand. 
 Neither was it surprising that innumerable shots were fired, 
 by both sportsmen, without a single bird being a whit the 
 worse for it. 
 
 Frequently the gulls flew straight over the heads of the 
 youths, which produced peculiar consequences-as, in such 
 cases, they took aim while the birds were approaching, but 
 being somewhat slow in taking aim, the gulls were Smost 
 perpendicularly above them ere they were ready to shoot 
 so that they were obliged to fire hastily in hope, feeling thaJ 
 they were losing their balance, or give up the chance altogether. 
 
 Mr. Park sat grimly in his place all the while, enjoying the 
 scene, and smoking. •* ^ ^ 
 
 Charley," 
 
 «« «.«!.« 
 
 Which? 
 
 n 
 
 ix/u- 
 
 h 
 
 TTUCiCr 
 
 Ohi if I could only get one** said 
 
 rt,o.i» f 1- . ^""*" °"v get one" said 
 
 Charley, looking up eagerly at the screaming birds, at which 
 
 ■J'K' 
 
 M 
 
 
 
94 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 ) I 
 
 fr^u ^*^^* ^^^ become hopelessly unsteady. 
 
 There! Look sharp; fire away!" 
 
 Bang went Charley's piece, as he spoke, at a gull which flew 
 straight towards him, but so rapidly that it was directly above 
 his head; mdeed, he was leaning a little backwards at the 
 moment, which caused him to miss again, while the recoil of 
 
 ^nZ'l P^'l^ , ""'"r u ^ """^"^' ^^ *°PP'i"g ^^ over 
 into Mr. Park 8 lap thereby smashing that gentleman's pipe 
 
 to atoms The faU accidentally exploded the second barrel 
 
 causmg the butt to strike Charley in the pit of his stomach-I 
 
 as if to ram him well home into M;-. Park's open arms-and 
 
 Jutting, with a stray shot, a gull that was sailing high up in 
 
 the sky in fancied security. It fell with a fluttering cJash into 
 
 the boat, while the men were laughing at the accident 
 
 rh.r? V fl'^r """^^^ ^'' ^"^' ^^^Wiilly. as he pitched 
 Charley out of his lap, and spat out the remnants of his broken 
 pipe. 
 
 Fortunately for all parties, at this moment, the boat 
 approached a spot on which the guide had resolved to land 
 for breakfast; and, seeing the unpleasant predicament into 
 which poor Charley had fallen, he assumed the strong tones 
 of command with which guides are frequently gifted, and 
 called out: 
 
 "Ho! hoi iterrel i terrel to land! to land! Breakfast, 
 my boys; breakfast!" at the same time sweeping the boat's 
 head shoreward, and running into a rocky bay, whose margin 
 was fnnged by a growth of small trees. Here, in a few minutes, 
 they were joined by the other boats of the brigade, which had 
 
 Wn^,*" ®'^^ °^ ^^""^ °*^^*' °^"^y t^e whole morning. 
 
 While travelling through the wilds of North America in 
 boats, voyageurs always make a point of landing to breakfast 
 Dinner is a meal with which they are unacquainted, at least 
 on the voyage, and luncheon is Ukewise unknown If a man 
 feels hungiy during the day. the pemican bag and its contents 
 are there; he may pause in his work at any time, for a minute, 
 to seize the axe and cut off a lump, which he mav devour as 
 iie best can; but there is no going ashore~no 'resting for 
 
d crossing 
 dy. 
 
 vhich flew 
 ctly above 
 •ds at the 
 5 recoil of 
 him over 
 lan's pipe 
 id barrel, 
 tomach — 
 rms — ^and 
 igh up in 
 :rash into 
 it. 
 
 e pitched 
 is broken 
 
 the boat 
 I to land 
 lent into 
 ng tones 
 ted, and 
 
 'reakfast, 
 »e boat's 
 5 margin 
 minutes, 
 ^ich had 
 ing. 
 
 lerica in 
 reakfast. 
 at least 
 fa man 
 contents 
 minute, 
 :vour as 
 ;ing for 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ^ 
 
 ttSS nTr^r """f "' recognized, and the time aUotted 
 Lt!n/J^ u "^^ ^^^'^""^Ption held inviolable-break- 
 
 J^. b«n astir d^ „r fo„ b^Zpr^Xusfy Sa,Tl^^ 
 It .3 the tune of day. too, when the spirits are fr!shS"^d' 
 h.ghes.. ,„.„^,ed by ,he prospect of .he work, .he dffi^l^ 
 the pleasures, or the advennires of .he dav fh,, k.. k. ^ 
 and chee^d by .ha. cool, dear 4<»^ rf'n mL^hi^r' 
 kngs excusively .o .he happy ^nU^ h„u~ hw M 
 
 Pist sweet mondis of spring, or the early yeara of chUdhood 
 . Voyageur, no. less tkm poets, have fel. .he exhS„'» 
 
 TaZ,, a! u"""^"^ "^^"^ •""• *•>«« ""ds were 
 TOntmg. the sparkhng eye, the beaming countenance Se 
 
 * *fSg:"4t%t'''' T° •"" ""''*' »^»« »' 
 
 a «, fi* uf i!^ ^*' *"^ P^"*<5' too, might have soent 
 
 a profitab e hour on the shores of that great sequestered E 
 and, as they watched the picturesque groun^llJZ; 
 round the blazing fires. prepaSng the^r moS^ng'^arS! 
 
 S stZ^limbr^^r ' T^""^ ''' ^-'«' - -^ng 
 sw^d Zh. 1, r "''1'^' "^^^"^ ""^^^'^^^ "P«n the green 
 sward—might have found a subject worthv the most hrill.,!^ 
 
 An hour sufficed for breakfast. While it was preparing the 
 t^o friends sauntered into the forest in search of g^^ in 
 l^ttir^'" -succe^ful; in fact, with the excf^ o? 
 the gulls before mentioned, there was not a feather to be Ln 
 -«ive, always, one or two whisky-johns 
 
 Vi^wP'!!'''^ ^'^ '^"^ "^°«' impudent, puffy, conceited 
 t\"!!^^^J?^f^^«^- Notmuchlargerinrealit'yt^a^s" 
 
 mJenTthiTv, ""'"'^^ *° T" °"* '^'^' feathers'to such 
 an extent that they appear to be as large as magpies, which 
 
 
 
96 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 liB! 
 
 I. i 
 
 I' ' 
 
 1 1! , t 
 
 m I 
 
 
 they further resemble in their plumage. Gc where you will 
 in the woods of Rupert's Land, the instant that you light a fire, 
 two or three whisky-johns come down and sit beside you,' 
 on a branch, it may be, or on the ground, and generally so' 
 near that you cannot but wonder at their recklessness. There 
 is a species of impudence which seems to be specially attached 
 to little birds. In whisky-johns it reaches the highest pitch of 
 perfection. A bold, swelling, arrogant effrontery; a sort of 
 stark, staring, self-complacent, comfortable, and yet innocent 
 impertinence, which is at once irritating and amusing, aggra- 
 vating and attractive. He will jump down almost under your 
 nose, and seize a fragment of biscuit or pemican. He will go 
 right into the pemican bag, when you are but a few paces off, 
 and pilfer, as it were, at the fountain-head. Or, if these 
 resources are closed against him, he will sit on a twig, within 
 an inch of your head, and look at you as only a whisky-john 
 can look. 
 
 " I'll catch one of these rascals," said Harry, as he saw 
 them jump unceremoniously into and out of the pemican 
 bag. 
 
 Going down to the boat, Harry hid himself under the 
 tarpaulin, leaving a hole open near to the mouth of the bag. 
 He had not remained more than a few minutes in this con- 
 cealment, when one of the birds flew down, and ahghted on 
 the edge of the boat. After a glance round to see that all was 
 right, it jumped into the bag. A moment after, Harry, darting 
 his hand through the aperture, grasped him round the neck 
 and secured him. Poor whisky-john screamed and pecked 
 ferociously, while Harry brought him in triumph to his friend; 
 but so unremittingly did the bird scream, that his captor was 
 fain at last to let him off, the more especially as the cook came 
 up at the moment and announced that breakfast was ready. 
 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 97 
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 
 The Storm 
 
 Two days after the events of the last chantir tu^ w j 
 was making one of the /r«^er,« wS taT \re^^^^ 
 noticed as of frequent occurrence h the lat,X/ The 
 morning was calm and sultry A de^n 5n ^^^ 
 
 nature, which tended to ^r^A ^ stillness pervaded 
 
 in the\^nd and to fin^r "^^^^ a corresponding quiescence 
 
 feelingsTatV^^tntl^^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 lurid clouds hung ovIrhJlT' ■ a. thunderstorm. Dark, 
 
 each „.he, ,i.t7e S^'jof ft k S^ ^^ S^^ 
 ragged embraaurM th*. o.^mi /, lonress, irom whose 
 " qhou artillery of heaven was about to nlav 
 
 Shall we get over in time, Louis?" asked Mr plt ^7' 
 
 steady ,„d ,uS .^S^ ""' » Ae oar, ^A 
 
 Charley and his friend conversed in low whisoers- for 
 mhed-Se Vfi^i . 'JT"^"' """^ '" a -"oment the wind 
 
 scudded 'raX S^ 1.™^' P"™™ "' *«' '"£ sails, and 
 
 (DSOS) 
 
 
 
 ' I 
 
 *l J 
 
 , 1 
 
 ;|l 
 
 i 
 ■ i 
 
 
 I 
 
98 
 
 THE YOUNG FUX< TRADERS 
 
 There was still a considerable portion of the traverst vo 
 cross, and the guide cast an anxious glance over his shoulder 
 occasionally, as the dark waves began to rise, and their crests 
 were cut into white foani by the increasing gale. Thunder 
 roared in continued, successive peals, as if the heavens were 
 breaking up; while i-ain descended in sheets. For a time 
 the crews continued to ply their oars; but, as the wind in- 
 creased, these were rendered superfluous. They were taken 
 in, therefore, and the men sought partial shelter under the 
 tarpauHn; while I.**, "^ark and the two boys were covered, 
 excepting their heads, by an oil-cloth, which was always kept 
 at hand in rainy weatler. 
 
 " What think you now, Louis?" said Mr. Park, resuming 
 the pipe which the sudden outburst of the storm had caused 
 him to forget. " Have wo seen the worst of it?" 
 
 Louis replied abruptly in the negative; and, in a few seconds, 
 shouted loudly—" Look out, lads; here comes a squall. 
 Stand by there to let go the sheetl" 
 
 Mike Brady, happening to be near the sheet, seized hold 
 of it» and prepared to let go; while the men rose, as if by 
 instinct, and gazed anxiously at the approaching squall, 
 which could be seen in the distance, extending along the 
 horizon, Uke a bar of blackest ink, spotted with flakes of white. 
 The guide sat with compressed lips and motionless as a statue, 
 guiding the boat .is it bounded madly towards the land, which 
 was now not move than half a mile distant. 
 
 " Let go!" shouted the guide, in a voice that was heard 
 loud and clear above the roar of the elements. 
 
 *• Ay, ay," replied the Irishman, letting fly just as, with 
 a sharp hiss, the squall struck the boat. 
 
 At that moment the end of the sheet became entangled 
 round one of the oars, and the gale burst with all its fury on 
 the distended sail, burying the prow in the waves, which 
 rushed in-board in a black volume, and in an instant half- 
 filled the boat. 
 
 •* Let go!" roared the guide again, in a voice of thunder; 
 while Mike struggled with awkward energy to disentangle 
 the rope. 
 
traverit io 
 s shoulder 
 hei:* crests 
 Thunder 
 ivens were 
 'or a time 
 ; wind in- 
 here taken 
 under the 
 e covered, 
 Iways kept 
 
 , resuming 
 lad caused 
 
 w seconds, 
 a squall. 
 
 eized hold 
 e, as if by 
 ng squall, 
 along the 
 js of white. 
 as a statue, 
 and, which 
 
 was heard 
 
 St as, with 
 
 entangled 
 its fury on 
 ves, which 
 istant half- 
 
 )f thunder, 
 disentangle 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 99 
 
 As he spoke, an Indian, who durin? the sfnrm u.a u 
 
 " Bail for your lives, lads," cried Mr Part .. h. 
 
 For a time it seemed doubtful whptfi*.r tu^ v 
 would .„. „,.er i.,0 ^ I'j^^'^,^:';:^ ™- 
 
 » far g^ u„d:rThS1f ^S' '"'°"= '°"« "" ™'" -" 
 
 ^?ii-iHS^3=rerr-?j: 
 
 ^^?f^:£r£3S"^^?^^^^^^ 
 
 "Weil done. RedfeaXr » , ^ ^, P T 'l'*'' ™''- 
 Indian as he re^^m^lZ'^^'^J^ PaA addressing Ae 
 -rvice ,ha, time, myln. fcuTw." """" ""'' ''<' "» «««' 
 
 Redfeather, who was the only pure native !„ ,u. u ■ ■ 
 ackn„„Jedged__.he oomptoen. ^HsS " '" '"^ '=' 
 
 with their ilTu's noJ^S^!'?' '" ^^.^J'^'y "'"'gh 
 h. a,. t„if. „f v.." , .""' *' «"' t™* "y I'fc has been saved 
 
 DM ArZ?l'"''.i"'^ •" *'"•" """•'"«' Mike Brady: <■ if. 
 no, U,e &,. un,e Aat my windpipe ha. been pretty neij spi^! 
 
 irl 
 
^^ 
 
 l!i 
 
 100 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 fl 
 
 cated by the knives o' the redskins, the murtherin* vannints!" 
 
 As Mike gave vent to this malediction, the boat ran swiftly 
 past a low rocky point, over which the surf was breaking 
 wildly. 
 
 " Down with the sail, Mike," cried the guide, at the same 
 time putting the helm hard up. The boat flew round, made 
 one last plunge as it left the rolling surf behind, and slid gently 
 and smoothly into the still water under the lee of the point. 
 
 Here, in the snug shelter of a little bay, two of the other 
 boats were found, with their prows already on the beach, and 
 their crews actively employed in landing their goods, open- 
 ing bales that had received damage from the water, and pre- 
 paring the encampment; while ever and anon they paused 
 a moment, to watch the various boats as they flew before the 
 gale, and one by one doubled the friendly promontory. 
 
 If there is one thing that provokes a voyageur more than 
 another, it is being wind-bound on the shores of a large 
 lake. Rain or sleet, heat or cold, icicles forming on the oars, 
 or a broiling sun glaring in a cloudless sky, the sting of sand- 
 flies, or the sharp probes of a million mosquitoes, he will bear 
 with comparative indifference; but being detained by high 
 wind for two, three, or four days together— lying inactively 
 on shore, when everything else, it may be, is favourable — the 
 sun bright, the sky blue, the air invigorating, and all but the 
 wind propitious — is more than his philosophy can carry 
 him through with equanimity. He grumbles at it; some- 
 times makes believe to laugh at it; does his best to sleep 
 through it, but, whatever he does, he does with a oad grace, 
 because he's in a bad humour and can't stand it. 
 
 For tUe next three days this was the fate of our friends. 
 Part of the time it rained, when the whole party slept as 
 much as was possible, and then endeavoured to sleep more 
 than was possible, under the shelter afforded by the spread- 
 ing branches of the trees. Part of the time was fair, with 
 occasional gleams of sunshine, when the men turned out to eat, 
 anri smoke, and jramble round the fires: and the two friends 
 sauntered down to a sheltered place on the shore, sunned 
 themselves in a warm nook among the rocks, while they gazed 
 
 K f 
 
a carry 
 
 some- 
 
 ;o sleep 
 
 i grace. 
 
 as 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,o, 
 
 mefully at the foaming biIIo^v8. told endless stories ^ what 
 they had done ,n time past, and equally endless prospective 
 
 had^cut'thrr''''" '^"' '"^«'^' Redfeather. the Indian who 
 down tl L«T' so opportunely during the storm, walked 
 down to the shore, and sitting down on a rock not far distant 
 fell apparently into a reverie. "isianc, 
 
 ;; I like that fellow," said Harry, pointing to the Indian, 
 oo do 1. He 3 a sharp, active man. Had it not been 
 for him we should have had to swim for it '» 
 
 to "sink' fo; ^?" '' -r^^"'" ^"' *^'"^' ^ ^'^^"'^ ^-^ had 
 swim/' '^ "^^ "^'^ * '^"^ " ^^^ I c^'l 
 
 " Ah true I forgot that. I wonder what the redskin as 
 
 sigh^^ home, perhaps, 'sweet home'." said Harry, with a 
 
 TnH•f^^"t ^^ !^<^^^«^«the' to tell u« something about the 
 Indians » he said presently. " I have ro doubt he has bad 
 many adventures in his hfe; shall we, Charley?" 
 
 ♦K -^ ^ i TT- "°' Redfeather! are you trying to stoo 
 the wind by looking it out of countenance?" ^ ^ ^ 
 
 boys lay '°'' '"'^ """^^^"^ '°'^"'^' '^' 'P°' ""^^'^ ^^^ 
 
 " What was Redfeather thinking about?" said Charlev 
 
 u^d by Indians. " Was he thinking of the white swan ^d 
 his U tie ones m the prairie; or did he dream of giving Ws 
 enenjies a good licking the next time he meets them^ ^ 
 
 Kedteather has no enemies," repUed the Indian. " He 
 was thinking of the great Manitc .1 who made the wild winds, 
 and the great lakes, and the forest." ' 
 
 you?^"^' ^'^^' ^'^'^ R^^f^ther. what did your thoughts teU 
 
 " They told me that men are very weak, and very foolish, 
 
 »God. 
 
 ■■'■< -1 
 
 1: 
 
 , I 
 
11 
 
 I02 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 and wicked; and that Manito is very good and patient to let 
 them live." 
 
 " That is to say," cried Hany, who was surprised and a 
 little nettled to hear what he called the heads of a sermon 
 from a redskin, " that you, being a man, are very weak, and 
 very foolish, and wicked, and that Manito is very good and 
 patient to let you live?" 
 
 " Good," said the Indian, calmly; " that is what I mean." 
 
 ** Come, Redfeather," said Charley, laying his hand on the 
 Indian's arm, " sit down beside us, and tell us some of your 
 adventures. I know that you must have had plenty, and it's 
 quite clear that we're not to get away from this place all day, 
 to you've nothing better to do." 
 
 The Indian readily assented, and began his story in English. 
 
 Redfeather was one of the very few Indians who had 
 acquired the power of speaking the English language. Having 
 been, while a youth, brought much into contact with the fur 
 traders; and, having been induced by them to enter their 
 service for a time, he had picked up enough of English to make 
 himself easily understood. Being engaged at a later period 
 of life as guide to one of the exploring parties sent out by the 
 British Government to discover the famous North-west 
 Passage, he had learned to read and write, and had become so 
 much accustomed to the habits and occupations of the " pale- 
 faces ", that he spent more of his time, in one way or another, 
 with them than in the society of his tribe, which dwelt in the 
 thick woods bordering on one of the great prairies of the 
 interior. He was about thirty years of age; had a tall, thin, 
 wiry and powerful frame, and was of a mild, retiring disposi- 
 tion. His face wore a habitually grave expression, verging 
 towards melancholy; induced, probably, by the vicissitudes 
 of a wild life (=n which he had seen much of the rugged side 
 of nature in men and things), acting upon a sensitive heart and 
 a naturally warm temperament. Redfeather, however, waa 
 by no means morose; and when seated along with his Canadian 
 comrades round the camp fire, he listened with evidently 
 genuine interest to their stories, and entered into the spirit 
 of their jests. But he was always an auditor, and rarely took 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 •» 
 
 103 
 
 Sf "^A^"^^ conversations. He was frequently consulted by 
 
 '^^St V '"r" °' ?^^^"'^' ^' ^* ^^ obLrved thit the 
 redskm s opinion always carried much weight with it 
 
 although It was seldom given unless asked for^ The men 
 
 r^pected him much because he was a hard worker. obhS 
 
 ^^::^::^:^^ '--- -^^' -^^^^ ^-s 
 
 how It was that I came by the name of Redfeather '' " ^°" 
 
 Ah! interrupted Charley, " I intended to ask you about 
 
 that; you don't wear one." ^ "^ 
 
 "I did once My father was a iat warrior in hie tribe '» 
 the" *'' '°''^°^ " ^' ' -- ^^^ ^ youth when llit 
 
 " My tribe was at war at the time vvith the Chipewyans and 
 one of our scouts having come in with the intelSe LTa 
 pa^ of our enemies was in the neighbourhood, fur warrb« 
 armed themselves to go in pursuit of them. I had blen ou" 
 once before with a war-party, but had not been successful 
 as the enemy's scouts gave notice of our approach ^2 to 
 
 bll tH '^r^'" ^' *'^ '"^^ the information wS 
 brought to us the young men of our village were amusing 
 ^ernselves with athletic games, and loud chalfenge weX"! 
 
 waTer ^f thr;"*'" *tTT^^' °^ ''''' «^ «-- - the deep 
 water of the river, which flowed calmly past the green bank 
 
 on which our wigwams stood. On a bank near to u's I t abo^ 
 
 mc^^fn. wircT""."^"^' """^°y^^ '^ ornamenting 
 r^^oTbaTi L ° , P°^^"Pi"--q"i"«; others making 
 
 ^ther^mT'ken. ^ ""^^ ''°°^""' ^'"^"P*^ themselves to- 
 gether and kept up an incessant chattering, chiefly with 
 reference to the doings of the young men. ^ 
 
 Apart from these stood three or four of the orincina! 
 men of our tribe, smoking their pipes, and ^X^JTf^ 
 parently engrossed in conversation,- still evidintTy'imewsS 
 in what was going forward on the bank of the river 
 
 Among the young men assembled, there was one of about 
 
 14, 
 
 . . <>> .1 
 
 
 :)t ii- 
 
104 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 my own age, who had taken a violent dislike to me, because 
 the most beautiful girl in all the village preferred me before 
 him. His name was Misconna. He was a hot-tempered, 
 cruel youth; and although I endeavoured as much as possible 
 to keep out of his way, he sought every opportunity of picking 
 a quarrel with me. I had just been running a race along with 
 several other youths, and, although not the wirmer, I haa kept 
 ahead of Misconna all the distance. He now stood leaning 
 against a tree, burning with rage and disappointment. I was 
 sorry for this, because I bore him no ill-will, and, if it had 
 occurred to me at the time, I would have allowed him to pass 
 me, since I was unable to gain the race at any rate. 
 
 " ' Dog!' he said, at length, stepping forward and con- 
 fronting me, * will you wrestle?* 
 
 " Just as he approached, I had turned round to leave the 
 place. Not wishing to have more to do with him, I pretended 
 not to hear, and made a step or two towards the lodges. 
 ' Dog!* he cried again, while his eyes flashed fiercely, and he 
 grasped me by the arm, * will you wrestle, or are you afraid? 
 Has the brave boy's heart changed into that of a girl?' 
 
 " ' No, Misconna,* said I. ' You know that I am not 
 afraid; but I have no desire to quarrel with you.' 
 
 " * You lie!' cried he, with a cold sneer; * you are afraid 
 — and see,' he added, pointing towards the women with 
 a triumphant smile, ' the dark-eyed girl sees it and believes 
 it, tool' 
 
 " I turned to look, and there I saw Wabisca gazing on me 
 with a look of blank amazement. I could see, also, that several 
 of the other women, and some of my companions, shared 
 in her surprise. 
 
 " Wit^ a burst of anger I turned round. * No, Misconna,' 
 said I, ' I am not afraid, as you shall find;' and, springing 
 upon him, I grasped him round the body. He was nearly 
 if not quite, as strong a youth as myself; but I was burning 
 with indignation at the insolence of his conduct before so 
 
 manv of the women, which cave me more than usual enercv. 
 
 — J ' c? . . . - . ^^, - 
 
 For several minutes we swayed to and fro, each endeavouring 
 in vain to bend the other's back; but we were too well matched 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,05 
 
 for this, and sought to accomplish our purpose by taking 
 advantage of an unguarded movement. At last such a move! 
 ment occurred. My adversary made a sudden and violent 
 
 fn r^l*° f"""" m'/° '^^ ^"^'' ^°P'"g '^^' ^ inequality 
 m the ground would favour his effort. But he was mistaken 
 I had seen the danger, and was prepared for it, so that the 
 instant he attempted it, I threw forward my right leg and 
 dirust him backwards with all my might. AlLonna was 
 quick m his motions. He saw my intention-too late, indeed, 
 to prevent it altogether, but in time to throw back his left 
 foot and stiffen his body till it felt like a block of stone. 
 The effort was now entirely one of endurance. We stood 
 each with his muscles strained to the utmost, without the 
 shgh est motion At length I felt my adversary give way 
 
 dl dnnbt f '^"f '!": ™°^^°" ^^' '* instantly removed 
 all doubt as to who should go down. My heart gave a bound 
 
 of exultation, and, with the energy which such a feeling 
 
 always inspires, I put forth all my strength, threw him heavily 
 
 over on his back, and fell upon him. ^ 
 
 T it '^T, i ^P'*""^ ^'°™ "™y comrades greeted me as 
 
 I rose and left the ground; but at the same moment the 
 attention of all was taken from myself and the baffled Mis- 
 
 tCa nL? Tru' °^ '^' ''°"*' ^""^^^ "« information 
 that a party of Chipewyans were in the neighbourhood. 
 
 II n^T"'"' "" "^"^ ^T'" ""^ preparation. An Indian 
 war-party IS soon got ready. Forty of our braves threw off 
 Ae principal parts of their clothing; painted their faces 
 vath stripes of vermilion and charcoal; armed themselves 
 with guns, bows, tomahawks, and scalping-knives, and in 
 a few minutes left the camp in silence and at a quick pace. 
 
 r,v. ' t """i ^'^^ ""^ *^^ y°"*^' ^^° ^^^ ''^en playing on the 
 nvers bank were permitted to accompany the party, and 
 among these were Misconna and myself. As we passed a 
 group of women, assembled to see us depart, I observed 
 
 ra!f H u ""^"'^ ^ "'"''^ J'^^^'^^'y ^«*^*^«n "8- She 
 
 cas own her eyes as we came up, and as we advanced close 
 
 ?^1 ^T^ «^^^^°PPed a white feather, as if by accident. 
 Stooping hastily down. I picked it up in passing, and stuck 
 
 , ,'1' 
 
 - .i:J 
 I 
 
io6 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 it in an ornamented band that bound my hair. As we hurried 
 on, I heard two or three old hags laugh, and say, with a sneer, 
 • His hand is as white as the feather; it has never seen blood.* 
 The next moment we were hid in the forest, and pursued 
 our rapid course in dead silence. 
 
 " The country through which we passed was varied- 
 extending in broken bits of open prairie, and partly covered 
 with thick wood; yet not so thick as to offer any hindrance 
 to our march. We walked in single file, each treading in his 
 comrade's footsteps, while the band was headed by the scout 
 who had brought the information. The principal chief of 
 our tribe came next, and he was followed by the braves accord- 
 ing to their age or influence. Misconna and I brought up 
 the rear. The sun was just sinking as we left the belt of wood- 
 land in which our village stood, crossed over a short plain, 
 descended a dark hollow, at the bottom of which the river 
 flowed, and, following its course for a considerable distance, 
 turned off to the right and em-^rged upon a sweep of prairie 
 land. Here the scout halted, and taking the chief and two 
 or three braves aside, entered into earnest consultation with 
 them. 
 
 " What they said we could not hear; but as we stood lean- 
 ing on our guns in the deep shade of the forest, we could 
 observe by their animated gestures that they differed in 
 opinion. We saw that the scout pointed several limes to 
 the moon, which was just rising above the tree-topg, and 
 then to the distant horizon, but the chief shook his head, 
 pointed to the woods, and aeemed to be much in doubt,' 
 while the whole band watched his motions in deep silence,' 
 but evident interest. At length they appeared to agree. The 
 scout took his place at the head of the line, and we resumed 
 our march, keeping close to the margin of the wood. It was 
 perhaps three hours after this ere we again halted to hold 
 another consultation. This time thiir deliberations were 
 shorter. In a few seconds, our chief himself took the lead 
 and turned into the woods, through which he guided us to 
 a small fountain, which bubbled up at the root of a birch 
 tree, where there was a smooth green spot of level ground. 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,07 
 
 Here we halted, and prepared to rest for an hour, at the end 
 of which time, the moon, which now shone bright and 
 fuU m the clear sky. would be nearly down, and we couW 
 resume our march. We now sat down in a circle, and tS 
 a hasty mouthful of dried meat, stretched ours;iv^ on Se 
 ground with our arms beside us, while our chieTkept watch 
 ^ung agamst the birch tree. It seemed as if I had sc" f; 
 b^n asleep five mmutes when I felt a light touch on my 
 shou der Spnngmg up. I found the whole party already asUr^ 
 
 " w/. 77T "'°''"' ^" ^^^^ ^^i" ^"^O'ing onwards 
 fh..^u T"^^"^ '^"' ""*'^ " ^*^"* «g»^t in the east told ^s 
 U^at the day was at hand, when the scout's steps becai^e 
 more cautious, and he paused to examine the gfoundlS! 
 quently. At last we came to a place where the ground sank 
 slightly, and. at the distance of a hundred yards^ose agaTn 
 formmg a low ridge which was crowned Jth si^rbushls' 
 Here we came to a halt, and were told that our enemies were 
 
 m number, all Chipewyan warriors, with the exception of 
 one pale-face-a trapper, and his Indian wife. The ^cou 
 
 ^1 cZ 'th'a^'th-^'"^ ''^ ' ^"^^ ^" '^^ ^"-d 
 tueir camp, that this man was merely traveUing with them 
 
 on his way to the Rocky Mountains. Ld that. fsTiey wer^ 
 this the warriors gave a grim smile, and our chief directing 
 
 onhTriLl^ O '^'^v ' ""*^°"^^^ ^^^ ^^^ 4 to Ihe o"^ 
 1^^ f • " '''^'^'"^ ^* ^* «*w a valley of great extent 
 dotted with trees and shrubs, and watered by one of the Sanv 
 nvers that flow into the great Saskatchewa";!. It was nearly 
 
 the laiid. Far ahead of us. on the right bank of the stream 
 and clo^ to its margin, we saw the fLt red ligh tof watX' 
 
 LTeVLtedr"' " ^°"^ ^"'P"-' ^- wftchlrsa^ 
 So w. f u ^^ '"''■."P"'^ so near to an enemy's country 
 
 ff^:!r.l^-rt-^°"J"^/:,^^^^ *^«y -« q-te ignorant 
 - ne,ng „, ^^lixi part or the country—which was indepH 
 
 ; HI 
 
 ill 
 
 
 ft 
 
io8 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 ■ f 
 
 i ■ t.- 
 
 " Our chief i>ow made arrangements for the attack. We 
 were directed to separate and approach individually as near 
 to the camp as was possible without risk of discovery, and 
 then, taking up an advantageous position, to await our chief's 
 signal — which was to be the hooting of an owl. We immedi- 
 ately separated. My course lay along the banks of the stream, 
 and, as I strode rapidly along, listening to its low solemn mur- 
 mur, which sounded clear and distinct in the stillness of a calm 
 summer night, I could not help feeling as if it were reproach- 
 ing me for the bloody work I was hastening to f)erform. 
 Then the recollection of what the old women said of me 
 raised a desperate spirit in my heart. Remembering the 
 white feather in my head, I grasped my gun and quickened 
 my pace. As I neared the camp, I went into the woods and 
 climbed a low hillock to look out. I found that it still lay 
 about five hundred yards distant, and that the greater part 
 of the ground between it and the place where I stood, was 
 quite flat, and without cover of any kind. I therefore pre- 
 pared to creep towards it, although the attempt was likely 
 to be attended with great danger, for Chipewyans have quick 
 cars and sharp eyes. Observing, however, that the river 
 ran close past the camp, I determined to follow its course 
 as before. In a few seconds more, I came to a dark narrow 
 gap where the river flowed between broken rocks, overhung 
 by branches, and from which I could obtain a clear view of 
 the camp within fifty yards of me. Examining the priming 
 of my gun, I sat down on a rock to await the chief's signal. 
 
 " It was evident, from the careless manner in which the 
 fires were placed, that no enemy was supposed to be near. 
 From my concealment I could plainly distinguish ten or 
 fifteen of the sleeping forms of our enemies, among which 
 the trapper was conspicuous, from his superior bulk, and 
 the reckless way in which his brawny arms were flung on 
 the turf, while his right hand clutched his rifle. I could not 
 but smile as I thought of the proud boldness of the pale-face — 
 lying all exposed to view in the grey light of dawn, while an 
 Indian's rifle was so close at hand. One Indian kept watch, 
 but he seemed more than half asleep. I had not sat more 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 109 
 
 than a minute, when my observations were interrupted by 
 the cracking of a branch in the bushes near me. Starting up, 
 I was about to bound into the underwood, when a figure 
 sprang down the bank and rapidly approached me. My first 
 impulse was to throw forward my gun, but a glance sufficed 
 to show me that it was a woman. 
 
 Wah!' I exclaimed, in surprise, as she hurried forward 
 and laid her hand on my shoulder. She was dressed partly 
 in the costume of the Indians, but wore a shawl on her 
 shoulders, and a handkerchief on her head, that showed she 
 had been in the settlements; and, from the lightness of her 
 skin and hair, I judged at once that she was the trapper's wife 
 of whom I had heard the scout speak. 
 
 Has the light-hair got a medicine bag, or does she speak 
 with spirits, that she has found me so easily?* 
 
 " The girl looked anxiously up in my face as if to read my 
 thoughts, and then said, in a low voice: 
 
 No, I neither carry the medicine bag nor hold palaver 
 with spirits; but I do think the good Manito must have led 
 me here. I wandered into the woods because I could not 
 sleep, and I saw you pass. But tell me,' she added with still 
 deeper anxiety, ' does the white feather come alone? Does 
 he approzch fnettds during the dark hours with a soft step like 
 a fox?' 
 
 " Feeling the necessity of detaining her until my comrades 
 should have time to surround the camp, I said: * The white 
 feather hunts far from his lands. He sees Indians whom he 
 does not know, and must approach with a light step. Perhaps 
 they are enemies.* 
 
 " • Do Knisteneux hunt at night, prowling in the bed of 
 a stream?' said the girl, still regarding me with a keen glance. 
 I Speak truth, stranger!' (and she started suddenly back); 
 ' in a moment I can alarm the camp with a cry, and if your 
 tongue is forked!— but I do not wish to bring enemies upon 
 you, if they are indeed such. I am not one of them. My 
 husband and I travel with them for a time. We do not desire 
 to see blood. God knows,' she added in French, which seemed 
 her native tongue, ' I have seen enough of that already.* 
 
 
 
 i*M : y 
 
 ti; 
 
tto 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 1 1 
 
 " As her earnest eyes looked into my face, a sudden thought 
 occurred to me. ' Go,' said I, hastily, ' tell your husband to 
 leave the camp instantly, and meet me here; and see that the 
 Chipewyans do not observe your departure. Quick! his life 
 and yours may depend on your speed.* 
 
 " The girl instantly comprehended my meaning. In a 
 moment she sprang up the bank; but as she did so, the loud 
 report of a gun was heard, followed by a yell, and the war- 
 whoop of the Knisteneux rent the air as they rushed upon the 
 devoted camp, sending arrows and bullets before them. 
 
 " On the instant, I sprang after the girl and grasped her 
 by the arm. * Stay, white-cheek, it is too late now. You 
 cannot save your husband, but I think he'll save himself. I 
 saw him dive into the bushes like a carriboo. Hide yourself 
 here, perhaps you may escape.' 
 
 " The half-breed girl sank on a fallen tree with a deep 
 groan, and clasped her hands convulsively before her eyes, 
 while I bounded over the tree, intending to join my comrades 
 in pursuing the enemy. 
 
 " As I did so a shrill cry arose behind me, and, looking back, 
 I beheld the trapper's wife prostrate on the ground, and 
 Misconna standing over her, his spear uplifted, and a fierce 
 frown on his dark face. 
 
 " * Hold,' I cried, rushing back and seizing his arm. * Mis- 
 conna did not come to kill women. She is not our enemy.' 
 
 " * Does the young wrestler want another wife?' he said 
 with a loud laugh, at the same time wrenching his arm from 
 my grip, and driving his spear through the flesh part of the 
 woman's breast and deep into the ground. A shriek rent the 
 air as he drew it out again to repeat the thrust; but, before he 
 could do so, I struck him with the butt of my gun on the 
 head. Staggering backwards, he fell heavily among the 
 bushes. At this moment a second whoop rang out, and 
 another of our band sprang from the thicket that surrounded 
 us. Seeing no one but myself and the bleeding girl, he gave 
 me a short glance of surprise, as if he wondered why I did not 
 finish the work which he evidently supposed I had begun. 
 
 " ' Wahr he exclaimed; and uttering another yell plunged 
 

 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS m 
 
 his spear into the woman's breast, despite my eflforts to prevent 
 him— this time with more deadly effect, as the blood spouted 
 from the wound, while she uttered a piercing scream, and 
 twined her arms round my legs as I stood beside her, as if 
 imploring for mercy. Poor girl! I saw that she was past my 
 help. The wound was evidently mortal. Already the signs 
 of death overspread her features, and I felt that a second blow 
 would be one of mercy; so that when the Indian stooped and 
 passed his long knife through her heart, I made but a feeble 
 effort to prevent it. Just as the man rose, with the warm 
 blood dripping from his keen blade, the sharp crack of a rifle 
 was heard, and the Indian fell dead at my feet, shot through 
 the forehead, while the trapper bounded into the open space, 
 his massive frame quivering, and his sunburnt face distorted 
 with rage and horror. From the other side of the brake, six 
 of our band rushed forward and levelled their guns at him. 
 For one moment the trapper paused to cast a glance at the 
 mangled corpse of his wife, as if to make quite sure that she 
 was dead; and then uttering a howl of despair, he hurled his 
 axe with a giant's force at the Knisteneux, and disappeared 
 over the precipitous bank of the stream. 
 
 " So rapid was the action, that the volley which immediately 
 succeeded passed harmlessly over his head, while the Indians 
 dashed forward in pursuit. At the same instant I myself 
 was felled to the earth. The axe which the trapper had flung 
 struck a tree in its flight, and, as it glanced off, the handle gave 
 me a violent blow in passing. I fell stunned. As I did so, 
 my head ahghted on the shoulder of the woman, and the last 
 thing I felt, as my wandering senses forsook me, was her still 
 warm blood flowing over my face and neck. 
 
 " While this scene was going on, the yells and screams of 
 the warriors in the camp became fainter and fainter as they 
 pursued and fled through the woods. The whole band of 
 Chipcwyans was entirely routed, with the exception of four 
 who escaped, and the trapper whose flight I have described; 
 al. the rest were slam, and their scalps hung at the belts of the 
 victorious Knisteneux warriors, while only one of our party 
 was killed. 
 
 M 
 
 'M. 
 
 :n 
 
 •:f» 
 
 -■tf . 
 i 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 < 
 
 1 
 
' > ilr 
 
 iia 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 ■ , ^ .'liiii 
 
 i 
 i 
 
 ^^^^^^B 
 
 
 1^-!*' 
 
 i 
 i 
 
 " Not more than a few minutes after receiving the blow 
 that stunned me, I recovered, and rising as hastily as my 
 scattered faculties would permit me, I staggered towards 
 the camp, where I heard the shouts of our men as they collected 
 the arms of their enemies. As I rose, the feather which 
 Wabisca had dropped fell from my brow, and, as I picked it 
 up to replace it, I perceived that it was red; being entirely 
 covered with the blood of the half-breed girl. 
 
 " The place where Misconna had fallen was vacant as I 
 passed, and I found him standing among his comrades round 
 the camp fires, examining the guns and other articles which 
 they had collected. He gave me a short glance of deep hatred 
 as I passed, and turned his head hastily away. A few minutes 
 sufficed to collect the spoils, and so rapidly had everything 
 been done, that the light of day was still faint as we silently 
 returned on our track. We marched in the same order as 
 before, Misconna and I bringing up the rear. As we passed 
 near the place where the poor woman had been murdered, 
 I felt a strong desire to return to the spot. I could not very 
 well understand the feeling, but it lay so strong upon me 
 that when we reached the ridge where we first came in sight 
 of the Chipewyan camp, I fell behind until my companions 
 disappeared in the woods, and then ran swiftly back. Just 
 as I was about to step beyond the circle of bushes that sur- 
 rounded the spot, I saw that some one was there before me. 
 It was a man, and, as he advanced into the open space and the 
 light fell on his face, I saw that it was the ipper. No doubt, 
 he had watched us off the ground, and thea, when all was safe) 
 returned to bury his wife. I crouched to watch him. Stepping 
 slowly up to the body of his murdered wife, he stood beside 
 it with his arms folded on his breast and quite motionless. 
 His head hung down, for the hes.t of the white man was 
 heavy, and I could see, as the light increased, that his brows 
 were dark as the thunder cloud, and the comers of his mouth 
 twitched from a feeling that the Indian scorns to show. My 
 heart is full of sorrow for him now;" (Redfeather's voice sank 
 as he spoke), " it was full of sorrow for him even then, when I 
 was taught to think that pity for ati enemy was unworthy of 
 
,11 
 
 
 "■ •» ' 
 
 
 A PLEASANT INTERLUOe; 
 
 Pili't 123 
 
y« 
 
 fo 
 or 
 he 
 lif 
 an 
 d» 
 tip 
 iai 
 br 
 of 
 
 coi 
 
 his 
 
 lip 
 
 tor 
 
 spi 
 
 ear 
 
 ear 
 
 bui 
 
 the 
 
 tur 
 
 he] 
 
 fori 
 
 bot 
 
 hinr 
 
 the 
 
 moi 
 
 Son 
 
 turr 
 pooj 
 
THE YOUNG Ftu TRADERS ,,3 
 
 l^.Z^' u '^*'* .?PP*', "'"^i ^' '-'^ ""'"y '°"8- "•« ^if* ^vas 
 young he could not leave her yet. At length a deep groan 
 
 burst from his heart, as the wat. -i of a great river, long held 
 
 down, swell up ,n spring, and burst the ice at last. Groan 
 
 followed groan as the trapper still stood ad pressed his arms 
 
 on his broad breast, as if to crush the heart within. At last 
 
 he slowly knelt beside her. bending more and more over the 
 
 lifeles form, until he lay extended on the ground beside it 
 
 an I, twm,r,a his arms round the neck, he drew the cold cheek 
 
 close to l..a and pressed the blood-covered bosom tighter and 
 
 tighter, while his form quivered with agony as he gave her a 
 
 last, long embrace. OhI" continued Redfeather. while his 
 
 brow darkened and his black eye flashed with an expression 
 
 of fierceness that his young listeners had never seen before 
 
 . ""lYl ?^'-««-— •' (he paused). " God forgive them! how 
 could they know better? 
 
 "At length the trapper rose hastily. The expression of 
 his brow was still the same, but his mouth was altered The 
 lips were pressed tightly like those of a brave when led to 
 torture and there was a fierce activity in his motions as he 
 sprang down the bank and proceeded to dig a hole in the soft 
 earth. .For ba,f an hour he laboured, shovelling away the 
 earth with a large flat stone, and carrying down the body, he 
 buried It there, under the shadow of a willow. The trapper 
 then shouldered his rifle and hurried away. On reaching the 
 turn of the strearn which shuts the Httle hollow out from view, 
 he halted suddenly, gave one look into the prairie he was hence- 
 forth to tread alone, one short glance back, and then, raising 
 both ams in the air looked up into the sky, while he stretched 
 himself to his full height. Even at that distance, I could see 
 the wild glare of his eye and the heaving of his breast A 
 moment after, and he was gone " 
 
 " No, I never saw him more. Immediately afterwards I 
 turned to rejoin my companions, whom I soon overtook, and 
 entered our viliagc along with them. I was regarded as a 
 
 ^°°' uSr* ' ^ ^'""S^' ^°"^" "° ^^^^P«* ^d ever 
 
 8 
 
"4 
 
 THE TfOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 afterwards I went by the name of Redfeather in our tribe » 
 But are you still thought a poor warrior?" asked Charley 
 in some concern, as if he were jealous of the reputation of his 
 new friend. 
 
 The Indian smiled. " No," he said; « our village was 
 twice attacked afterwards, and, in defending it, Redfeather 
 took many scalps. He was made a chief!" 
 
 " Ah!- cried Charley, " I'm glad of that. And Wabisca. 
 Avhat came of her? Did Misconna get her?" 
 
 " She is my wife," replied Redfeather. 
 
 *' Your wife! Why, I thought I heard the voy<weurs caU 
 your wife the white swan." 
 
 '' Wabisca is white in the language of the Knisteneux. She 
 IS beautiful in form, and my comrades call her the white 
 swan. 
 
 Redfeather said this with an air of gratified pride. He did 
 not, perhaps, love his wife with more fervour than he would 
 have done, had he remained with his tribe; but Redfeather 
 had associated a great deal with the traders, and he had 
 imbibed much of that spirit which prompts white men to treat 
 women with deference and respect, a feeling which is foreign 
 to an Indian s bosom. To do so was, besides, more congenial 
 to his naturally unselfish and afl^ectionate disposition, so that 
 any flattering allusion to his partner was always received by 
 him with immense gratification. 
 
 " I'll pay you a visit some day, Redfeather, if I'm sent to 
 any piace within fifty miles of your tribe," said Charley, with 
 the air of one who had fully made up his mind. 
 
 " And Misconna?" asked Harry. 
 
 " Misconna is with his tribe," replied the Indian, and a 
 frown overspread his features as he spoke; " but Redfeather 
 has been following in the track of his white friends; he has 
 not seen his nation for many moons." 
 
 ill 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 "5 
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 
 pass over the events Tffh, ^'^ !''™"8h '"ne. We must 
 
 the shore of La^ wlbL ,r " ^ ^'"""'^ "'™« 
 omit anything in the hZrS "™"'"e "■""g'' we are to 
 lo prove inSestfa. 12 i^' '"""'' """' """W •>« Mkely 
 being ted ous or of ZmJ^K ""'■' ""' •" "■" "-e risk of 
 
 bygone days to the Z^e. K ^ '"«" ""'' ™™ries of 
 somewhat flat to the reX' '"'^' "'™"heless. appear 
 
 the lake, nor of wh™S^"2 ' ^'";'' 'T "' "'^ ™"'' '"" <>' 
 several other muTJ^Z ^ I "' '''' ""^ '"''•"^ and by 
 shall no^teiofth: W T^H "% ''"'"'' "■"'• ^e 
 
 extreme di^Poimmem of^ Wen^^L.tX^'^T" ^ 
 the rormer was told that in^t^.A 7u ^.'^^"^y Kennedy, when 
 
 Saskatchewan, he w^ rd:m„:d toTT'f '^ '"" "P "''^' 
 Fort, the depot on Hud^„?Sav . '' "«'"■• " Y"'' 
 
 the seashore" where thn^^r7' u '""""P>' ?'"« "'^^ 
 landed and thrfure sh.nnrn f r *!' '"'""■• "'' """"""y 
 par.ofthesummtandmullT.h^*''"''' *''"' *^ 8'«'« 
 derks, who may be'l^^fvterarthr""'''^'^ "" 
 the accounts of what is termed Teli! r "« "P 
 and where the briradM ..,„ <• Northern Department, 
 
 and far distant ZostsanTfLT ^'' "" T'''^'"'''^ 
 great event of the vear-arril t ^ u" '^"S'^d-that 
 of constant bustle and eff^^' P'"« *" P'^'^'^ » ^ ^'ate 
 and brigades finXdeoa^tT''"" u"'" '"""""' "h™ ^^ip 
 
 numb43hut urtis^i:rir:a':'ittif-.3°- 
 
 betore. This was among the first of Hariy's 
 
 ^^'■i ^ . 
 
ii6 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 fi- 
 ll 
 
 disappointments. He suffered many afterwards, poor fellow! 
 
 Neither shall we accompany Charley up the south branch 
 of .he Saskatchewan, where his utmost expectations in the 
 way of hunting were more than realized, and where he became 
 so accustomed to shooting ducks and geese, and bears and 
 buffaloes, that he could not forbear smiling when he chanced 
 to meet with a red-legged gull, and remembered how he and 
 his friend Harry had comported themselves when they first 
 met with these birds on the shores of Lake Winnipeg! We 
 shall pass over all this, and the summer, autumn, and winter 
 too, and leap at once into the spring of the following year. 
 
 On a very bright, cheery morning of that spring, a canoe 
 might have been seen slowly ascending one of the numerous 
 stieams which meander through a richly-wooded, fertile 
 country, and mingle their waters with those of the Athabasca 
 river, terminating their united career in a large lake of the 
 same name. The canoe was small — one of the kind used by 
 the natives while engaged in hunting, and capable of holding 
 only two persons conveniently, with their baggage. To any 
 one unacquainted with the nature or capabilities of a Northern 
 Indian canoe, the fragile, bright orange-coloured machine 
 that was battling with the strong current of a rapid, must 
 indeed have appeared an unsafe and insignificant craft; but 
 a more careful study of its performances in the rapid, and of 
 the immense quantity of miscellaneous goods and chattels 
 which were, at a later period of the day, disgorged from its 
 interior, would have convinced the beholder that it was in 
 truth the most convenient and serviceable craft that could be 
 devised for the exigencies of such a country. 
 
 True, it could hold only two men (it might have taken 
 three at a pinch), because men, and women too, are awkward, 
 unyielding baggage, very difficult to stow compactly. But 
 it is otherwise with tractable goods. The canoe is exceed- 
 ingly thin, so that no space is taken up or rendered useless 
 by its own structure, and there is no end to the amount of 
 blankets, and furs, and coats, and paddles, and tent-covers, 
 and dogs, and babies, that can be stowed away in its capacious 
 interior. The canoe of which we are now writing contained 
 

 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 "7 
 
 two persons, whose active figures were thrown alternately 
 into every graceful attitude of manly vigour, as, with poles 
 in hand, they struggled to force their light craft against the 
 boiling stream. One was a man apparently of about forty- 
 five years of age. He was a square-shouldered, muscular 
 man, and from the ruggedness of his general appearance, 
 the soiled hunting-shirt that was strapped round his waist 
 with a parti-coloured worsted belt, the leather leggings, a 
 good deal the worse for wear, together with the quiet self- 
 possessed glance of his gray eye, the compressed lip and the 
 sunburnt brow, it was evident that he was a hunter, and 
 one who had seen rough work in his day. The expression 
 of his face was pleasing, despite a look of habitual severity 
 which sat upon it, and a deep scar which traversed his brow 
 from the right temple to the top of his nose. It was difficult 
 to tell to what country he belonged. His father was a Cana- 
 dian, his mother a Scotchwoman. He was born in Canada, 
 brought up in one of the Yankee settlements on the Missouri, 
 and had, from mere youth, spent his life as a hunter in the 
 wilderness. He could speak English, French, or Indian 
 with equal ease and fluency, and it would have been hard 
 for any one to say which of the three was his native tongue. 
 The younger man, who occupied the stern of the canoe", 
 acting the part of steersman, was quite a youth, apparently 
 about seventeen, but tall and stout beyond his years, and 
 deeply sunburnt. Indeed, were it not for this fact, the un- 
 usual quantity of hair that hung in massive curls down his 
 neck, and the voyageur costume, we should have recognized 
 our young friend Charley Kennedy again more easily. Had 
 any doubts remained in our mind, the shout of his merry 
 voice would have scattered them at once. 
 
 " Hold hard, Jacques," he cried, as the canoe trembled in 
 the current, " one moment, till I get my pole fixed behind 
 this rock. Now, then, shove ahead. Ah!" he exclaimed, 
 with chagrin, as the pole slipt on the treacherous bottom, 
 and the canoe whirled round. 
 
 " Mind the rock," cried the bowsman, giving an energetic 
 thrust with his pole, that sent the light bark into an eddy 
 
 Pi 
 
 ' 1, " r 
 
 < ri 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 formed by a large rock, which rose above the turbulent waters. 
 Here it rested while Jacques and Charley raised themselves 
 on their knees (travellers in small canoes always sit in a kneel- 
 ing position) to survey the rapid. 
 
 " It's too much for us, I fear, Mr. Charles," said Jacques, 
 shading his brow vvith his horny hand. " I've paddled up 
 it many a time alone, but never saw the water so big as now." 
 
 " Humph! we shall have to make a portage, then, I pre- 
 sume. Could we not give it one trial more? I think we might 
 make a dash for the tail of that eddy, and then the stream 
 above seems not quite so strong. Do you think so, Jacques?" 
 
 Jacques was not the man to check a daring young spirit. 
 His motto through life had ever been " Never venture, never 
 win " — a sentiment which his intercourse among fur traders 
 had taught him to embody in the pithy expression, "Never 
 say die "; so that, although quite satisfied that the thing 
 was impossible, he merely replied to his companion's speech 
 by an assenting '* Ho ", and pushed out again into the stream. 
 An energetic effort enabled them to gain the tail of the eddy 
 spoken of, when Charley's pole snapt across, and, falling 
 heavily on the gunwale, he would have upset the little craft, 
 had not Jacques, whose wits were habitually on the qui vive, 
 thrown his own weight at the same moment on the opposite 
 side, and counterbalanced Charley's slip. The action saved 
 them a ducking; but the canoe, being left to its own devices 
 for an instant, whirled off again into the stream, and before 
 Charley could seize a paddle to prevent it, they were floating 
 in the still water at the foot of the rapids. 
 
 " Now, isn't that a bore?" said Charley, with a comical 
 look of disappointment at his companion. 
 
 Jacques laughed. 
 
 *' It was well to try, master. I mind a young clerk who 
 came into these parts the same year as I did, and he seldom 
 tried anything. He couldn't abide canoes. He didn't want 
 for courage neither; but he had a nat'ral dislike to them, 
 I suppose that he couldn't help, and never entered one except 
 when he v^'as obliged to do so. Well, one day he wounded 
 a grizzly bear on the banks o' the Saskatchewan (mind the 
 
at waters, 
 lemselves 
 1 a kneel- 
 
 Jacques, 
 ddled up 
 as now." 
 n, I pre- 
 we might 
 le stream 
 [acques?" 
 ng spirit, 
 ire, never 
 ir traders 
 , "Never 
 the thing 
 's speech 
 le stream, 
 the eddy 
 d, falling 
 ttle craft, 
 qui vive, 
 opposite 
 on saved 
 n devices 
 id before 
 e floating 
 
 I comical 
 
 lerk who 
 e seldom 
 In't want 
 to them, 
 ne except 
 wounded 
 mind the 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 119 
 
 tail o' that rapid, Mr. Charles; we'll land 'tother side o' 
 yon rock.) Well, the bear made after him, and he cut stick 
 right away for the river, where there was a canoe hauled 
 up on the bank. He didn't take time to put his rifle aboard, 
 but dropt it on the gravel, crammed the canoe into the 
 water and jumped in, almost driving his feet through its 
 bottom as he did so, and then plumped down so suddenly to 
 prevent its capsizing, that he split it right across. By this time 
 the bear was at his heels, and took the water like a duck. 
 The poor clerk, in his hurry, swayed from side to side tryin' 
 to prevent the canoe goin' over. But when he went to one 
 side, he was so unused to it that he went too far, and had 
 to jerk over to the other pretty sharp: and so he got worse 
 and worse, until he heard the bear give a great snort beside 
 him. Then he grabbed the paddle in desperation, but at the 
 first dash he missed his stroke and over he went. The current 
 was pretty strong at the place, which was lucky for him, for it 
 kept him down a bit, so that the bear didn't observe him for a 
 little; and while it was pokin' away at the canoe, he was carried 
 down stream like a log and stranded on a shallow. Jump- 
 ing up, he made tracks for the wood, and the bear (which 
 had found out its mistake) after him, so he was obliged at 
 last to take to a tree, where the beast watched him for a day 
 and a night, till his friends, thinking that something must 
 be wrong, set out to look for him. (Steady, now, Mr. Charles, 
 A little more to the right— that's it.) Now, if that young 
 man had only ventured boldly into small canoes when he 
 got the chance, he might have laughed at the grizzly and 
 killed him too." 
 
 As Jacques rinished, the canoe glided into a quiet bay formed 
 by an eddy of the rapid, where the still water was overhung 
 by dense foliage. 
 
 " Is the portage a long one?" asked Chariey, as he stepped 
 out on the bank, and h?lped to unload the canoe. 
 
 " About iialf a mile," replied his companion. " We 
 might mazvC it shorter by poling up the last rapid; but it's 
 stiff work, Mr. Charles, and we'll do the thing quicker and 
 easier at one lift." 
 
 ,11 •:. ( 
 
 i« 
 
Z20 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 
 ■ i, 
 
 ; n 
 
 i r si 
 
 IS 
 
 The two travellers now proceeded to make a portage. 
 They prepared to carry their canoe and baggage overland, 
 so as to avoid a succession of rapids and waterfalls which 
 intercepted their further progress. 
 
 " Now, Jacques, up with it," said Charley, after the load- 
 ing had been taken out and placed on the grassy bank. 
 
 The hunter stooped, and, seizing the canoe by its centre 
 bar, lifted it out of the water, placed it on his shoulders 
 and walked off with it into the woods. This was not accom- 
 plished by the man's superior strength. Charley could have 
 done it quite as well; and, indeed, the strong hunter could 
 have carried a canoe of twice the size with perfect ease. Im- 
 mediately afterwards Charley followed with as much of the 
 lading as he could carry, leaving enough on the bank to form 
 another load. 
 
 The banks of the river were steep; in some places so much 
 so that Jacques found it a matter of no small difficulty to climb 
 over the broken rocks with the unwieldy canoe on his back: 
 the more so that the branches interlaced overhead so thickly 
 as to present a strong barrier, through which the canoe had 
 to be forced, at the risk of damaging its delicate bark cover- 
 ing. On reaching the comparatively level land above, how- 
 ever, there was more open space, and the hunter threaded 
 his way among the tree stems more rapidly, making a detour 
 occasionally to avoid a swamp or piece of broken ground; 
 sometimes descending a deep gorge formed by a small tribu- 
 tary of the stream they were ascending, which, to an un- 
 practised eye, would have appeared almost impassable, even 
 without the incumbrance of a canoe. But the canoe never 
 bore Jacques more gallantly or safely over the surges of lake 
 or stream than he bore the canoe through the intricate mazes 
 of the forest; now diving down and disappearing altogether 
 in the umbrageous foliage of a dell; anon reappearing on 
 the other side and scrambling up the bank on all-fours, he 
 and ihe canoe toge*her looking like some frightful yellow 
 reptile of antediluvian proportions; and then speeding rapidly 
 forward over a level pl?in until he reached a sheet of still 
 water above the rapids. Here he d'-posited his burden on 
 
how- 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,21 
 
 the gra^; and halting only for a few seconds to carry a few 
 drops of the clear water to his lips, retraced his steps to brins 
 over the remainder of the baggage. Soon afterwards Charley 
 made his appearance on the spot where the canoe was left 
 and throwmg down his load, seated himself on it and sur- 
 veyed the prospect. Before him lay a reach of the stream, 
 which spread out so widely as to resemble a small lake in 
 whose clear, still bosom were reflected the overhanring 
 fohage of graceful willows, and here and there the bright 
 stem of a silver birch, whose light green leaves contrasted 
 well with scattered groups and solitary specimens of the 
 spruce fir. Reeds and sedges grew in the water along the 
 banks, rendering the junction of the land and the stream 
 uncertam and confused. All this and a great deal more Charley 
 noted at a glance; for the hundreds of beautiful and inter- 
 esting objects in nature that take so long to describe, even 
 partially, and are feebly set forth after all, even by the most 
 graphic language, flash upon the eye in all their force and 
 beauty, and are drunk in at once in a single glance. 
 
 But Charley noted several objects floating on the water 
 which we have not yet mentioned. These were five gray 
 geese feeding among the reeds at a considerable distSice 
 ott, and all unconscious of the presence of a human foe in 
 their remote domains. The travellers had trusted very much 
 to their guns and nets for food, having only a small quantity 
 of pemican m reserve, lest these should fail— an event which 
 was not at all likely, as the country through which they passed 
 was teeming with wildfowl of all kinds, besides deer. These 
 latter, however, were only shot when they came inadver- 
 tently withm rifle range, as our voyageurs had a definite object 
 in view, and could not aflFord to devote much of their time 
 to the chase. 
 
 During the previous day, Charley and his companion 
 had been so much occupied in navigating their frail bark 
 among a succession of rapids, that they had not attended 
 to the replenishing of their larder, so that the geese which 
 now showed themselves were looked upon by Charley with 
 a longing eye. Unfortunately they were feeding on the oppo- 
 
 in 
 tt I 
 
I ' i - 
 
 m 
 
 M 
 
 M H 
 
 I 
 
 Jlil 
 
 122 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 site side of the river, and out of shot. But Charley was a 
 hunter now, and knew how to overcome slight difficulties. 
 He first cut down a pretty large and leafy branch of a tree, 
 and placed it in the bow of the canoe in such a way as to 
 hang down before it and form a perfect screen, through the 
 interstices of which he could see the geese, while they could 
 only see, what was to them no novelty, the branch of a tree 
 floating down he stream. Having gently launched the canoe, 
 Charley was soon close to the unsuspecting birds, from among 
 which he selected one that appeared to be unusually com- 
 placent and self-satisfied, concluding at once, with an amount 
 of wisdom that bespoke him a true philosopher, that such 
 must as a matter of course be the fattest. 
 
 '• Bang " went the gun, and immediately the sleek goose 
 turned upon its back and stretched out its feet towards the 
 sky, waving them once or twice as if bidding adieu to its 
 friends. The others thereupon took to flight, with such 
 a deal of splutter and noise as made it quite apparent that 
 their astonishment was unfeigned. Bang went the gun again, 
 and down fell a second goose. 
 
 " Ha!" exclaimed Jacques, throwing down the remainder 
 of the cargo as Charley landed with his booty, " that's well. 
 I was just thinking as I comed across that we should have 
 to take to pemican to-night." 
 
 " Well, Jacques, and if we had, I'm sure an old hunter 
 like you, who have roughed it so often, need not complain," 
 said Charley, smiling. 
 
 '• As to that, master," replied Jacques, " I've roughed it 
 often enough; and when it does come to a clear fix, I can 
 eat my shoes without grumblin', as well as any man. But, 
 you see, fresh meat is better than dried meat when it's to 
 be had; and so I'm glad to see that you've been lucky, Mr 
 Charles.^' 
 
 " To say truth, so am I; and these fellows are delightfully 
 plump. But you spoke of eating your shoes, Jacques; when 
 were you reduced to that direful extremity?" 
 
 Jacques finished reloading the canoe while they conversed, 
 and the two were seated in their places, and quietly but 
 
 I f 
 
;y was a 
 Acuities. 
 (f a tree, 
 'ay as to 
 jugh the 
 ey could 
 of a tree 
 le canoe, 
 n among 
 Uy com- 
 L amount 
 hat such 
 
 ek goose 
 ^ards the 
 2U to its 
 ith such 
 rent that 
 Lin again, 
 
 emainder 
 at's well, 
 uld have 
 
 d hunter 
 mplain," 
 
 ►ughed it 
 ix, I can 
 m. But, 
 ;n it's to 
 cky, Mr 
 
 lightfuUy 
 2s; when 
 
 onversed, 
 ietly but 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 1,3 
 
 swiftly ascending the stream again, ere the hunter replied. 
 You ve heerd of Sir John Franklin, I s'pose?" he in- 
 quired, after a minute's consideration. 
 " Yes, often." 
 
 " An' p'r'aps you've heerd tell of his first trip of discovery 
 along the shores of the Polar Sea?" 
 
 " Do you refer to the time when he was nearly starved to 
 death, and when poor Hood was shot by the Indian?" 
 
 " The same," said Jacques. 
 
 " Oh, yes— I know all about that. Were you with them?" 
 mquired Charley, in great surprise. 
 
 "Why, no— not exactly on the trip; but I was sent in winter 
 with provisions to them— and much need they had of them 
 poor fellows! I found them tearing away at some old parch-' 
 ment skins that had lain under the snow all winter, and that 
 an Injin's dog would ha' turned up his nose at— and they don't 
 turn up their snouts at many things, I can tell ye. Well, after 
 we had left aU our provisions with them, we started for the 
 fort again, just keepin* as much as would drive off starvation- 
 for, you see, we thought that surely we would git something 
 on the road. But neither hoof nor feather did we see all the 
 way (I was travellin' with an Injin), and our grub was soon 
 done, though we saved it up, and only took a mouthful or two 
 the last three days. At last it was done, and we was pretty 
 well used up, and the fort two days ahead of us. So says I 
 to my comrade-who had been looking at me for some time 
 as If he thought that a cut off my shoulder wouldn't be a bad 
 thmg-says I, ' Nipitabo, I'm afeer'd the shoes must go for 
 It now; so with that I pulls out a pair o' deerskin moccasins, 
 i hey looks tender,' said I, trying to be cheerful. ' Wah ' 
 said the Injin; and then I held them over the fire till they was 
 done black, and Nipitabo ate one, and I ate the 'tother, with 
 a lump o' snow to wash it down!" 
 
 lauh- "^"^^ ^^^^ ^^^" ^^^^^^ ^^^ eating.' said Charley, 
 
 " Rayther; but it was better than the Injin's leather breeches 
 which we took in hand next day. They was uncommon 
 tough, and very dirty, havin' been worn about a year and a 
 
 :;( 
 

 iiii 
 
 124 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 half. Hows'ever, they kept us up; an', as we only ate the 
 legs, he had the benefit o' the stump to arrive with at the fort 
 next day." 
 
 " What's yon ahead?" exclaimed Charley, pausing as he 
 spoke, and shading his eyes with his hand. 
 
 " It's uncommon Uke trees," said Jacques. " It's likely a 
 tree that's been tumbled across the river; and, from its ap- 
 pearance, I think we'll have to cut through it." 
 
 " Cut through it!" exclaimed Charley; " if my sight is 
 worth a gunflint, we'll have to cut through a dozen trees." 
 
 Charley was right. The river ahead of them became 
 rapidly narrower; and, either from the looseness of the sur- 
 rounding soil, or the passing of a whirlwind, dozens of trees 
 had been upset, and lay right across the narrow stream m 
 terrible confusion. What made the thing worse was, that the 
 banks on either side, which were low and flat, were coveved 
 with such a dense thicket down to the water's edge, that the 
 idea of making a portage to overcome the barrier seemed 
 altogether hopeless. 
 
 " Here's a pretty business, to be sure!" cried Charley, in 
 great disgust. , 
 
 " Never say die, Mister Charles," replied Jacques, taking 
 up the axe from the bottom of the canoe; " it's quite clear 
 that cuttin* through the trees is easier than cuttin' through the 
 bushes, so here goes." 
 
 For fully three hours the travellers were engaged in cutting 
 their way up the encumbered stream, during which time they 
 did not advance three miles; and it was evening ere they broke 
 down the last barrier, and paddled out into a sheet of clear 
 water again. 
 
 " That'll prepare us for the geese, Jacques," said Charley, 
 as he wiped the perspiration from his brow; " there's nothing 
 like warm work for whetting the appetite, and making one sleep 
 soundly." 
 
 " That's true," replied the hunter, resuming his paddle. 
 " I often wonder how them white-;- ced fellows in the settle- 
 ments manage to keep body and soul together — a' sittin*, as 
 they do, all day in the house, and a' lyin' all night in a feather 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 125 
 
 bed. For my part, rather than live as they do, I would cut 
 my way up streams like them we've just passed every day and 
 all day, and sleep on top of a flat rock o' nights, under the blue 
 sky, all my life through." 
 
 With this decided expression of his sentimr ♦ , <:he stout 
 hunter steered the canoe up alongside of a huge flat rock, as 
 if he were bent on giving a practical illustration of the latter 
 part of his speech then and there. 
 
 " We'd better camp now, Mistesr Charles, there's a portage 
 o* two miles here, and it'll take us till sun-down to get the 
 canoe and things over." 
 
 " Be it so," said Charley, landing; *' is there a good place 
 at the other end to camp on?" 
 
 " First-rate. It's smooth as a blanket on the turf, and a 
 clear spring bubbling at the root of a wide tree that would 
 keep off the rain if it was to come down like water- 
 spouts." 
 
 The spot on which the travellers encamped that evening 
 overlooked one of those scenes in which vast extent, and 
 rich, soft variety of natural objects, were united with much 
 that was grand and savage. It filled the mind with the calm 
 satisfaction that is experienced when one gazes on wide 
 lawns, studded with noble trees; on spreading fields of 
 waving grain that mingle with stream and copse, rock and 
 dell, vineyard and garden, of the cultivated lands of civilized 
 men; while it produced that exulting throb of freedom which 
 stirs man's heart to its centre, when he casts a first glance over 
 miles and miles of broad lands that are yet unowned, unclaimed; 
 that yet lie in the unmutilated beauty with which the bene- 
 ficent Creator originally clothed them— far away from the 
 well-known scenes of man's chequered history; entirely devoid 
 of those ancient monuments of man's power and skill, that 
 carry the mind back with feelings of awe to bygone ages; yet 
 stamped with evidences of an antiquity more ancient still, in 
 the wild primeval forests, and the noble trees that have sprouted 
 and spread and towered in their strength for centuries— trees 
 that have fallen at their posts, while others took their place, 
 and rose and fell as they did, like long-Uved sentinels, whose 
 
 n 
 
 nl 
 
 
126 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 ! I 
 
 i!;i 
 
 n'l 
 
 duty it was to keep perpetual guard over the vast solitudes of 
 the great American Wilderness. 
 
 The fire was lighted and the canoe turned bottom up in 
 front of it, under the branches of a spreading tree which stood 
 on an eminence, whence was obtained a bird's-eye view of 
 the noble scene. It was a flat valley, on either side of which 
 rose two ranges of hills, which were clothed to the top with 
 trees of various kinds, the plain of the valley itself being dotted 
 with clumps of wood, among which the fresh green foliage 
 of the plane tree and the silver-stemmed birch were con- 
 spicuous, giving an airy lightness to the scene and enhancing 
 the picturesque effect of the dark pines. A small stream could 
 be traced winding out and in among clumps of willows, 
 refliecting their drooping boughs and the more sombre branches 
 of the spruce fir and the straight larch with which, in many 
 places, its banks were shaded. Here and there were stretches 
 of clearer ground, where the green herbage of spring gave to 
 it a lawn-like appearance, and the whole magnificent scene 
 was bounded by blue hills that became fainter as they receded 
 from the eye and mingled at last with the horizon. The sun 
 had just set, and a rich glow of red bathed the whole scene, 
 which was further enlivened by flocks of wildfowls and herds 
 
 of reindeer. 
 
 These last soon drew Charley's attention from the con- 
 templation of the scenery, and, observing a deer feeding in 
 an open space, towards which he could approach without 
 coming between it and the wind, he ran for his gun and 
 hurried into the woods, while Jacques busied himself in 
 arranging their blankets under the upturned canoe, and in 
 preparing supper. 
 
 Charley discovered, soon after starting, what all hunters 
 discover sooner or later, namely, that appearances are de- 
 ceitful, for he no sooner reached the foot of the hill than 
 he found, between him and the lawn-like country, an almost 
 impenetrable thicket of underwood. Our young he*-o, how- 
 ever, was of that disposition which sticks at nothing, and 
 
 - ■ — -n. » iMv-Cf 
 
 instead of taking time to scufch fur an opemng, uC too 
 
 and sprang into the middle of it, in hopes of forcing his way 
 
THE YOUNG FUV IRADERS 
 
 litudes of 
 
 >m up in 
 lich stood 
 ; view of 
 of which 
 top with 
 ng dotted 
 in foliage 
 vere con- 
 jnhancing 
 ;am could 
 
 willows, 
 ! branches 
 , in many 
 ! stretches 
 ig gave to 
 ent scene 
 ;y receded 
 
 The sun 
 ole scene, 
 and herds 
 
 the con- 
 feeding in 
 b without 
 
 gun and 
 limself in 
 «, and in 
 
 11 hunters 
 !s are de- 
 hill than 
 an almost 
 ico, how- 
 hing, and 
 
 ig his way 
 
 la? 
 
 through. His hopes were not disappointed. He got through 
 — quite through -and alighted up to the armpits in a swamp, 
 to the infinite consternation of a flock of teal- ducks that were 
 slumbering peace! ally there with their heads under their 
 wings, and had evidently gone to bed for the night. For- 
 tunately he held his gun above the water and kept his balance, 
 so that he was able to proceed with a dry charge, though with 
 an uncommonly wet skin. Half an hour brought Charley 
 within range, and, watching patiently until the animal pre- 
 sented his side towards the place of his concealment, he fired 
 and shot it <^hrough the heart. 
 
 " Well done, Mister Charles," exclaimed Jacques, as the 
 former staggered into camp with the reindeer on his shoulders 
 — " a fat doe too." 
 
 " Ah," said Charley, " but she has cost me a wet skin; 
 8o pray, Jacques, rouse up the fire, and let's have supper as 
 soon as you can." 
 
 Jacques speedily skinned the deer, cut a couple of steaks 
 from its flank, and, placing them on wovoden spikes, stuck 
 them up to roast, while his young friend put on a dry shirt, 
 and hung his coat before the blaze. The goose which had been 
 shot earlier in the day was also plucked, split open, impaled 
 in the same manner as the steaks, and set up to roast. By 
 this time the shadows of night had deepened, and ere long 
 all was shrouded in gloom, except the circle of ruddy light 
 around the camp-fire, in the centre of which Jacques and 
 Charley sat, with the canoe at their backs, knives in their hands, 
 and the two spits, on the top of which smoked their ample 
 supper, planted in the ground before them. 
 
 One by one the stars went out, until none were visible 
 except the bright, beautiful morning star, as it rose higher and 
 higher in the eastern sky. One by one the owls and the wolves, 
 ill-omened birds and beasts of night, retired to rest in the dark 
 recesses of the forests. Little by little the gray dawn over- 
 spread the sky, and paled the lustre of the morning star, 
 imtil it faded away altogether, and then Jacques awoke with 
 a start, and throwing out his arm, brought it accidentally into 
 violent contact with Charley's nose. 
 
 • I I ; 
 
 -;+•! 
 
128 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 This caused Charley to awake, not only with a start, but 
 also with a roar, which brought them both suddenly into 
 a sitting posture, in which they continued for some time 
 in a state between sleeping and waking, their faces mean- 
 while expressive of mingled imbecility and extreme surprise. 
 Bursting into a simultaneous laugh, which degenerated into 
 a loud yawn, they sprang up, launched and reloaded their 
 canoe, and resumed their journey. 
 
 if 
 
 CHAPTER XIV 
 
 The Indian Camp; the new Outpost; Charley sent on a 
 Mission to the Indians 
 
 In the councils of the fur traders, on the spring previous 
 to that about which we are now writing, it had been decided 
 to extend their operations a little in the lands that lie to the 
 north of the Saskatchewan river; and, in furtherance of 
 that object, it had been intimated to the chief trader in charge 
 of the district, that an expedition should be set on foot, hav- 
 ing for its object the examination of a territory into which 
 they had not yet penetrated, and the establishment of an 
 outpost therein. It was furthermore ordered that operations 
 should be commenced at once, and that the choice of men 
 to carry out the end in view was graciously left to the chief 
 trader's well-known sagacity. 
 
 Upon receiving this communication, the chief trader se- 
 lected a gentleman, named Mr. Whyte, to lead the party; 
 gave him a clerk and five men; provided him \yith a boat 
 and a large supply of goods necessary for trade, implements 
 requisite for building an establishment, and sent him off with 
 a hearty shake of the hand, and a recommendation to " go 
 and prosper". 
 
 /-M _.i_- Tr — 1— ~~«.>«- nnt-t r\( the r»r<»v!rnift vpar at Rockv 
 
 Mountain House, where he had shown so much entrgy in 
 conducting the trade— especially what he called the " rough 
 
tart, but 
 inly into 
 me time 
 3 mean- 
 surprise, 
 ited into 
 led their 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 129 
 
 na 
 
 previous 
 1 decided 
 lie to the 
 jrance of 
 in charge 
 :oot, bav- 
 ito which 
 !nt of an 
 iperations 
 e of men 
 the chief 
 
 trader se- 
 :he party; 
 th a boat 
 tiplements 
 n off with 
 n to " go 
 
 at Rocky 
 energy in 
 e " rough 
 
 and tumble " part of it, that he was selected as the clerk to 
 accompany Mr. Whyte to his new ground. After proceed- 
 mg up many rivers, whose waters had seldom borne the 
 craft of white men, and across innumerable lakes, the party 
 reached a spot that presented so inviting an ai,pect, that it 
 was resolved to pitch their tent there for a time, and, if things 
 in the way of trade and provision looked favourable, establish 
 themselves altogether. The place was situated on the margin 
 of a large lake, whose shores were covered with the most 
 luxuriant verdure, and whose waters teemed with the finest 
 fish, while ac air was alive with wildfowl, and the wooda 
 swarming witn game. Here Mr. Whyte rested awhile; and, 
 having found everything to his satisfaction, he took Iiis axe! 
 selected a green lawn that commanded an extensive view 
 of the lake, and going up to a tall larch, struck the steel into 
 it, and thus put the first touch to an estabhshraent which 
 afterwards went by the name of Stoney Creek. 
 
 A solitary Indian, whom they had met with on the way to 
 their new home, had informed them that a large band of 
 Knisteneux had lately migrated to a river about four days* 
 journey beyond the lake at which they halted; and when 
 the new fort was just beginning to spring up, our friend 
 Charley and the interpreter, Jacques Caradoc, were ordered 
 by Mr. Whyte to make a canoe, and then, embarking in it, 
 to proceed to the Indian camp, to inform the natives of their 
 rare good luck in having a band of white men come to settle v 
 near their lands/to trade with them. The interpreter and 
 Charley soon found birch bark, pine roots for sewing it, and 
 gum for plastering the seams, wherewith they constructed 
 the light canoe whose progress we have partly traced in the 
 last chapter, and which, on the following day at sunset, carried 
 them to their journey's end. 
 
 From some remarks made by the Indian who gave them 
 information of the camp, Charley gathered that it was the 
 tribe to which Redfeather belonged, and furthermore, that 
 Redfeather himself was there at that time; so that it was 
 with feelings of no little interest^that he saw the tops of the 
 yellow tents embedded among the green trees, and soon 
 
 (D893) ^ 
 
 
 
 ■■}• 
 
130 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 ' Ida 
 
 1 
 
 i 
 
 '1 
 
 ; ■ "-f 
 
 :- 
 
 i 
 
 g 
 
 
 [ ; : . ■ 
 
 i 
 
 ^' 
 
 li il 
 
 I. -I 
 
 . 1 
 
 ji 
 
 afterwards beheld them and their picturesque owners reflected 
 in the clear river, on whose banks the natives crowded to 
 witness the arrival of the white men. 
 
 Upon the green sward, and under the umbrageous shade 
 of the forest trees, the tents were pitched to the number of 
 perhaps eighteen or twenty, and the whole population, of 
 whom very few were absent on the present occasion, might 
 number a hundred — men. women, and children. They were 
 dressed in habiliments formed chiefly of materials procured 
 by themselves in the chase, but ornamented with cloth, beads, 
 and silk thread, which showed that they had had intercourse 
 with the fur traders. The men wore leggings of deer-skin, 
 which reached more than half-way up the thigh, 'and were 
 fastened to a leathern girdle, strapped round the waist. A 
 loose tunic or hunting-shirt, of the same material, covered 
 the figure from the shoulders almost to the knees, and was 
 confined round the middle by a belt — in some cases of 
 worsted, in others, of leather gaily ornamented with quills. 
 Caps of various indescribable shapes, and made chiefly of 
 skin, with the animal's tail left on by way of ornament, 
 covered their heads, and moccasins for the feet completed 
 their costume. These last may be simply described as leather 
 mittens for the feet. They were gaudily ornamented, as 
 was almost every portion of costume, with porcupines' quills 
 dyed with brilliant colours, and worked into fanciful, and 
 in many cases, extremely elegant figures and designs. 
 
 The women attired themselves in leggings and coats differ- 
 ing little from those of the men, except that the latter were 
 longer, the sleeves detached from the body, and fastened 
 on separately — while on their heads they wore caps, which 
 hung down and covered their backs to the waist. These caps 
 were of the simplest construction, being pieces of cloth cut 
 into an oblong shape, and sewed together at one end. They 
 were, however, richly ornamented with silk-work and beads. 
 
 On landing, Charley and Jacques walked up to a tall good- 
 looking Indian, whom they judged from his demeanour, and 
 the somewhat deferential regard paid to him by the others, 
 to be one of the chief men of the little community. 
 
reflected 
 >wded to 
 
 >us shade 
 umber of 
 lation, of 
 >n, might 
 liey were 
 procured 
 th, beads, 
 itercourse 
 ieer-skin, 
 'and were 
 waist. A 
 , covered 
 , and was 
 
 cases of 
 Ith quills, 
 chiefly of 
 ornament, 
 completed 
 as leather 
 lented, as 
 les* quills 
 ciful, and 
 ns. 
 
 ats diff^er- 
 itter were 
 1 fastened 
 ps, which 
 i'hese caps 
 
 cloth cut 
 id. They 
 Sid beads, 
 tall good- 
 jiour, and 
 he others, 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,3, 
 
 « Ho! what cheer?" said Jacques, taking him by the hand 
 after the manner of Europeans, and accosting him with the 
 phrase used by the fur traders to the natives. The Indian 
 returned the compliment in kind, and led the visitors to his 
 tent, where he spread a buffalo robe for them on the ground, 
 and begged them to be seated. A repast of dried meat and 
 remdeer-tongues was then served, to which our friends did 
 ample justice; while the women and children satisfied their 
 curiosity by peering at them through chinks and holes in 
 the tent. When they had finished, several of the principal 
 men assembled, and the chief who had entertained them 
 rnade a speech to the efl^ect that he was much gratified by 
 the honour done to his people by the visit of his white brothers; 
 that he hoped they would continue long at the camp to enjoy 
 their hospitality; and that he would be glad to know what 
 had brought them so far into the country of the red men 
 
 During the course of this speech, the chief made eloquent 
 allusion to all the good qualities supposed to belong to white 
 men m general, and (he had no doubt) to the two white men 
 before him in particular. He also boasted considerably of 
 the prowess and bravery of himself and his tribe; launched 
 a few sarcastic hits at his enemies, and wound up with a 
 poetical hope that his guests might live for ever in these beauti- 
 ful plains of bhss, where the sun never sets, and nothing goes 
 wrong anywhere, and everything goes right at all times, and 
 where, especially, the deer are outrageously fat. and always 
 come out on purpose to be shot! During the course of these 
 remarks, his comrades signified their hearty concurrence in 
 his sentiments, by giving vent to sundry low-toned " hums!" 
 aiid has! and " wahs!" and « hos!" according to circum- 
 stances. After it was over, Jacques rose, and, addressing them 
 m their own language, said; 
 
 fl^hJf'^u^A^f''^''^? ^''^^- ^^^y ^'^ b^^^^' «"d their 
 fame has travelled far. Their deeds are known even so far as 
 
 where the Great Salt Lake beats on the shore where the sun 
 
 uses. X hey are not women, and when their enemies hear 
 
 he sound of their name, they grow pale; their hearts become 
 
 hke those of the reindeer. My brethren are famous, too, in 
 
 >•»»■ 
 
 i , 1 
 
 '1 .1 
 
13* 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 
 ii: ' i 
 
 the use of the snow-shoe, the snare, and the gun. The fur 
 traders know that they must build large stores when they 
 come into their lands. They bring up much goods, because 
 the young men are active, and require much. The silver fox 
 and the marten are no longer safe when their traps and snares 
 are set. Yes, they are good hunters, and we have now come 
 to live among you " (Jacques changed his style as he came 
 nearer to the point) " to trade with you, and to save you the 
 trouble of making long journeys with your skins. A few days' 
 distance from your wigwams we have pitched our tents. 
 Our young men are even now felling the trees to build a house. 
 Our nets are set, our hunters are prowling in the woods, our 
 goods are ready, and my young master and I have come to 
 smoke the pipe of friendship with you, and to invite you to 
 come to trade with us." 
 
 Having delivered this oration, Jacques sat down amid deep 
 silence. Other speeches, of a highly satisfactory character, 
 were then made, after which " the house adjourned ", and the 
 visitors, opening one of their packages, distributed a variety 
 of presents to the delighted natives. 
 
 Several times during the course of these proceedings, 
 Charley's eyes wandered among the faces of his entertainers, 
 in the hope of seeing Redfeather among them, but without 
 success; and he began to fear that his friend was not with the 
 
 tribe. 
 
 " I say, Jacques," he said, as they left the tent, " ask whether 
 a chief called Redfeather is here. I knew him of old, and half- 
 expected to find him at this place." 
 
 The Indian to whom Jacques put the question, replied that 
 Redfeather was with them, but that he had gone out on a 
 hunting expedition that morning, and might be absent a day 
 or two. 
 
 " Ah!" exclaimed Charley, " I'm glad he's here. Come, 
 now, let us take a walk in the wood; these good people stare 
 at us as if we were ghosts." And, taking Jacques' arm, he 
 
 < I • • - 1 . I x1- - _! ij. _r 4.1.~ ^^^^r> *^^-n^A ln*f\ n r\qtV» 
 
 iCa mm DcVOIIU UlC i:iiv;ui(. Ul tuc \,aii.i.^J, lumv-u iliiij- a iJ'rtl.t, 
 
 which, winding among the thick underwood, speedily screened 
 them from view, and led them into a sequestered glade, through 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 133 
 
 which a rivulet trickled along its course, almost hid from view 
 by the dense foliage and long grasses that overhung it. 
 
 " What a delightful place to live in!" said Charley. " Do 
 you ever think of building a hut in such a spot as this, Jacques 
 and settling down altogether?" * 
 
 " Why, no/' replied Jacques, in a pensive tone, as if the 
 question had aroused some sorrowful recollections; " I can't 
 say that I'd like to settle here now. There was a time when I 
 thought nothin' could be better than to squat in the woods 
 
 with one or two jolly comrades, and " Jacques sighed; 
 
 " but times is changed now, master, and so is my mind. My 
 chums are most of them dead or gone, one way or other. 
 No; 1 shouldn't care to squat alone. 
 
 " No, man was not made to live alone," continued Jacques 
 pursuing the subject; " even the Injins draw together I 
 never knew but one as didn't like his fellows, and he's gone 
 now, poor fellow. He cut his foot with an axe one day 
 while fellin' a tree. It was a bad cut; and havin' nobody to 
 look after him, he half-bled and half-starved to death." 
 
 " By the way, Jacques," said Charley, stepping ever the 
 clear brook, and following the track which led up the opposite 
 bank, " what did you say to these redskins? You made them 
 a most eloquent speech, apparently." 
 
 " Why, as to that, I can't boast much of its eloquence, but 
 I think It was clear enough. I told them that they were a 
 great nation; for, you see, Mr. Charles, the red men are just 
 hke the white in their fondness for butter; so I gave them 
 some to begin wi though, for the matter o' that, I'm not 
 overly fond o' givin' butter to any man, red or white. But I 
 holds that it's as well always to fall in with the ways and 
 customs o' the people a man happens to be among, so long as 
 them ways and customs a'n't contrary to what's right It ' 
 makes them feel more kindly to you, an' don't raise any on- 
 necessary ill-will. However, the Knisteneux are a brave 
 race;^ and, when I told them that the hearts of their enemies 
 treiuuled when they heard of them, I told nothing but the 
 truth, for the Chipewyans are a miserable set. 
 " Mr. Charles," said Jacques, after a pause, " I once tra- 
 
 / 
 
 
 
134 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 veiled across the plains to the head waters of the Missouri with 
 a party of six trappers, One night we came to a part of the 
 plains which v/as very much broken up with wood here and 
 there, and bein' a good place for water we camped. While 
 the other lads were gettin* ready the supper, I started off to 
 look for a deer, as we had been unlucky that day — we had shot 
 nothin'. Well, about three miles from the camp, I came upon 
 a band o' somewhere about thirty Sieux (ill-looking, sneaking 
 dogs they are, too!) and before I could whistle, they rushed 
 upon nio, took away my rifle and hunting knife, and were 
 dancing round me like so many devils. At last, a big black- 
 lookin' thief stepped forward, and said in the Cree language — 
 * White men seldom travel through this country alone; where 
 are your comrades?* Now, thought I, here's a nice fix! If 
 I pretend not to understand, they'll send out parties in all 
 directions, and as sure as fate they'll find my companions in 
 half an hour, and butcher them in cold blood, for, you see, 
 we did not expect to find Sieux, or, indeed, any Injins in 
 them parts; so I made believe to be very narvous, and tried 
 to tremble all over and look pale. Did you ever try to look 
 pale and frightened, Mr. Charles?" 
 
 " I can't say that I ever did," said Charley, laughing. 
 
 " You can't think how troublesome it is," continued Jacques, 
 with a look of earnest simplicity; " I shook and trembled 
 pretty well, but the more I tried to grow pale, the more I grew 
 red in the face, and when I thought of the six broad-shouldered, 
 raw-boned lads in the camp, and how easy they would have 
 made these jumping viUains fly like chaff, if they only knew 
 the fix 1 was in, I gave a frown that had well-nigh showed I 
 was shamming. Hows'ever, what with shakin* a little more, 
 and givin' one or two mosi awful groans, I managed to deceive 
 them. Then I said I was hunter to a party of white men that 
 were travellin' from Red River to St. Louis, with all their 
 goods, and wives, and children, and that they were away in 
 the plains about a league off. 
 
 " The big chap looked very hard into my face when I said 
 this, to see if I was telling the truth; and I tried to make my 
 teeth chatter, but it wouldn't do, so I took to groanin' very bad 
 
>uri with 
 rt of the 
 lere and 
 , While 
 id off to 
 had shot 
 me upon 
 sneaking 
 Y rushed 
 nd were 
 ig black- 
 iguage— 
 ;; where 
 ;fix! If 
 les in all 
 mions in 
 you see, 
 Injins in 
 md tried 
 y to look 
 
 [ Jacques, 
 trembled 
 re I grew 
 ouldered, 
 mid have 
 nly knew 
 showed I 
 tie more, 
 :o deceive 
 men that 
 all their 
 ; away in 
 
 sen I said 
 make my 
 ' very bad 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,35 
 
 instead. But them Sieux are such awful liars nat'rally that 
 they couldn't understand the signs of truth, even if they saw 
 them. Whitefaced coward,' says he to me, ' tell me in what 
 direction your people are.' At this I made believe not to 
 understand; but the big chap flourished his knife before my 
 face, called me a dog, and told me to point out the direction. 
 I looked as simple as I could, and said I would rather not 
 At this they laughed loudly, and then gave a yell, and said if I 
 didnt show them the direction they would roast me alive, 
 bo I pomted towards a part of the plams pretty wide o' the 
 spot where our camp was. ' Now, lead us to them,' said the 
 big chap, givin me a shove with the butt of his gun; * an' if 
 
 you have told lies ' he gave the handle of his scalpin' knife 
 
 a slap, as much as to say he'd tickle up my liver with it Well 
 away we went in silence, me thinkin' all the time how I wa^ 
 to get out o' the scrape. I led them pretty close past our 
 camp, hopin that the lads would hear us. I didn't dare to 
 yell out, as that would have showed them there was somebody 
 within hearin , and they would have made short work of me 
 Just as we came near the place where my companions lay, a 
 prairie wolf sprang out from under a bush where it had been 
 sleepm , so I gave a loud hurrah, and shied my cap at it 
 Giving a loud growl, the big Injin hit me over the head with 
 his fist, and told me to keep silence. In a few minutes I heard 
 the low distant howl of a wolf. I recognized the voice of 
 one of my comrades, and knew that they had seen us, and 
 would be on our track soon. Watchin' my opportunity, and 
 walkm for a good bit as if I was awful tired-all but done un- 
 to throw them off their guard, I suddenly tripped up the big 
 chap as he was stepping over a small brook, and dived in 
 among the bushes. In a moment a dozen bullets tore up the 
 bark on the trees about me, and an arrow passed through my 
 hair. The clump of wood into which I had dived was about 
 halt a mile long; and as I could run well (I've found in my 
 experience that white men are more than a match for redskins 
 
 at their nivn ■urort\ T vi'']" '<1t>^~c'- ^ -/• l ! ■ - 
 
 r '' ~ v> - vvaa aimuSi uuL ui range by the time 1 was 
 
 forced to qmt the cover and take to the plain. When the 
 blackguards got out of the cover, too. and saw me cuttin' 
 
 m 
 
 ^4\ 
 
 :- ■ » !l 
 
 y -i, 
 
136 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 ahead like a deer, they gave a yell of disappointment, and sent 
 another shower of arrows and bullets after me, some of which 
 came nearer than was pleasant. I then headed for our camp 
 with the whole pack screechin' at my heels. ' Yell away, you 
 stupid sinners,' thought I; ' some of you shall pay for your 
 music' At that moment an arrow grazed my shoulder; and, 
 looking over it, I saw that the black fellow I had pitched into 
 the water was far ahead of the rest, strainin' after me like mad, 
 and every now and then stopping to try an arrow on me; so 
 I kept a look out, and when I saw him stop to draw, I stopped 
 too, and dodged, so the arrows passed me, and then we took 
 to our heels again. In this way I ran for dear life, till I came 
 up to the cover. As I came close up I saw our six fellows 
 crouchin' in the bushes, and one o' them takin' aim almost 
 straight for my face. * Your day's come at last,* thought I, 
 looking over my shoulder at the big Injin, who was drawing 
 his bow again. Just then there was a sharp crack heard — a 
 bullet whistled past my ear, and the big fellow fell like a stone, 
 while my comrade stood coolly up to reload his rifle. The 
 Injins, on seein' this, pulled up in a moment; and our lads 
 stepping forward, delivered a volley that made three more o' 
 them bite the dust. There would have been six in that fix, 
 but, somehow or other, three of us pitched upon the same man, 
 who was afterwards found with a bullet in each eye and one 
 through his heart. They didn't wait for more, but turned 
 about and bolted like the wind. 
 
 " I s'pose," went on the hunter, after a long pause during 
 which he had apparently come to some conclusion of profound 
 depth and sagacity, " I s'pose that it's all human natur'; that 
 some men takes to preachin' as Injins take to huntin', and that 
 to understand sich things requires them to begin young, and 
 risk their lives in it, as I would in followin' up a grizzly 
 she-bear with cubs." 
 
 " Yonder is an illustration of one part of your remark. 
 They begin young enough, anyhow," said Charley, pointing 
 as he spoke to an opening in the bushes, where a parti- 
 cularly small Indian boy stood in the act of discharging 
 an arrow. 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 »37 
 
 The two men halted to watcl^ '>is movements. According 
 to a common custom among juvenile Indians during the warm 
 months )f the year, he was dressed with a mere rag tied round 
 his waist. His body was very brown, extremely round, fat, 
 and wonderfully diminutive, while his little legs and arms 
 were disproportionately small. He was so young as to be 
 barely able to walk, and yet there he stood, his black e>es 
 glittering with excitement, his tiny bow bent to its utmost, 
 and a blunt-headed arrow about to be discharged at a squirrel, 
 whose flight had been suddenly arrested by the unexpected 
 apparition of Charley and Jacques. As he stood there for a 
 single inst?.nt, perfectly motionless, he might have been mis- 
 taken for a grotesque statue of an Indian cupid. Taking ad- 
 vantage of the squirrel's pause, the child let fly the arrow, 
 hit it exactly on the point of the nose, and turned it over, 
 dead. 
 
 "Cleverly done, my lad; you':e a chip of the old block, 
 I see," said Jacques, patting the child's head as he passed, 
 and retraced his steps, with Charley, to the Indian camp. 
 
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 
 The Feast; Charley makes his first speech in public; meets 
 with an old friend; «n evening in the grass 
 
 Savages, not less than civilized men, are fond of a good 
 dinner. In sajang this, we do not expect our reader to be 
 overwhelmed with astonishment. He might have guessed as 
 much; but when we state that savages, upon particular occa- 
 sions, eat six dinners in one, and make it a point of honour to 
 do so, we apprehend that we have thrown a slightly new light 
 on an old subject. Doubtless, there are men in civiUzed 
 society who would do likewise if they could; but they cannot, 
 fortunately, as great gastronomic powers are dependent on 
 severe, neaitmul, and prolonged physical exertion. Therefore 
 it is that in England we find men capable only of eating about 
 two dinners at once, and suffering a good deal for it afcerwards, 
 
 !' !, 
 
138 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 
 while in the backwoods we see men consume a week's dinners 
 in one, without any evil consequences. 
 
 The feast which was given by the Knisteneux in honour 
 of the visit of our two friends was provided on a more moderate 
 scale than usual, in order to acco:nmodate the capacities of the 
 •' white men "; three days' allowance being cooked for each 
 man. (Women are never admitted to the public feasts.) 
 On the day preceding the ceremony, Charley and Jacques had 
 received cards of invitation from the principal chief, in the 
 shape of two quills; similar invites being issued at the same 
 time to all the braves. Jacques, being accustomed to the 
 doings of Indians, and aware of the fact that whatever was 
 provided for each man must be eaten before he quitted the 
 scene of operations, advised Charley to eat no breakfast, and 
 to take a good walk as a preparative. Charley had strong faith, 
 however, in his digestive powers, and felt much inclined, when 
 morning came, to satisfy the cravings of his appetite as usual; 
 but Jacques drew such a graphic picture of the work that lay 
 before him, that he forbore to urge the matter, and went off 
 to walk with a light step, and an uncomfortable feeling of 
 vacuity about the region of the stomach. 
 
 About noon, the chiefs and braves assembled in an open 
 enclosure situated in an exposed place on the banks of the 
 river, where the proceedings were watched by the women, 
 children, and dogs. The oldest chief set himself down on 
 the turf at one end of the enclosure, with Jacques Caradoc on 
 his right hand, and next to him Charley Kennedy, who had 
 ornamented himself with a blue stripe painted down the 
 middle of his nose, and a red bar across his chin. Charley's 
 propensity for fun had led him thus to decorate his face, in 
 spite of his companion's remonstrances, urging, by way of 
 excuse, that worthy's former argument, " that it was well to 
 fall in with the ways o' the people a man happened to be 
 among, so long as these ways and customs were not con- 
 trary to what was right". Now, Charley was sure there 
 was nothing wrong in his painting his nose skyblue, if he 
 thought fit. 
 
 Jacques thought it was absurd, and entertained the opinion 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 139 
 
 that it would be more dignified to leave his face " its nat'ral 
 colour ". 
 
 Charley didn't agree with him at all. Ke thought it would 
 be paying the Indians a high compliment to follow their 
 customs as far as possible, and said, that, after all, his blue 
 nose vyould not be very conspicuous, as he (Jacques) had told 
 him that he would " look blue " at any rate, when he saw the 
 quantity of deer's meat he should have to devour. 
 
 Jacques laughed at this, but suggested that the bar across 
 his chin was red. Whereupon Charley said that he could 
 easily neutralize that by putting a green star under each eye. 
 And then uttered a fervent wish that his friend Harry Somer- 
 ville could only see him in that guise. Finding him incor- 
 rigible, Jacques, who, notwithstanding his remonstrances, 
 was more than half-imbued with Charley's spirit, gave in, and 
 accoinpanied him to the feast, himself decorated with the 
 additional ornament of a red night-cap, to whose crown was 
 attached a tuft of white feathers. 
 
 A fire bu;-ned in the centre of the enclosure, round which 
 the Indians seated themselves according to seniority, and 
 with deep solemnity; for it is a trait in the Indian's char- 
 acter that all his ceremonies are performed with extreme 
 gravity. Each man brought a dish or platter, and a wooden 
 spoon. 
 
 The old chief whose hair was very gray, and whose face was 
 covered with old wounds and scars, received either in war or in 
 hunting, having seated himself, allowed a few minutes to elapse 
 in silence, during which the company sat motionless; gazing 
 at their plates as if they half expected them to become con- 
 verted into beefsteaks. While thej were seated thus, another 
 party of Indians, who had been absent on a hunting expedi- 
 tion, strode rapidly but noiselessly into the enclosure, and 
 seated themselves in the circle. One of these passed close to 
 Charley and in doing so stooped, took his hand, and pressed it. 
 Charley looked up in surprise, and beheld the face of his 
 
 OIn frif^nH Rp(if*»ath'»»" d"''»«"'» is* ^Jr^ ,-.ii.\. __ • • 
 
 --^ ! — tsiv.. , ^"t'jjig rfi litiii \-f 11.11 All cApicssion in 
 
 which were mingled affection, surprise, and amusement at 
 the peculiar alteration in his visage. 
 
 i 
 
 m 
 
 i>Bi 
 
y 
 
 140 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 " Redfeatherl" exclaimed Charley, in delight, half rising; 
 but the Indian pressed him down. 
 
 " You must not rise," he whispered, and, giving his hand 
 another squeeze, passed round the circle, and took his place 
 directly opposite. 
 
 Having continued motionless for five minutes with be- 
 coming gravity, the company began operations by proceed- 
 ing to smoke out of the sacred stem, a ceremony which pre- 
 cedes all occasions of importance; and is conducted as follows: 
 the sacred stem is placed on two forked sticks to prevent its 
 touching the ground, as that would be considered a great 
 evil. A stone pipe is then Tilled with tobacco, by an attendant 
 appointed specially to that office, and affixed to the stem, 
 which is presented to the principal chief. That individual, 
 with a gravity and hauteur that is unsurpassed in the annals 
 of pomposity, receives the pipe in both hands, blows a puff 
 to the east (probably in consequence of its being the quarter 
 whence the sun rises) and thereafter pays a similar mark of 
 attention to the other three points. He then raises the pipe 
 above his head, points and balances it in various directions (for 
 what reason and with what end in view is best known to him- 
 self), and replaces it again on the forks. The company mean- 
 while observe his proceedings with sedate interest, evidently 
 imbued with the idea that they are deriving from the ceremony 
 a vast amount of edification; an idea which is helped out, 
 doubtless, by the appearance of the women and children, 
 who surround the enclosure, and gaze at the proceedings with 
 looks of awe-struck seriousness quite solemnizing to behold. 
 The chief then makes a speech relative to the circumstance 
 which has called them together; and whicfi is always more 
 or less interlarded with boastful reference o his own deeds, 
 past, present, and prospective, eulogistic remarks on those 
 of his forefathers, and a general condemnation of all other 
 Indian tribes whatever. These speeches are usually delivered 
 with great animation, and contain much poetic allusion to 
 the objects of nature that s :rround the homes of the savaee. 
 iiic apcccn Dciug nmsnea, Uie ciuei sits down, amid a uni- 
 versal •• Ho!" uttered by the company with an emphatic 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 141 
 
 prolongation of the last letter— this syllable being the Indian 
 substitute, we presume, for " rapturous applause ". 
 
 The chief who officiated on the present occasion, having 
 accomplished the opening ceremonies thus far, sat down, 
 while the pipe-bearer presented the sacred stem to the mem- 
 bers of the company in succession, each of whom drew a few 
 whiffs and mumbled a few words. 
 
 •' Do as you see the redskins do, Mr. Charles," whispered 
 Jacques, while the pipe was going round. 
 
 " That's impossible," replied Charley, in a tone that could 
 not be neard except by his friend. " I couldn't make a face 
 of hideous solemnity like that black thief opposite, if I was 
 to try ever so hard." 
 
 " Don't let them think you're laughing at them," returned 
 the hunter; " they would be ill-pleased if they thought so." 
 " I'll try," said Charley, " but it is hard work, Jacques, 
 to keep from laughing; I feel like a high pressure steam- 
 engine already. There's a woman standing out there with 
 a little brown baby on her back; she has quite fascinated 
 me; I can't keep my eyes off her, and if she goes on contort- 
 ing her visage much longer, I feel that I shall give wav " 
 "Hush!" . ^ ^ 
 
 At this moment the pipe w^«. presented to Charley, who 
 put it to his lips, drew ,c whitfs, and returned it with a 
 bland smile to the bearer. 
 
 The smile was a very sweet one, for that was a peculiar 
 trait in the native urbanity of Charley's disposition, and it 
 would have gone f;ir in civilized society to prepossess strangers 
 in his favour; bu. it lowered him considerablv in the estima- 
 tion of his red friends, who entertained a wholesome feeling 
 of contempt for any appearance of levity on high occasions. 
 But Charley's face was of that agreeable stamp, that, though 
 gentle and bland when lighted up with a smile, is particu- 
 larly masculine and manly in expression when in repose, 
 and the frown that knit his brows when he observea the bad 
 
 in their 
 
 9 V'lrtotaiC^a 
 
 u:. 
 
 impression he had siven almost 
 
 esteem. But his popularity became great, and the admiration 
 of his swarthy friends greater, when he rose and made an 
 
 :,;i :! 
 
 Ml 
 
 ■i r 
 
142 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 eloquent speech in English, which Jacques translated into 
 the Indian language. 
 
 He told them, in reply to the chief's oration (wherein 
 that warrior had complimented his pale-face brothers on 
 their numerous good qualities) that he was delighted and 
 proud to meet with his Indian friends; that the object of 
 his mission was to acquaint them with the fact that a new 
 trading fort was established not far off, by himself and his 
 comrades, for their special benefit and behoof; that the 
 stores were full of goods which he hoped they would soon 
 obtain possession of, in exchange for furs; that he had 
 travelled a great distance on purpose to see their land and 
 ascertain its capabilities in the way of fur-bearing animals 
 and game; that he had not been disappointed in his expecta- 
 tions, as he had found the animals to be as numerous as bees, 
 the fish plentiful in the rivers and lakes, and the country at 
 large a perfect paradise. He proceeded to tell them further 
 that he expected they would justify the report he had heard 
 of them, that they were a brave nation and good hunters, by 
 bringing in large quantities of furs. 
 
 Being strongly urged by Jacques to compliment them on 
 their various good qualities, Charley launched out into an 
 extravagantly poetic vein, said that he had heard (but he 
 hoped to have many opportunities of seeing it proved) that 
 there was no nation under the sun equal to them in bravery, 
 activity, and perseverance; that he had heard of men in olden 
 times who made it their profession to fight with wild bulls 
 for the amusement of their friends, hut he had no doubt 
 whatever their courage would be made conspicuous in the 
 way of fighting wild bears and buffaloes, not for the amuse- 
 ment, but the benefit of their wives and children (he might 
 have added of the Hudson's Bay Company, but he didn't, 
 supposing that that was self-evident, probably.) He com- 
 plimented them on the way in which they had conducted 
 themselves in war in times past, comparing their stealthy 
 atinroach to enemies' cam^^Si to the insidious snake that 
 gUdes among the bushes and darts unexpectedly on its prey; 
 said that their eyes were sharp at following the war-trail through 
 
ated into 
 
 (wherein 
 others on 
 hted and 
 object of 
 lat a new 
 f and his 
 
 that the 
 )uld soon 
 t he had 
 land and 
 ; animals 
 i expecta- 
 s as bees, 
 ountry at 
 n further 
 lad heard 
 inters, by 
 
 them on 
 t into an 
 
 (but he 
 ved) that 
 
 bravery, 
 ; in olden 
 vild bulls 
 lo doubt 
 IS in the 
 e amuse- 
 he might 
 le didn't. 
 He com- 
 onducted 
 
 stealthy 
 take that 
 
 its prey; 
 1 through 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 143 
 
 the forest or over ihe dry sward of the prairie; their aim with 
 gun or bow true and sure as the flight of the goose when it 
 leaves the lands of the sun, and points its beak to the icy 
 regions of the north; their war-whoops loud as the thunders 
 of the cataract; and their sudden onset like the lightning 
 flash that darts from the sky and scatters the stout oak in 
 splinters on the plain. 
 
 At this point Jacques expressed his satisfaction at the style 
 in which his young friend was progressing. 
 
 " That's your sort, Mr. Charles. Don't spare the butter. 
 Lay it on thick. You've not said too much yet, for they 
 are a brave race, that's a fact, as I've good reason to 
 know." 
 
 Jacques, however, did not feel quite so well satisfied when 
 Charley went on to tell them that, although bravery in war 
 was an admirable thing, war itself was a thing not at all to be 
 desired, and should only be undertaken in case of necessity. 
 He specially pointed out that there was not much glory to 
 be earned in fighting against the Chipewyans, who, every- 
 body knew, were a poor, timid set of people, whom they 
 ought rather to pity than to destroy; and recommended 
 them to devote themselves more to the chase than they had 
 done in times past, and less to the prosecution of war in time 
 to come. 
 
 All this, and a great deal more, did Charley say, in a man- 
 ner, and with a rapidity of utterance, that surprised himself, 
 when he considered the fact that he had never adventured' 
 into the field of public speaking before. All this, and a great 
 deal more— a very great deal more— did Jacques Caradoc 
 interpret to the admiring Indians, who listened with the 
 utmost gravity and profound attention, greeting the close 
 with a very emphatic " Ho!" 
 
 Jacques' translation was by no means perfect. Many of 
 the flights into which Charley ventured, especially in regard 
 to the manners and customs of the savages of ancient Greece 
 and Rome, were quite incomprehensible to the worthy back- 
 woodsman—but he invariably proceeded, when Charley halted, 
 givmg a flight of his own when at a loss, varying and modify- 
 
 
 r»i 
 
 
 
1.; s 
 
 144 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 ing when he thought it advisable, and altering, adding or cut- 
 ting off as he pleased. 
 
 Several other chiefs addressed the assembly, and then 
 dinner, if we may so call it, was served. In Charley's case, 
 it was breakfast. To the Indians, it was breakfast, dinner, 
 and supper in one. It consisted of a large platter of dried 
 meat, reindeer tongues (considered a great delicacy), and 
 marrow bones. 
 
 Notwithstanding the graphic power with which Jacques 
 had prepared his young companion for this meal, Charley's 
 heart sank when he beheld the mountain of boiled meat that 
 was placed before him. He was ravenously hungry, it is true, 
 but it was patent to his perception at a glance, that no powers 
 of gormandizing of which he was capable could enable him 
 to consume the mass in the course of one day. 
 
 Jacques observed his consternation, and was not a little 
 entertained by it, although his face wore an expression of 
 profound gravity, while he proceeded to attack his own dish, 
 which was equal to that of his friend. 
 
 Before commencing, a small portion of meat was thrown 
 into the fire, as a sacrifice to the Great Master of Life. 
 
 " How they do eat, to be sure!" whispered Charley to 
 Jacques, after he had glanced in wonder at the circle of men 
 who were devouring their food with the most extraordinary 
 rapidity. 
 
 " Why, you must know," replied Jacques, " that it's con- 
 sidered a point of honour to get it over soon, and the man 
 that is done first gets most credit. But it's hard work " (he 
 sighed and paused a little to breathe), " and I've not got 
 half through yet." 
 
 " It's quite plain that I must lose credit with them, then, if 
 it depends on my eating that. Tell me, Jacques, is there no 
 way of escape? Must I sit here till it is all consumed?" 
 
 *' No doubt of it. Every bit that has been cooked must be 
 crammed down our throats somehow or other." 
 
 Charley heaved a deep sigh, and made another desperate 
 attack on a large steak, while the Indians around him made 
 considerable progress in reducing their respective mountains. 
 
ig or cut- 
 
 md then 
 ey's case, 
 :, dinner, 
 of dried 
 cy), and 
 
 Jacques 
 Charley's 
 neat that 
 it is true, 
 o powers 
 able him 
 
 t a little 
 ession of 
 »wn dish, 
 
 3 thrown 
 
 Fe. 
 
 liarley to 
 e of men 
 lordinary 
 
 it's con- 
 
 the man 
 
 3rk " (he 
 
 not got 
 
 ., then, if 
 there no 
 i?" 
 must be 
 
 Jesnerate 
 im made 
 untains. 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,45 
 
 Several times Charley and Redfeather exchanged glances 
 as they paused in their labours. 
 ^^ " I say, Jacques," said Charley, pulling up once more. 
 
 how do you get on? Pretty weU stuffed by this time. I 
 should imagme?" 
 
 " Oh, no! I've a good deal o' room yet." 
 
 '• I give in. Credit or disgrace, it's all one. I'll not make 
 a pig of myself for any redskin in the land." 
 
 Jacques smiled. 
 
 "See," continued Charley, " there', a fellow opposite who 
 h^ devoured as much as would have served me for three days 
 I don't know whether it's imagination or not, but I do verily 
 beheve that he's blacker in the face than when he sat down!- 
 
 " Very Ukely," replied Jacques, wiping his lips; " now I've 
 done." 
 
 *' Done? you have left at least a third of your supply." 
 " True, and " may as well tell you for your comfort, that 
 there is o > y of escape open to you. It is a custom among 
 these fe . v r ,hat when any one cannot gulp his share o' the 
 prog, he may get help from any of his friends who can cram 
 It down their throats; and as there are always such feUows 
 among these Injins, they seldom have any difficulty." 
 
 " A most convenient practice," replied Charley; " I'll adopt 
 It at once." *^ 
 
 Charley turned to his next neighbour with the intent to 
 beg of him to eat his remnant of the feast. 
 
 " Bless my heart, Jaccjues, I've no chance with the fellow 
 on my left hand; he's stuffed quite full already, and is not 
 quite done with his own share." 
 
 " Never fear," replied his friend, looking at the individual 
 in question, who was languidly lifting a marrow bone to his 
 lips, he 11 do it easy, I knows the gauge o' them chaps, and. 
 tor all his sleepy look just now, he's game for a lot more " 
 
 Impossible," replied Charley, looking in despair at his 
 unfinished viands and then at the Indian. A glance round 
 the circle seemed further to convince him that if he H.d n^t 
 
 "^« v^ljf^' ^^^"^^ "^^""^ '^''"® °^ ^^« party hkely to do so. 
 You 11 have to give him a good lump o* tobacco to do it. 
 
 C D 393 ) « A 
 
 •• 
 
 
 
 A, 
 
 1x1 
 
 1 
 
 rvr 
 
 r 
 
 1 
 
1 1! i 
 
 Ml 
 
 146 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 tliough; he won't undertake so much for a trifle, I can tell 
 you." Jacqu6s chuckled as he said this, and handed his own 
 portion over to another Indian, who readily undertook to 
 finish it f r him. 
 
 " He'll burst; I feel certain of that," said Charley, with a 
 deep sigh, as he surveyed his friend on the left. 
 
 At last he took courage to propose the thing to him, and, 
 just as the man finished the last morsel of his own repast, 
 Charley placed his own plate before him, with a look that 
 seemed to say, " Eat it, my friend, if you can." 
 
 The Indian, much to his surprise, immediately commenced 
 to it, and in icss than half an hour the whole was disposed of. 
 
 During this scene of gluttony, one of the chiefs entertained 
 the assembly with a wild and most unmusical chaunt* to which 
 he beat time on a sort of tambourine, while the women outside 
 of the enclosure beat a similar accompaniment. 
 
 " I say, master," whispered Jacques, " it seems to my 
 observation that the fellow you called Redfeather eats less 
 than any Injin I ever saw. He has got a comrade to eat more 
 than half of his share; now that's strange." 
 
 " It won't appear strange, Jacques, when I tell you that 
 Redfeather has lived much more among white men than 
 Indians during the last ten years, and although voyageurs eat 
 an enormous quantity of food, they don't make it a point of 
 honour, as these fellows seem to do, to eat much more than 
 enough. Besides, Redfeather is a very different man from 
 those around him; he has been partially educated by the 
 missionaries on Playgreen Lake, and I think has a strong 
 leaning towards them." 
 
 While they were thus conversing in whispers, Redfeather 
 rose, and, holding forth his hand, delivered himself of the 
 following oration: 
 
 " The time has come for Redfeather to speak. He has kept 
 silence for many moons now; but his heart has been full of 
 w^ords. It is too full. He must speak now. Redfeather has 
 fought with his tribe and has been accounted a brave, and 
 one who loves his people. That is true. He loves them 
 even more than they can understand His friends know that 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 147 
 
 he has never feared to face danger or death in their defence, 
 and that, if it were necessary, he would do so still. But 
 Redfeather is going to leave his people now. His heart is 
 heavy at the thought. Perhaps many moons will come and 
 go, many snows may fall and melt away before he sees his 
 people again; and it is this that makes him full of sorrow, it is 
 this that makes his head to droop like the branches of the 
 weeping willow." 
 
 Redfeather paused at this point, but not a sound escaped 
 from the listening circle; the Indians were evidently taken 
 by surprise at this abrupt announcement. He proceeded: 
 
 " When Redfeather travelled not long since with the white 
 men, he met with a pale-face, who came from the other side 
 of the Great Salt Lake towards the rising sun. This man 
 was called by some of the people a missionary. He spoke 
 wonderful words in the ears of Redfeather. He told him of 
 things about the Great Spirit which he did not know before 
 and he asked Redfeather to go and help him to speak to the 
 Indians about these strange things. Redfeather would not 
 go. He loved his people too much, and he thought that the 
 words of the mis-^ionary seemed foolishness. But he has 
 thought much about it since. He does not understand the 
 strange things that were told to him, and he has tried to forget 
 them but he cannot. He can get no rest. He hears strange 
 sounds in the breeze that shakes the pine. He thinks that 
 there are voices in the waterfall; the rivers seem to speak. 
 Redfeather's spirit is vexed. The Great Spirit, perhaps is 
 talking to him. He has resolved to go to the dwelling of the 
 missionary and stay with him." 
 
 The Indian paused again, but still no sound escaped from 
 his comrades. Dropping his voice to a soft plaintive tone, he 
 continued: 
 
 " But Redfeather loves his kindred. He desires very much 
 that they should hear the things that the missionary said. 
 He spoke of the happy hunting grounds to which the spirits 
 
 .._,,. g^.-I^v, oTixi oaiu. iiiui vvc requirea a guide to 
 
 lead us there; that there was but one guide, whose name, he 
 said, was Jesus. Redfeather would stay and hunt with his 
 
 
K!i 
 
 m 
 
 m 
 
 '9™ 
 
 1.1 
 
 148 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 people, but his spirit is troubled; he cannot rest; he mu3t go!" 
 
 Redfeather sat down, and a long silence ensued. His 
 words had evidently taken the whole party by surprise, although 
 not a countenance there showed the smallest symptom of 
 astonishment, except that of Charley Kennedy, whose inter- 
 course with Indians had not yet been so great as to have taught 
 him to conceal his feelings. 
 
 At length the old chief rose, and, after complimenting Red- 
 feather on his bravery in general, and admitting that he had 
 shown much love to his people on all occasions, went into the 
 subject of his quitting them, at some length. He reminded 
 him that there were evil spirits as well as good; that it was not 
 for him to say which kind had been troubling him, but that 
 he ought to consider well before he went to live altogether with 
 pale-faces. Several other speeches were made, some to the 
 same effect, and others applauding his resolve. These latter 
 had, perhaps, some idea that his bringing the pale-faced 
 missionary among them would gratify their taste for the 
 marvellous — a taste that is pretty strong in all uneducated 
 minds. 
 
 One man, however, was particularly urgent in endeavouring 
 to dissuade him from his purpose. He was a tall, low-browed 
 man; muscular and well built, but possessed of a most villainous 
 expression of countenance. From a remark that fell from one 
 of the company, Charley discovered that his name was Mis- 
 conna, and so learned, to his surprise, that he was the very 
 Indian mentioned by Redfeather as the man who had been his 
 rival for the hand of Wabisca, and who had so cruelly killed 
 the wife of the poor trapper the night on which the Chipewyan 
 camp was attacked, and the people slaughtered. 
 
 What reason Misconna had for objecting so strongly to 
 Redfeather's leaving the community no one could tell, although 
 some of those who knew his unforgiving nature suspected that 
 he still entertained tb'; hope of being able, some day or other, 
 to wreak his vengeance on his old rival. But, whatever was 
 his object, he failed in moving Redfeather's resolution; and 
 jt was at last admitted by the whole party that Redfeather was 
 a " wise chief "; that he knew best what ought to be done 
 
I mu3t go!" 
 sued. His 
 e, although 
 TOptom of 
 hose inter- 
 lave taught 
 
 nting Red- 
 hat he had 
 nt into the 
 : reminded 
 t it vras not 
 
 I, but that 
 aether with 
 )me to the 
 'hcse latter 
 
 pale-faced 
 te for the 
 uneducated 
 
 deavouring 
 ow-browed 
 it villainous 
 
 II from one 
 5 was Mis- 
 as the very 
 ad been his 
 uelly killed 
 Chipewyan 
 
 strongly to 
 
 II, although 
 ipected that 
 ly or other, 
 latever was 
 [ution; and 
 [feather was 
 to be done 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,49 
 
 under the circumstances, and it was hoped that his promised 
 visit, m company with the missionary, would not be delayed 
 many moons. 
 
 That night, in the deep shadow of the trees, by the brook 
 
 that murmured near the Indian camp, while the stars twinkled 
 
 through the branches overhead, Charley introduced Redfeather 
 
 to his friend Jacques Caradoc, and a friendship was struck 
 
 up between the bold hunter and the red-man, that grew and 
 
 strengthened as each successive day made each acquainted with 
 
 the other's good qualfties. In the same place, and with the same 
 
 stars loohng down upon them, it was agreed that Redfeather 
 
 should accompany his new friends, taking his wife along with 
 
 him m another canoe, as far as their several routes led them 
 
 m the same direction, which was about four or five days' 
 
 journey; and that while the one party diverged towards the 
 
 fort at Stoney Creek, the other should pursue its course to the 
 
 missionary station on the shores of Lake Winnipeg. 
 
 But there was a snake in the grass there that they little 
 suspected. Misconna had crept through the bushes after 
 them, with a degree cf caution that might have baffled their 
 vigilance even had they suspected treason in a friendly camp. 
 He lay h;rtening intently to all their plans, and when they 
 returned to their camp, he rose out from among the bushes, 
 ike a dark spirit of evil, clutched the handle of his scalping- 
 kmfe and gave utterance to a malicious growl; then, walking ' 
 hastily after them, his dusky figure was soon concealed among 
 LUC irccs • 
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 
 The return; narrow escape; a murderous attempt, which 
 fails; and a discovery 
 
 Morning was stiU very young-about an hour old. Birds 
 and beasts hurried to and fm wiVk oil *i,- u„^4.u . 
 
 betokened search for breakfast. Fish leaped in the pools. 
 Uucks and geese sprang from their liquid beds with an 
 
 \> i 
 
 ! > •'< 
 
 
ISO 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 amazing amount of 8plutter, as if they had awakened to the 
 sudden consciousness of being late for breakfast, then alighted 
 in the water again with a squash, took to flight, unable ap- 
 parently to restrain their feelings of delight at the freshness 
 of the morning air, the brightness of the rising sun, and the 
 sweet perfume of the dewy verdure, as the mists cleared away 
 over the tree-tops and lost themselves in the blue sky. Every- 
 thing seemed instinct with life and superabundant energy. 
 
 Such was the delectable state of things the morning on which 
 two canoes darted from the camp of the Knisteneux, amid 
 many expressions of good-will. One canoe contained our 
 two friends, Charley and Jacques; the other Redfeather and 
 his wife Wabisca. 
 
 A few strokes of the paddle shot them out into the stream, 
 which carried them rapidly away from the scene of their late 
 festivities. In five minutes they swept round a point, which 
 shut them out from view, and they were swiftly descending 
 those rapid rivers that had cost Charley and Jacques so much 
 labour to ascend. 
 
 " Look out for rocks ahead, Mr. Charles," cried Jacques, 
 as he steered the light bark into the middle of a rapid, which 
 they had avoided when ascending, by making a portage. 
 " Keep well to the left o' yon swirl. Parbleu, if we touch the 
 rock there, it'll be all over with us." 
 
 " All right," was Charley's laconic reply. And so it proved, 
 for their canoe, after getting fairly into the run of the rapid, 
 was evidently under the complete command of its expert 
 crew, and darted forward amid the foaming waters, like a 
 thing instinct with life. Now it careered and plunged over 
 the waves, where the rough bed of the stream made them more 
 than usually turbulent. Anon it flew with increased rapidity 
 through a narrow gap where the compressed water was smooth 
 and black, but deep and powerful, rendering great care 
 necessary to prevent the canoe's frail sides from being dashed 
 on the rocks. Then it met a curling wave, into which ft 
 nhinaed like an imnehioiia charaer. and was cherked for a 
 moment by its own violence. Presently an eddy threw the 
 canoe a little out of its course, disconcerting Charley's intention 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 151 
 
 of shaving a rock which lay in their track, so that he sliehtlv 
 grazed it in passing. ^ 
 
 " Ah, Mr. Charles," said Jacques, shaking his head, " that 
 was not well done; an inch more would have sent us down the 
 rapids like drowned cats." 
 
 " True." replied Charley, somewhat crestfallen, " but you 
 see the other inch was not lost, so we're not much the worse 
 for It. 
 
 " Well, after all, it was a ticklish bit, and I should have 
 guessed that your experience was not up to it quite. I've 
 seen many a man in my day who wouldn't ha* done it half so 
 8hck, an yet ha' thought no small beer of himself; so you 
 neednt be ashamed, Mr. Charles. But Wabisca beats you. 
 for aU that, continued the hunter, glancing hastily over his 
 shoulder at Redfeather, who followed closely in their wake 
 he and his modest-looking x ife guiding their little craft through 
 the dangerous passage with the utmost sangfroid znd precision. 
 Weve about run them all now," said Jacques, as they 
 paddled oyer a sheet of still water which intervened between 
 the rapid they had just descended and another which thundered 
 about a hundred yards in advance. 
 
 " I was so engrossed with the one we have just come down." 
 said Charley, " that I quite forgot this one." 
 
 " Quite right, Mr. Charles," said Jacques, in an approving 
 tone; quite right. I holds that a man should always attend 
 to what hes at, an' to nothin' else. I've Uved long in the 
 woods now, and that fact becomes more and more sartin every 
 day. Ive know'd chaps, now, as timersome as settlement 
 girls, that were always in such a mortal funk about what was 
 to happen, or might happen, that they were never fit for any- 
 thing that dtd happen; always lookin' ahead, and never around 
 them Of course, I don't mean that a man shouldn't look 
 ahead at all, but their great mistake was, that they looked out 
 too far ahead, and always kep' their eyes nailed there, just as 
 It they had the fixin' o' everything, an' Providence had nothin' 
 to do with It at all. I mind a CanaH.'an /^» ♦*">«• — * -»--. 
 travelled in company with me once. We were goin' iust as 
 we arc now, Mr. Charles, two canoes of us; him and a comrade 
 
 > i M * 
 
 
'52 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 in one, and me and a comrade in t'other. One night we got 
 to a lot o' rapids, that came one after another for the matter 
 o' three miles or thereabouts. They were all easy ones, 
 however, except the last. It was a tickler, with a sharp turn 
 o' the land that hid it from sight till ye were right into it, with 
 a foamin* current, and a range o' ragged rocks that stood 
 straight in front o' ye, like the teeth of a cross-cut saw. It 
 was easy enough, however, if a man knew it, and was a cool 
 hand. Well, the patevre Canadian was in a terrible takin* 
 about this shoot, long afore he came to it. He had run it 
 often enough in boats where he was one of a half-dozen men, 
 and had nothin' to do but look on; but he had never himself 
 steered down it before. When he came to the top o' the 
 rapids, his mind was so filled with this shoot, that he couldn't 
 attend to nothin'; and scraped agin' a dozen rocks in almost 
 smooth water, so that when he got little more than half-way 
 down, the canoe was as rickety as if it had just come off a six 
 months' cruise. At last we came to the big rapid, and after 
 we'd run down our canoe, I climbed the bank to see them do 
 it. Down they came, the poor Canadian white as a sheet, 
 and his comrade, who was brave enough, but knew nothin' 
 about light craft, not very comfortable. At first he could see 
 nothin' for the point, but, in another moment, round they 
 went, end on, for the big rocks. The Canadian gave a great 
 yell when he saw them, and plunged at the paddle till I thought 
 he'd have capsized altogether. They ran it well enough, 
 straight between the rocks (more by good luck than good 
 guidance), and sloped down to the smooth water below, but 
 the canoe had got such a battering in the rapids above, where 
 an Injin baby could have steered it in safety, that the last 
 plunge shook it all to pieces. It opened up, and lay down flat 
 on the water, while the two men fell right through the bottom, 
 screechin' like mad, and rolling about among shreds o' birch- 
 bark!" 
 
 While Jacques was thus descanting philosophically on his 
 exneriences in time r»astj thev had ar»t»roached the head of 
 the second rapid, and, in accordance with the principles just 
 enunciated, the stout backwoodsman gave his undivided 
 
[it we got 
 ic matter 
 isy ones, 
 liarp turn 
 ;o it, with 
 bat stood 
 
 saw. It 
 rzs a cool 
 )le takin' 
 ad run it 
 izen men, 
 ;r himself 
 )p o' the 
 ; couldn't 
 in almost 
 
 half-way 
 ; off a six 
 and after 
 ! them do 
 » a sheet, 
 i¥ nothin' 
 could see 
 und they 
 vc a great 
 I thought 
 1 enough, 
 han good 
 elow, but 
 ve, where 
 t the last 
 down flat 
 le bottom, 
 t o' birch- 
 
 Uy on his 
 e head of 
 ciples just 
 undivided 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 153 
 
 attention to the work before him. The rapid was sliort and 
 deep, so that little care was required in descending it, excepting 
 at one point, where the stream rushed impetuously between 
 two rocks about six yards asunder. Here it was requisite to 
 keep the canoe as much in the middle of the stream as possible. 
 
 Just as they began to feel the drag of the water, Redfeather 
 was heard to shout in a loud warning tone, which caused 
 Jacques and Charley to back their paddles hurriedly. 
 
 " What can the Injin mean, I wonder?" said Jacques, in 
 a perplexed tone, " He don't look like a man that would 
 stop us at the top of a strong rapid for nothin'." 
 
 " It's too late to do that now, whatever is his reason," said 
 Charley, as he and his companion struggled in vain to paddle 
 up stream. 
 
 " It's o' no use, Mr. Charles, we must run it now; the 
 current's too strong to make head against; besides, I do 
 think the man has only seen a bear, or somethin' o' that sort, 
 for I see he's ashore, and jumpin* among the bushes like a 
 cariboo." 
 
 Saying this, they turned the canoe's head down stream 
 again, and allowed it to drift, merely retarding its progress a 
 little with the paddles. 
 
 Suddenly Jacques uttered a sharp exclamation. ** Mon 
 Dieu!" said he, " it's plain enough now. Look there!" 
 
 Jacques pointed as he spoke to the narrows to which they 
 were now approaching with tremendous speed. A heavy tree 
 lay directly across the stream, reaching from rock to rock, and 
 placed in such a way that it was impossible for a canoe to 
 descend without being dashed in pieces against it. This was 
 the more curious, that no trees grew in the inunediate vicinity, 
 so that this one must have been designedly conveyed there. 
 
 " There has been foul work here," said Jacques in a deep 
 tone. " We must dive, Mr. Charles; there's no chance any 
 way else, and that's but a poor one." 
 
 This was true. The rocks on each side rose almost per- 
 oendicularlv out nf thi» -aicttt^r on tv%n*- .v „,-,« ..fi-^-i.. :_- :i-i- 
 
 to run ashore, and the only way of escape, as Jacques said, 
 was by diving under the tree, a thing involving great risk, as 
 
 It 
 
 \.: I 
 
«S4 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 the stream immediately below was broken by rocks, against 
 which it dashed in foam, and through which the chances of 
 steering one's way in safety by means of swimming, were very 
 slender indeed. 
 
 Charley made no reply, but, with tightly compressed lips, 
 and a look of stern resolution on his brow, threw off his coat, 
 and hastily tied his belt tightly round his waist. The canoe 
 was now sweeping forward with lightning speed. In a few 
 minutes it would be dashed to pieces. 
 
 At that moment a shout was heard in the woods, and Red- 
 feather darting out, rushed over the ledge of rock, on which 
 one end of the tree rested, seized the trunk in his arms, and 
 exerting all his strength, hurled it over into the river. In 
 doing so he stumbled, and, ere he could recover himself, a 
 branch caught him under the arm as the tree felt over, and 
 dragged him into the boiling stream. This accident was 
 probably the means of saving his life, for, just as he fell, the 
 loud report of a gun rang through the woods, and a bullet 
 passed through his cap. For a second or two both man and 
 tree were lost in the foam, while the canoe dashed past in 
 safety. The next instant Wabisca passed the narrows in her 
 small craft, and steered for the tree. Redfeather, who had 
 risen and sunk several times, saw her as she passed, and, making 
 a violent effort, caught hold of the gunwale, and was carried 
 down in safety. 
 
 " I'll tell you what it is," said Jacques, as the party stood on 
 a rock promontory after the events just narrated, " I would 
 give a dollar to have that fellow's nose and the sigh;3 o' my 
 rifle in a line at any distance short of two hundred yards." 
 
 " It was Misconna," said Redfeather, " I did not see hinn, 
 but there's not another man in the tribe that could do that." 
 
 " I'm thankful we escaped, Jacques. I never felt so near 
 death before, and had it not been for the timely aid of our 
 friend here, it strikes me that our wild life would have come to 
 an abrupt close. God bless you, Redfeather," said Charley, 
 taking the Indian's hand in both of his and kissing it. 
 
 Charley*s ebullition of feeling was natural. He had not 
 yet become used to the dangers of the wilderness so as to treat 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 155 
 
 them with indifference. Jacques on the other hand, had 
 risked his life so often, that escape from danger was treated 
 very much as a matter of course, and called forth little expres- 
 sion of feeling. Still, it must not be inferred from this that 
 his nature had become callous. The backwoodsman's frame 
 was hard and unyielding as iron, but his heart was as soft still 
 as it was on the day on which he first donned the hunting- 
 shirt; and there was much more of tenderness than met the 
 eye in the squeeze that he gave Redfeather's hand on landing. 
 
 As the three travellers encircled the fire that night, under 
 the leafy branches of the forest, and smoked their pipes in 
 concert, while Wabisca busi*"! (..self in clearing away the 
 remnants of their evening r leal, tht-v waxed communicative, 
 and stories, pathetic, comic id Irajij:, followed each other 
 in rapid succession. 
 
 " Now, Redfeather," said Cc rit;y, while Jacques rose and 
 went down to the luggage to get more tobacco, " tell Jacques 
 about the way in which you got your name. I am sure he 
 will feel deeply interested in that story — ^at least I am certain 
 that Harry Somerville and I did when you told it to us the day 
 we were wind-bound on Lake Winnipeg." 
 
 Redfeather made no reply for a few seconds. " Will Mr. 
 Charles speak for me?" he said, at length; " his tongue is 
 smooth and quick." 
 
 " A doubtful kind of compliment," said Charley, laughing; 
 *• but I will, if you don't wish to tell it yourself." 
 
 " And don't mention names. Do not let him know that 
 you speak of me or my friends," said the Indian, in a low 
 whisper, as Jacques returned and sat down by the fire again. 
 
 Charley gave him a glance of surprise; but, bei;\j; prevented 
 from asking questions, he nodded in reply, and proceeded to 
 relate to nis friend the story that has been recounted in a 
 previous chapter. Redfeather leaned back against a tree, and 
 appeared to listen intently. 
 
 Charley's powers of description were by no means incon- 
 siderable, and the backwoodsman's face assumed a look of 
 good-humoured attention as the story proceeded. But when 
 the narrator went on to tell of the meditated attack, and the 
 
 ¥ 
 
 ■|3 
 
 : I! 
 
 ■11 
 
«S6 
 
 TLE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 midnight march, his interest was aroused, the pipe which he 
 had been smoking was allowed to go out, and he gazed at his 
 young friend with the most earnest attention. It was evident 
 that the hunter's spirit entered with deep sympathy into such 
 scenes; and, when Charley described the attack, and the death 
 of the trapper's wife, Jacques seemed unable to restrain his 
 feelings. He leaned his elbows on his knees, buried his face 
 in his hands, and groaned aloud. 
 
 " Mr. Charies," he said, in a deep voice, when the story 
 was ended, " there are two men I would like to meet with in 
 this worid before I die. One is the young Injin who tried to 
 save that giri's life, the other is the cowardly villain that took 
 it. I don't mean the one who finished the bloody work— my 
 
 rifle sent his accursed spirit to ii' awn place " 
 
 " Your rifle!" cried Charley, in amazement. 
 " Ay, mine! It was my wife who was butchered by these 
 savage dogs on that dark night. Oh! what avails the strength 
 o' that right arm!" said Jacques, binerly, as he lifted up his 
 clenched fist; " it was powerless to save ^r— the sweet girl 
 who left her home and people to follow me, a rough hunter, 
 through the lonesome wilderness!" 
 
 He covered his face again, and groaned in agony of spirit, 
 while his whole frame quivered with emotion. 
 
 Jacques remained silent; and his sympathizing friends 
 refrained from intruding on a sorrow wli-:h they felt they had 
 no power to relieve. 
 
 At length he spoke. " Yes," said he; " I would give much 
 to meet with the man who tried to save her. I saw liim do it 
 twice; but the devils about him were too eager to be baulked 
 of their prey." 
 
 Chariey and the Indian exchanged glances. " That Indian's 
 name," said Charley, " was Redfeatherl" 
 
 "What!" exclaimed the trapper, jumping to Ids feet, 
 and, grasping Redfeather, who had also risen, by the two 
 shoulders, stared wildly into hia face, " was it you that 
 did it?" 
 
 Redfeather smiled, and held out his hand, which the other 
 took and wrung with an energy that would have extorted a 
 
)e which he 
 gazed at his 
 was evident 
 ly into such 
 id the death 
 restrain his 
 ied his face 
 
 n the story 
 leet with in 
 ^ho tried to 
 n that took 
 work — ^my 
 
 d by these 
 ie strength 
 ted up his 
 sweet girl 
 gh hunter, 
 
 jT of spirit, 
 
 ig friends 
 t they had 
 
 give much 
 
 him do it 
 
 >e baulked 
 
 it Indian's 
 
 Iiis feet, 
 
 1 the two 
 
 you that 
 
 the other 
 sxtorted a 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 157 
 
 cry of pain from anyone but an Indian. Then, dropping it 
 suddenly ^d clenching his hands, he exclaimed: ^ 
 
 1 said that I would like to meet the villain who killed her- 
 yes, 1 said it m passion, when your words had roused all my 
 old feelings again; but I am thankful-I bless God. that I did 
 not know this sooner-that you did not tell me of it when I 
 Th h- TFl ^7 [ ^'"'y ^'^^^^^ *^^* ^ '^^'^Jd not only have 
 
 It need scarcely be added, that the friendship which alreadv 
 subsisted between Jacques and Redfeather w^ now doubly 
 cemented; nor will it create surprise when we say that the 
 former, in the fulness of his heart, and from sheer inability 
 
 offered RedS' ""'^"'" ^"^ '^' '^^^^^^^^^^ ^^ ^' ^-^^gs! 
 offered Redfeather in succession all the articles of value he 
 
 Tnn'r^ '/.r '° ^i? ."^'^^^^-^-v^d rifle, and was seriously 
 annoyed at their not being accepted. At last he finished off 
 by a^unng the Indian that he might look out for him soon 
 at the missionary settlement, where he meant to stay with 
 
 CHAPTER XVII 
 
 The scene changes; Bachelor's Hall; a practical joke and its 
 consequences; a snow-shoe walk 'at ni^ht i^dJe forest 
 
 thilnl"^ Charley to pursue his adventurous career among 
 the Indians, we will return to our friend Harr^^ Somer^me 
 h will be remembered that we left him labouring under' 
 
 oTS'desrSXeT; '' r^. '^P^^' -^d ' eing'cond^red 
 hn..- J i ^^^ °^ rcahzin- his fond dreams of bear- 
 
 huntmg and deer-stalking in the woods .^d oraiHe. 
 
 Fon ^Tv '"'^ -^^ ^T"^ °*" "^^O^'s second yea/ at York 
 Fort. This period of the year happens to be the busiest at 
 
 1 
 
 
 M - !l 
 
 I • 
 
IS? 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TR.\DERS 
 
 I i S iM 
 
 the depot, in consequence of the preparation of the annual 
 accounts for transmission to England, in the solitary ship 
 which visits this lonely spot once a year; so that Harry was 
 tied to his desk all day and the greater part of the night too, 
 till his spirits fell infinitely below zero, and he began to look 
 on himself as the most miserable of mortals. His spirits rose, 
 however, with amazing rapidity, after the ship went away, 
 and the " young gentlemen ", as the clerks were styled, were 
 permitted to run wild in the swamps and woods for the three 
 weeks succeeding that event. During this glimpse of sun- 
 shine they recruited their exhausted frames, by paddling 
 about all day in Indian canoes, or wandering through the 
 marshes, sleeping at nights in tents or under the pine-trees, 
 and spreading dismay among the feathered tribes, of which 
 there were immense numbers of all kinds. After this they 
 returned to their regular work at the desk, but, as this was 
 not so severe as in simuner, and was farther lightened by 
 Wednesdays and Sr^turdays being devoted entirely to recreation, 
 Harry began to look on things in s less gloomy aspect, and 
 at length regained his wonted cheerful spirits. 
 
 Auturm passed away. The ducks and geese took their 
 departure to more genial climes. The swamps froze up and 
 became solid. Snow fell in great abundance, covering every 
 vestige of vegetable nature, except the dark fir trees that only 
 helped to render the scenery more dreary, and winter settled 
 down upon the land. Within the pickets of York Fort, the 
 thirty or forty souls who lived there were actively employed 
 in cutting their firewood; putting in double window-frames, 
 to keep out the severe cold; cutting tracks in the snow from 
 one house to another; and otherwise preparing for a winter 
 of eight months' duration, as cold as that of Nova Zembla, 
 and in the cours* of which the only new faces they had any 
 chance of seeing were those of the two men who conveyed 
 the annual winter packet of letters from the next sitation. 
 Outside of the fort all was a wide, waste wilderness for thou- 
 sands of miles around. Death-like stillness and solitude 
 
 reipTied evervwhere ftxrent- whi»n «• nnvt^v nf ?%«•«#.»« ;«.«-, 
 
 whirred like large snowflakes athwart the sky, or an arctic 
 
THE YOUNG FTJR TRADERS ,55 
 
 fox prov/led stealthily through the woods in search of prey 
 As if vn opposition to the gloom, and stillness, and soli- 
 tude outside, the interior of the clerks' house presented a 
 striking contrast of ruddy warmth, cheerful sounds, and 
 busthng activity. ' 
 
 It w^ evening but. although the sun had set. there was 
 still sufficient dayught to render candles unnecessary, though 
 not enough to prevent a bright glare from the stove in the 
 centre or the hall taking full effect in the darkening chamber, 
 and making It glow with fiery red. Hariy Somf-rville sat in 
 front, and full m the blaze of this stove, resting after the 
 labours of the day; his arms crossed on his breast; his head 
 a little to one side, as if in deep contempla'ion, as he Pazed 
 earnestly into the fire, and his chair tilted on its hind" lees 
 80 as to baiince with such nicety that a feather's weight addi- 
 tional outside its centr- of gravity, would have upset it He 
 had divested himself of his coat-a practice that prevailed 
 among the young gentlemen when at home, as being free- 
 and-easy as well as convenient. The doctor, a tail, broad- 
 shouldered man, with red hair and whiskers, paced the room 
 sedately, with a loag pipe depending from his lips, which 
 he removed occasionally to address a few remarks to the 
 accountant, a stout heavy man of about thirty, with a voice 
 like a Stentor, eyes sharp and active as those of a ferret and 
 a tongue that moved with twice the ordinary amount of 
 hngual rapidity. The doctor's remr.rks seemed to be parti- 
 cularly humorous, if one might judge from the peals of laughter 
 with which they were received by the accountant, who stood 
 
 31* "Ti!?. '"* 'u^ ?T ''-' '"^^ ^ P"^"^ that, while it 
 warmed him from his heels to the waist, he enjoyed the addi- 
 tiond benefit of the pipe or chimney, which rose upwards, 
 parallel with his sp.ne, and, taking a sudden bend near the roof 
 passed over his head, thus producing a genial and equable 
 warmth from top to toe. 
 
 ^KKv*"''" f^ ^^^ f °'^*''' " ^ ^"t ^"^ ^°t^y following up a 
 rabht-twck, m the firm belief that it was that of a silver fox." 
 
 „n„ did you liot undeceive the greenhorn?" cried the 
 accountant, with another shout of laughter. 
 
 '0 
 
 pi 
 
 
 '■"ni 
 
i6o 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 "Not I," replied the doctor, "I merely recommended 
 him to keep his eye on the sun, lest he should lose his way, 
 and hastened home; for it just occurred to me that I had' 
 forgotten to visit Louis Blanc, who cut his foot with an axe 
 yesterday, and whose wound required redressing. So I left 
 the poor youth to learn from experience." 
 
 " Pray, whom did you leave to that delightful fate?" asked 
 Mr. Wilson, issuing from his bedroom and approaching the 
 stove. 
 
 Mr. Wilson was a middle-aged, good-humoured, active 
 man, who filled the onerous offices of superintendent of the 
 men, trader of furs, seller of goods to the Indians, and general 
 factotum. 
 
 "Our friend Hamilton," answered the doctor, in reply 
 to his question. " I think he is, without exception, the most 
 egregious nincompoop I ever saw. Just as I passed the long 
 swamp on my way home, I met him crashing through the 
 bushes in hot pursuit of a rabbit, the track of which he mis- 
 took for a fox. Poor fellow, he had been out since breakfast, 
 and only shot a brace of ptarmigan, although they are as 
 thick as bees and quite tame. ' But then, do you see,' said 
 he, in excuse, ' I'm so very short-sighted I Wouid you i;elieve 
 it, I've blown fifteen lumps of snow to atoms, in the belief 
 that they were ptarmigan!* and then he rushed off again." 
 
 " No doubt," said Mr. Wilson, smiling, " the lad is very 
 green— but he's a good fellow for all that." 
 
 "I'll answer for that," said the accountant; "I found 
 him over at the men's houses this morning doing your work 
 for you, Doctor." 
 
 " How so?" inquired the disciple of ^sculapius. 
 
 "Attending to your wounded man, Louis Blanc, to be 
 sure; and he seemed to speak to him as wisely as if he had 
 walked the hospitals, and regularly passed for an M.D." 
 
 " Indeed!" said the doctor with a mischievous grin. " Then 
 I must pay him off for interfering with my patients." 
 
 "Ah, Doctor, you're too fond of practical jokes. You 
 never let slip an opportunity of * paving off ' vour friends 
 for something or other. It's a bad habit." Practical jokes are 
 
oramcnded 
 se his way, 
 that I had 
 fith an axe 
 So I left 
 
 «tc?" asked 
 •aching the 
 
 red, active 
 lent of the 
 tiid general 
 
 •, in reply 
 I, the most 
 d the long 
 irough the 
 ch he mis- 
 i breakfast, 
 licy are as 
 I see,' said 
 ^ou relieve 
 
 the belief 
 
 again." 
 ad is very 
 
 " I found 
 your work 
 
 inc, to be 
 if he had 
 
 1. "Then 
 
 ces. You 
 
 I jokes are 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,6i 
 
 veo^ bad things-shockingly bad," said Mr. Wilson, as he 
 put on his fur cap. and wound a thick shawl round his throat 
 preparatory to leaving the room. 
 
 l^tlJi"' "^'^T ^T ""^'^"^ *° *^'« °P^"'o«. he passed 
 Har^ Somervile. who was still staring at the fire in deep 
 mental abstraction, and, as he did so, gave his tilted chair 
 a very slight push backwards with his finler-aTacUon wS 
 
 Z^i 7"^ '"' '°'' "P ^^ ^^SS, grasp convulsively with 
 both hands at empty ^-r. and fall with a loud noise and an 
 angry yell to the ground, while his persecutor vanished from 
 tne scene. 
 
 at"tl!i^^''" outrageous villain!" cried Harry, shaking his fist 
 at the door, as he slowly gathered himself up; "I might 
 have expected that." ^ ^ 
 
 "Quite so," said the doctor, " you might. It was very 
 Zf- ^°"^' "'^^o^btedly. Wilson deserves credit for the 
 way m which it was executed." 
 
 "He deserves to be executed for doing it at all." replied 
 Hariy, nibbing his elbow as he resumed his seat ^ 
 
 tn.^.y^^^'^ ^T^"".^ °^^" ^"^"^^^^^ the accountant, as he 
 
 took a piece of glowing charcoal from the stove, wherewith 
 
 o light his pipe. " Try a whiff. Harry. It's goi^d for s^ch 
 
 tions of the back and loins, carbuncles and earache-there 's 
 nothing that smoking won't cure-eh. Doctor?" 
 
 Certainly. If applied inwardly, there's nothing so good 
 for d^ger :ion when one doesn't require tonics. Try it, Harry 
 it will do you good. I assure you." > "arry, 
 
 and ^h: ;^k"^ ^"""'t ?P^!'^ ^"'■^■7' " ^'" ^^^^^ that to you 
 
 mouth. But tell me Doctor, what do you mean tol wl 
 that lump of snow there?'* " « a^ 
 
 Hariy pointed to a mass of snow, ot about two feet square 
 
 th^re hvT.*'' ^°"^ ''"^''^ ^^^ ^°°^- It had bee ■ Teed 
 mere by the doctor some time previously. 
 
 * Do with it? HavA no«-:on/.^ r_?._'i' , . „ 
 
 I^ I'q o VtfU '" :— - i'""-V"''' '"■>' "icna. ana you shall see. 
 L IS g httle surprise I have in store for Hamilton." 
 
 (^a? ' ^^^ **°°' "P^"^"^' ^^ ^ '^^^t' square-built 
 
 II 
 
 Hi 
 
.^■6z 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 man rui:!ied into the room, with a pistol in one handj aiul 
 a bright little bullet m the other. 
 
 " Hallo, Skipper!" cried Harry, " what's the rowl'" 
 
 " All right/' cried the skipper, " herr> it is at last, voKJ 
 as the fluke of an anchor. Toss me the powdct -flask, Haxiy; 
 look sharp, else it'll melt." 
 
 A powder-flask was immediately produced, from which 
 the skipper hastily charged the pistol, and rammfd down 
 the shining bullet. 
 
 " Now then " said he, * look out for squalls. Clear the 
 decte there." 
 
 A\i±, rusbint^ to the door, he flung it open, took a steady 
 aim .11 some ling outside, and fired. 
 
 " Is the caan raad?" said the accountant, as, with a look 
 cf amaz'iiieat, he beheld the skipper spring through the 
 dooi'way, and immediately return bearing in bis arms a large 
 piece of fir plank. 
 
 " Not quite mad yet," he said, in reply, " but I've sent 
 a ball of quicksilver through an inch plank, and that's not 
 a thing to be done every day — even here, although it is cold 
 enough sometimes to freeze up one's very ideas." 
 
 " Dear me," interrupted Harry Somerville, looking as if 
 a new thought had struck him, " that must be it! I've no 
 doubt that poor Hamilton's ideas are frozen, which accounts 
 for the total absence of any indication of his possessing such 
 things." 
 
 " I observed," continued the skipper, not noticing the 
 interruption, " that the glass was down at 45 degrees below 
 zero this morning, and put out a bullet-mould full of mer- 
 cury, and you see the result;" as he spoke, he held up the 
 perforated plank in triumph. 
 
 The skipper was a strange mixture of qualities. To a wild, 
 oflF-hand, sailor-like hilarity of disposition, in hours of leisure, 
 he united a grave, stern energy of character while employed 
 in the performance of his duties. Duty wa«« ,:lways para- 
 mount with him. A smile could scarcely be acted from 
 him, while it was in the cours^e of perform. ., >. But, the 
 instant his w was done, a new spirii. '*": . to take pos- 
 
s. Clear the 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TR.\DERS ,63 
 
 session of the man. Fun, mischief of any kind, no matter 
 how childish, he entered into with the greatest delight and 
 enthusiasm. Among other peculiarities, he had become deeply 
 imbued with a thirst for scientific knowledge, ever since h- 
 had acquired, with infinite labour, the small modicum of 
 science necessary to navigation; and his doings in pursuit 
 ot statistical information relative to the weather, and the 
 phenomena of nature generally, were very peculiar, and in 
 some cases outrageous. His transaction with the quicksilver 
 was in consequence of an eager desire to see that metal frozen 
 (an efi^ect which takes place when the spirit-of-wine ther- 
 mometer falls to 39 degrees below zero of Fahrenheit), and 
 a wish to be able to boast of having actually fired a mercurial 
 bullet through an inch plank. Having made a careful note 
 of the fact, with all the relative circumstances attending 
 It, m a very much blotted book, which he denominated his 
 scientific log, the worthy skipper threw off his coat, drew 
 a chair to the stove, and prepared to regale himself with a 
 pipe. As he glanced slowly round the room, whib thus en- 
 gaged, his eye fell on the mass of snow before alluded to 
 On being informed by the doctor for what it was intended* 
 he laid down his pipe and rose hastily from his chair. 
 
 "You've not a moment to lose," said he. " As I came in 
 at the gate just now, I saw Hamilton coming dowu the river 
 on the ice, and he must be almost here now." 
 
 " ^P. ^^^^ ^^ *^^"'" cried the doctor, seizing the snow 
 and lifting it to the top of the door; " hand me those bits 
 ot stick, Harry; quick, man, stir your stumps. Now then, 
 bkipper, fix them in so, while I hold this up." 
 
 The skipper lent willing and effective aid, so that in a few 
 minutes the snow was placed in such a position, that upon 
 the opening of the door, it must inevitably fall on the head 
 ot the first person who should enter the room. 
 
 "So," said the skipper, " that's rigged up in what I call 
 a ship-shape fashion." 
 
 , 7"""' '-""'■^^^ '■^'^ dutiyr, cycmg tne arrangement with 
 a look of approval; " it will do, I think, admirably." 
 
 Don't you think, Skipper," said Harry Somerville, gravely, 
 
 ^^^i'M 
 
 '^t! 
 
164 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 as he resumed his seat in front of the fire, " that it would 
 be worth while to make a careful and minute entry in your 
 private log of the manner in which it was put up, to be after- 
 wards followed by an account of its effect? You might write 
 an essay on it, now; and call it the extraordinary effects of 
 a fall of snow in latitude so and so; eh? What think you of 
 it?" 
 
 The skipper vouchsafed no reply, but made a significant 
 gesture with his fist, which caused Harry to put himself in 
 a posture of defence. 
 
 At this moment, footsteps were heard on the wooden plat- 
 form in front of the building. 
 
 Instantly all became silence and expectation in the hall, 
 as the result of the practical joke was about to be realized. 
 Just then another step was heard on the platform, and it 
 became evident that two persons were approaching the door. 
 
 " Hope It'll be the right man," said the skipper, with a 
 look savouring slightly of anxiety. 
 
 As he spoke, the door opened, and a foot crossed the thres- 
 hold; the next instant, the miniature avalanche descended 
 on the head and shoulders of a man, who reeled forward from 
 the weight of the blow, and, covered from head to foot with 
 snow, fell to the ground amid shouts of laughter. 
 
 With a convulsive stamp and shake, the prostrate figure 
 sprang up and confronted the party. Had the cast-iron stove 
 suddenly burst into atoms, and blown the roof off iae house, 
 it could scarcely have created greater consternation than 
 that which filled the merry jesters when they beheld the 
 visage of Mr. Rogan, the superintendent of the fort, red with 
 passion, and fringed with snow. 
 
 " So," said he, stamping violontly with his foot, partly 
 from anger, and partly with the view of shaking off the un- 
 expected covering, which stuck all over his dress in little 
 patches, producing a somewhat piebald effect, " so you are 
 pleased to jest, gentlemen. Pray, who placed that piece of 
 snow over the door?" Mr, Rogan glared fiercely round upon 
 the culprits, who stood speechless before him. 
 
 For a moment he stood silent, as if uncertain how tc act; 
 
 i;'il 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 165 
 
 then, turning short on his heel, he strode quickly out of the 
 room, nearly overturning Mr. Hamilton, who at the same 
 instant entered it, carrying his gun and snow-shoes under 
 his arm. 
 
 "Dear me, what has happened?" he exclaimed, in a 
 peculiarly gentle tone of voice, at the oame time regarding 
 the snow and the horror-stricken circle with a look of intense 
 surprise. 
 
 " You see what has happened," replied Harry Somerville, 
 who was the first to recover his composure; " I presume you 
 intend to ask, * What has caused it to happen?' Perhaps the 
 skipper will explain. It's beyond me, quite." 
 
 Thus appealed to, that worthy cleared his throat, and 
 said: 
 
 " Why, you see, Mr. Hamilton, a great phenomenon of 
 meteorology has happened. We were all standing, you must 
 know, at the open door, taking a squint at the weather, when 
 our attention was attracted by a curious object that appeared 
 in the sky, and seemed to be coming down at the rate of ten 
 knots an hour, right end-on for the house. I had just time to 
 cry, • Clear out, lads,' when it came slap in through the 
 doorway, and smashed to shivers there, where you see the 
 fragments. In fact, it's a wonderful aerolite, and Mr. Rogan 
 has just gone out with a lot of the bits in his pocket, to make 
 a careful examination of them, and draw up a report for the 
 Geological Society in London. I shouldn't wonder if he 
 were to send off an express to-night; and maybe you will have 
 to convey the news to head-quarters; so you'd better go and 
 see him about it soon." 
 
 Soft although Mr. Hamilton was supposed to be, he was 
 not quite prepared to give credit to this explanation; but, 
 being of a peaceful disposition, and altogether unaccustomed 
 to retort, he merely smiled his disbelief, as he proceeded to 
 lay aside his fowling-piece, and divest himself of the volu- 
 minous out-of-door trappings with which he was clad. Mr. 
 - -amiiton was a tall, slender youth, of about nineteen. He 
 had come o t ' y the ship in autumn, and was spending his 
 first winter /ork Fort. Up to the period of his entering 
 
 1, t 
 
 U 
 
 
 
i66 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 the Hudson's Bay Cor o t 's service, he had never been more 
 than twenty miles ironi iiomfc, .ind, having mingled little with 
 the world, wa.s ,orre„:ut unsophisticated, besides being by 
 nature gentle and unassuming. 
 
 Soon after this, the man who acted as cook, waiter, and 
 butler to the m*js, entered, and said that Mr. Rogan desired 
 to see the accountant immediately. 
 
 " Who am I to say did it?" I ^uircd Luai: gentleman, as he 
 rose to obey the summons. 
 
 " Wouldn't it be a disinterested piece of kindness if you 
 weu to say it was yourself?" suggested the doctor. 
 
 " 1 erhaps it would, but I won't," replied the accountant, 
 as he ..nade his exit. 
 
 ^iU about half an hour, Mr. Rogan and the accountant re- 
 entered the apartment. The former had quite regained his 
 composure. He was naturally amiable; which happy dis- 
 position was indicated by a habitually cheerful look and smile. 
 
 " Now, gentlemen," said he, " I find that this practical 
 joke was not intended for n e, and therefore look upon '^ is 
 an unlucky accident; but I cannot too strongly express my 
 dislike for i actical jokes of all kinds. I have seen great evil, 
 and some bloodshed, result from practical jokes; and I think 
 that, being a sufferer in consequence of your fondness for 
 them, I have a right to beg that you will abstain from such 
 doings in future — at leas^^ from such jokes as involve risk to 
 those who do not choose to enter mto them." 
 
 Having given ^t to th's speec' , Mr. Rogan left his volatile 
 friends to digest li. at their leisure. 
 
 " Serves us right," said the skipper, pacing up and down 
 the room in a repen' r5 ; frame of mind, with hip *humbs hooked 
 into the arm-holes of his vest. 
 
 The doctor said nothing, but breathed hard, ant! smoked 
 vigorously. 
 
 For some time after the reT 'i administered by Mr. Rogan, 
 silence reigned in Bachelor' all is the clerks* house was 
 »rtr»n*»'i Tlut at Inno^h svm' ims . .' ennui be?an to be dis- 
 played. The doctor yawned, and lay down on h'^ bed to 
 enjoy an American newspaper about twelve months old. 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 167 
 
 Harry Somerville sat down to re-read a volume of Franklin's 
 travels in the Polar Regions, which he had perused twice 
 already. Mr. Hamilton busied himself in cleaning his 
 fowling-piece; while the skipper conversed with Mr. Wilson, 
 who was engaged in his room in adjusting an ivory head to a 
 walking-stick. Mr. Wilson was a jack-of-all-trades, who 
 could make shift, one way or other, to do anything. The 
 accountant paced the uncarpeted floor in deep contemplation. 
 At length he paused, and looked at Harry Somerville for 
 some time. 
 
 " What say you to a walk through the woods to North River. 
 Harry?" 
 
 " Ready," cried Harry, toss' ^g down the book with a look 
 of contempt — " ready for anything." 
 
 "Will you come, Hamilton?" added the accountant. 
 Hamilton looked up in surprise. 
 
 " You don't mean, surely, to take so long a walk in the 
 dark, do you? It is snowing, too, very heavily, and I think 
 you said that North River was five miles off, did you not?" 
 
 " Of course I mean to walk in the dark," replied the 
 xountant, " unless you can extemporize an artificial light for 
 the occasion, or prevail on the moon to come out for my 
 s'^c • 1I benefit. As to snowing, and a short tramp of five 
 miles, wh ', the sooner you get to think of such things as trifles 
 the bett. f you hope to be fit for anything in this country." 
 " I don't think much of them," replied Hamilton, softly, 
 and with a slight smile; " I only meant that such a walk was 
 not very attractive so late in the evening." 
 
 " Attracdve!" shouted Harry Somerville, from his bedroom, 
 where he was equipping himself for the walk, " what can be 
 more attractive than a sharp run of ten miles througl t!ie 
 woods on a cool night, to visit your traps, with the proi,pecfc 
 of a silver fox, or a wolf, at the end of it, and an extra sound 
 sleep as the result? Come, man, don't be soft; get ready, and 
 go along with us." 
 
 f-%i Wit =-.-wuu;iitint, i uun i mean to come 
 To-morrow. 
 
 -night. 
 
 can 
 
 you 
 
 holiday, so we 
 
 U 
 
 .1' 
 
 camp out in the snow, after visiting the traps— have our 
 
i68 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 supper, and start early in the morning to search for ptar- 
 migan." 
 
 " Well, I will go," said Hamilton, after this account of the 
 pleasures that were to be expected; " I am exceedingly anxious 
 to learn to shoot bi Js on the wing." 
 
 " Bless mc! have you not learned that yet?" asked the 
 doctor, in affected surprise, as he sauntered out of his bedroom 
 to relight his pipe. 
 
 The various bedrooms in the clerks' house were ranged round 
 the hall, having doors that opened directly into it, so that 
 conversation carried on in a loud voice was heard in all the 
 rooms at once, and was not infrequently sustained in elevated 
 tones from different apartments, when the occupants were 
 lounging, as they often did of an evening, in their beds. 
 
 " No," said Hamilton, in reply to the doctor's question, 
 " I have not learned yet, although there were a great many 
 grouse in the part of Scotland where I was brought up. But 
 my aunt, with whom I lived, was so fearful of my shooting 
 cither myself or someone else, and had such an aversion to 
 firearms, that I determined to make her mind easy, by pro- 
 mising that I would never use them, so long as I remained under 
 her roof." 
 
 " Quite right; very dutiful and proper," said the doctor, 
 with a grave patronizing air. 
 
 " Perhaps you'll fall in with more fox tracks of the same 
 sort as the one you gave chase to this morning," shouted the 
 skipper, from Wilson's room. 
 
 " Oh! there's hundreds of them out there," said the 
 accountant; " so let's off at once." 
 
 The trio now proceeded to equip themselves for the walk. 
 Their costumes were peculiar, and merit description. As 
 they were similar in the chief points, it will suffice to describe 
 tliat of our friend Harry. 
 
 On his head he wore a fur cap made of otter-skin, with a 
 flap on each bide to cover the ears, the frost being so intense 
 in these climates that, without some such protection, they 
 would inevitably freeze and fall off. 
 
 As the nose is constantly in use for the purposes of respira- 
 
1 for ptar- 
 
 )unt of the 
 gly anxious 
 
 asked the 
 is bedroom 
 
 iged round 
 it, so that 
 in all the 
 in elevated 
 jants were 
 >eds. 
 
 I question, 
 ;reat many 
 t up. But 
 y shooting 
 iversion to 
 y, by pro- 
 Ined under 
 
 he doctor, 
 
 " the same 
 louted the 
 
 said the 
 
 the walk. 
 3tion. As 
 describe 
 
 in, with a 
 so intense 
 tion, they 
 
 of respira- 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,69 
 
 tion, it is always left uncovered to fight with the cold as it 
 best can; but it is a hard battle, and there is no doubt that if 
 It were possible, a nasal covering would be extremely pleasam 
 Indeed, several desperate efforts have been made to construct 
 some sort of nose- bag, but hitherto without success, owing 
 to the fact that the breath from the nostrils immediately 
 freezM. and converts the covering into a bag of snow or ice. 
 Round his neck, Harry wound a thick shawl which entirely 
 enveloped the neck and lower part of the face; thus the entire 
 head was, as ,t were, eclipsed, the eyes, the nose, and the 
 cheek-bones alone being visible. He then threw on a coat 
 made of deer-skin, so prepared that it bore a slight resemblance 
 to excessively coarse chamois leather. It was somewhat in 
 the form of a long, wide surtout. overlapping very much in 
 front and confined closely to the figure by means of a scarlet 
 worsted belt instead of buttons, and was ornamented round 
 the foot by a number of cuts, which produced a fringe of 
 little tails. Being lined with thick flannel, this portion of 
 a tire was rather heavy, but extremely necessary. A pair of 
 blue cloth leggings, having a loose flap on the outside, were 
 next drawn on over the trousers, as an additional protection 
 to the knees The feet, besides being peculiarly susceptible 
 to cold, had further to contend against the chafing of the lines 
 which attach them to the snow-shoes, so that special care in 
 their preparation for duty was necessary. First were put on 
 a pair of blanketing or duffle socks, which were merely oblong 
 m form, without sewing or making up of any kind. These 
 were wrapped round the feet, which were next thrust into a 
 pair of niade-up socks, of the same material, having ankle 
 pieces; above these were put another pair, without flaps for 
 the ankles. Over all was drawn a pair of moccasins made of 
 8 out deer-skin, similar to that of the coat. Of course, the 
 elegance of Harry's feet was entirely destroyed, and had he 
 been met in this guise by any of his friends in the " old 
 country . they would infallibly hpve come to the conclusion 
 .,m.....a mm goui. -v/ver nis shoulders he siunc 
 a powder-horn and shot-pouch, the latter tastefully em- 
 broidered with dyed quiU work. A pair of deer-skin mittens. 
 
 Ik 
 
 '■',*;: I 
 
17© 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 having a little bag for the thumb, and a large bag for the 
 fingers, completed his costume. 
 
 While the three were making ready, with a running accom- 
 paniment of grunts and groans at refractory pieces of apparel, 
 the night without became darker, and the snow fell thicker, 
 so that, when they issued suddenly out of their warm abode, 
 and emerged into the sharp frosty ai.*, which blew the snow- 
 drift into their eyes, they felt a momentary desire to give up 
 the project and return to their comfortable quarters. 
 
 " What a dismal-looking night it is!" said the accountant, 
 as he led the way along the wooden platform towards the gate 
 of the fort. 
 
 " Very!" replied Hamilton, with an involuntary shudder. 
 
 " Keep up your heart," said Harry, in a cheerful voice, 
 *' you've no notion how your mind will change on that point 
 when you have walked a mile or so and got into a comfortable 
 heat. I must confess, however, that a little moonshine would 
 be an improvement," he added, on stumbling, for the third 
 time, off the platform into the deep snow. 
 
 " It is full moon just now," said the accountant, " and I 
 think the clouds look as if they would break soon. At any 
 rate, I've been at North River so often that I believe I could 
 walk out there blindfold." 
 
 As he spoke they passed the gate, and diverging to the right, 
 proceeded, as well as the imperfect light j^irmitted, along the 
 footpath that led to the forest. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 The walk continued; frozen toes; an encampment in the snow 
 
 After quitting York Fort, the three friends followed the 
 track leading to the spot where the winter's rirewood was cut. 
 
 *_.f*4vr ?y rjx^Kf \y%xxs. xttfttt *.c • • * -v*-^ t y j •••■»• 51- --•••■■ •»§••» ..•»...■*- -£■■■ ■•..■■st j* 
 
 that the accountant kept in the right direction. The n'ght 
 was excessively dark, while the dense fir forest, through which 
 
ag for the 
 
 ng accom- 
 of apparel, 
 ;11 thicker, 
 rm abode, 
 the snow- 
 to give up 
 
 ccountant, 
 Is the gate 
 
 ihudder. 
 rful voice, 
 that point 
 )mfortable 
 line would 
 the third 
 
 t, " apd I 
 . At any 
 ve I could 
 
 • the right, 
 along the 
 
 the snow 
 
 [owed the 
 d was cut. 
 > Hjffir.nl*" 
 
 rhe n'ght 
 jgh which 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,71 
 
 the narrow road ran, rendered the gloom if possible more 
 intense. 
 
 When they had proceeded about a mile, their leader sud- 
 denly came to a stand. 
 
 " We must quit the track now," said he, " so get on your 
 snow-shoes as fast as you can." 
 
 Hitherto they had carried their snow-shoes under their 
 arms, as the beaten track along which they travelled rendered 
 them unnecessary; but now, having to leave the path and 
 pursue the remainder of their journey through deep snow, 
 they availed themselves of those useful machines, by means of 
 which the inhabitants of this part of North America are enabled 
 to journey over many miles of trackless wilderness, with nearly 
 as ii'uch ease as a sportsman can traverse the moors in autumn 
 and that over snow so deep that one hour's walk through it 
 without such aids would completelv exhaust the stoutest 
 trapper, and advance him only a mile or so on his journey. 
 They are not used after the manner of skates, with a sMng 
 but with a stepping action, and their sole use is to support the 
 wearer on the top of snow, into which, without them, he would 
 sink up to the waist. When we say that they support the 
 wearer on the top of the snow, of course we do not mean that 
 tbey hterally do not break the surface at all. But the depth 
 to which they sink is trifling, and varies according to the state 
 of tne snow and the season of the year. In the woods they 
 j>'nk frequently about six inches, sometimes more, sometimes 
 Jcj-s, -vhile on frozen rivers, where the snow is packed solid bv 
 the action of the wind, they sink only two or three inches, 
 and sometimes so litde as to render it preferable to walk without 
 them altogether. Snow-shoes are made of a light strong 
 framework of wood, varying from three to six feet long by 
 eighteen and twenty inches broad, tapering to a point before 
 and behind and turning up in front. Different tribes of 
 Indians modify the form a little, but in all essential points thev 
 are the same. The framework is filled up with a netting of 
 -.eer-s^m tureads, which unites lightness with great strength 
 and permits any snow that may chance to fall upon the nettir y 
 to pass through it like a sieve. " 
 
 "H 
 
172 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 !!! 
 
 On the present occasion, the snow, having recently fallen, 
 was soft, and the walking, consequently, what is called heavy. 
 
 " Come on," shouted the accountant, as he came to a stand 
 for the third time within half an hour, to await the coming 
 up of poor Hamilton, who, being rather awkward in snow- 
 shoe walking, even in daylight, found it nearly impossible in 
 the dark. 
 
 " Wait a little, please," replied a faint voice in the distance, 
 *' I've got among a quantity of willows, and find it very 
 difficult to get on. I've been down twice al " 
 
 The sudden cessation of the voice, and a loud crash as of 
 breaking branches, proved too clearly that our friend had 
 accomplished his third fall. 
 
 " There he goes again," exclaimed Harry Somerville, who 
 came up at the moment. " I've helped him up once already. 
 We'll never get to North River at this rate. What is to be 
 done?" 
 
 " Let's see what has become of him this time, however," 
 said the accountant, as he began to retrace his steps. " If 
 I mistake not, he made rather a heavy plunge that time, judging 
 from the sound." 
 
 At that moment the clouds overhead broke, and a moon- 
 beam shot down into the forest, throwing a pale light over 
 the cold scene. A fev.' steps brought Harry and the accountant 
 to the spot whence the sound had proceeded, and a loud 
 startling laugh rang through the night air. as the latter sud- 
 denly beheld poor Hamilton struggling with his arms, head, 
 and shoulders stuck into the snow, his snow-shoes twisted and 
 sticking with the heels up and awry, in a sort of rampant con- 
 fusion, and his gun buried to the locks beside him. Re- 
 gaining one's perpendicular after a fall in deep snow, when the 
 feet are encumbered by a pair of long snow-shoes, is by no 
 means an easy thing to accomplish, in consequence of the 
 impossibility of getting hold of anything solid, on which to 
 rest the iiands. The depth is so great that the outstretched 
 arms cannot find bottom, and every successive struggle only 
 sinks the unhappy victim deeper down. Should no assistance 
 be near, he will ultimately beat the snow to a solidity that will 
 
 III 
 
:ently fallen, 
 :alled heavy, 
 le to a stand 
 the coming 
 rd in snow- 
 npossible in 
 
 :he distance, 
 Snd it very 
 
 crash as of 
 friend had 
 
 erville, who 
 nee already, 
 hat is to be 
 
 , however," 
 
 steps. 
 
 If 
 
 me, judging 
 
 id a moon- 
 i light over 
 ; accountant 
 and a loud 
 
 latter sud- 
 arms, head, 
 twisted and 
 mpant con- 
 
 him. Re- 
 w, when the 
 ;s, is by no 
 jnce of the 
 n which to 
 mtstretched 
 ruggle only 
 o assistance 
 ity that will 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,73 
 
 enable him to rise, but not in a very enviable or conifortable 
 condition. 
 
 " Give me a hand, Harry," gasped Hamilton, as he managed 
 to twist his head upwards for a moment. 
 
 " Here you are," cried Harry, holding out his hand and 
 endeavouring to suppress his desire to laugh, " up with you " 
 and in another moment the poor youth was upon his legs with 
 every fold and crevice about his person stuffed to repletion 
 with snow. 
 
 "Come, cheer up," cried the accountant, giving the youth 
 a slap on the back, " there's nothing like experience— the 
 proverb says that it even teacher fools, so you need not 
 despair." 
 
 Hamilton smiled as he endeavoured to shake off some of 
 his white coating. 
 
 " We'll be all right immediately," added Harry, " I see that 
 the country ahead is more open, so the walking will be easier " 
 Oh! I wish that I had not come," said Hamilt n, sor- 
 rowfully, because I am only detaining you. But perhaps I 
 shall do better as we get on. At any rate I cannot go back 
 now, as I could never find the way." 
 
 " Go back! of course not," said the accountant, " in a short 
 time we shall get into the old woodcutters' track of last year 
 and although it's not beaten at all, yet it is pretty level and 
 open, so that we shall get on famously." 
 " Go on, then," sighed Hamilton. 
 
 " Drive ahead," laughed Harry, and without further delay 
 they resumed their march, which was soon rendered more 
 cheerful as the clouds rolled away, the snow ceased to fall, and 
 the bright, full moon poured its rays down upon the'r path 
 
 For a long time they proceeded in silence; the muffled 
 sound of the snow, as it sank beneath their regular footsteps, 
 being the only interruption to the universal stillness. There 
 IS something very solemnizing in a scene such as we are now 
 describing. The^ calm tranquillity of the arctic night; the 
 pure Wiuteiiess of the snowy carpet, which rendered the dark 
 hrs mky black by contrast; the clear, cold, starry sky, that 
 glimmered behind the dark clouds, whose heavy masses, now 
 
 ''i!' 
 
< 
 
 ilH 
 
 174 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 rolling across the moon, partially obscured the landscape, and 
 anon, passing slowly away, let a flood of light down upon the 
 forest, which, penetrating between the thick branches, scattered 
 the surface of the snow, as it were with flakes of silver. Once 
 or twice during their walk the three travellers paused to rest, 
 but they spoke little, and in subdued voices, as if they feared 
 to break the silence of the night. 
 
 The ground over which the greater part of their path lay 
 was a swamp, which, being now frozen, was a beautiful white 
 plain, so that their advance was more rapid, until they ap- 
 proached the belt of woodland that skirts North River. Here 
 they again encountered the heavy snow, which had been such 
 a source of difficulty to Hamilton at setting out. He had 
 profited by his former experience, however, and, by the exer- 
 cise of an excessive degree of caution, managed to scramble 
 through the woods tolerably well, emerging at last, along with 
 his companions, on the bleak margin of what appeared to be 
 the frozen sea. 
 
 North River, at this place, is several miles broad, and the 
 opposite shore is so low, that the snow causes it to appear but 
 a slight undulation of the frozen bed of the river. Tndeed, 
 it would not be distinguishable at all, were it not for the 
 willow bushes and dwarf pines, whose tops, rising above the 
 white garb of winter, indicate that terra firma lies below. 
 
 " What a cold, desolate-looking place!" said Hamilton, as 
 the party stood still to recover breath before taking their way 
 over the plain to the spot where the accountant's traps were 
 set. " It looks much more like the frozen sea than a 
 river." 
 
 " It can scarcely be called a river at this place," remarked 
 the accountant, " seeing that the water hereabouts is brackish, 
 and the tides ebb and flow a good way up. In fact, this is 
 the extreme mouth of North River, and if you turn your eyes 
 a little to the right, towards yonder ice-hummock m the plain, 
 you behold the frozen sea itself." 
 
 " Where are your traps set?" inquired Harry. 
 " Down in the hollow behind yon point covered with 
 brushwood." 
 
cape, and 
 upon the 
 scattered 
 r. Once 
 d to rest, 
 ey feared 
 
 path lay 
 ful white 
 they ap- 
 r. Here 
 >ecn such 
 
 He had 
 the exer- 
 scramble 
 ong with 
 red to be 
 
 , and the 
 )pear but 
 
 Tndeed, 
 : for the 
 bove the 
 ow. 
 
 lilton, as 
 heir way 
 aps were 
 
 than a 
 
 emarked 
 brackish, 
 t, this is 
 our eyes 
 he plain, 
 
 ed with 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,75 
 
 " Oh, we shall soon get to them, then; come along." cried 
 Harry. ** 
 
 Harry was mistaken, however. He had not yet learned by 
 experience the extreme difficulty of judging of distance in the 
 uncertam light of night; a difficulty that was increased by his 
 Ignorance of the locality, and by the gleams of moonshine that 
 shot through the driving clouds, and threw confused, fantastic 
 shadows over the plain. The point which he had at first 
 supposed was covered with low bushes, and about a hundred 
 yards off, proved to be clad in reality with large bushes and 
 small trees, and lay at a distance of two miles. 
 
 " I think you have been mistaken in supposing the point 
 so near, Harry," said Hamilton, as he trudged on beside his 
 iriend. 
 
 "A fact, evident to the naked eye," replied Harry. « How 
 do your feet stand it, eh? Beginning to lose bark yet?" 
 
 Hamilton did not feel quite sure. " I think," said he 
 sottly, that there is a blister under the big toe of mv left 
 foot. It feels very painful." ^ 
 
 " If you feel at all uncertain about it, you may rest assured 
 that there « a blister. These things don't give much pain 
 at first I m sorry to tell you, my dear fellow, that you'll be 
 painfully aware of the fact to-morrow. However, don't dis- 
 tress yourself. It's a part of the experience that everyone goes 
 through m this country. Besides," said Harry, smiling, "we 
 can send to the fort for medical advice." 
 
 "Don't bother the poor fellow, and hold your tongue, 
 Harry, said the accountant, who now began to tread more 
 cautiously as he approached the place where the traps were 
 set* 
 
 " How many traps have you?" inquired Harry, in a low 
 tone. ^ 
 
 I' Three," replied the accountant. 
 
 "Do you know I have a very strange feeling about my 
 
 heels-or, rather, a want of feeling," said Hamilton, smiling 
 
 " A want of feeling! what do you mean?" cried the accoun- 
 tant, stopping suddenly and confronting his young friend. 
 
 J 
 
176 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 m 
 
 m: 
 
 " Oh! I daresay it's nothing," he exclaimed, looking as 
 if ashamed of having spoken of it, " only I feel exactly as if 
 both my heels were cut off, and I were walking on tip-toe!" 
 
 " Say you so? then right-about wheel. Your heels are 
 frozen, man, and you'll lose them if you don't look sharp." 
 " Frozen!" cried Hamilton, with a look of incredulity. 
 " Ay, frozen; and it's lucky you told me. I've a place up 
 in the woods here, which I call my winter camp, where we 
 can get you put to rights; but step out; the longer we are 
 about it, the worse for you." 
 
 Harry Somexville was at first disposed to think that the 
 accountant jested, but seeing that he turned his back towards 
 his traps, and made for the nearest point of the thick woods, 
 with a stride that betokened thorough sincerity, he became 
 anxious too, and followed as fast as possible. 
 
 The place to which the accountant led his young friends 
 was a group of fir trees which grew on a little knoll that rose 
 a few feet above the surrounding level country. At the foot 
 of this hillock, a small rivulet ran in summer, but the only 
 evidence of its presence now was the absence of willow bushes 
 all along its covered narrow bed. A level track was thus 
 formed by nature, free from all underwood, and running in- 
 land about the distance of a mile, where it was lost in the 
 swamp whence the stream issued. The wooded knoll, or 
 hillock, lay at the mouth of this brook, and being the only 
 elevated spot in the neighbourhood, besides having the largest 
 trees growing on it, had been selected by the accountant as 
 a convenient place for camping out on, when he visited his 
 traps in winter, and happened to be either too late, or disin- 
 clined, to return home. Moreover, the spreading fir branches 
 afforded an excellent shelter alike from wind and snow in 
 the centre of the clump; while from the margin was obtained 
 a partial view of the river and the sea beyond. Indeed, from 
 this look-out there was a very fine prospect on clear winter 
 nights of the white landscape, enlivened occasion?lly by 
 groups of arctic foxes, which might be seen scampering about 
 in sport, and gambolling among the hummocks of ice like 
 young kittens. 
 
looking as 
 xactly as if 
 tip-toe!" 
 r heels are 
 c sharp." 
 lulity. 
 a place up 
 , where we 
 ger we are 
 
 ik that the 
 ck towards 
 lick woods, 
 he became 
 
 ing friends 
 1 that rose 
 U the foot 
 It the only 
 low bushes 
 
 was thus 
 unning in- 
 lost in the 
 
 knoll, or 
 ? the only 
 the largest 
 ountant as 
 visited his 
 !, or disin- 
 r branches 
 1 snow in 
 s obtained 
 leed, from 
 ear winter 
 on?lly by 
 ring about 
 )f ice like 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,77 
 
 Ji^r ""t '^'" '"™ "P ^"'■"'" "^'^ '^^ accountant, as he 
 rfed 'f r n "P '^' ^^^"'^ before-mentionei, and 
 of busies 'PP'"'^ '° ^' '" impenetrable mass 
 
 Jl^^-^^u!^ ^f f r ^"' °"'" ^*y' **^*^"'" «^id Harry, looking 
 to the right and left, in the vain hope of discovering a pllce 
 where, the bushes being less dense, they might fffect S 
 entrance into the knoll or grove. 
 
 " Not so. I have taken care to make a passage into mv 
 wmter camp, although it was only a whim afte. fu to mZ 
 a concealed entrance; seeing that no one ever passes this 
 way except wolves and foxes, whose noses render the u^ 
 01 their eyes m most cases unnecessary." 
 
 So saying the accountant turned aside a thick branch 
 and disclosed a narrow track, into which he entered, followed 
 by his two companions. 
 
 A few minutes brought them to the centre of the knoll 
 Here they found a clear space of about twenty feet in dia- 
 meter around which the trees circled so thickly, that in 
 dayhgh nothing could be seen but tree stems as fkr as the 
 eye could penetrate while overhead the broad flat branches 
 of the firs, with their evergreen verdure, spread out and 
 interlaced so thickly that very little light penetrated imo 
 the space below. Of course at night, even in moonlight the 
 place was pitch dark. Into this retreat the accountant led 
 his companions and, bidding them stand still for a minute 
 
 Strike a' %tt° '""""^^^ ''"''' '^' ^'"P^''"' ^" P'^^""^^^ ^° 
 Those who have never travelled in the wild parts of this 
 world can form but a faint conception of the extraordinary 
 and sudden change that is produced, not only in the scene 
 
 inWv "^'u ""^i^t ^'^^'^''' ^^^" ^ bJ^^i^g fi^e is lighted 
 m a dark mght. Before the fire is kindled, and you stand 
 
 perhaps (as Harry and his friend did on the present occa- 
 sion), shivering in the cold, the heart sinks, and sad gloomy 
 thoughts arise, while your eve endeavours tn ui^rr. ,ul .u:l 
 
 llTu'T^'?^'- '^ '' '"^'^^^ ^" ^*^^"g ^^^ «^Jy 2dds to' the 
 (/Jr^''"^ '^^ P'^"^ '^°^' '^^ '=°^'i' chilling beams 
 
 II 
 
 << '1 
 
178 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 WH' 
 
 'W 
 
 of the moon, the wide vistas of savage scenery, the awe-in- 
 spiring solitudes that tell of your isolated condition, or stir 
 up sad memories of other and far distant scenes. But the 
 moment the first &park of fire sends a fitful gleam of light 
 upwards, these thoughts and feelings take wing and vanish. 
 The indistinct scenery is rendered utterly iuvisible by the 
 red light, which attracts and rivets the eye as if by a species 
 of fascination. The deep shadows of the woods immediately 
 around you grow deeper and blacker as the flames leap and 
 sparkle upwards, causing the stems of the surrounding trees, 
 and the foliage of the overhanging branches, to stand out in 
 bold relief, bathed in a ruddy glow, which converts the forest 
 chamber into a snug home-like place, and fills the mind with 
 agreeable, home-like feelings. 
 
 Some such thoughts and feelings passed rapidly through 
 the minds of Harry and Hamilton, while the accountant 
 struck a light and kindled a roaring fire of logs, which he had 
 cut and arranged there on a previous occasion. In the middle 
 of the space thus briUiantly illuminated, the snow had been 
 cleared away till the moss was uncovered, thus leaving a hole 
 of about ten feet in diameter. As the snow was quite four 
 feet deep, the hole was surrounded with a pure white wall, 
 whose height was further increased by the masses, thrown out 
 in the process of digging, to a height of nearly six feet. At one 
 end of this space was the large fire which had just been kindled, 
 and which, owing to the intense cold, only melted a very little 
 of the snow in its immediate neighbourhood. At the other 
 end lay a mass of flat pine branches, which were piled up so 
 thickly as to form a pleasant elastic couch, the upper end being 
 slightly raised so as to form a kind of bolster, while the lower 
 extended almost into the fire. Indeed, the branches at the 
 extremity were burnt quite brown. Beside the bolster lay 
 a small wooden box, a round tin kettle, an iron tea-kettle, 
 two tin mugs, a hatchet, and a large bundle tied up in a green 
 blanket. There were thus, as it were, two apartments, one 
 within the other; namely che outer one, whose walls were 
 formed of tree stems and thick darkness, and the ceiling of 
 green boughs; and then the inner one with walls of snow, 
 
the awe-in- 
 :ion, or stir 
 5. But the 
 am of Hght 
 and vanish, 
 ible by the 
 )y a species 
 mmediately 
 es leap and 
 iding trees, 
 tand out in 
 :s the forest 
 mind with 
 
 lly through 
 accountant 
 lich he had 
 the middle 
 V had been 
 ving a hole 
 
 quite four 
 white wall, 
 thrown out 
 set. At one 
 :en kindled, 
 a very little 
 t the other 
 piled up so 
 r end being 
 e the lower 
 :hes at the 
 bolster lay 
 
 tea-kettle, 
 ' in a green 
 ments, one 
 walls were 
 ; ceiling of 
 s of snow, 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 179 
 
 that sparkled in the fireU-^^t as if set with precious stones, 
 and a carpet of evergreen < anches. 
 
 Within this latter our three friends were soon actively 
 employed. Poor Hamilton's moccasins were speedily re- 
 moved, and his friends, going down on their knees, began 
 to rub his feet with a degree of energy that induced him to 
 beg for mercy. 
 
 "Mercy!" exclaimed the accountant, without pausing 
 for an instant, " faith, it's little mercy there would be in stop- 
 ping just now. Rub away, Harry. Don't give in. They're 
 coming right at last." 
 
 After a very severe rubbing, the heels began to show 
 symptoms of returning vitality. They were then wrapped 
 up in the folds of a thick blanket, and held sufficiently near 
 to the fire to prevent any chance of the frost getting at them 
 again. 
 
 " Now, my boy," said the accountant, as he sat down to 
 enjoy a pipe and rest himself on a blanket, which, along with 
 the one wrapped round Hamilton's feet, had been extracted 
 from the green bundle before mentioned—" Now, my boy, 
 you'll have to enjoy yourself here as you best can for an hour 
 or two, while Harry and I visit the traps. Would you like 
 supper before we go, or shall we have it on our return?" 
 
 " Oh, I'll wait for it, by all means, till you return. I don't 
 feel a bit hungry just now, and it will be much more cheerful 
 to have it after all your work is over. Besides, I feel my feet 
 too painful to enjoy it just now." 
 
 "My poor fellow," said Harry, whose heart smote him for 
 having been disposed at first to treat the thing lightly, " I'm 
 really sorry for you. Would you not like me to stay with you?'* 
 
 " By no means," replied Hamilton, quickly. " You can 
 do nothing more for me, Harry; and I should be very sorry 
 if you missed seeing the traps." 
 
 " Oh, never mind the traps. I've seen traps, and set them 
 too, fifty times before now. I'll stop with y-u, old boy, I 
 
 will*'* saifl Vfarm fir\nr,aA1„ ».U:i» I 1_ 
 
 — , jj .,„gg^„ij,^ TTiiJit «c iuauc urruiigcincnis 10 
 
 settle down for the evening. 
 " Well, if you won't go, I will," said Hamilton, coolly, as 
 
 ..i i;n 
 
iWv 
 
 1 80 
 
 THii YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 he unv.'ound the blanket from his feet and began to pull on 
 his socks. 
 
 " Bravo, my lad!" exclaimed the accountant, patting him 
 approvingly on the back; " I didn't think you had half so 
 much pluck in you. But it won't do, old fellow. You're 
 in my castle just now, and must obey orders. You couldn't 
 walk half a mile for your Hfe; so just be pleased to pull off 
 your socks again. Besides, I want Harry to help me to carry 
 up my foxes, if there are any; so get ready, sirrah!" 
 
 " Ay, ay, captain," cried Harry, with a laugh, while he 
 sprang up and put on his snow-shoes. 
 
 " You needn't bring your gun," said the accountant, shaking 
 the ashes from his pipe as he prepared to depart; " but you 
 may as well shove that axe into your belt; you may want it. 
 Now, mind, don't roast your feet," he added, turning to 
 Hamilton. 
 
 " Adieu!" cried Harry, with a nod and a smile, as he turned 
 to go. " Take care the bears don't find you out." 
 
 " No fear: good-bye, Harry," replied Hamilton, as his two 
 friends d? ;;;pi: ared in the wood and left him to his ."olitary 
 meditation:;. 
 
 ki ■) I- 
 
 lipii 
 
 i'i 
 ill 
 
 CHAPTER XIX 
 
 Shows how the accountant and Harry set their traps, 
 and what came of it 
 
 The moon was still up, and the sky less overcast, when our 
 amateur trappers quitted the encampment, and, descending 
 to the mouth of the little brook, took their way over North 
 River in the direction of the accountant's traps. Being some- 
 what fatigued both in mind and body by the unusual exertions 
 of the night, neither of them spoke for some time, but con- 
 tinued to walk in silence, contemplatively gazing at their long 
 shadows. 
 
 " Did you ever trap a fox, Harry?" said the accountant, at 
 length. 
 
to pull on 
 
 latting him 
 
 tiad half so 
 
 w. You're 
 
 ou couldn't 
 
 to pull off 
 
 tne to carry 
 » 
 
 i, while he 
 
 int, shaking 
 
 " but you 
 
 lay want it. 
 
 turning to 
 
 s he turned 
 
 , as his two 
 his solitary 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 i8i 
 
 ps, 
 
 , when our 
 descending 
 )ver North 
 eing some- 
 il exertions 
 !, but con- 
 their long 
 
 ^untant, at 
 
 ** Yes, I used to set traps at Red River; but the foxes there 
 are not numerous, and are so closely watched by the dogs, 
 that they have become suspicious. I caught but few." 
 
 " Then you know how to set a trap?" 
 
 " Oh, yes! I've set both steel and snow traps often. 
 You've heard of old Labont^, who used to carry one of the 
 winter packets from Red River until within a few years back?" 
 
 " Yes, I've heard of him: his name is in my ledger, at least 
 if you mean Pierre Labont6, who came down la ■ fall with the 
 brigade." 
 
 " The same. Well, he was a great friend ut mine. His 
 little cabin lay about two miles from Fort Garry, and after 
 work was over in the office, I used to go down to sit and chat 
 with him by the fire; and many a time I have sat up half the 
 night listening to him as he recounted his adventures. The 
 old man never tired of relating them, and of smoking twist 
 tobacco. Among other things, he set my mind upon trapping, 
 by giving me an account of an expedition he made, when quite 
 a youth, to the Rocky Mountains; so I got him to go into the 
 woods and teach me how to set traps and snares, and I flatter 
 myself he found me an apt pupil." 
 
 " Humph!" ejaculated the accountant; " I have no doubt 
 you do flatter yourself. But here we are. The traps are just 
 beyond that mound; so look out, and don't stick your feet in 
 them." 
 
 " Hist!" exclaimed Harry, laying his hand suddenly on his 
 companion's arm. " Do you see that?" pointing towards the 
 place where the traps were said to be. 
 
 " You have sharp eyes, younker; I do see it, now that you 
 point it out. It's a fox, and caught, too, as I'm a scrivener." 
 " You're in luck, to-night," exclaimed Harry, eagerly. 
 " It's a silver fox. I see the white tip on its tail." 
 
 " Nonsense," cried the accountant, hastening forward; 
 " but we'll soon settle the point." 
 Harry proved to be right. On reaching the spot they 
 
 lOUnn a bfantifiil Klgpt fnv r-oiinrVi* Ktt i-Ua fr>r<» !•='» 'n - ^*~-! 
 
 trap, and gazing at them with a look of terror. 
 The skin of the silver fox — so called from a slight sprinkling 
 
 'H 
 
 '1 w 
 
 i 
 I . i. 
 
IMAGE EVALUATION 
 TEST TARGET (MT-3, 
 
 ''/ 
 
 /, 
 
 <j. 
 
 {./ 
 
 ,P 
 
 <iP 
 
 L<? 
 
 cO A 
 
 % 
 
 
 A 
 
 C/j 
 
 
 1.0 
 
 I.I 
 
 1.25 
 
 |50 '""^^ 
 
 12.5 
 2,2 
 
 2.0 
 
 U III 1,6 
 
 4^/ ^ 
 
 ^:*^ 
 
 //^ 
 
 ""%' 
 
 r 
 
 v\t 
 
 Sciences 
 Corponition 
 
 V 
 
 aa WEST MAIN STRUT 
 
 WIBSTIRN Y MSaO 
 
 (71*) ■73-4S03 
 
 t 
 
 ^ 
 
 C\ 
 
 \ 
 
 
 
 6^ 
 
<. 
 
 «?>. 
 
 
 // 
 
l82 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 i. . . 
 
 \ I 
 
 Mj 
 
 I 
 
 of pure white hairs covering its otherwise jet black body — h 
 the most valuable fur obtained by the fur traders, and fetches 
 a high price in the British market. The foxes vary in colour 
 from jet black, which is the most valuable, to a light silvery 
 hue, and are hailed as great prizes by the Indians and trappers 
 when they are so fortunate as to catch them. They are not 
 numerous, however, and, being exceedingly wary and sus- 
 picious, are difficult to catch. It may be supposed, therefore, 
 that our friend the accountant ran to secure the prize with 
 some eagerness. 
 
 " Now then, my beauty, don't shrink," he said, as the poor 
 fox backed, at his approach, as far as the chain which fastened 
 the trap to a log of wood would permit; and then, standing at 
 bay, showed a formidable row of teeth. That grin was its 
 last; another moment, and the handle of the accountant'ix 
 axe stretched it lifeless on the snow. 
 
 *' Isn't it a beauty!" cried he, 8ur\'eying the animal with a 
 look of triumphant pier, ure; and then feeling as if he had 
 compromised his dignity a little by betraying so much glee, 
 he added: " But come now, Harry, we must see to the other 
 traps. It's getting late." 
 
 'The others were soon visited; but no more foxes were 
 caught. However, the accountant set them both off to see 
 that all was right; and then re-adjnsting one himself, told 
 Harry to set the other, in order to clear himself of the charge 
 of boasting. 
 
 Harry, nothing loath, went down on his knees to do so. 
 
 The steel trap used for catching foxes is of exactly the same 
 form as the ordinary rat-trap, with this difference that it has 
 two springs instead of one, is considerably larger, and has no 
 teeth, as these latter would only tend to spoil the skin. Owing 
 to the strength of the springs, a pretty strong effort is required 
 to set the trap, and clumsy fellows iFrequently catrh the tails 
 of their coats or the ends of their belts, and, not infrequently, 
 the ends of their fingers, in their awkward attempts. Having 
 •et it without any of the above untoward accidents occurring, 
 Harry placed it getttly on a hole which he had previously 
 •craped; placing it in such a manner that the jaws and plate, 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 i body — iu 
 ind fetches 
 f in colour 
 ght silvery 
 id trappers 
 ey are not 
 and sus- 
 therefore, 
 prize with 
 
 18 the poor 
 :h fastened 
 itanding at 
 in was its 
 countant'ix 
 
 nal with a 
 
 if he had 
 
 nuch glee, 
 
 > the other 
 
 oxes were 
 off to ate 
 nself, told 
 the charge 
 
 joso. 
 f the same 
 that it has 
 nd has no 
 I. Owing 
 8 required 
 h the tails 
 requently, 
 . Having 
 occurring, 
 previously 
 and plate, 
 
 183 
 
 or trigger, were a hair'sbreadth below the level of the snow. 
 After this he spread over it a very thin sheet of paper, observing 
 as he did so that hay or grass was preferable; but, as there 
 was none at hand, paper would do. Over this he sprinkled 
 sncw very lightly, until every vestige of the trap was concealed 
 from view, and the whole was made quite level with the 
 surrounding plain, so that even the accountant himself, after 
 he had once removed his eyes from it, could not tell where it 
 lay. Some chips of a frozen ptarmigan were then scattered 
 around the spot, and a piece of wood left to mark its where- 
 abouts. The bait is always scattered round and not on the 
 trap, as the fox, in running from one piece to another, is almost 
 certain to set his foot on it, and so get caught by the leg; 
 whereas, were the bait placed upon the trap, the fox would 
 be apt to get caught while in the act of eating, by the snout, 
 which, being wedge-like in form, is easily dragged out of its 
 grip. 
 
 " Now then, what say you to going farther out on the river, 
 and making a snow trap for white foxes?" said the accountant. 
 " We shall still have time to do so before the moon sett." 
 
 " Agreed," cried Harry. " Come along." 
 
 Without further parley, they left the spot and stretched out 
 towards the sea. 
 
 The snow on the river was quite hard on its surface, so 
 that snow-shoes being unnecessary, they carried them over 
 their shoulders, and advanced much more rapidly. It is true 
 that their road was a good deal broken, and jagged pieces of 
 ice protruded their sharp corners so as to render a little atten- 
 tion necessary in walking; but one or two severe bumps on 
 their toes made our friends sensitively alive to these minor 
 dangers of the way. 
 
 " There goes a pack of them!" exclaimed Harry, as a troop 
 of white foxes scampered past, gambolling as they went, and, 
 coming suddenly to a halt at a short distance, wheeled about 
 and sat down on their haunches, app»rently resolved to have 
 
 1 ffOod look nf thm ■rran»*ra u>kr> A^^^A t.^ ^ •_.- .i__!- 
 
 g — „„,j. ^ai^ra vxj rciiiurc into UICUT 
 
 wild domain. 
 "OhI they are the most stupid brutes alive," said the 
 
i84 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 i#i 
 
 -nilijli 
 
 accountant, as he regarded the pack with a look of contempt. 
 " I've seen one of them sit down and look at me while I set 
 a trap right before his eyes; and I had not got a hundred yards 
 from the spot when a yell informed me that the gentleman's 
 curiosity had led him to put his foot right into it." 
 
 " Indeed!" exclaimed Harry. " I had no idea that they 
 were so tame. Certainly no other kind of fox would do that." 
 
 " No, that's certain. But these fellows have done it to 
 me again and again. I shouldn't wonder if we got one to- 
 night in the very same way. I'm sure, by the look of these 
 rascals, that they would do anything of a reckless, stupid nature 
 just now." 
 
 " Had we not better make our trap here, then? There is 
 a point, not fifty yards off, with trees on it large enough for 
 our purpose." 
 
 " Yes, it will do very well here; now, then, to work. Go 
 to the wood, Harry, and fetch a log or two, while I cut out the 
 slabs." So saying, the accountant drew the axe which he 
 always carried in his belt; and, while Harry entered the wood 
 and began to hew off the branch of a tree, he proceeded, as he 
 had said, to " cut out the slabs ". With the point of his knife 
 he first of all marked out an oblong in the snow, then cut down 
 three or four inches with the axe, and, putting the handle 
 under the cut, after the manner of a lever, detached a thick 
 solid slab of about three inches thick, which, although not so 
 hard as ioc, was quite hard enough for the purpose for which 
 it waa intended. He then cut two similar slabs, and a smaller 
 one, the same in thickness and breadth, but only half the 
 length. Having acc.nplished this, he raised himself to rest 
 a little, and observed that Harry approached, sta^i^ering 
 under a load of wood, and that the foxes were still sitting on 
 their haunches, gazing at him with a look of deep interest. 
 
 •• If I only had my gun here!" thought he. Hut not having 
 i^ he merely shook his fist at them, stooped down again and 
 resumed his work. With Harry's assistance tlic slabs were 
 placed in such a way as to form a sort of box or house, having 
 om end of It open. This was further plastered with soft 
 snow at the joinings, and banked up in such a way that no 
 
contempt, 
 while I set 
 idred yards 
 entleman's 
 
 that they 
 i do that." 
 done it to 
 ot one to- 
 'k of these 
 pid nature 
 
 There is 
 nough for 
 
 /ork. Go 
 ut out the 
 which he 
 the wood 
 ded, as he 
 P his knife 
 cut down 
 le handle 
 :d a thick 
 gh not so 
 for which 
 a smaller 
 
 half the 
 If to rest 
 tapi^ering 
 lilting on 
 rcat. 
 
 Dt having 
 iguin and 
 aba were 
 e, having 
 *ith soft 
 
 that no 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,85 
 
 animal could break into it msJIv of !«>-„* l 
 
 :;Tl-JT - {^^^^^^ t^e iS 
 
 ^:q ttk rt-z^:^L^i^^ 
 
 tTe r r^K ''If "'^^ '^°"^ *^^ ^°< -d began to o^ off 
 the smaller branches and twigs. One large log was placed 
 across the opening of the trap, while the otheS were S 
 on one end of it so as to press it down with theTr wd^h^^^ 
 Three small pieces of stick were now prepared; two o7them 
 bemg about half a foot long, and the c^her aboit a foot On 
 the ong piece of stick the breast of a ptarmigan was fixed a^ 
 a ba. and two notches cut. the one at the end of it. the ofhS 
 
 ttr ttir:;.'^^ '-^'^^^ ^^^^^^^ '-"• ^" - -w :x 
 
 " Raise the log now while I place the trigger." said Harrv 
 
 directed, lifted up the log on which the others lay so as to 
 allow his companion to introduce the bait-stick in such a 
 
 wo:i7serth:s?r";\"'''^ ^^^ ^'-^^^-^ pun oi thti 
 
 would set the stick with the notches free, and thus oermit the 
 log to fall on the back of the fox, whose effort to reach the bait 
 would necessarily place him under it. 
 
 «n7i^''j V^''^ 7' *''"' ^"^agcd. the accountant stood ud 
 and looked towards the foxes. They had approached so near 
 in he,r curiosity, that he was induced to throw his axe frami 
 
 Sh ' '^" '"Tr. "' *'^ P^^"^- This set themial oping off 
 but they soon halted and sat down as before. ^ ^ ' 
 
 wirh « ?"* "««^«;«.^'"« ^'^^^^^ they arc, to be surel" said Harry 
 with a laugh as h.s companion returned with the hatchc" ^' 
 Humph! yes. but we'll be upsides with them vet Come 
 -long mto the wood, and I wager that in ten minuJ^'we^hTl! 
 
 held S.' "• "'" ''^^ ""^ '^""'^'^ '^y « '-d y«» 
 
 Hn'ri^'r ""f '''''-"^" *^* accountant, while ha and 
 Harry turned round with a stni-f •• Tf . . . 
 
 DoasihU »k„» »k i- • " cannot sure y be 
 
 possible that they have gone in already." A loud howl 
 
 ': I 
 
i86 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 followed the remark, and the whole pack fled over the plain 
 like snowdrift and disappeared. 
 
 " Ah! that's a pity; something must have scared them, to 
 make them take wing like that. However, we'll get one to- 
 morrow for certain; so come along, lad, let us make for the 
 camp." 
 
 " Not so fast," replied the other; " if you hadn't pored over 
 the big ledger till you were blind, you would see that there is 
 one prisoner already." 
 
 This proved to be the case. On returning to the spot they 
 found an arctic fox in his last gasp, lying flat on the snow, with 
 the heavy log across his back, which seemed to be broken. 
 A slight tap on the snout with the accountant's deadly axe- 
 handle completed his destruction. 
 
 " We're in luck to-night," cried Harry, as he Lieeled again 
 to re-set the trap. " But after all, these white brutes are 
 worth very little; I fancy a hundred of their skins would not 
 be worth the black one you got first." 
 
 " Be quick, Harry. The moon is almost down, and poor 
 Hamilton will think that the polar bears have got hold of us." 
 
 " All right! now then, step out," and, glancing once more 
 at the trap to see that all was properly arranged, the two 
 friends once more turned their faces homewards, and travelled 
 over the snow with rapid strides. 
 
 The »Tioon had just set, leaving the desolate scene in deep 
 gloom, so that they could scarcely find iheir way to the forest; 
 and, when they did at last reach its shelter, the night became 
 so intensely dark that they had almost to grope their way, and 
 would certainly have lost it altogether were it not for the 
 accountant's thorough knowledge of the locality. To add 
 to their discomfort, as they stun.bled on, snow began to fall; 
 and, ere long, a pretty steady breeze of wind drove it sharply 
 in their taces. However, this mattered but little, as they 
 penetrated deeper in among the trees, which proved a com- 
 plete shelter both from wind and snow. An hour's march 
 brought them to the mouth of the brook, aUhough half tha* 
 
 ^ — ■•"••■ "='Tv u^ttr:: susiivicxu siUv: u uccH Qayiigni, ana, a 
 
 few minutes later, they had the satisfaction of hearing Hamil- 
 
the plain 
 
 1 them, to 
 Bt one to- 
 ke for the 
 
 )ored over 
 It there is 
 
 spot they 
 aow, with 
 e broken, 
 ladly axe- 
 
 iled again 
 rutes are 
 vould not 
 
 and poor 
 
 dofus." 
 
 nee more 
 
 the two 
 
 travelled 
 
 J in deep 
 he forest; 
 t became 
 way, and 
 i for the 
 
 To add 
 n to fall; 
 t sharply 
 
 as they 
 1 a corn- 
 's march 
 half thg*: 
 t, and, a 
 J Hamil- 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 i»7 
 
 ton s voice hailing them as they pushed aside the bushes, and 
 sprang mto the cheerful light of their encampment. 
 
 " Hurrah!" shouted Harry, as he leapt into the space before 
 the fire, and flung the two foxes at Hamilton's feet. " What 
 do you think of that, old fellow? How are the heels? Rather 
 sore? eh! Now for the kettle. * Polly, put the kettle on, we'll 
 
 all have ' My eye! where's the kettle, Hamilton? Have 
 
 you eaten it?" 
 
 " If you compose yourself a little, Harry, and look at the 
 fire, you'll see it boiling there." 
 
 " Man, what a chap you are for making unnecessary 
 speeches. Couldn't you tell me to look at the fire, without 
 the preliminary piece of advice to compose myself? Besides, 
 you talk nonsense, for I'm composed already, of blood, bones' 
 
 flesh, sinews, fat, and " * 
 
 " Humbug," interrupted the accountant. " Lend a hand 
 to get supper, you young goose!" 
 
 ^^ " And so," continued Harry, not noticing the interruption, 
 I cannot be expected, nor is it necessary, to compose myself 
 over again. But, to be serious," he added, " it was very kind 
 and considerate of you, Hammy, to put on the kettle, when 
 your heels were in a manner uppermost." 
 
 " Oh! it was nothing at all; my heels are much better, 
 thank you, and it kept me from wearying." 
 
 " Poor fellow," said the accountant, while he busied himself 
 in preparing their evening meal, " you must be quite ravenous 
 by this time; at least /am, which is the same thing." 
 
 Supper was soon ready. It consisted of a large kettle of 
 tea, a lump of pemican, a handful of broken biscuit and three 
 ptarmigan; all of which were produced from the small wooden 
 box which the accountant was wont to call his camp-larder. 
 The ptarmigan had been shot two weeks before, and carefully 
 laid up for future use, the intense frost being a sufficient 
 parantce for their preservation for many months, had that 
 been desired. 
 
 The fire had been replenished with loe»^ till it roar-d sm* 
 crackled again, as if it were endued with a Vicious spirit, and 
 wished to set the very snow in flames. The walls shone like 
 
 I' 
 
188 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 alabaster studded with diamonds, while the green boughs 
 
 trtt fit *J' '''^' "''""^ ^"'^ °^ ^ ^^^P r^d colour in 
 the hght of the fierce blaze. The tea-kettle hissed, fumed, and 
 boiled over mto the fire. A mass of pemican simmered m the 
 hd m front of ,t. Three pannikins of tea reposed on the green 
 branches, their refreshing contents sending up little clouds of 
 steam while the ptarmigan, now split up. skewered, and 
 
 Sends' "^^'^ ""^ ^^^'''^^ '^*''°"'^'^ ^y °"' ^^^^ ^""g^ 
 
 .. f n 7 ^°u ^ P'P^'" '^'"^ ^^^ accountant, disposing his limbs 
 at fuU length on a green blanket. 
 
 CHAPTER XX 
 
 Ptarmigan hunting; Hamilton's shooting powera severely 
 tested; a snow-storm 
 
 At about four o'clock on the following morning, the sleepers 
 were awakened by the cold, which had become very intense. 
 Ihe fire had burned down to a few embers, which merely 
 emitted enough light to make darkness visible. Harry, being 
 the most active of the party, was the first to bestir himself 
 Raising himself on his elbow, while his teeth chattered, and 
 his hmbs trembled with cold, he cast a woebegone and exces- 
 sively sleepy glance towards the place where the fire had been- 
 then he scratched his head slowly; then he stared at the fire 
 again; then he languidly glanced at Hamilton's sleeping visage- 
 and then he yawned. The accountant observed all this- for 
 although he appeared to be buried in the depths of slumber 
 he was wide awake in reality, and. moreover, intensely cold.' 
 The accountant, however, was sly— deep— as he would have 
 said himself, and knew that Harry's active habits would induce 
 him to rise, on awaking, and re-kindle the fire— an event 
 which the accountant earnestly desired to see accomplished 
 but which he as earnestly resolved should not he perfnnr.ed by 
 him. Indeed, it was with this end in view that he had given 
 
;en boughs 
 d colour in 
 fumed, and 
 iered in the 
 n the green 
 e clouds of 
 vered, and 
 •ee hungry 
 
 I his limbs 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 i'erely 
 
 le sleepers 
 y intense. 
 :h merely 
 rry, being 
 r himself, 
 ered, and 
 ind cxces- 
 had been; 
 It the fire 
 ng visage; 
 this; for 
 slumber, 
 sely cold, 
 'uld have 
 Id induce 
 an event 
 nplishcd, 
 ^riTied by 
 ad given 
 
 189 
 
 vent to the terrific snore which had aroused his youna com- 
 P^mon a httle sooner than would have otherwisTbeen Ae 
 
 p^^s:!^:,^-^' "^^^^' ^° - -^— > "how 
 
 His eye making no reply to this remark, he arose and aoin^ 
 
 air Bv rnt T' '""^, '^^^ '^ ^°- thrrCcoS 
 
 ttltf^i^lnalVVou^ ^'°" '''-' °^ ^^-^ ---^ ^^ «^-" 
 
 thr,^^^' r abominable row you are kicking up," growled 
 the accoun ant; " why. you would waken the seven iTera 
 Oh. mendmg the fire," he added, in an altered toneP' ahi 
 1 11 excuse you. my boy. since that's what you're at " 
 
 rhe accountant hereupon got up, along with " HamJlfnn 
 who was now also awake, and the three spread tTefr hanTs over' 
 
 mbibef.' '';•;"' "^°'^^' *^^'^ ^°^^- before tunti th" 
 imbibed a satisfactory amount of heat. They wer^ much too 
 
 sleepy to converse, however, and contented 'themse^es^^^ 
 nS'SfsTe'e^rer"^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 in^a short ^u:^',j^:;:^x:^ t^^: 
 
 H,™^7 «';«Mively hungry I feel; isn't it .tranw?" «.,d 
 Hamilton, a, he assisted in re-liindling the firrwhile^h, 
 accountant fi l»i i,;= _:__ ._ . u """K "'c nre, while the 
 
 of snow^ "' ' *"'"'• """ *""* """*""' "•« '«>-k«tIe full 
 
 " S.r«,gel" cried Harry, as he placed the kettle on the 
 
 : <! 
 
 ■m 
 
190 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 iiitliii , 
 
 fire—'* strange! to be hungry after a five miles* walk, and a 
 night in the snow? I woUld rather say it was strange if you 
 were not hungry. Throw on that billet, like a good fellow, 
 and spit those grouse, while I cut some pemican and Dreoare 
 the tea." ^ *^ 
 
 " How are the heels now, Hamilton?" asked the accountant, 
 who divided his attention between his pipe and his snow- 
 shoes, the lines of which required to be readjusted. 
 
 " They appear to be as well as if )iothing had happened to 
 them," replied Hamilton; "I've been looking at them, 
 and there is no mark whatever, '"hey do not even feel 
 tender." 
 
 " Lucky for you, old boy, that they \7ere taken in time, else 
 you'd have had another story to tell." 
 
 " Do you mean to say that people's heels really freeze and 
 fs*!! off?" inquired the other, with a look cf incredulity. 
 
 " Soft, very soft, and green," murmured Harry, in a low 
 voice, while he continued his work of adding fresh snow to the 
 kettle, as the process of melting reduced its bulk. 
 
 " I mean to say," replied the accountant, tapping the ashes 
 out of his pipe, " that not only heels, but hands, feet, noses, 
 and ears, frequently freeze, and often (all off in this country, 
 as you will find by sad experience, if you don't look after 
 yourself a little better than you have done hitherto." 
 
 One of the evil effects of the perpetual jesting that prevailed 
 at York Fort was, that " soft " (in other words, straightfor- 
 ward, unsuspecting) youths had to undergo a long process of 
 learning-by-experience: first, beUeving everything, and then 
 doubting everything, ere they arrived at that degree of sophisti- 
 cation which enabled them to distinguish between truth and 
 falsehood. 
 
 Having reached the efjubting period in his training, Hamilton 
 looked down and said nothing, at least with his mouth, though 
 his eyes evidently remarked, " I don't believe you ". In 
 future years, however, the evidence of these same eyes con- 
 vinced him that what the accountant said upon this occasion 
 was but too true. 
 
 Breakfast was a repetition of the supper of the previous 
 
valk, and a 
 mge if you 
 ood fellow, 
 nd prepare 
 
 iccountant, 
 his snow- 
 
 ippened to 
 at them, 
 even feel 
 
 1 time, else 
 
 freeze and 
 
 ty. 
 
 , in a low 
 low to the 
 
 ; the ashes 
 set, noses, 
 s country, 
 look after 
 
 prevailed 
 xaightfor- 
 process of 
 and then 
 F sophisti- 
 truth and 
 
 Hamilton 
 h, though 
 •u ". In 
 eyes con- 
 occasion 
 
 previous 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,9, 
 
 ^ening. During its discussion they planned proceedings for 
 
 " My notion is," said the accountant, interrupting the flow 
 of words ever and anon to chew the morsel witi Ihich h^ 
 mouth was filled. " n.y notion is, that, as it's a fine de r day 
 
 ZTrITI ^ "'[" *'""^' ^^^ ^°^"*^y P-"«^ with 
 North River. I know the ground, and can guide you easily 
 
 to the spots where there are lots of willowsf and, therefore 
 
 plen y of ptarmigan, seeing that they feed ^n w How tops' 
 
 and the snow that fell last night will help us a little " ^ 
 
 ^^ How will the snow help us?" inquired Hamilton. 
 
 onlylTew rs?'^" ^'^ °^' ''''''' *^ '^ --' -^ «^--« 
 
 "Well, captain " said Harry, as he raised a can of tea to 
 
 his lips, and nodded to Hamilton, as if drinking his health! 
 
 rZ M iT ^°"'. P u P°''^' ^""^ '^^ ^^y- Five miles up the 
 river to begin with, then " ^ 
 
 " Then, we'll pull up," continued the accountant; " make 
 a fire, rest a bit, and eat a mouthful of pemican; after 2th 
 
 a"d ": ho^^^^^^^ """*^ '°' ^'^ ^°"^*"» woodiutter^Ti^ct 
 
 " And how much will that be!" 
 
 " About fifteen miles." 
 
 " Ha!" exclaimed Harry; " pass the kettle, please. Thanks 
 Do you think you're up to that, Hammy?" '^ ^' ' ^""'«'- 
 
 «n J K 7 "T^"' ' """ ^°'" '^P"«d Hamilton. « If the 
 
 ~g" i:r ""' " '-' °^^^"' ' '''^' ' «^^" --^ 
 
 "That's right." said the accountant. " If yo„ go on as 
 
 Right!" ejaculated the accountant, rising. " I'll just out 
 
 In a few minutes everything was placed in security, guns 
 loaded, snow-shoes put on. and the^inter camp d^eS! 
 
 P 
 
 i\ I 
 
 
ipa 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 ■■' n 
 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 At first the walking was fatiguing, and poor Hamilton more 
 than once took a sudden and eccentric plunge; but, after 
 getting beyond the wooded country, they found the snow much 
 more compact, and their march, therefore, much more agree- 
 able. On coming to the place where it was probable that they 
 might fall in w'th ptarmigan, Hamilton became rather excited 
 and apt to imagine that little lumps of snow, which hung upon 
 the bushes here and there, were birds. 
 
 " There now," he cried, in an energetic and slightly positive 
 tone, as another of these masses of snow suddenly met his 
 eager eye—" that's one, I'm sure." 
 
 The accountant and Harry both stopped short on hearing 
 this, and looked in the direction indicated. 
 
 " Fire away, then, Hammy," said the former, endeavouring 
 to suppress a smile. 
 
 "But do you think it really is one?" asked Hamilton, 
 anxiously. 
 
 " Well, I don't see it exactly, but then, you know, I'm near- 
 sighted." 
 
 " Don't give him a chance of escape," cried Hai-ry, seeing 
 that his friend was undecided. " If you really do see a bird, 
 you'd better shoot it, for they've got a strong propensity to 
 take wing when disturbed." 
 
 Thus admonished, Hamilton raised his gun and took aim. 
 Suddenly he lowered his piece again, and looking round at 
 Harry, said in a low whisper: 
 
 " Oh! I should like so much to shoot it while flying. Would 
 it not be better to set it up first?" 
 
 " By no means," answered the accountant. " ' A bird in 
 the hand ', &c. Take him as you find him— look sharp; he'll 
 be ofF in a second." 
 
 Again the gun was oointed, and, after some difficulty in 
 taking aim, fired. 
 
 ^^ " Ah! what a pity you've missed him," shouted Harry; 
 " but see, he's not off yet; how tame he is, to be sure; give 
 him the other barrel, Hammy." 
 
 _-!-_ ^ ... „..T,^^ jjiuvcu tu uc unnecessary. In his 
 
 anxiety to get the bird, Hamilton had cocked both barrels, 
 
nilton more 
 but, after 
 
 snow much 
 more agree- 
 )le that they 
 her excited, 
 
 hung upon 
 
 itly positive 
 ily met his 
 
 on hearing 
 
 ideavouring 
 
 Hamilton, 
 
 , I'm near- 
 
 u'ry, seeing 
 see a bird, 
 )pensity to 
 
 took aim. 
 * round at 
 
 ?. Would 
 
 A bird in 
 larp; he'll 
 
 ifficulty in 
 
 ed Harry; 
 sure; give 
 
 r. In his 
 h barrels, 
 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,„ 
 
 and while gazing half in disappointment, half in surorise 
 
 s c ndZ'r' T' '^^ '"^^^ unintentiinally "resseTthe' 
 secona trigger. In a moment the niece «»vr,ioX^ n • 
 
 accidentally aimed in the right directi^ t Ke lumnof 
 
 Tes" with ri>'?.' r *\^ ^r '^^^ '^^"-^ >^« owne; oTthe 
 
 "Whit ^""'.^^°^^^ed him over flat upon his back. 
 
 What a gun It ,s, to be sure!" said Harry, with a roeuish 
 
 laugh, as he assisted the discomfited sportsSarto ris^^'t 
 
 knocks over game with butt and muzzle^at onTe." ' '' 
 
 added t aVc^nt^ " °' ""^^ '"" '"°^^^"^" ^^^^ ^o-'" 
 At this moment a large flock of ptarmigan, startled bv the 
 double report, rose with a loud whirring noise ibout a hundred 
 yards m advance, and after flying a sho'rt distance, %h"d 
 
 Theres real game at last, though," cried the accountant 
 as^^he hurned after the birds, folded closely by ~ng 
 
 .nltl Tn '^"'^"'^ '^^ "P°' ^^«^« t^« flock had alighted 
 and after followmg up the tracks for a few yards farthfr set' 
 
 brour r"- . ^ '"S '''^'^ ^°«^' *^« accoLtant fired and 
 HTmiltin r^" '"''• ^'"^ ^^°* °"^ ^'^d missed another 
 Hamilton being so nervously interested in the success of hL' 
 comrades that he forgot to fire at all ^ ^'* 
 
 thl^guTr''" °'"''" ^' ^'^^'""^'' "'^^'^ *^« «^J^«' loaded 
 " Never mind; better luck next time," said Harrv as thev 
 resumed their walk. " I saw the flock settle down Tbouthatf 
 a mile in advance of us; so step out " 
 ^^ Another short walk brought the sportsmen again within 
 
 . J' ^u f *^? ^'■°"*' Hammy," said the accountant " and 
 take the first shot this time." v-cuuniant, and 
 
 Hamilton obeyed. He had scarcely made ten stens in 
 dvance. when a single bird, that seemed to hive be™? 
 rated from the others, ran suddenly out from under r S 
 and stood stock still, at a dist^nr. J. f»,.. ..?..''"'!*' f ^"'^» 
 
 stretched ni.f o«^ ;♦ ui i '." " ^''"^ j^a^us, wun us necK 
 
 ^retched out and its black eye wide open, as if in astonish- 
 
 It 
 
 n 
 
 I 
 
 • .1 
 
 I 
 
 -, i» it t 
 
«94 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 ■'»■* *■ 
 
 if" 
 
 t :: -. 
 
 
 I' 
 
 I.llili ! 
 
 " Now, then, you can't miss that." 
 
 Hamilton was quite tak6n aback by the suddenness of this 
 necessity for instantaneous action. Instead, therefore, of 
 taking aim leisurely (seeing that he had abundant tim^ to 
 do so) he flew entirely to the opposite extreme, took no aim 
 at all, and fired off both barrels at once, without putting the 
 gun to his shoulder. The result of this was that the aflfrighted 
 bird flew away unharmed, while Harry and the accountant 
 burst spontaneously into fits of laughter. 
 
 " How very provoking!" said the poor youth, with a dejected 
 look. 
 
 "Never mind— never say die— try again," said the ac- 
 countant, on recovering his gravity. Having re-loaded, they 
 continued the pursuit. 
 
 " Dear me!" exclaimed Harry, suddenly, " here are three 
 dead birds; I verily believe, Hamilton, that you have killed 
 them all at one shot by accident." 
 
 " Can it be possible?" exclaimed his friend, as, with a look 
 of amazement, he regarded the birds. 
 
 There was no doubt about the fact. There they lay, plump 
 and still warm, with one or two drops of bright red blood 
 upon their white plumage. Ptarmigan are almost pure white, 
 80 that it requires a practised eye to detect them, even at the 
 distance of a few yards; and it would be almost impossible to 
 hunt them without dogs, but for the tell-tale snow, in which 
 their tracks are distinctly marked, enabling the sportsman to 
 follow them up with unerring certainty. When Hamilton 
 made his bad shot, neither he nor his companions observed a 
 group of ptarmigan not more than fifty yards before them, 
 their attention being riveted at the time on the solitary bird,' 
 and the gun happening to be directed towards them when 
 it was fired, three were instantly and unwittingly placed hors 
 Je combat, while the other- ran away. This the survivors 
 frequently do wlien very tame, instead of taking wing. Thus 
 it was that Hamilton, to his immense deligiit, made such a 
 ■uccessful shot without being aware of it. 
 
 Havmg bagged their game, the party proceeded on their 
 Wiy. Several large flocks of bii Js were raiscil, and the game- 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,g, 
 
 10 give up the idea of goiZ farther InH .T*"' '"''"«<f *em 
 
 ca™ ,„ .his resoiutiol "o/T^Z'jlZ:"'':;^^^ 
 the eagerness of nur&uit affpr «^«,^ *u , , 6» wnicn, in 
 
 Dark ^asae. of lerderoiot^'dTuVtTretVel" ifS"- 
 
 s?:^i;:t:;tts!::----rar^^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 .hey travelled «emed r^rfeionoT^rrr ,"'!'* 
 Their way. however, did not'St a direct 1« tt^^TC 
 wassomewhattortuous.anderaduallv J^, J \ '™'' 
 until the wind blew neLrlyi^^heSAtThf '''■"''"''• 
 they came to the «ir«rl, J ' ""' f°'"'- '«>, 
 
 cJsed at a Xztf :L'7:^:r::'i,T'::^,:'V'' 
 
 the r night march H^r« ♦!, . """^^^ ^ the northward, in 
 plain aeemed ltd .bolt iSwrwr f'f "' "■"' "" "'''•" 
 
 r: 
 
 be 
 
 ''■at, if need 
 
196 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 I" 
 f 
 
 " What should we do," inquired the former, " if the plain 
 were five or six miles broad?" 
 
 " Do? why, we should have to camp in the woods till it 
 blew over, that's all," replied the accountant; " but, seeing 
 that we are not reduced to such a necessity just now, and that 
 the day is drawing to a close, let us face it at once. I'll lead 
 the way, and see that you follow close at my heels. Don't lose 
 sight of me for a moment, and if you do, by chance, eive a 
 shout; d'ye hear?" ^ 
 
 Ti.e two lads replied in the affirmative, and then bracing 
 themselves up as if for a great effort, stepped vigorously out 
 upon the plain, and were instantly swallowed up in clouds of 
 snow. For half an hour or more, they battled slowly against 
 the howling storm; pressing forward, for some minutes, with 
 heads down, as if boring through it— then turning their backs 
 to the blast for a few seconds' relief— but always keeping as 
 close to each other as possible. At length the woods were 
 gained; on entering which it was discovered that Hamilton 
 was missing. 
 
 "Hallol Where's Hamilton?" exclaimed Harry; "I saw 
 him beside me not five minutes ago." 
 
 The accountant gave a loud shout, but there was no reply. 
 Indeed, nothing short of his own stentorian voice could have 
 been heard at all amid the storm. 
 
 '• There's nothing for it," said Harry, " but to search at 
 once, else he'll wander about and get lost." Saying this, he 
 began to retrace his steps, just as a brief lull in the gale took 
 place. 
 
 " Hallol don't you hear a cry, Harry?" 
 
 At this moment, there was another lull; the drift fell, and, 
 for an instant, cleared away, revealing the bewildered Hamilton, 
 not twenty yards off, standing, like a pillar of snow, in mute 
 despair. 
 
 Profiting by the glimpse, Harry rushed forward, caught 
 him by the arm, and led him into the partial shelter of the 
 forest. 
 
 Nothing further befell them after this. Their 
 in shelter all the way to the fort. Poor Hamilton, 
 
 route 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,97 
 
 took one or two of his occasional plunges by the way, but 
 without any senous result-not even to the extent of stuffing 
 h.8 nose, ears neck, mittens, pockets, gun-barrels, and every! 
 
 Ltht S'. ''''' "-'' "° ^-"^ '-'' ^- ^'^ ^^^^^- of 
 
 ! I 
 
 CHAPTER XXI 
 
 The winter packet; Harry hears from old friends, and 
 wishes that he was with them 
 
 Letters from home! What a burst of sudden emotion- 
 
 and anxiety-what a flood of old memories-what stirring uo 
 of almost forgotten associations, these three words create "n 
 he hearts of those who dwell in distant regions of this earth 
 far. far away from kith and kin-from friends and acquat-' 
 tances-rom the much-loved scenes of childhood, and^frTm 
 home! Letters from home! How gratefully the ound falU 
 upon ears that have been long unaccustomed to sounds and 
 hmgs connected with home, and so long accustomed to wild 
 avage sounds, that these have at length lost their novdy 
 and become everyday and commonplace, while the fi«t have 
 gradually grown strange and unwonted. For many Vong 
 months home and all connected with it has become 7dreZ 
 of other days, and savage-land a present reality. The mind 
 has by degrees become absorbed by surrounding object^ 
 objects so utterly unassociated with, or unsugg^five of a^ 
 o her ...a. that it involuntarily ceases t. thinf of he encs 
 of childhood with the same feelings that il once did. A time 
 we nr"; '^7^.'"«'"".^' « '"'«*y. -defined character, as Tit 
 
 f! 1 erld f' T"""' '" ""''^y- ^''' ^^'•*' "'- «'«^'y retreating 
 farther and farther away-growing gradually faint and dr^am? 
 
 i««ic, liiougn noi icBs dear, to the mental view 
 
 «n . ^f"*''""/''""^ *^o"^el" shouted Mr. Wilson, and the doctor 
 
 and the skipper, simultaneously, as the s^rtamen. X' 
 
198 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 dashing through the wild storm, at last reached the fort, and 
 stumbled tumultuously into Bachelors' Hall. 
 
 " What!— Wherel— Howl— You don't mean it!" they ex- 
 claimed, coming to a sudden stand, like three pillars of snow- 
 clad astonishment. 
 
 " Ay," replied the doctor— who affected to be quite cool 
 upon all occasions, and rather cooler than usual if the occasion 
 was more than ordinarily exciting—" ay, we do mean it. Old 
 Rogan has got the packet, and is even now disembowelling it." 
 
 " More than that," interrupted the skipper, who sat smoking 
 as usual by the stove, with his hands in his breeches-pockets— 
 " more than that, I saw him dissecting into the very marrow 
 of the thing; so, if we don't storm the old admiral in his cabin, 
 he'll go to sleep over these prosy yarns that the governor-in- 
 chief writes to him, and we'll have to whistle for our letters till 
 midnight." 
 
 The skipper's remark was interrupted by the opening of 
 the outer door and the entrance of the butler. " Mr. Rogan 
 wishes to see you, sir," said that worthy to the accountant. 
 
 " I'll be with him in a minute," he replied, as he threw off 
 his capote and proceeded to unwind himself as quickly as his 
 multitudinous haps would permit. 
 
 By this time Harry Somerville and Hamilton were busily 
 occupied in a similar manner, while a running fire of quescion 
 and answer, jesting remark and bantering reply, was kept up 
 between the young men, from their various apartments and 
 the hall. The doctor was cool, as usual, and impudent. He 
 had a habit of walking up and down while he smoked, and was 
 thus enabled to look in upon the inmates of the several sleeping 
 rooms, and make his remarks in a quiet, sarcastic manner, the 
 galljng effect of which was heightened by his habit of pausing 
 at the end of every two or three words, to emit a few puffs of 
 smoke. Having exhausted a good deal of small talk in this 
 way, and having, moreover, finished his pipe, the doctor went 
 to the stove to re-fill and re-light. 
 
 What a dp;il of trouble vou do take tn rr.ak* "o. 
 fortible," said he 
 
 . ..If — _. 
 
 on its hind legs, and a pillow at his back 
 
 the skipper, who sat witli his chair tilted 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TR.\DERS ,„ 
 
 JNo harm i„ Aa.. Doctor." replied Ae skipper, wid. . 
 
 "Why, putting a pillow at your back, to be sure " 
 
 rc:r;^xr^::,lt^i;^~^^^^^^^ 
 
 a little ap, ,„ sneer at ,Seml"fu;^' i" ""'• "'"'=''''"'. 
 
 ilNshaped. wooden.b:J^rrcr4 th'thS T half "■" 
 ornamented, bearable. "^" ^^ 
 
 mZme outZ''" si.v-t *''''*^' " ' ^""O' ^« h"" Xo" 
 
 .orn-entingP^'eeking' eToiTbrTf if r""" "-' 
 convenience any one ek,. " ™™°™'>K. -f it does n,.i in- 
 
 comfort?" The stoner h^ . """^^ ^''y- "hat ,i 
 point, and took the o^^e f ^"k'° "" PW'<»opl>ical at this 
 funded thrltnZ: 'ZZ "'?.th"t '° *^T'^ P"" 
 
 fevel the stump, cu, away thCrl'l" ""'.''"' " '""^''et, 
 •he place, an, fio be caL't 7or do nn"" S^^f rf ,"'" 
 on a char, and on trvin„ .„ i. ' ,'"l!'<" Or if 1 sit down 
 
 the ..upid lubber who Ide uZ. '" "" "'''"''• «"'' *" 
 -mal. h'ard points ab„"th ™ ^Z'";r 1 "■ "■" ^"' 
 
 - . fo Lcal,r.r;fir"Zn"gXl"' "■' " "■""" "' ""^ '"^• 
 the d ^c.'o?;!!'''"^'' '""^ "■"' ""'"''' ">»'«•• in •'« l"gl" said 
 
 "ojics oui 01 his pipe ■ "^ »«Fi^u uiQ 
 
 -^S::^:----^:.My=B« 
 
 
 r, 
 
 ! fl 
 
20O 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 rupted by the opening of the door, and the entrance of the 
 accountant, bearing under his arm a packet of letters. 
 
 A general rush was made upon him, and in a few minutes 
 a dead silence reigned in the hall, broken only at intervals by 
 an exclamation of surprise or pathos, as the inmates, in the 
 retirement of their separate apartments, perused letters from 
 friends in the interior of the country, and friends at home — 
 letters that were old — some of them bearing dates many 
 months back— and travel-stained, but new, and fresh, and 
 cheering, nevertheless, to their owners, as the clear bright 
 sun in winter, or the verdant leaves in spring. 
 
 Harry Somerville's letters were numerous and long. He 
 had several from friends in Red River, besides one or two from 
 other parts of the Indian country, and one — it was very thick 
 and heavy — that bore the post-marks of Britain. It v. as late 
 that night ere the last candle was extinguished in the hall, 
 and it was late too before Harry Somerville ceased to peruse 
 and re-peruse the long letter from home, and found time or 
 inclination to devote to his other correspondents. Among the 
 rest was a letter from his old friend and companion, Charley 
 Kennedy, which ran as follows: 
 
 My dear Harry, 
 
 It really seems more than an age since I saw you. 
 Your last epistle, written in the perturbation of mind conse- 
 quent upon being doomed to spend another winter at York 
 Fort, reached me only a few days ago, and filled me with 
 pleasant recollections of other days. OhI man, how much I 
 wish that you were with me in this beautiful country I You are 
 aware that I have been what they call " roughing it " since 
 you and I parted on the shores of Lake Winnipeg; but, my 
 dear fellow, the idea that most people have of what that phrase 
 means, is a very erroneous one indeed, " Roughing it " I 
 certainly have been, inasmuch as I have been living on rough 
 fare, associating with rough men, and sleeping on rough beds 
 under the starry sky; but I assure you, that all this is not half 
 so rough upon the constitution as what they call leading an 
 9asy I'fe't which is simply a life that makes a poor fellow 
 
trance of the 
 tters. 
 
 few minutes 
 t intervals by 
 mates, in the 
 1 letters from 
 is at home — 
 
 dates many 
 d fresh, and 
 
 clear bright 
 
 id long. He 
 
 B or two from 
 
 as very thick 
 
 It v.as late 
 
 in the hall, 
 ted to peruse 
 )und time or 
 
 Among the 
 lion, Charley 
 
 I saw you. 
 mind conse- 
 nter at York 
 led me with 
 how much I 
 ryl You are 
 ng it " since 
 •eg; but, my 
 It that phrase 
 ighing it " I 
 ing on rough 
 
 I rough beds 
 lis is not half 
 
 II leading an 
 poor fellow 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS aoi 
 
 atagnate, body and spirit, till the one comes to be unable to 
 d gest Its food, and the other incompetent to jump at so much 
 
 there's n"Jh vt^^'^'^'S ^"* ^" '''^ ^^^'' *« "^y "^'"d. Ah! 
 there s nothmg hke roughing it, Harry, my boy. Why, I am 
 
 thnvmg on ,t; growing like a young walrusf eating^ ike™ 
 
 Canadian voyageur, and sleeping Hke a top. This is a splendid 
 
 head that /7°''' "fu "^r ^^"^^^"■^' ^'^ '^^^^ >' '"to his 
 head that I am a good hand at making friends with the Indians. 
 
 ,n Jl f '" ""^ °"* °" '^^^'"^ expeditions, and afforded me 
 There rrtL°^^T""''r °^ '""'"^ ^^^ ^"^^^^ '^^ ^^^skins. 
 d^str ct ,o f V" "T-°^ establishing a new outpost in this 
 district, so. If I succeed in persuading the governor to let me 
 accompany the party, I shall have something interesting to 
 wn^ about in my next^ letter. By the way. I'wrote to yo'u a 
 month ago. by two Indians who said they were going to the 
 missionary station at Norway House. Did you ever get it? 
 
 IcnZV T""' tf'". J"'' "°^' ^'^^ S«*^« ^y the name of 
 Jacques Caradoc. He is a first-rater-can do anything in a 
 
 lir^.-M '' ^^""/''^^V^^ power of mortal maJi, and is an 
 .nexhausnble anecdote-teller. in a quiet way. He and I have 
 been out buffalo-hunting two or three times, and il would have 
 done your heart good Harry, my dear boy. to have seen us 
 scouring over the prairie together on two big-boned Indian 
 norses-regular trained buffalo-runners, that didn't need the 
 spur to urge, nor the rein to guide them, when once they caught 
 sight of the black cattle, and kept a sharp look-out for badger 
 holes just as if they had been reasonable creatures. The 
 first time I went out I had several rather ugly falls, owing to 
 
 buffaloes before, he's sure to get one or two upsets, no matter 
 how good a horseman he may be. And that monster, Jacques 
 although he's the best fellow I ever met with for a hunting 
 companion, always took occasion to grin at my mishaps and 
 gravely to read me a lecture to the effect tha[ they we;e all 
 
 IT"?..;^"!^ °^" ^'""^.^'".^^^ ^' stupidity; which, you will 
 .v.„..v.cugc, was noi calculated to restore my equanimity. 
 
 the SSrSl!'""" ^ "^"^' "^ "" eatablishment i. always designated 
 
 I 
 
 . I 
 
 
 ki 
 
202 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 "' »:| 
 
 The very first run we had cost me the entire skin of my 
 nose, and converted that feature into a superb Roman for the 
 next three weeks. It happened thus. Jacques and I were 
 riding over the prairie in search of buffaloes. The place was 
 interspersed with sundry knolls covered with trees, slips and 
 belts of woodland, with ponds scattered among them, and 
 open sweeps of the plain here and there; altogether a delightful 
 country to ride through. It was a clear early morning, so 
 that our horses were fresh and full of spirit. They knew, as 
 well as we ourselves did, what we were out for, and it was' no 
 easy matter to restrain them. The one I rode was a great 
 long-legged beast, as like as possible to that abominable 
 kangaroo that nearly killed me at Red River; as for Jacques, 
 he was mounted on a first-rate charger. I don't know how' 
 it is, but, somehow or other, everything about Jacques, or 
 belonging to him, or in the remotest degree connected with 
 him, is always first-rate! He generally owns a first-rate horse, 
 and if he happens by any unlucky chance to be compelled to 
 mount a bad one, it immediately becomes another animal. 
 He seems to infuse some of his own wonderful spirit into it! 
 Well, as Jacques and I curvetted along, skirting the low bushes 
 at the edge of a wood, out burst a whole herd of buffaloes. 
 Bang went Jacques' gun, almost before I had winked to make 
 sure that I saw rightly, and down fell the fattest of them all, 
 while the rest tossed up their tails, heels, and heads, in one 
 grand whirl of indignant amazement, and scoured away like 
 the wind. In a moment our horses were at full stretch after 
 them, on their own account entirely, and without any reference 
 to us. When I recovered my self-possession a little, I threw 
 forward my gun and fired, but, owing to my endeavouring to 
 hold the reins at the same time, I nearly blew off one of my 
 horse's ears, and only knocked up the dust about six yards 
 ahead of usi Of course Jacques could not let this pass un- 
 noticed. He was sitting quietly loading his gun, as cool as a 
 cucumber, while his horse was dashing forward at full stretch, 
 with the reins hanging loosely on his neck. 
 
 " Ahj Miaier Charles," said he, with the least possible grin 
 on his leathern visage, " that was not well done. You should 
 
kin of my 
 lan for the 
 nd I were 
 
 place was 
 , slips and 
 them, and 
 
 delightful 
 arning, so 
 r knew, as 
 
 it was no 
 as a great 
 Dominable 
 r Jacques, 
 :now how 
 icques, or 
 cted with 
 ate horse, 
 ipelled to 
 r aninnal. 
 it into it! 
 >w bushes 
 buffaloes. 
 1 to make 
 them all, 
 3, in one 
 iway like 
 itch after 
 reference 
 , I threw 
 luring to 
 le of my 
 )ix yards 
 pass un- 
 cool as a 
 I stretch, 
 
 ible grin 
 u should 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 203 
 
 never hold the reins when vou fire nor fr,r *^ ^ * -ll 
 
 here to see the buffalo huntin'. He was a good enough she 
 m his way, an' a first-rate rider. But he tas full o' que^r 
 notions, he «,o«W load his gun with the ramrodin the ?X 
 
 S- " r n ° '^°'"' "^ ^^ ^°' *"-bl-' in - d op powder 
 spittm a ball out your mouth down the muzzle, and hiS the 
 stock on the pommell of the saddle to send t home A^d 
 
 and used to fiddle away with them, while we were knockin* 
 over the cattle in all directions. Moreover he had a nottn 
 
 ever cal ^o T"' ^" '"'' T""' *^^" *^« ^^^^^^^^ ^-'I^rk that 
 ever came to the country. He gave it up in despair at last 
 
 bull tw". '/°T' '"^ ^^^^^^ °ff "^y runnin' after a b g 
 bull, that turned on h.m all of a suddent, crammed its head 
 and horns mto the side of his hor.e. and s'ent the" dbw 
 head over heels on the green grass. He wasn't much th^ 
 a Zpfthlt wo' M f"' ^-^^-•'--"ed gun was twislLdil' 
 was » Wei H ^'TV^ave puzzled an Injin to tell what it 
 was. Well, Harry, all the time that Jacques was telling me 
 this we were gaming on the buffaloes, and at last we got quhe 
 close to them and as luck would ha^e it. the vei^ tCThlt 
 happened to the amateur sportsman happ;ned to me Twen 
 
 l^L it^alo'' 'h" '1 T'' °' J^^^"'' remonstrances.::^ 
 just as I got alongside of him, up went his tail (a sure sign that 
 his anger was roused) and round he came, head to the front 
 stiff as a rock, my poor charger's chest went right between hk 
 
 'oSteLffi' rr °',^°""^' ' continued' the rlrupon 
 nothwg, head first, for a distance of about thirty yards and 
 brought up on the bridge of my nose. My poor denr father 
 
 ~J,'u"' r, '7:. ""^^ "K'tlly correct than he itnaeined for 
 "though I fc„ „i,h „ fc,,f„, ^^^^ oTthe h.rd 
 
 plain. I ro.e up immediately, and in a few minutes was aWe 
 
 m 
 
 I ii 
 
 ! tl 
 
 I ^1 
 
204 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 ((■> • 
 
 to resume the chase again. My horse was equally fortunate, 
 for, although thus brought to a sudden stand while at full 
 gallop, he wheeled about, gave a contemptuous flourish with 
 his heels, and cantered after Jacques, who soon caught him 
 again. My head bothered me a good deal for some time after 
 this accident, and swelled up till my eyes became almost un- 
 distinguishable; but a few weeks put me all right again. 
 And who do you think this man Jacques is? You'd never 
 guess. He's the trapper whom Redfeather told us of long 
 ago, and whose wife was killed by the Indians. He and 
 Redfeather have met and are very fond of each other. How 
 often in the midst of these wild excursions have my thoughts 
 wandered to you, Harry! The fellows I meet with here are 
 all kind-hearted, merry companions, but none like yourself. 
 I sometimes say to Jacques, when we become communicative 
 to each other beside the camp-fire, that my earthly felicity 
 would be perfect if I had Harry Somerville here, and then I 
 think of my sister Kate, and feel that, even although I had you 
 with me, there would still be something wanting to make 
 things perfect. Talking of Kate, by the way, I have received 
 a letter from her, the first sheet of which, as it speaks of mutual 
 Red River friends, I herewith enclose. Pray keep it safe, and 
 return per first opportunity. We've loads of furs here and 
 plenty of deer-stalking — not to mention galloping on horse- 
 back on the plains in summer, and dog-sledging in winter. 
 Alas! my poor friend, I fear that it is rather selfish in me to 
 write so feelingly about my agreeable circumstances, hen I 
 know you are slowly dragging out your existence at that 
 melancholy place, York Fort; but, believe me, I sympathize 
 with you, and I hope earnestly that you will soon be appointed 
 to more genial scenes. I have much, very murh to tell you 
 yet, but am compelled to reserve it for a fuf jre epistle, as 
 the packet which is to convey this is on the point of being 
 closed. 
 
 Adieu, my dear Harry, and wherever you may happen to 
 pitch your tent, always bear in kindly remembrance your old 
 friend, 
 
 Charles Kennedy. 
 
ly fortunate, 
 vhile at full 
 loutish with 
 caught him 
 le time after 
 almost un- 
 right again, 
 fou'd never 
 us of long 
 3. He and 
 ther. How 
 ly thoughts 
 ith here are 
 ke yourself, 
 imunicative 
 thly felicity 
 and then I 
 h I had you 
 ig to make 
 ve received 
 s of mutual 
 it safe, and 
 s here and 
 ; on horse- 
 in winter, 
 ih in me to 
 es, hen I 
 ice at that 
 sympathize 
 i appointed 
 to tell you 
 epistle, as 
 It of being 
 
 happen to 
 :e youi* old 
 
 ENNEDY. 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 205 
 
 The letter was finished, but Harry did not cease to hold 
 intercourse with his friend. With his head resting on his 
 two hands and his elbows on the table, he sat long, silently 
 gazmg on the signature, while his mind revelled in the past 
 the present, and the future. He bounded over the wilderness 
 that lay between him and the beautiful plains of the Saskatche- 
 wan. He seized Charley round the neck, and hugged and 
 wrestled with him as in days of yore. He mounted an imaginary 
 charger and swept across the plains along with him; listened 
 to anecdotes innumerable from Jacques, attacked thousands 
 of buffaloes, singled out scores of wild bulls, pitched over 
 horses heads and alighted precisely on the bridge of his nose, 
 always in close proximity to his old friend. Gradually his 
 mind returned to its prison-house, and his eye fell n Kate's 
 letter, which he picked up and began to read. It ran thus: 
 
 My dear, darling Charley, 
 
 I cannot tell you how much my heart has yearned to 
 see you, or hear from you, for many long, long months past. 
 Your last letter has explained to me how utterly impossible it 
 was to have written a day sooner than you did; but that does 
 not comfort me a bit, or make those weary packets more rapid 
 and frequent in their movements, or the time that passes 
 between the periods of hearing fxom you less dreary and 
 anxious. But I did not intend to begin this letter by mur- 
 munng, so pray forgive me, and I shall try to atone for it by 
 giving you a minute account of everybody here, about whom 
 you are interested. Our father and mother, I am thankful 
 to say, are quite well. Papa has taken more than ever to 
 smoking since you went away. He is seldom out of the 
 summer-house in the garden now, where I very frequently 
 go, and spend hours together in reading to and talking with 
 him. He very often speaks of you, and I am certain that he 
 misses you far more than we expected, although 1 think he 
 cannot miss you nearly so much as I do. For some weeks 
 past, indeed ever sinr>A iir» r...* ..«..- i..-.. i_^. .» 
 
 engaged all the forenoon in some mysterious work, for he used 
 to lock himseh up in the summer-house-a thing he never did 
 
 ' r 
 
 m 
 
 ! i1 
 
 IM 
 
 " I 
 
ao6 
 
 .*♦ . < 
 
 i»^. 
 
 i::xi 
 
 TUB rOUNG FUR TRADE.IS 
 
 beforr. One day I went there at my usual tiirie, and instead 
 of having to wait till he should unlock the door, I found it 
 already cpeii and entered the room, which was so full of 
 smoke that I could hardly see. I found Papa writing at a 
 small uhh .1/, ' fhe moment he heard my {- tstep, he jumped 
 up and shout.;U. ' Who's there?" in that terrible voice that 
 he used to speak m long ago when angry with his men, but 
 which he has almost quite given up for some time past. He 
 never speaks to me, as you know very well, but in the kindest 
 tones, so you may imagine what a fright I got for a moment, 
 but It was only for a moment, because the instant he saw that 
 It was me, his dear face changed, and he cried: "Ah! Kate I 
 d^d not know it was you, and I thought I had locked the door." 
 He then told me he was just finishing a letter of advice to you 
 and, going up to the table, pushed the papers hurriedly into a 
 drawer. As he did so, I guessed what had been his mysterious 
 occupation, for he seemed to have covered quires of paper 
 with the closest writing. Ah! Charley, you're a lucky fellow 
 i be able to extort such long letters from our father You 
 know how difficult he finds it to write even the shortest note 
 and you remember his old favourite expres ibn, " I would 
 rather skin a wild buffalo bull alive than write a long letter " 
 He deserves long ones in return, Charley; but I need not urge 
 you on that score. Mamma is able to go out everv day now 
 for a drive m the prairie. She was confined to the house for 
 nearly three weeks last month, with some sort of illness that 
 the doctor did not seem to understand, and at one time I 
 was frightened, and very anxious about her, she became so 
 weak. It would have made your heart glad to have seen the 
 tender way i:. which Papa nursed her through the illness. I 
 had fancied that he was the very last man in the world to make 
 a sick-nurse, so bold and quick in his moveri-ents, and with 
 such a loud gruff voice-for it is gruff, although very sweet at 
 the san.e time. But the moment he began to tend Mamma he 
 spoke more softly even than dear Mr. Addison does, and he 
 began to walk about the house on tiptoe, and persevered so 
 — ,„,^ ,^trv ,.mc Hh nis moccabins began to be worn out 
 at the toes, whi'e - Ver's r?roaincd quite strong. I begged 
 
and instead 
 , I found it 
 
 1 so full of 
 vriting at a 
 , he jumped 
 
 2 voice that 
 is men, but 
 5 past. He 
 the kindest 
 a moment, 
 
 he saw that 
 ^h! Kate, I 
 I the door." 
 i^ice to you, 
 iedly into a 
 mysterious 
 !s of paper 
 icky fellow 
 ther. You 
 )rtest note, 
 " I would 
 ng letter ". 
 ;d not urge 
 y day now 
 ! house for 
 llness that 
 •ne time I 
 became so 
 e seen the 
 illness. I 
 Id to make 
 and with 
 y sweet at 
 lamma he 
 :s, and he 
 levered so 
 worn out 
 I begged 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ^ 
 
 of him often not to take so much trouhl*. ac t 
 the proper nur^e for MammaTut T^o^S^lZ"" T'^^'l 
 insisted on carrvin? breakf=,«/ a- ^°"j^ * ^^ear of it, and 
 
 giving her all hrie^^^'itiT' "d T.U T '^''^'^ 
 him at first as hef„„ il. ' "as a good deal frightened for 
 
 canning tra^Ti* d' t^ ^d Sas^" S ^T t't 
 
 all quite weU The l^tZ,^ ^'•'""' """«' '"™'' "« 
 
 be^uVulanim;lZt.WngteTJt TV'' """ 
 book we used to study towthTr lon^^!:^ h '•" "" P'""''" 
 fond of me, and I f«lT^,„ t"^ K' " '""'d'-Sly 
 
 cocks and hins the c^ ,„H i ,j ^""" ^ P™te«or. The 
 
 •ur old com^Lions t r tw O^ '' """u^" "" "" 
 >nd youne Navsmith h?. • ■ j " ,. ' "^ •™'' h"™ '"ft, 
 Betty Pete^ fomrverv oftiT"* *' ^'"P'-'V^ service 
 
 for you. I Zkyrhavrs ITthe Td' ''' ^'"^^' ^"» 
 Charley, for she sneak. T* '""^".'°« old woman's heart. 
 
 Mr. ^f.Z T-M^ ''™ "'"' «™« aff=«ion. Old 
 .«.Iem« t a hth-'etZred^.T- "f.^'"^ "I""" "" 
 fte youngest men irtheTilon;'"^e^rariV„?° "hI™^ .-' 
 poor man, a month ago by Takin, , T '^ ^7°"'^ ^"^"' 
 medicine by mistake. ^ForL^lM'T.! 'r' '""'l "^ 
 De at home when he wp<j c^nf <• '"'i '" ""^'"' nappenea to 
 fea. have died, t Tw^t^^d:^- S ^t:^^ 
 
 u^ 
 
 " i 
 
 li 
 
 W 
 
?^8 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRAD£RS 
 
 I 
 
 difficulty. I was told a funny anecdote of him a few days ago 
 which I am sure you have never heard. You have often heard 
 of the great flood— not Noah's one— but the flood that nearly 
 swept away our settlement, and did so much damage before 
 you and I were born. Well, you recollect that people used to 
 tell of the way in which the river rose after the breaking up 
 of the ice, and how it soon overflowed all the low points 
 sweeping off everything in its course. Old Mr. Seaforth's 
 house stood at that time on the little point, just beyond the 
 curve of the river, at the foot of which our own house stands, 
 and as the river continued to rise, Mr. Seaforth went about 
 actively securing his property. At first he only thought of 
 his boat and canoes, which, with the help of his son Peter and 
 a Canadian, who happened at the time to be employed about 
 the place, he dragged up and secured to an iron staple in the 
 side of his house. Soon, however, he found that the danger 
 was greater than at first he imagined. The point became 
 completely covered with water, which brought down great 
 numbers of half-drowned and quite-drowned cattle, pigs, and 
 poultry; and stranded them at the garden fence, so that* in a 
 short time poor Mr. Seaforth could scarcely move about his 
 overcrowded domains. On seeing this, he drove his own 
 cattle to the highest land in his neighbourhood and hastened 
 back to the house, intending to carry as much of the furniture 
 as possible to the same place. But during his short absence, 
 the nver had risen so rapidly, that he was obliged to give up 
 all thoughts of this, and think only of securing a few of his 
 valuables. The bit of land round his dwelling was so thickly 
 covered with the poor cows, sheep, and other animals, that he 
 could scarcely make his way to the house, and you may fancy 
 his consternation on reaching it, to find that the water was 
 more than knee-deep round the walls, while a few of the cows 
 and a whole herd of pigs had burst open the door and entered 
 the dining-room, where ihey stood with drooping heads, very 
 wet, and miserable. The Canadian was busy at the back of 
 the house, loading the boat and canoe with everything he could 
 lay hands on. Mr. >ieatorth began to collect all his most 
 valuable things, and threw them to the man, who stowed them 
 
few days ago, 
 e often heard 
 d that nearly 
 image before 
 eople used to 
 breaking up 
 i low points, 
 r. Seaforth's 
 t beyond the 
 louse stands, 
 I went about 
 J thought of 
 on Peter and 
 jloyed about 
 staple in the 
 t the danger 
 oint became 
 down great 
 le, pigs, and 
 so that in a 
 /e about his 
 ve his own 
 nd hastened 
 he furniture 
 ort absence, 
 i to give up 
 I few of his 
 IS so thickly 
 lals, that he 
 
 I may fancy 
 ; water was 
 of the cows 
 antl entered 
 heads, very 
 the back of 
 ntr he could 
 
 II his most 
 towed them 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,09 
 
 away in the boat. The water continued to rise with fearful 
 i^pidity, and rushed against the house like a mill-r^^e. so tha 
 °^" ]><^.^7e evident that it would be swept awai jus 
 as they finished loading the boat and canoes, the staple whkh 
 held them gave way; m a moment they were swept into the 
 middle of the river, and carried out of sight. The Canad an 
 was m the boat at the time the staple broke, so that Mr. Sea" 
 forth was now left in a dwelling that bid fair [o emulate Noah's 
 ark m an hour or two, without a chance of escape, and with 
 no better company than five black oxen, in the dining-roTm 
 besides three sheep that were now scarcely able to kefp their' 
 
 drowned T^''' ^""t'^'^^ ''"'^ P'«^ '^^' ^«^« ^'^eady 
 drowned. The poor old man did his best to push out the 
 
 ox. All the others positively refused to go. By shutting the 
 Th':; r^ ';r""'u^' '" ^''^^^^ -^ 'great Lai "/w^er 
 httlepigs floating about and quite dead. Two, however, had 
 
 rthi'" 'T ^^r ""^'"8 fi-^ - » chair Ind then ipon 
 the table where they were comfortably seated, gazing at 
 their mother a very heavy fat sow, which was sitting on the 
 sofa. In a fit of wrath Mr. Seaforth sei.ed the young p' 
 and tossed them out of the window, whereupon the old one 
 jumped down, and half-walking, half-swimming, made her 
 r/n n" ^°T^"'°"? - ^he dining-room. The old gentle- 
 man now ascended to the garret and looked out upon the scene 
 of devastation. His chief anxiety was about the foundat " 
 of the house, which, being made of a wooden framework 1 ke 
 almost all the others in the colony, would certainly floa if the 
 water rose much higher. His fears were better funded ha„ 
 he house. As he looked up the river, which had by thiJ 
 time overflowed all its banks and was spreading over the plan 
 he saw a fresh burst of water coming downfwhich. wheT ; 
 dashed agamst his dwelling, forced il about two yarrfrom 
 t. foundation. Suddenly he remembered rh«. ».!!.! .j!" 
 i-rgc anchor and chain in the kitchen, both of which he had 
 brought there one day. to sen^e as a sort of anvil, when he 
 ^.ntccl to do some blacksmith work. Hastening dlwn" he 
 
 u 
 
 ^^ 
 
2IO 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 fastened one end of the chain to the sofa, and cast the anchor 
 out of the window. A few minutes afterwards another rush 
 of water struck the building, which yielded to the pressure, 
 and swung slowly down until the anchor arrested its farther 
 progress. This was only for a few seconds, however. The 
 chain was a slight one. It snapped, and the house swept 
 down the stream, while its terrifi( i owner scrambled to the 
 roof, which he found already in possession of his favourite 
 cat. Here he had a clear view of his situation. The plains 
 were converted into a lake, above whose surface rose trees 
 and houses, several of which, like his own, were floating on 
 the stream or stranded among shallows. Settlers were rowing 
 about m boats and canoes in all directions, but, although some 
 of them noticed ths poor man sitting beside his cat on the 
 house-top, they were either too far oflf or had no time to help. 
 For two days nothing was heard of old Mr. Seaforth. 
 Indeed, the settlers had too much to do in saving themselves 
 and their families to think of others; and it was not until the 
 ^ird day that people began to inquire about him. His son 
 Peter took a canoe and made search in all directions, but 
 although he found the house sticking on a shallow point, 
 neitlicr his father nor the cat was there. At last he turned 
 up. He was brought to the island, on which nearly half the 
 colony had collected, by an Indian who had passed the house 
 and brought him away in his canoe, along with the old cat 
 Mr. Swan of the mill is dead. He died of fever last week. 
 Poor old Mr. Cordon is also gone. His end was very sad! 
 About a month ago he ordered his horse and rode oflf, intending 
 to visit Fort Garry. At the turn of the road, just above 
 Grant's House, the horse suddenly swerved, and threw him 
 to the ground. He did not live more than half an hour after 
 It. You will be glad to hear that Jane Patterson is married 
 to our friend Mr. Cameron, who has taken up a store near to 
 us, and intends to run a boat to York Fort next summer. 
 
 * *. • • 
 
 At this Doint the Writl'nO. ivh!r<ll waa »*■«> ^ilSA 91 J rs 
 
 •mall, termmatcd. Harry laid it down with a deep sigh; 
 ^rUhing much that Charley had sent him the second sheet also. 
 
 «it>ii 
 
ast the anchor 
 another rush 
 the pressure, 
 ed its farther 
 3wever. The 
 house swept 
 imbled to the 
 his favourite 
 . The plains 
 ice rose trees 
 e floating on 
 » were rowing 
 Ithough some 
 is cat on the 
 time to help. 
 Ir. Scaforth. 
 ig themselves 
 not until the 
 m. His son 
 rcctions, but 
 lallow point, 
 St he turned 
 :arly half the 
 ed the house 
 the old cat, 
 ;r last week, 
 as very sad. 
 >ff, intending 
 , just above 
 1 threw him 
 n hour after 
 1 is married 
 itore near to 
 immer. 
 
 deep sigh; 
 d sheet also. 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS air 
 
 As wishes and regrets on this point were equally unavailing 
 he endeavoured to continue it in imagination, nd wa^t" n 
 
 red SntTftd r'°^ "^1 ^'^^^"^^ ^^^ -"--- 
 
 perea scenes of Red R,ver, as he had been, a short time before 
 
 stov** h„t tuli u J P • "^ '■°^*' ^"d went to the 
 
 B^Llors' H 11 7""' ^"^ "'•'"^^y ^°°""g ^^^'Tthing in 
 bachelors Hall down to the freezing-point. All his com- 
 
 rri»r"f *'^^ ^r-' '-' ' ^^^ bus^y douhZs 
 
 oreammg of the friends whose letters had re-awakeneH 
 hought^ of other days. With a slight shiver, Ha y re u nel 
 to hKs -r rtment. and kneeled to thank God for protecting and 
 presemn? h.s absent friends, and especially, foJ sending hTm 
 good news from a far land". ThV letter with the B^riS 
 post-marks on ,t was placed under his pillow, hwas the 
 fim thmg he thought of on the following morning Ind for 
 
 value of such letters, who live in distant lands, where letters 
 are very few and far between. " 
 
 CHAPTER XXn 
 
 Ch«tge.: Harry and lUrnilton find that variety is indeed charming, 
 the latter aitomahes the former considerably ' 
 
 whl!!'" T'^^r P"*"''' ■'"'y' *^"* ^^"^ »""w "ti" 'ay deep, and 
 ^^h>te. and undiminished around York Fort. Winter-iold 
 s-Icnt unyielding winter-^till drew its whi e man le^^sd; 
 round the lonely dwelling of the fur traden, of the far n^rtt 
 lacles hung as they had done for months bclore. from 7he 
 
 Rreat bell hung. h.uI fr<,m the still taller er...ti.n .u.. uTuJ'^ 
 pui up as an outlook for ihe ship in 8ummer7 Atthe rreTnt 
 
 covered every house-top. and hung in ponderous masses from 
 
 i i 
 
TfmfK^ 
 
 ^mtmmm^ 
 
 212 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 their edges, as if about to fall; but it never fell, it hung there 
 in the same position day after day, unrnelted, unchanged. 
 Snow covered the whole land, and the frozen river, the swamps, 
 the sea-beach and the sea itself, as far as the eye could reach, 
 seemed like a pure white carpet. Snow lined the upper edge 
 of every paling, filled up the kev-hole of every door, embanked 
 about half of every window, stuck in little knobs on the top 
 of every picket, and clung in masses on every drooping branch 
 of the pine-trees in the forest. Frost, sharp, biting frost, 
 solidified, surrounded, and pervaded everything. Mercury 
 was congealed by it; vapour was condensed by it; iron was 
 cooled by it until it could scarcely be touched without (as the 
 men expressed it) " burning " the fingers. The water-jugs 
 in Bachelors' Hall and the water-buckets were frozen by it, 
 nearly to the bottom; though there was a good stove there, 
 and the Hall was not usually a cold place by any means. The 
 breath of the inhabitants was congealed by it on the window- 
 panes, until they had become coated with ice an inch thick. 
 The breath of the men was rendered white and opaque by it, 
 as they panted and hurried to and fro about their ordinary 
 avocations; beating their gloved hands together, and stamping 
 thtir well-wrapped-up feet on the hard beaten snow to kejp 
 them warm. Old Robin's nose seemed to be entirely shrivelled 
 up into his face by it, as he drove his ox-cart to the river to 
 fetch his daily supply of water. The only things that were 
 not affected by it were the fires, which crackled and roared as 
 if in laughter, and twisted and leapt as if in uncontrollable 
 glee at the bare idea of John Frost acquiring, by any artifice 
 whatever, the smallest possible influence over them! Three 
 months had elapsed, but frost and snow, instead of abating, 
 had gone on increasing and intensifying, deepening and ex- 
 tending winter's work, and riveting its chains. Winter, cold, 
 Biient, unyielding winter, still reigned at York Fort, as though 
 it should reign there for ever! 
 
 But although everything was thus wintrv and cold, it was 
 bv no means cheerlf^M nr <ir<>iirv A l-trSnIif a..n aV..^.«« :» «i.. 
 
 blue heavens with an intenseness of brilliancy that was quite 
 dazzling to the eyea, that elated the spirits, and caused man 
 
it hung there 
 , unchanged. 
 , the swamps, 
 could reach, 
 e upper edge 
 )r, embanked 
 s on the top 
 aping branch 
 biting frost, 
 g. Mercury 
 it; iron was 
 thout (as the 
 e water-jugs 
 Frozen by it, 
 stove there, 
 neans. The 
 the window- 
 1 inch thick, 
 ipaque by it, 
 leir ordinary 
 nd stamping 
 now to kejp 
 ;ly shrivelled 
 the river to 
 2;3 that were 
 nd roared as 
 icontroUahle 
 any artifice 
 icml Three 
 [ of abating, 
 ing and ex- 
 Vinter, cold, 
 t, as though 
 
 cold, it was 
 
 dt was quite 
 caused mun 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 213 
 
 and beast to tread with a more elastic step than usual. But 
 although the sun looked down upon the scene with an un- 
 clouded face, and found a mirror in every icicle, and in every 
 gem of hoar-frost with which the objects of nature were loaded 
 there was no perceptible heat in his rays. They fell on the 
 white earth with all the brightness of midsummer, but thev 
 fell powerless as moonbeams. 
 
 On the frozen river, just in front of the gate of the fort 
 a group of men and dogs were assembled. The dogs were 
 four m number, harnessed to a small flat sledge of the slender 
 kind used by Indians to drag their furs and provisions over 
 the snow. The group of men was composed of Mr Rogan 
 and the inmates of Bachelors' Hall, one or two men who 
 happened to be engaged there at the time in cutting a new 
 water-hole in the ice, and an Indian, who, to judge from his 
 carefully adjusted costume, the snow-shoes on his feet and 
 the short whip in his hand, was the driver of the sledge', and 
 was about to start on a journey. Harry Somcrville and young 
 Hamdton were also wrapped up more carefully than usual 
 
 " ^J^^t^^x^' )^^"' goo'*- V/' said Mr. Rogan, advancing 
 towards the Indian, who stood beside the leading dog, ready 
 to start. Take care of our young friends; they've not had 
 much experience in travelling yet; and don't over-drive your 
 dogs. Ireatthem well and they'll do more work. They're 
 hke men ,n that respect." Mr. Rogan shook the Indian by 
 the hand, and the latter immediately flourished the whin and 
 gave a shout, which the dogs no sooner heard than they 
 uttered a simr.ltancous yell, sprang forward with a jerk, and 
 scampered up the river, followed by their dark-skinned driver. 
 Now, lads, farewell," s^id the old gentleman, turning 
 with a kindly smile to our two friends, who were shaking hands 
 tor the last time with their comrades. " I'm sorry you're 
 going to leave us, my boys. You've done your duty well 
 while here and I would willingly have kept you a little longer 
 with me, but our governor wills it otherwise. Mowever I 
 trust mat youii be happy whcicvcr you may be sent. Don't 
 forget to write to me— Goil bless you-~farewell." 
 Mr. Rogan shook them heartily by the hand, turned short 
 
 
 
ai4 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 
 
 II 
 
 round, and walked slowly up to his house, with an expression 
 of sadness on his mild faqe, while Harry and Hamilton, having 
 once more waved farewell to their friends, marched up the 
 nver side by side in silence. They followed the track lef' by 
 the dog-sledge, which guided them with unerring certainty 
 although their Indian leader and his team were out of sight 
 in advance. 
 
 A week previous to this time, an Indian arrived from the 
 mterior, bearing a letter from head-quarters, which directed 
 that Messrs. Somerville and Hamilton should be forthwith 
 despatched on snow-shoes to Norway House. As this 
 establishment is about three hundred miles from the sea- 
 coast, the order involved a journey of nearly two weeks' 
 duration, through a country that was utterly destitute of 
 mhabitants. On receiving a command from Mr. Rogan to 
 prepare for an early start, Harry retired precipitately to his 
 own room, and there, after cutting unheard-of capers, and 
 giving vent to sudden incomprehensible shouts, all indicative 
 of the highest state of delight, he condescended to tell his 
 companions of his good fortune, and set about preparations 
 without delay. Hamilton, on the contrary, gave his usual 
 quiet smile on being informed of his destination, and, returning 
 somewhat pensively to Bachelors' Hall, proceeded leisurely to 
 make the necessary arrangements for departure. As the time 
 drew on, however, a perpetual flush on his countenance, and 
 an unusual brilliancy about his eye, showed that he was not 
 quite insensible to the pleasures of a change, and relished 
 the idea more than he got credit for. The Indian who had 
 brought the letter was ordered to hold himself in readiness to 
 retrace his steps and conduct the young men through the 
 woods to Norway House, where they were to await further 
 orders. A few days later, the three travellers, as already 
 related, set out on their journey. 
 
 After walking a mile up the river, they passed a point of 
 land which shut out the fort from view. Here they paused 
 to take a last look, and then pressed forward in silence, the 
 ihoughts of each being busy with mingled recollections of 
 their late home, and anticipation* of the future. After an 
 
1 expression 
 Iton, having 
 :hed up the 
 track lef by 
 ig certainty, 
 aut of sight 
 
 5d from the 
 ch directed 
 e forthwith 
 :. As this 
 m the sea- 
 two weeks* 
 iestitute of 
 . Rogan to 
 itely to his 
 :aper8, and 
 1 indicative 
 to tell hia 
 reparations 
 ' his usual 
 I, returning 
 leisurely to 
 Ls the time 
 nance, and 
 le was not 
 d relished 
 i who had 
 sadiness to 
 rough the 
 lit further 
 \a already 
 
 I point of 
 cy paused 
 lence. the 
 :ctions of 
 After an 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS aj5 
 
 st\tett?eir;^:.' ''^^ ^^ ^ -'^'^ °^ ^^^ ^-^^^ -^ 
 
 wilYdL^rh"''"'" '"^ ,"r^; '^^°^^^ °ff ^^ reverie 
 with a deep sigh, are you glad to leave York Fort, or sorry?" 
 
 Glad, undoubtedly," replied Hamilton, "but sorrfto 
 
 part rom our old companions there. I had no idea nTrrT 
 
 wereheTrd /" '" '? "^"'^' ' '''^ ^ '' ' should be g^d 
 
 " Thlt^ Ir "' 'u ^"^r '^"^ ^^^"'^tennanded even nol." 
 
 That s the very thought," said Harry, " that was oassina 
 
 tS'iThoTd b""' "''" ' T'' *°^°- ^^^' --" w! 
 
 re Uy sent ba k %r'^'"'^ ^''y' '^''' «"' ^ ^« ^^^e 
 really sent back. There's a queer contradiction, Hammy 
 
 we re sorry and happy at the same time! If I were the skio^r' 
 now^wou Id found a philosophical argument upon ft^P^^'' 
 ^M „ '''?,/''*^ "'^'PP^^ ^°"ld carrjr on with untiring vigour " 
 said Hamilton, smiling, "and afterwards make an ImTif 
 n his log But I think, Hany, that to feel the emo^ of 
 
 ::n firsi Z^lr^^ --' '-^ ' - -^ ^ contraSri 
 •• Perhaps not." replied Harry; " but it seems very contra- 
 dictoiy to me, and yet. it's an evident fact-for I W^o 
 I^ve ;hem, and I'm happy to have you for my com^^on 
 
 "So am I so am I," said the other, heartily. 
 
 The two friends had grown, almost imperceptibly in each 
 other, esteem during their residence under the Le r^f 
 more than either of them would have believed poss We 
 The gay, reckless hilarity of the one, did not at Lraccord 
 with the quiet gravity, and, as his comrades styled ir,o/7n«; 
 
 sight Harry soon came to know that what he at fi«t thought 
 and. along with his companions, called, softness in Hamufon 
 was in reality gentleness of disposition, and thorough ^7^ 
 nure united in one who happened to be utterly unacquain'd 
 wuh the ways ofjh.s peculiarly sharp and clever world. In 
 nnU T "' ."'"*' '"""^ qualities showed themselvea in a 
 
 h re^'teen n '?k""1*'V "°" "P°" '"" ^^^^'-^ -d rail 
 h.8 esteem. On the other hand, Hamilton found that, although 
 
 p., 
 
 t1 
 
 >. ( 
 
 .1 ( 
 
 i 
 
2l6 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 
 Harry was volatile, and possessed of an irresistible tendency to 
 fun and mischief, he never by any chance gave way to anger, 
 or allowed malice to enter into his practical jokes. Indeed] 
 he often observed him restrain his natural tendencies when 
 they were at all likely to give pain— though Harry never 
 dreamed that such efforts were known to any one but himself. 
 Besides this, Harry was peculiarly unselfish. 
 
 After another pause, during which the party had left the 
 open river and directed thei, course through the woods, where 
 the depth of the snow obliged them to tread in each other's 
 footsteps, Harry resumed the conversation. 
 
 " You have not yet told me, by the by, what old Mr. Rogan 
 said to you just before we started. Did he give yor any hint 
 as to where you might be sent to after reaching Norway 
 House?" ^ ^ 
 
 " No, he merely said he knew that clerks were wanted 
 both for Mackenzie River and the Saskatchewan districts, 
 but he did not know which I was destined for." 
 
 " Hum! exactly what he said to me, with the slight addition 
 that he strongly suspected that Mackenzie River would be 
 my doom. Are you aware, Hammy, my boy, that the Sas- 
 katchewan district is a sort of terrestrial paradise, and Mac- 
 kenzie River equivalent to Botany Bay?" 
 
 " I have heard as much during our conversations in 
 Bachelors' Hall, but Stop a bit, Harry, these snow- 
 shoe lines of mine have got loosened with tearing through 
 this deep snow, and these shockingly thick bushes. There— 
 
 they are right now; go on, I was going to say that I don't 
 
 ohi" 
 
 This last exclamation was elicited from Hamilton by a 
 sharp blow, caused by a branch which, catching on part of 
 Harry's dress, as he plodded on in front, suddenly rebounded 
 and struck him across the face. This is of common occurrence 
 m travelling through the woods, especially to those who, 
 from inexperience, walk too closely on the heels of their 
 companions. 
 
 " What's wrong now, Hanunyr'' inquired his friend, looking 
 over his shoulder. 
 
tendency to 
 ly to anger, 
 s. Indeed, 
 ncies when 
 arry never 
 »ut himself. 
 
 ad left the 
 lods, where 
 ach other's 
 
 Mr. Regan 
 •r any hint 
 g Norway 
 
 re wanted 
 I districts. 
 
 It addition 
 
 would be 
 
 t the Sas- 
 
 and Mac- 
 
 iations in 
 ise snow- 
 5 through 
 There — 
 don't 
 
 ton by a 
 n part of 
 ebounded 
 ccurrence 
 ose who, 
 of their 
 
 1, looking 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 317 
 
 a bra?chS;;;°^' mentioning-rather a sharp blow from 
 
 " Well, proceed; you've interrupted yourself twice in what 
 
 rrd"dme5'"' '° ""' ^^''^^ '^'" ''""' °"* '' ^^ '^ ^' - 
 
 T l'J.^^r'^^J ^°'"^.*° '"y* *^'* ^ ^"'^'^ "^"^J^ ca^e where 
 all donT'' '° ^ '^ '^ "°^ '° ^" °"*P°'* "^^^'^ ^ '^^" ^^^ 
 
 "All very well, my friend; but, seeing that outposts are 
 m comparison with principal forts, about a hundred to one' 
 your chance of avoiding them is rather slight. However, ou^ 
 youth and want of experience are in our favour, as they like 
 to send men who have seen some service to outposts. But I 
 fear that with such brilliant characters as you and I, Hammy 
 youth will only be an additional recommendation, and inZ' 
 penence won't last long. Hallo! what's going on yonder?" 
 «h^r/'^ PO'"t«d as he spoke to an open spot in the woods, 
 about a quarter of a mile in advance, where a dark object was 
 seen lying on the snow, writhing about, now coiling into a 
 lump, and anon extending itself like a huge snake in agony 
 ^M the two friends looked, a prolonged howl floated Towards 
 
 ;; Something wrong with the dogs, I declare!" cried Harry. 
 No doubt of It," replied his friend, hurrying forward, as 
 they saw their Indian guide rise from the ground and flourish 
 his whip energetically, while the howls rapidly increased 
 
 A few minutes brought them to the scene of action, where 
 
 !n7l''""^ • ^^ ""^'^"^ '" " ^S^' «"^°"g themselves; 
 
 and the driver in a state of vehement passion, alternate!; 
 belabouring and trying to separate them. Dogs in these 
 
 addicted to fighting; a propensity which becomes extremely 
 til r V '"^"^^'^ ^'^•'^ '^' «"''"^'« «^^ i" h'^rness. as 
 unable to break the ties that bind them. Moreover, they 
 ^ .„, ,„,„ gj^f-, 3 comphcateu mass, that it renders 
 
 redTlt'^T I^^T '""P^''^^'' «ven after exhaustion has 
 reduced them to obedience. Besides this, they are so absorbed 
 
 ^ M 
 
 !i 
 
 It H 
 
2l8 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 -tf s^-f ■11 I'. 
 
 % r**. j 
 
 flM 
 
 *■ 
 
 m worrying each other, that, for the time, they are utterly 
 regardless of their driver's lash or voice. This naturally 
 makes the driver angry; and sometimes irascible men practise 
 shameful cruelties on the poor dogs. When the two friends 
 came up they found the Indian glaring at the animals, as 
 they fought and writhed in the snow, with every lineament of 
 his swarthy face distorted with passion, and panting from his 
 late exertions. Suddenly he threw himself on the dogs again 
 and lashed them furiously with the whip. Finding that this' 
 had no effect, he twined the lash round his hand, and strurk 
 them violently over their heads and snouts with the handle- 
 then lalhng down on his knees, he caught the most savage 
 ot the animals by the throat, and seizing its nose between his 
 teeth, almost bit it off. The appaUing yell that followed this 
 cruel act seemed to subdue the dogs, for they ceased to fight 
 and crouched, whining, in the snow. * 
 
 With a bound like a tiger, young Hamilton sprang upon 
 the guide, and, seizing him by the throat, hurled him violently 
 to the ground. " Scoundrel!" he cried, standing over the 
 crestfallen Indian with flushed face and flashing eyes " how 
 dare you thus treat the dogs!" 
 
 The young man would have spoken more, but his indg- 
 nation was so fierce that it could not find vent in words For 
 a moment he raised his fist, as if he meditated dashing the 
 Indian again to the ground as he slowly arose; then as if 
 changing his mind, he seized him by the back of the neck 
 thrust him towards the panting dogs, and stood in silence ovei^ 
 him with the whip grasped firmly in his hand, while he 
 disentangled the traces. 
 
 This accomplished, Hamilton ordered him, in a voice of 
 suppressed anger, to " go forward "-an order which the 
 cowed guide promptly obeyed-and, in a few minutes more 
 the two friends were again alone. ' 
 
 " Hamilton, my boy," exclaimed Harry, who, up to this 
 moment, seemed to have been petrified, " you b'lve perfectly 
 amazed mel I'm utterly bewildered." 
 
 " Vf^?^' ^ ^^^^ "**' ^ ^^^^ ^^<^ v^'y violent," said Hamil- 
 ton, blushmg deeply. 
 
y are utterly 
 Ills naturally 
 men practise 
 ■ two friends 
 
 aninnals, as 
 lineament of 
 ing from his 
 i dogs again, 
 ing that this 
 , and struck 
 
 the handle; 
 most savage 
 between his 
 ollowed this 
 sed to fight, 
 
 prang upon 
 im violently 
 ig over the 
 syes, " how 
 
 : his indg- 
 ^ords. For 
 lashing the 
 then, as if 
 F the neck, 
 lilence over 
 , while he 
 
 a voice of 
 which the 
 utes more, 
 
 up to this 
 B perfectly 
 
 lid Hamil- 
 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ^^ 
 
 " Violent!" exclaimed his friend. " Why man I've rn«, 
 pletely mistaken your character I I » ' *'°°*" 
 
 "I'wnor'B^S" ^^^"^"^^^^-. - « -bdued tone; 
 .u\ 1AU ^'^"^^ "^^' ^ a"™ not naturally violent- T 
 
 eltln^ Vr '""'Z ^'^' y^" ^° ^^'"'^ -• IndUr neyer 
 
 cation. Such terirczlldtt t^'.'*^"' "' ''"' P'°'°" 
 "My dear fellow, you quite misunderstand me I'm 
 
 you had; my only sorrow is ti>a. you didn't gLCVlt 
 
 "Come, come, Harry; I see you would h. as cruel to him 
 as he was to the poor dog. But let us press fo™a d itTs 
 
 £ aXdTus"-- "■ -^ "' "-' "»' '« *^ f'™™ - o? 
 
 under the shelter of a spreading oini. Tkl^ ' 
 
 fonr.«i almos,: exactly fnf ZrLn^rZTS 
 
 effec of makmg the visage of the Indian still 1 e sullen 
 But the young man did not appear to noUce tWs he S 
 
 grave'q'uiet "rZ^JT""' '*°^' """ """ succeeded by the 
 NorS re^icrMai"'"""™ '^"''" '" "«= '"« «' *« 
 
 1,1 :i 
 
220 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 <if: 
 
 .u^ ^''^^^^^^A "^^y^ "'Sht followed night, and still found 
 them plodding laboriously through the weary waste of snow 
 or encamping under the trees of the forest. The two friends 
 went through all the varied stages of experience which are 
 included m what is called '« becoming used to the work » 
 which IS sometimes a modified meaning of the expression! 
 
 "',"? u P • . ^^^y ''^'*^'^ ^^*^ ^ ^^Sr^^ of vigour that one 
 would have thought no amount of hard woik could possibly 
 abate. They became aware of the melancholy fact, that fatigue 
 unstrings the youngest and toughest sinews. They pressed 
 on, however, from stem necessity, and found, to their delight 
 that young muscles recover their elasticity, even in the m^t 
 of severe exertion. They still pressed on, and discovered, 
 to their dismay, that this recovery was only temporary, and 
 that the second state of exhaustion was infinitely worse than 
 the hrst. Still they pressed on, and raised blisters on their 
 teet and toes, that caused them to limp woefully; then thev 
 learned that bHsters break, and take a long time to heal, and 
 are much worse to walk upon during the healing process than 
 they are at the commencement— at which time they innocently 
 fancied that nothing could be more dreadful. Still they pressed 
 on, day after day, and found, to their satisfaction, that such 
 things can be endured and overcome-that feet and toes can 
 become hard hke leather, that muscles can grow tough as 
 India-rubber, and that spirits and energy can attain to a pitch 
 of endurance which nothing within the compass of a day's 
 march can by any possibility overcome. They found also 
 trom experience, that their conversation changed, both in 
 manner and subject, as they progressed on their journey. 
 At first they conversed frequently, and on various topics, 
 chiefly on the probability of their being sent to pleasant 
 places, or the reverse. Then they spoke less frequently, and 
 growled occasionally, as they advanced in the painful process 
 of traming. After that, as they began to get hardy, they talked 
 of the trees, the snow, the ice, the tracks of wild animals they 
 happened to cross, and the objects of nature generally that 
 
 came under their nhat^rvatinn ti,-., ^u-' # . 
 
 , J ,7" = -iiivii, aa lucir muscics Har- 
 
 dened, and their sinews grew tough, and the day's march at 
 
id still found 
 aste of snow, 
 e two friends 
 ce which are 
 
 the work ", 
 B expression, 
 ;our that one 
 )uld possibly 
 :, that fatigue 
 7hey pressed 
 their delight, 
 in the midst 
 
 discovered, 
 iporary, and 
 r worse than 
 ers on their 
 '; then they 
 to heal, and 
 process than 
 y innocently 
 they pressed 
 1, that such 
 nd toes can 
 w tough as 
 n to a pitch 
 
 of a day's 
 found also, 
 'd, both in 
 ;ir journey, 
 ious topics, 
 to pleasant 
 uently, and 
 iful process 
 they talked 
 nimals they 
 lerally that 
 uscles har- 
 8 march at 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS aai 
 
 length became, first, a matter of indifference, and, ultimately 
 an absolute pleasure, they chatted cheerfully on any and every 
 subject, or sang occasionally, when the sun shone out, and cast 
 an appearance of warmth across their path. Thus onward they 
 prised, without halt or stay, day after day, through wood and 
 brake, over river and lake, on ice and on snow, for miles and 
 miles together, through the great, uninhabited, frozen wilder- 
 ness. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII 
 
 Hopes and fears; an unexpected meeting; philosophical talk 
 between the hunter and the parson 
 
 On arriving at Norway House, Harry Somerville and his 
 friend Hamilton found that they were to remain at that estab- 
 hshment during an indefinite period of time, until it should 
 ple^e those in whose hands their ultimate destination lav 
 to direct them how and where to proceed. This was an 
 unlooked-for trial of their patience; but. after the first ex- 
 clamation of disappointment, they made up their minds like 
 wise men, to think no more about it, but bid« their time! and 
 make the most of present circumstances. 
 
 "You see," remarked Hamilton, as the two friends, after 
 having had an audience of the gemleman in charge of the 
 establishment, sauntered towards the rocks that overhang the 
 margm of Playgreen Lake, " you see, it is of no use to fret 
 about vjhat we cannot possibly help. Nobody within three 
 hundred miles of us knows where we are destined to spend 
 next winter. Perhaps orders may come in a couple of weeks, 
 perhaps in a couple of months, but they will certainly come 
 at last Anyhow, it is of no use thinking about it, so we had 
 better forget it, and make the best of things as we find them." 
 
 Ah! exclaimed Harry, « your advice is, that we should 
 
 oy an means be hannv anA if i.>a r^f,^u i i . . 
 
 ' . — ^^•'' ' — • " "^ »-«" ' "c *ii»ppy. be as naouv 
 as we can. Is that it?" f^.r, uc «, nappy 
 
 "Just so. That's it exactly." 
 
 t 1 
 
Z2Z 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 :i'. k 
 
 Ho! But then, you see, Hammy, you're a philosopher, 
 and I m not and that makes all the difference. I'm no 
 given to anticipating evil, but I cannot help dreading that 
 they will send me to some lonely, swampy, out-ofThe-wav 
 hole, where there will be no society, no shLing. no r dfn/ 
 
 satiZr ""; 'u '^""^ °f— thing, in fact, but L miserable 
 satisfaction of being styled ' bourgeois ' by five or six men 
 wretched outcasts like myself." ' 
 
 " Come. Harry," cried Hamilton " you are taking the verv 
 worst V.W of it. There certainly are plenty of such' ZpoZ 
 n the country but you know very well that young fellows 
 like you are seldom sent to such places " 
 
 M'aJZ'''' '1"°'" '^'*'" ^"*^""Pt«d Harry; " there's young 
 M Andrew; he was sent to an outpost up the Mackenzie his 
 second year m the service, where he was all but starved^and 
 had to hve for about two weeks on boiled parchment. Then 
 there s poor Forrester; he was shipped off to a place-th" 
 name of which I never could remember-somewhere between 
 Tn K ""TV^ '^^ Athabasca Lake and the North Pole 
 
 luXr'' ^'^ ^""'^ '^°°''"«' ''"^ *"'^' but he had only 
 four labouring men to enjoy it with; and he has been there 
 ^n years now, and he has more than once had to scrape the 
 
 himself alive. And then there's " ^ 
 
 fr.rnH^K*?^'';'"*'^''?^'*'^ Hamilton; "then there's your 
 friend Charles Kennedy, whom you so often talk about and 
 many other young fellows we know, who have been s nt to 
 the Saskatchewan, and to the Columbia, and to Athabasca 
 
 of society-male society, at least-^nd g,>od sport." ^ 
 
 The young men had climbed a rocky eminence which 
 commanc^d a view of the lake on the one side, and Vfort 
 with us background of woods, on the other. Here hey sat' 
 
 tz • r^rr • ^-^^ ^"-^'"-^ '- •«- ^- - "^-^- ^^ 
 
 " Yes," said Harry, resuming the thread of d!-rn..r« •• .„... 
 
 parts' of' thrV"7 " ^T' *'"'"^" "^ ««eing""some: piena^nt 
 parts of the country. J^ut suspense is not plca«u,t. Oh. 
 
philosopher, 
 e. I'm not 
 reading that 
 t-of-the-way 
 J, no riding, 
 \ie miserable 
 or six men, 
 
 ing the very 
 ich outposts 
 ung fellows 
 
 ere's young 
 ickenzie his 
 tarved, and 
 ent. Then 
 plac^— the 
 ;re between 
 Nforth Pole, 
 le had only 
 been there 
 scrape the 
 ^e to keep 
 
 lere's your 
 about, and 
 en sent to 
 Athabasca, 
 ve enough 
 
 ce, which 
 1 the fort, 
 e they sat 
 i^niire the 
 
 ««; " you 
 : pleasant 
 Bnt. Oh, 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 223 
 
 v^ry best place in the whX'X •' '"'' ' '^' 
 
 You've told the truth that time ma«.f^r » oo-^ j 
 voice behind them. ' **''^' ^^'^ * ^««P 
 
 The young men turned quicklv round ri^o- u j . 
 
 forty years of a^^ H. sun-bumt man, apparently about 
 hunLrcoat lll^eg^^g^^^^^^ --• '-hern 
 
 that constitute the winter uarhlf^k ' ''"'^ moccasins. 
 
 my mind, the best nl„^^ f„^' J,^' ''a'ka.chewan is, t« 
 
 Jn a con'siLKro' pTae« int^'tr ^0^^ ""' .'?""' 
 experience." ^ ^*^' * ^^^ ®P<^ from 
 
 " Indeed, friend," said Harrv " T»,« «r.j * •. 
 
 - c„n,e..td„™be,i.e«"3?i;.,i:.::,t^rerhLK 
 
 •ot'herrtt'"'./"'""'" •^'^'"' «'"y. •'<"' you belong 
 
 I I'i-cr^'o the^r ;•" '"'" •'"^"' "'" ^■"" -• "- 
 
 ■gain." ^ ^ "**" «** * *^»noe and return 
 
 *• And your name?" 
 
 pel'DlIti ''" '^"^ '^""' ""■ ^"^ ""'"«'• Somehow or other 
 people have g,vc„ ,„c a nickname wherever 1 ha' cJJlT!: 
 
 tcj^^l "-"^' -"^ ^'^^ "- ^ *>-i' ^y J-t"now; Z 
 
 "Jacques CaradocI" exclaim.! Har^, starting with .u,w 
 
 t ' 
 
 Mi 
 
224 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 iii 
 
 prise. "You knew a Charley Kennedy in the Saskatchewan, 
 did you? ' 
 
 •| That did I. As fine a lad as ever pulled a trigger " 
 " Give us your hand, friend," exclaimed Harry, springing 
 forward and seizing the hunter's large, hard fist in both hands 
 Why, man, Charley is my dearest friend, and I had a letter 
 from him some time ago, in which he speaks of you, and says 
 you re one of the best fellows he ever met." 
 
 " You don't say so," replied the hunter, returning Harry's 
 grasp warmly, while his eyes sparkled with pleasure, and a 
 quiet smile played at the corners of his mouth. 
 
 " Yes I do," said Harry, " and I'm very nearly as glad to 
 meet you, friend Jacques, as I would be to meet with him 
 But come. It's cold work talking here. Let's go to my 
 room. There's a fire in the stove. Come along, Hammy " 
 and, taking his new friend by the arm, he hurried him alone 
 to his quarters in the fort. 
 
 Just as they were passing under the fort gate, a large mass 
 of snow became detached from a house-top, and fell heavily 
 at their feet, passing within an inch of Hamilton's nose. The 
 young man started back with an exclamation, and became very 
 red in the face. 
 
 '• Hallol" cried Harry, laughing, " got a fright, Hammy? 
 Ihat went so close to your chin, that it almost saved you the 
 trouble of shaving." 
 
 " Yes, I got a little fright from the suddenness of it," said 
 Hamilton, quietly. 
 
 What do you think of my friend there?" said Harry to 
 Jacques, in a low voice, pointing to Hamilton, who walked 
 on in advance. 
 
 ^^ " I've not seen much of him. master," replied the hunter. 
 Had I been asked the same question about the same lad 
 twenty years agone, I should ha' said he was soft, and perhaps 
 chicken-hearted. But I've learned from experience to judge 
 better than T used to do I nivcr thinks o' formin' an opinion 
 o anyone till I've seen them called to sudffan sc*lnfi I*'- 
 Mtonishin* how some faint-hearted men will come to face a 
 danger, and put on an awful look o' courage, if they only get 
 
Saskatchewan, 
 
 gger." 
 
 ry, springing 
 1 both hands. 
 I had a letter 
 ^ou, and says 
 
 ning Harry's 
 asure, and a 
 
 ly as glad to 
 et with him. 
 8 go to my 
 §;, Hammy," 
 d him along 
 
 a large mass 
 
 I fell heavily 
 
 nose. The 
 
 became very 
 
 It, Hammy? 
 ived you the 
 
 of it," said 
 
 id Harry to 
 who walked 
 
 the hunter. 
 ic same lad 
 ind perhaps 
 ice to judge 
 ' an opinion 
 
 le to face a 
 ey only get 
 
 t'iii-f 1 
 
lilll 
 
 ( 
 t 
 
 I 
 
 c 
 h 
 
 t\ 
 s; 
 o 
 
 V 
 
 h 
 n 
 
 P 
 w 
 
 lil 
 
 la 
 w: 
 m 
 lei 
 
 WJ 
 
 pa 
 to- 
 
 off 
 
 Ha 
 
 I 
 
 j 
 har 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS zzg 
 
 warnin'-but take them by surprise; that's the way to try 
 
 " Well Jacques, thj^t is the very reason why I ask your 
 
 " True, master, but that kind o' start don't prove much 
 Hows ever, I don't think he's easy upset. He does look un: 
 common soft, and his face grew red when the snow fell but 
 his eyebrow and his under lip showed that it wasn't from fear " 
 .h. T^ V afternoon and the greater part of that night 
 the three friends continued in close conversation, Harry 
 sitting m front of the stove, with his hands in his pockets, 
 on a chair tilted as usual on its hind legs, and pouring out 
 volleys of questions, which were pithily answered by the good- 
 humoured, loquacious hunter, who sat behind the stove 
 resting his elbows on his knees, and smoking his much-loved 
 pipe; while Hamilton reclined on Harry's bed, and listened 
 with eager avidity to anecdotes and stefles, which seemed, 
 like the narrator's pip^, to be inexhaustible. 
 
 Good night, Jacques, good night," said Harry, as the 
 latter rose at last to depart, " I'm delighted to have hid a talk 
 with you. You must come back to-morrow. I want to hear 
 kft Wm?°"* ^°"' ^""""^ ^*^^««^"- Where did you say you 
 
 •;in the Saskatchewan, master. He said that he would 
 wait there as he d heer'd the missionary was comin' up to 
 pay the Injins a visit." *^ 
 
 "By the by, you're going over to the missionary's place 
 to-morrow, are you not?" * 
 
 " Yes, I am." 
 
 off'is^t?" *'*'"• *^"''" '*°' ^'" ^ °^" "^''^ y^"- "°^ ^"^ 
 
 " Three miles, or thereabouts." 
 
 H.l^r^ ^""""f: ^f '" ''"•' '' y^" P^**' •'"^ '"y Wend 
 Hamilton and 1 will accompany >ou. Good night " 
 
 jaequ^ thrust his pipe into his bosom, held out hin homy 
 hand «nd giving h.s young friend. « hearty .hake, turned md 
 strode from the room. 
 
 1^ 
 
 fi 
 
 In 
 
 ii> t 
 
aa6 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 
 On the following day, Jacques called, according to promise 
 and the three friends set off together to visit the Indian village! 
 This missionary station was under the management of a 
 Wesleyan clergyman, Pastor Conway by name, an excellent 
 man, of about forty-five years of age, with an energetic mind 
 and body, a bald head, a mild, expressive countenance, and a 
 robust constitution. He was admirably qualified for his 
 position, having a natural aptitude for every sort of work that 
 man is usuall- called on to perform. His chief care was for 
 the mstruction of the Indians, whom he had induced to settle 
 y around him, in the great truths of Christianity. He invented 
 V an alphabet, and taught them to write and read their own 
 language. He commenced the laborious task of translating 
 the Scriptures into the Cree language; and, being an excellent 
 musician, he instructed his converts to sing in parts the psalms 
 and Wesleyan hymns, many of which are exceedingly beaatiful. 
 A school was also established, and a church built, under his 
 superintendence, so that the natives assembled, in an orderly 
 way, in a commodious sanctuary, every Sabbath-day, to wor- 
 ship God; while the children were instructed, not only in the 
 Scriptures, but were also taught the elementary branches of 
 a secular education. But good Pastor Conway's energy did 
 not stop here. Nature had gifted him with that peculiar 
 genius which is powerfully expressed in the term, a jack-of- 
 all-tradcs. He could turn his hand to anything; and being, 
 as we have said, an energetic man, he did turn his hand to 
 almost everything. If anything happened to get broken, the 
 pastor could either mend it himself, or direct how it was to be 
 done. If a house was to be built for a new family of red men, 
 who had never handled a saw or hammer in their lives, and 
 had lived up to that time in tents, the pastor lent a hand to 
 begin it, drew out the plan, set them fairly at work, and kept 
 his eye on it until it was finished. lu short, the worthy pastor 
 was everything to everybody. 
 
 Under such management, the village flourished, as a matter 
 of course^lthough it did not increase very rapidly, owini? to 
 the almost unconquerable aversion of North American Indians 
 to take up a settled habitation. 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ^^ 
 
 in r wt nf f : ^" .^'"'^"S:, they found Pastor Conway 
 ln/l.u "^"i'l^^^P' g'vi"g directions to an Indian 21 
 stood wuh a soldering-iron in one hand, and a sheet ^ti^i^ 
 
 ia^ltLd t'^ "r.^ ^'r ^° ^PP^^ '^ ^ curiousloWng 
 halt famshed machine that bore some resemblance to a canoe 
 
 apprtche7him'''^hl"'^^^ he exclaimed, as the hunter* 
 approacned him, the very man I wished to see; but I beir 
 pardon, gentlemen-strangers, I perceive. You are heardlv 
 welcome It is seldom that I have the pleasure of seein/new 
 fnends in my wild dwelling. Pray cLe with'mrtrm; 
 
 Pastor Conway shook hands with Harry and Hamilton with 
 a degree of warmth that evinced the sincerity of hLwoTis 
 
 AsTeTtred'r'^' \"' ^' ^^^^P*^'^ *^' invittioT 
 As they turned to quit the workshop, the pastor observed 
 
 ■• hl7;J """■ '".'',»« ™'^'' > q»«« ™chine afore.- 
 mil J of I .""t'- "'"' "'■''='' ' •">?« '<" P»» 'hrough many 
 
 Worthem Indians; and it was about this very Ihina ihl, t 
 wanted to see you, ray friend." ^ * *"' ' 
 
 sli&^f """f ™ "P'!:' ■"" °"« " '""k savouring very 
 
 mi-ir?? "-.'ft" .P°ndr„;?,ro:t s,n 
 
 f a 
 
 I 
 
228 
 
 M 
 
 1 1 . 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 to .^Z ™^' J^^^q^es." he began. " I have somewhat 
 
 to say to you. I had not time to broach the subject when I 
 me you at the Company's fort, and have been anUs 1 see 
 
 SLTeSLr^" '-' "^^ ''-' ^- ^- - -^^^ -y 
 
 " Yes sir; I spent a week or two with him last fall I 
 £re1ogX^^^ "'' '^^ '"'^' ^"' "^ ^'^^^^^ ^° -- "-n 
 
 I wJ^Jh *^' '' ^^^ ""^F P*"^"^'" ^^<^J«i"»ed the pastor. " that 
 I wished to mqu,re about. I fully expected, from v^hat he 
 said when we last met. that he would have made up hTs mind 
 to come and stay here. What prevented him coLng wkh 
 you. as you tell me he intended?" ^ 
 
 J'offi'' ^°'' '\^' '''• *'^' ^""^ ^' ^"^ ^'« «q"aw. as I said, 
 
 ? Edlon.'°'"w^''' *°^'?'^'' ^"* ^^^" we got the length 
 o Edmonton House we heerd that you were comin' up to 
 
 seem that ,t was o' no use to come down here-away just to 
 turn about an' go up agin, he stopped there to wait for you, 
 
 for he knew you would want him to interpret " 
 
 r... f »"te5';".Pt*^'* tJ^e pastor. " that's true. I have two 
 reasons for wishmg to have him here. The primary one is 
 for h.s own good; and then, he understands English so wel" 
 
 indeLrn7.H'V° '^"^ "^ ^"^^^P^^*«^' ^-' ^'^ho^gh I 
 
 creHl^.rlffl' P"' ^""f^^^" P'"""^ ^«" "°^. I find it ex- 
 ceed ngly difficult to explain the doctrines of the Bible to my 
 people m it. But pardon me. I interrupted you " ^ 
 
 I was only going to say." resumed Jacques. " that I made 
 up my mmd to stay with him; but they wanted a man to Znl 
 
 L M ° ^" Pf ticular to do. I 'greed and came; thouk I 
 would rather ha stopped, for Redfeather an' I ha' struck up 
 a friendship togither-a thing that I would niver ha' Z^Z 
 It poss'ble for me to do with a red Injin." '"ougnt 
 
 "/"^,^.^y not with a red Indian, friend?" inquired the 
 pastor, while a shade of sadness passed over his mSS.ril 
 
(( 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADiiKS 
 
 229 
 
 to do them good." s™oge, out to love them and 
 
 The hunter's brow darlr^nA/t « ti. ^t • 
 he said: " I cm,MnTj„?- . ^'"' ' impossible, sir." 
 
 so hard H, ° u "J?"" " «°°^ *""> if I was to tr^ ever 
 so hard. He may bless his stars that I dor't want to Z hT™ 
 m,sch.rfi but to love him. it's jist impossible'' ^° *"" 
 
 poss,^?•rd^;v;™rlt^"• ^"^ ««'* -« *'■>«» - 
 
 -i^tlel^a^-IX^^H^^^^ 
 accordinff to his will r-^^,^ re-mouid them all 
 
 him thisf Ind rLd?uZriSteedr""d"°"' '° ''=^'' 
 of common sense in admMng the fttl. ^"''2 "T" ' 
 the case under discusmnn rth- i • r f . ' ^""ough, m 
 
 utterly impos.ib1rrfe^XTIeCcrc:nhe^^^^ 
 
 therrfore. passed from hi, brL, whirh" M r^Z 
 
 Wha you My. sir. is true; I believe, though I S?m1 S' 
 
 bL them caUed !„d ,':^ "" l""'"""". I »"« used to 
 
 com'd ro„„ them I ^T^^ " *T"' ""S"' '"' "h™ I 
 Here a^Se Ihav- ^ ?" """* '° """ "■3' "Pinio". 
 
 R«.feather' -ras'tr;'™ ; ttThrrro^^i,:::!'"'' -"' 
 
 better than they should be " ^^"^ ^'^ "° 
 
 :u;^;Thete: - :^-?r iir.^j:i- - 
 
 .Td° wither "" ""™ ""• ^O" foundme-eJgaged" witr 
 
 irei'isrr.;'«--£rht 
 
 ».♦; 
 
 i 
 
 M 
 

 1 1 ■'• 
 
 1! 
 
 r ' 
 
 430 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 them there as long as the weather will permit. When the 
 season is pretty well advanced and winter threatens to cut 
 off my retreat, I shall re-embark in my canoe and return home. 
 By this means I hope to be able to sow the good seed of 
 Christian truth in the hearts of men, who, as they will not 
 come to this settlement, have nc chance of being brought 
 under the power of the gospel by any other means." 
 
 Jacques gave one of his quiet smiles on hearing this. " Right 
 sir, right," he said, with some energy; " I have always thought, 
 although I niver made bold to say it before, that there was not 
 enough o' this sort o' thing. It has always seemed to me a 
 kind o' madness (excuse my plainness o' speech, sir) in you 
 pastors, thinkin' to make the redskins come an' settle round 
 you like so many squaws, and dig up an' grub at the ground, 
 when it's quite clear that their natur' and the natur' o' things 
 about them meant them to be hunters. An' surely since the 
 Almighty made them hunters, He intended them to be 
 hunters, an' won't refuse to make them Christians on that 
 account. A redskin's natur' is a huntin' natur', an' nothin' 
 on arth '11 ever make it anything else." 
 
 " There is much truth in what you observe, friend," rejoined 
 the pastor; " but you are not altogether right. Their nature 
 may be changed, although, certainly, nothing on earth will 
 change it. Look at that frozen lake." He pointed to the wide 
 field of thick snow-covered ice that stretched out for miles 
 like a sheet of white marble before them. " Could anything 
 on earth break up or sink or melt that?" 
 
 " Nothin'," replied Jacques, laconically. 
 
 ** But the warm beams of yon glorious sun can do it," con- 
 tinued the pastor, pointing upwards as he spoke, " and do it 
 effectually too; so that, although you can scarcely observe 
 the process, it nevertheless turns the hard, thick, solid ice into 
 limpid water at last. So it is in regard to man. Nothing on 
 earth can change his heart or alter his nature; but our Saviour, 
 who is called the Sun of righteousness, can. When he shines 
 into a man's soul, it melts. But I agree with you in thinking 
 that we have not been sufficiently alive to the necessity of 
 seeking to convert the Indians before trying to gather them 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 who wi« nt o;ti"^treC™:i;r.''tr" ™' ^? 
 
 want to Bsk is, whether you wUirl ,„' T "' *''" ' 
 stee^man and guide on ly exMS"'" """"'""' "■' "^ 
 
 Co»p.y^. Iwou.d.nch„thSyXUuTriX' 
 
 yo:cr.t ^sr^irri:!;iKe"r *' "--•""'• 
 
 in thought for a mom^nf " i ^® P^*°'' P^^^ed as if 
 
 let you off." ^"°'"^"^- unless you can persuade them to 
 
 ;; Well, sir I can try," returned Jacques. 
 
 '"HAPTER XXIV 
 
 Good new, .„d rom.„,ic sc^ery; bear hun«„, and i« r«,„l„ 
 
 House. alb:i.?^S-„a™ ed''"^S,:" t'^- »' Norway 
 could not easily hrnnl. a:Z 5"™*^'^ '"a", was one who 
 
 .ha. invo,v:Ti''re^rT.rs::d:« '^or"-- 
 
 so Jacques was oblimd to hold m h.r, -^^ Company; 
 
 had to s«,rch for anSe?g;,Tde "'"• """* "" P"»">' 
 
 i™.is.ib.e poier. 'J ^^Z-^^CT^L""'!^ "'* 
 oiitrHw r4.o„„i.„j _ . - . " "«ore It. ice and snow 
 
 irke^da7a""irie^''rd ""*«.™''" »'»««">? and river, 
 
 B.. -;;d'"t.;2^r»r:r;;^rorrrh;x 
 
I 
 
 .!■ i! 
 
 ■I 
 
 232 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 ill 
 
 opened their leathern jaws to croak and whistle in the marshes; 
 and men began their preparations for a summer campaign. ' 
 At the commencement of the season an express arrived 
 with letters from head-quarters, which, among other matters 
 of importance, directed that Messrs. Somerville and Hamilton 
 should be despatched forthwith to the Saskatchewan district 
 where, on reaching Fort Pitt, they were to place themselves 
 at the disposal of the gentleman in charge of the district. It 
 need scarcely be added that the young men were overjoyed on 
 receiving this almost unhoped-for intelligence, and that Harry 
 expressed his satisfaction in his usual hilarious manner, 
 asserting, in the excess of his glee, that the governor-in-chief 
 of Rupert's Land was a " regular brick ". Hamilton agreed 
 to all his friend's remarks with a quiet smile, accompanied by 
 a slight chuckle. 
 
 It was further arranged and agreed that the young men 
 should accompany Jacques Caradoc in his canoe. Having 
 become sufficiently expert canoe-men to handle their paddles 
 well, they scouted the idea of taking men with them, and 
 resolved to launch boldly forth at once as voyageurs. To this 
 arrangement, Jacques, after one or two trials to test their skill, 
 agreed; and very shortly after the arrival of the express, the 
 trio set out on their voyage, amid the cheers and adieus of the 
 entire population of Norway House, who were assembled on 
 the end of the wooden wharf to witness their departure, and 
 with whom they had managed, during their short residence 
 at that place, to become special favourites. A month later, 
 the pastor of the Indian village, having procured a trusty 
 guide, embarked in his tin canoe with a crew of six men, and 
 followed in their track. 
 
 In process of time, spring merged into summer— a season 
 chiefly characterized, in those climes, by excessive heat and 
 innumerable clouds of mosquitoes, whose vicious and incessant 
 attacks render life, for the time be'ng, a burden. Our three 
 voyageurs, meanwhile, ascended the Saskatchewan, penetrating 
 deeper each day into the heart of the North American continent. 
 On arriving at I'brt Pitt, they were graciously permitted to 
 rest for three days, after which they were forwarded to another 
 
:n the marshes; 
 ;r campaign, 
 xpress arrived 
 other matters 
 and Hamilton 
 lewan district, 
 ice themselves 
 le district. It 
 B overjoyed on 
 ind that Harry 
 ious manner, 
 ernor-in-chief 
 milton agreed 
 companied by 
 
 e young men 
 moe. Having 
 
 their paddles 
 th them, and 
 surs. To this 
 :est their skill, 
 e express, the 
 1 adieus of the 
 assembled on 
 departure, and 
 lort residence 
 
 month later, 
 jred a trusty 
 
 six men, and 
 
 ler — a season 
 jive heat and 
 and incessant 
 I. Our three 
 1, penetrating 
 :an continent, 
 permitted to 
 !ed to another 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,33 
 
 ttS^ t.? r/r!; "?? ""■•' ''""8 '^^ '" ««'nd the fi-r 
 trade mto the lands hitherto almost unvi<ii>#»H Tk- 
 
 ^nuation of their .ravels was quite uLTt StLTd" 
 
 as an addttional reason for self-gratulation. As for hcau« 
 he cared l,.tle to wlia. part of the world he chanced to be s^M 
 
 pWns of the Saskatchewan'raUg t w»tof ItSL*' 
 Besides, the companions of his travels were young actWe teU 
 adventurous; and, therefore, quite suited io wfCe R.d' 
 feather, too, had been induced to return to his Sbe'for rtt 
 purpose of mediating between some of the turbulem membt 
 of ,, and the white men who had gone .0 settle amZTht" 
 so that the prospect of again associating with his^ S 
 was an additional element in his satisfaction A^CWev 
 Kennedy was also in this district, the hope of seeing him onS 
 more w^ a subject of such unbound^ delight to I^r^ 
 
 It was with difficulty they could reali?, ,|1 amount nf 
 
 torgood ortuncorgiveadequateev „„„ ,„ tLrfeeC 
 It IS therefore probable that there never were .1,™ t • 
 
 Tfr."l" ^"^•"'- Harry, and HTtLlttst^r; 
 shouldered their guns and paddles, shook hands wkh S 
 inmates of For. Pitt, and, with light steps and SteT hea^" 
 aunched their canoe, turned ihe^ bronzed facronce mwe 
 to the summer sun, and dipped their paddles aga"n in t^ 
 rippling waters of the S. katchewan river 
 
 bufli.'t'lfi* T """f' "K'y ™al'. and burthened with 
 but little lading they resolved to abandon the usual route 
 and penetrate the wilderness through a maze of hkesTd 
 small rivers well known to their niide Bv Z. 
 ment they hoped to travel more s^e^iiy L IfdnT 
 
 ong^utewp liLl^ -^/- *^ ^^1 -« 
 the fact of lb being «Jdom traversed, it was also ino„ liZTy 
 
 m 
 
 
234 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 I. -N 
 
 I 
 
 that they should find a supply of game for the journey. 
 Towards sunset, one fine day, about two weeks after their 
 departure from Fort Pitt, our voyageurs paddled their canoe 
 round a wooded point of land that jutted out from, and 
 partially concealed, the mouth of a large river, down whose 
 stream they had dropped leisurely during the last three days, 
 and swept out upon the bosom of a large lake. This was one 
 of those sheets of water which glitter in hundreds on the 
 green bosom of America's forests, and are so numerous and 
 comparatively insignificant, as to be scarce distinguished by 
 a name, unless when they lie directly in the accustomed route 
 of the fur traders. But although, in comparison with the 
 fresh-water oceans of the Far West, this lake was unnoticed 
 and almost unknown, it would by no means have been regarded 
 in such a light had it been transported to the plains of England. 
 In regard to picturesque beauty, it was perhaps unsurpassed. 
 It might be about six miles wide, and so long that the land at 
 the farther end of it was faintly discernible on the horizon. 
 Wooded hills, sloping gently down to the water's edge— jutting 
 promontories, some rocky and barren, others more or less 
 covered with trees— deep bays, retreating in some places into 
 the dark recesses of a savage-looking gorge, in others into a 
 distant meadow-like plain, bordered with a stripe of yellow 
 sand— beautiful islands of various sizes, scattered along the 
 shores as if nestling there for security, or standing barren and 
 solitary in the centre of the lake, like bulwarks of the wilderness, 
 some covered with luxuriant vegetation, others bald and 
 grotesque in outline, ard covered with gulls and other water- 
 fowl—this was the scene that broke upon the view of the 
 travellers as they rounded the point, and, ceasing to paddle, 
 gazed upon it long and in deep silence, their hands raised to 
 shade their eyes from the sun's rays, which sparkled in the 
 water, and fell, here in bright spots and broken patches, and 
 there in yellow floods, upon the rocks, the trees, the forest 
 glades and plains around them. 
 
 " What a i/Iorioiu! icenel" murmur«d Hainilton, almost 
 unconsciously. 
 •* A perfect paradisel" said Harry, with a long-drawn sigh 
 
THB YOUNG FUR TRADERS J35 
 
 of satisfaction " Why, Jacques, my friend, it's a matter of 
 wonder to me that you, a free man. without relations rmendl 
 IZ,-^'"- "J "'"" 5'°" '° °*" P««» "f *' world, should 
 fur t^^!. .'"""""^ "" ■"■" *' '"""'^ »' "■« l^'-^k of*, 
 foreverl'"' ^^ '"'«'" """' '"'' P"'^'' ><»" '"« •>"« 
 
 " For everl" echoed Jacques. 
 
 •' Well, I mean as long as you live in this world." 
 
 " h>tl:.Tu'^''" ?u'""* *^' «"'^^' '" « '^^ tone of voice. 
 
 draw J"! .''"'' ^ ^T "'•''^^^ "^"^^ "«•• '^•"' "°r friends to 
 draw me to any part.c'lar spot on arth. that I don't care to 
 settle down m this one, beautiful though it be " 
 
 th. T;-' Zu 7Z'' "^^^' " '""'^ ^ ^-«-^- --^' 
 
 '* Anon?" exclaimed Jacques. 
 
 HJlry'^lg "^ *'^^ "^^" "^^"^«"y ^-- --P-y." replied 
 
 Ji^hJ'^ ^'""^ seen some as didn't, master, though to be 
 
 Juck Yes, man s fond o' scein' the face o' man." 
 ^^ How shall I keep the canoe's head, Jacques?" 
 ^^^ Right away for the pint that lies jist between you an' the 
 
 enerfv^'L^'f "'"''''• '^." ^''*'' "^''^ '^'' P'^*^"''"''^ '"Indued 
 energy that at once mdicatcs a . unexpected discovery and 
 
 m^tlrotthrcanoV'"''^*' '* "''^"'^ '''''^' ''' -P'<^ 
 
 ;; What's in the wind now?" whispered the former, 
 btop paddhng. masters, and look ahead at the rock 
 yonder j.st under the tall cliff. There's a bear a-si.tin' ,h"rc 
 •ure of hi^"" ""'^ ^'' *° "'^"'^ «^°^^ ^^ «<=" "». we're surtin 
 
 direction mdicatcd, where they beheld what appeared to be 
 
336 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 '*'Sii 
 
 l« I 
 
 
 the decayed stump of an old tree, or a mass of brown rock. 
 While they stramed their eyes to see it more clearly, the object 
 altered It's form and position. "' 
 
 " So it is," they exclaimed, simultaneously, in a tone that 
 was equivalent to the remark, " Now we believe, because we 
 see it . 
 
 In a few seconds the bow of the canoe touched the land, 
 so lightly as to be quite inaudible, and Harry, stepping gently 
 over the side, drew it forward a couple ot feet, while his com! 
 panions disembarked. 
 
 " Now Mister Harry," said the guide, as he slung a powder- 
 horn and shot-belt over his shoulder, " we've no need to 
 circumvent the beast, for he's circumvented hisself " 
 
 How so?" inquired the other, drawing the shot from his 
 towling-piece, and substituting in its place a leaden bullet 
 
 Jacques led the way through the somewhat thinly scattered 
 underwood, as he replied, " You see. Mister Harry, the place 
 where he 8 gone to sun hisself is jist at the foot o' a sheer 
 precipice, which runs round ahead of him. and juts out into 
 the water, so that he's got three ways to choose between. He 
 must clamber up the precipice, which'll take him some time. 
 I guess if he can do it at all; or he must take to the water 
 which he don't hkc, and won't do 'f he can help it; or he must 
 run out the way he went in, but as we shall go to meet him by 
 the same road he'll have to break our ranks before he gains 
 the woods, an' that'll be no easy job." 
 
 The party soon reached the narrow pass, between the lake 
 and the near end of the clitT, where they advanced with greater 
 caution, and, peeping over the low bushes, beheld bruin a 
 large brown fellow, sitting on his haunches, and rocking 
 himself nlowly to and fro, as he gazed abstractedly at the water 
 He was scarcely within good shot, but the cover was suffi-' 
 ciently thick to admit of a nearer approach. 
 
 fli ^°T* "tT;!T\' 'f '"* ""''■y' •" *• 'ow whisper, " take the 
 first shot. I killed the last one, so it'o your turn this time." 
 
 Hamilton hesitated, but could make no reiunnable oK.*r».-^n 
 to this, although his unselfish nature prompted him to 'let hit 
 fnend have the hrst chance. However, Jacques decided the 
 
>er, " take the 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,37 
 
 I511T'k l'*^'"^' '" * '°"^ ^^^^ '^^°"f«^ strongly of command 
 although u was accompanied with a good-humoured smi: ' 
 
 prim?n° first" ^°""^ ""'"' ''"* ^°" "^'^ ^^ ^^" P"' i« ^he 
 Poor Hamilton hastily rectified this oversight, with a deeo 
 
 a hunter and then advanced cautiously through the bushes 
 slowly followed at a short distance by his companions. * 
 
 On reachmg a bush within seventy yards of the bear 
 Hamdton pushed the twigs aside with tL'muzzlf of his gun.' 
 his eye flashed and his courage mounted, as he ga.ed atTe 
 truly foi Tiidable animal before him. and he felt more of he 
 
 beS nhf''"r''" ^^-^'^^ "^°"^^"^ *^- he would hve 
 believed possible a few minuv^ before. Unfortunately a 
 
 ha"nT hTJ"' 'T/^' ""^"""y •'"P'y ^ hunter's eye'oJ 
 hand. Having with mycH care, and long time broucrhf hJ- 
 
 piece to bear exactly . .. he' supposed TeW'f heart 
 
 should be, he observed that the gun was on half cik bv 
 
 neaily breaking the trigger in his convulsive effortsTo fir^^ 
 
 By the time that this error was rectified, bruin, who seemed to 
 
 feel intuitively that some imminent dinger hTeaten^^him 
 
 rose, and began to move about uneasilyf ^Wc^ ^aL^^^^^ 
 
 a hasty aim, fired, and missed. Harry asserted afterwards 
 
 Which rolled n echoes along the precipice, bruin started and 
 
 speed • "P ''*"'*' '^^ scrambled with wonderful 
 
 "Come. Mister Hamilton, load again; quick. I'll have to 
 
 on 1' Cr^'"'' 'f'''\ --'^ J-'-. - »>« i-nJi quiet ; 
 on h.s long gun, and. with a half-pityin,, smile. wa^.hL Z 
 
 j"u»« man. wf.o madiy essayed to recharge his niece" mor. 
 
 niHIy than it was possible for mortal man to do M^aT 
 
 While. Harry had re-loaded and fired again; but, owing Vol 
 
338 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 perturbation of his young spirits, and the frantic efforts of the 
 bear to escape, he missed. Another moment, and the animal 
 would actually lave reached the top, when Jacques hastily 
 fired, and brought it tumbling down the precipice. Owing to 
 the position of the animal at the time he fired, the wound was 
 not mortal; and, foreseeing that bruin would now become the 
 aggressor, the hunter began rapidly to re-load, at the bame 
 time retreating with his companions, who, in their excitement, 
 had forgotten to re-charge their pieces. On reaching level 
 ground, bruin rose, shook himself, gave a yell of anger on 
 beholding his enemies, and rushed at them. 
 
 It was a fine sight to behold the bearing of Jacques at this 
 critical juncture. Accustomed to bear-hunting from his 
 youth, and utteriy indifferent to consequences when danger 
 became imminent, he caw at a glance the probabilities of the 
 case. He knew exactly how long it would take him to load 
 his gun, and regulated his pace so as not to interfere with that 
 operation. His features wore their usual calm expression. 
 Every motion of his hands was quick and sudden, yet not 
 hurried, but performed in a way that led the beholder irre- 
 sistibly to imagine that he could have done it even more 
 rapidly if necessary. On reaching a ledge of rock that over- 
 hung the lake a few feet, he paused, and wheeled about— click 
 went the dog-head, just as the bear rose to grapple with him— 
 another moment, and a bullet passed through the brute's 
 heart, while the bold huntei sprang lightly on one side, to 
 avoid the dash of the falling animal. As he did so, young 
 Hamilton, who had stood a little behind him with an uplifted 
 IXC, ready to finish the work should Jacques' fire prove in- 
 effective, received bruin in his arms, and tumbled along with 
 him over the rock, headlong into the water, from which, 
 however, he speedily arose unhurt, spluttering and coughing, 
 ■nd dragging the dead bear to the shore. 
 
 "Well done, Hammy," shouted Harry, indulging in a 
 
 prolonged peal of laughter, when he ascertained that his 
 
 friend's adventure had cost him noihinp more than a ducklns; 
 
 " that \v;is the most amicable, loving plunge I ever saw." 
 
 " Better ■ cold bath in the arms of a ilcad bear, than an 
 
THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,39 
 
 embrace on dry land from a live one " retnrt^A u u 
 
 Most true, O sagacious diver! Rnf tu^ „ 
 fire mad*, th^ K«** "* *"® sooner we get a 
 
 w^Tm ^"^'■' ^° *^°"ie along." ** 
 
 accomplished, and the cUth.. 1 • ^ ^*'/^*^- ^"^"^ this was 
 of time ^^venture had occasioned a considerable loss 
 
 duty as™! Tof niT" °'^c?"»' """ '■"?«"» " «"« of 
 
 
 1:.; 
 
 CHAPTER XXV 
 
 •nd • murder. "■"*'»«"' ""* "«' »■"»"; .n enemy discovered, 
 J«. morning ,h,, „ , ^^ „., .„„ ^^ ^^^ ^,^^^ ^^^ 
 
 A wide trnvertie of ,h« lake „„„ I,, before them Thl. 
 
 ™d:„.Tr:i_!?„^'"-' •"" '"-™. during which ,L t'h';' 
 ihVy-^ere";^;::;^^^^'!^ '"'be- "'"" 'r™''' ""^ 
 
 '»: 
 
840 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 We 11 put in here now, Mister Harry," exclaimed Jacques, 
 as the canoe entered the mouth of one of those small rivulets 
 which are called in Scotland, bums, and in America, creeks] 
 It s hke that your appetite is sharpened after a spell like that 
 Keep her head a little more to the left— straight for the pint 
 —so. It's likely we'll get some fish here if we set the net." 
 
 " I say, Jacques, is yon a cloud or a wreath of smoke above 
 the tree m the creek?" inquired Harry, pointing with his 
 paddle towards the object referred to. 
 
 "It's smoke, master; I've seed it for some time, and 
 mayhap we'll find some Injins there who can give us news of 
 the traders at Stoney-creek." 
 
 " And, pray, how far do you think we may now be from 
 that place?" inquired Harry. 
 " Forty miles, more or less." 
 
 As he spoke, the canoe entered the shallow water of the 
 creek, and began to ascend the current of the stream, which 
 at Its mouth was so sluggish as to be scarcely perceptible to 
 the eye. Not so, however, to the arms. The light bark 
 which, while floating on the lake, had glided buoyantly forward 
 as if It were itself consenting to the motion, had now become 
 apparently imbued with a spirit of contradiction, bounding 
 convulsively forward at each stroke of the paddles, and per- 
 ceptibly losing speed at each interval. Directing their course 
 towards a flat rock on the left bank of the stream, they ran the 
 prow out of the water and leaped ashore. As they did so the 
 unexpected figure of a man issued from the bushes and 
 sauntered towards the spot. Harry and Hamilton advanced 
 to meet him, while Jacques remained to unload the canoe. 
 The stranger was habited in the usual dress of a hunter, and 
 carried a fowling-piece over his right shoulder. In general 
 appearance, h- looked like an Indian; but, though the face 
 was burnt by exposure to a hue that nearly equalled the red 
 
 *';"1^''V^* ""^'''**' " **™"8 ''»'"» «f P»nk in it, and the mass 
 of fair hnir which encircled it, proved that, as Harry para- 
 doxically expressed it, its owner was a whiu man. He waa 
 young, conndcfabiy above ihc iniddle height, and apparently 
 athletic. His address and language, on approaching the 
 
y now be from 
 
 THE YOUNG PUR TRADERS ,^, 
 
 r^ZT- """ *« 0""'- o^W. being a .M>s .an beyond 
 
 you S°.tT«7;er 'rbS," "'' "^-^ " I P— e *« 
 
 J«»r."2-nrteif5 * r<^^-va„„ ^ 
 
 a hand on each of the aUnX^lT^^y ^"^y '""'"''i. Wd 
 into hi. face; excIatai'n^Xe dS:""'"' '"" "^ '""^''^ 
 
 '^rSI.Z'"''"' "■*' ^ ^"-"^ Kennedy befo„ 
 
 neither vouchsafed riplieatrtwofw/^^"^^^^^ '° ^'^'^^ 
 round each other shSorhlnl a^^' ^"""^ "* ""^ ^^'^ed 
 extravagances, utleiieon^^^ '"^ '°"^'^^"<^'^ «""dry other 
 fact, thft Ha^iCLTalT^^^^ °' '"^^ifferent to the 
 species of stupor andlhaf W^ ^""' open-mouthed. in a 
 them with a loik of mS l""" """' '''"^^"« ^^^ ^^^g^^^ing 
 The discovery of this Lrnerl """'""'"' ^"^ satisfaction^ 
 delight and ^ItoL^m^^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 by the commotion of his spirits in ^Z ' '^ "^""'^ "?**«' 
 
 speak, double shot that h^K ' ^""^^'^"^nce of this, so to 
 
 ;n his speech dtigt t^: :;^rtr^''''^ 
 
 names of Redfea KdTa^ucs ZT' """."'"^ °^ ^^« 
 h'mself on hi. own good fort^?nTl' A * "°^ ^^'^ ^^''^'t^t^^d 
 pleasure in witnesL^^ tlf. f' . '''" T^'^'P^^^^ '"^"^^^^^ 
 ere long In fact h^ ^ ^ r*'*'*'"^ "^ ^^ese two worthies 
 
 day, wh';n Redf ; ';; ""rnTn'f' '''' ^'"^ ^" ^^^ ^""-'"" 
 
 r;'rtofadecronhL: 'o S '^""^' ^^^ 
 
 the travellers had spent Z nl, ? ^^ ' *^"*' '" ^*»'<=h 
 
 discovered th. „..;:,. i;!"i.''..P'^"^'"''« day and night, and 
 the fire. "" "" "" ^''*''"^' °'^^"»«"»g a venison steak before 
 
 It would be vain to attempt a descrip, 
 
 tion of all that the 
 
 ij 
 
 .1' 
 
 :;, 1 'i 
 
 >! i 
 
 u 
 
«4a 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 reunited friends said and did during the first twenty-four hours 
 after their meeting; how they talked of old times, as they 
 lay extended round the fire, inside of Chariey's tent, and 
 recounted their adventures by flood and field since they last 
 met; how they sometimes diverged into questions of specu- 
 lative philosophy, and broke short oJ9Fto make sudden inquiries 
 after old friends; how this naturally led them to talk of new 
 friends, and new scenes, until they began to cast their eyes 
 a little into the future; and how, on feeUng that this was an 
 uncongenial theme under present circumstances, they reverted 
 again to the past, and, by a peculiar train of conversation — to 
 retrace which were utterly impossible — they invariably arrived 
 at old times again. Having in course of the evening pretty 
 well exhausted their powers, both mental and physical, they 
 went to sleep on it, and resumed the colloquial milange in the 
 morning. 
 
 " And now tell me, Charley, what you are doing in this 
 uninhabited part of the worid, so far from Stoney-creek," 
 said Harry Somervillc, as they assembled round the fire to 
 breakfast. 
 
 " That is soon explained," replied Charley. " My good 
 friend and superior, Mr. Whyte, having got himself com- 
 fortably housed at Stoney-creek, thought it advisable to 
 establish a sort of half outpost, half fishing-station about twenty 
 miles below the new fort, and, believing (very justly) that my 
 talents lay a good deal in the way of fishing and shooting, sent 
 me to superintend it during the sunrmicr montha. I am, 
 therefore, at present monarch of that notable establishment, 
 which is not yet dignified with a name. Hearing that there 
 were plenty of deer about twenty miles below my palace, I 
 resolved the other day to gratify my love of sport, and, at the 
 same time, procure some venison for Stoney-creek; accordingly, 
 I took Redfcather with me, and— here I am." 
 
 " Very good," said Harry; " and can you give us the least 
 idea of what they are going to do with my friend Hamilton 
 and me when they get us?" 
 
 " Can't say. One of you at any rate will be kept at the 
 creek, to assist Mr. Whyte; the other may, perhaps, be 
 
s 
 
 !nty-four hours 
 times, as they 
 ey's tent, and 
 since they last 
 ions of specu- 
 idden inquiries 
 to tallc of new 
 :ast their eyes 
 at this was an 
 , they reverted 
 nversation — to 
 ariably arrived 
 jvening pretty 
 physical, they 
 melange in the 
 
 doing in this 
 koney-creck," 
 nd the fire to 
 
 " My good 
 himself corn- 
 advisable to 
 I about twenty 
 istly) that my 
 shooting, sent 
 >nthd. I am, 
 ;stablishment, 
 ing that there 
 my palace, I 
 It, and, at the 
 ; accordingly, 
 
 e us the least 
 ind Hamilton 
 
 E kept at the 
 perhaps, be 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ^43 
 
 sent off to push the trade in other quarters, but I'm only 
 guessmg. I don't know anything definitely, for Mr. Whyte 
 IS by no means communicative." 
 
 fo'w "' ^^^T' ""T'", P"* ^" J*^*5"«^' " ^h« do you mean 
 
 ovirn V , -r '^'' ^^'•'' ^ ^^ '^' bourgeois won't^ 
 over pleased if we waste time here." 
 
 " We'll start this forenoon, Jacques. Redfeather and I will 
 go along with you, as I intended to take a run up to the creek 
 about this time at any rate. Have you the skins and dried 
 meat packed, Redfeather?" 
 
 To this the Indian replied in the affirmative, and the othere 
 having finished breakfast, the whole party ros^ to prepare fo" 
 departure, and set about loading their canoes forthwith. An 
 
 IZ h'-"'^*^'^ ""''" *^''" "'^^'"g ^''"^ ^«t<='-« of the lake. 
 7erJtnnf//"?u">'' ^"^"8^"^*="^ that Jacques was trans- 
 ferred to Rcdfeather's canoe, while Charley Kennedy took his 
 place m the stern of that occupied by Hariy and Hamilton. 
 
 The establishment of which our friend Charley pronounced 
 himself absolute monarch, and at which they arrived in the 
 course of the same afternoon, consisted of two small log- 
 houses or huts, constructed in the rudest fashion. It was 
 pleasant y ..tuated on a small bay, whose northern extremity 
 
 h1'^ "'l °"L*^' "■"''" ^^''' ^y « g'^"^'*^ rising ground 
 clothed with wood. A miscellaneous collection of fishing 
 apparatus lay scattered about in front of the buildings, and two 
 men ,n a canoe completed the picture. The said two men 
 
 Unlr t'" r"""" '^*""*^ *^' inhabitants of the place; the 
 king himself, when present, and his prime minister, Redfeather. 
 being the remainder of the population. 
 
 "Pleasant little kingdom that of yours, Charley." remarked 
 Harry Somerv.lle, as they passed the station. 
 Very," was the laconic reply. 
 
 They had scarcely passed the place above a mile when a 
 
 canoe, containing a solitary Indian, was observT;o sLJ 
 
 "- • •- «»« pauuic nastily towards them. From 
 
 this man they learned that a herd of deer was passing down 
 
 towards the lake, and would be on its banks in a^few m'inutl" 
 
 
344 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 He had been waiting their arrival when the canoes came in 
 sight and induced him to hurry out so as to give them warning 
 Having no time to loose, the whole party now paddled swiftly 
 for the shore, and reached it just a few minutes before the 
 branching antlers of the deer came in sight above the low 
 bushes that skirted the wood. Harry SomerviUe embarked in 
 the bow of the strange Indian's canoe, so as to lighten the 
 other and enable all parties to have a fair chance. After 
 snuffing the breeze for a few seconds, ti.e foremost animal took 
 the water and commenced swimming towards the opposite 
 shore of the lake which, at this particular spot, was narrow. 
 It was followed by seven others. After sufficient time was 
 permitted to elapse, to render their being cut off, in an attempt 
 to return, quite certain, the three canoes darted from the 
 shelter of the overhanging bushes, and sprang lightly over the 
 water m pursuit. = «> j 
 
 ;' Don't hurry, and strike sure," cried Jacques, to his young 
 fnends, as they came up with the terrified deer, that now swam 
 tor their lives. 
 
 " Ay, ay," was the reply. 
 
 In another moment, they shot in among the struggling 
 group. Harry SomerviUe stood up, and seizing the Indian's 
 spear, prepared to strike, while his companions directed their 
 course to^yards others of the herd. A few seconds sufficed 
 to bring him up with it. Leaning backwards a little, so as to 
 give additional force to the blow, he struck the spear deep 
 mto the animal's back. With a convulsive struggle, it ceased 
 to swim, Its head slowly sank, and, in another second, it lav 
 dead upon the water. Without waiting a moment, the Indian 
 immediately directed the canoe towards another deer; while 
 the remainder of tlie party, now considerately separated from 
 each other, despatched the whole herd by means of axes and 
 Knives. 
 
 ♦u"^^'" ^f^l^'"^^^ Jacques, as they towed their booty to 
 the shore, that s a good stock o' meat. Mister Charles. It 
 will help to^urnish the larder for the winter pretty well " 
 
 It was much wanted, Jacques; we've a good many mouths 
 to feed, besides treating the Indians now and then. And 
 
EIS 
 
 canoes came in 
 e them warning, 
 paddled swiftly 
 utes before the 
 above the low 
 lie embarked in 
 to lighten the 
 chance. After 
 ost animal took 
 s the opposite 
 It, was narrow, 
 cient time was 
 ^, in an attempt 
 rted from the 
 ightly over the 
 
 s, to his young 
 :hat now swam 
 
 the struggling 
 g the Indian's 
 directed their 
 :onds sufficed 
 little, so as to 
 le spear deep 
 ?gie, it ceased 
 second, it lay 
 tit, the Indian 
 r deer; while 
 jparated from 
 s of axes and 
 
 leir booty to 
 Charles. It 
 
 y well." 
 
 nany mouths 
 then. And 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 24$ 
 
 this fellow, I think. wiU claim the most of our hunt as his own 
 We should not have got the deer but for him.'' ^• 
 
 byriIhI\S^r''''"^- They belong to the redskin 
 .nitlf '^^ ^""^^t' !"°*^^'* "'«^^ ^^ P^sed under the trees- 
 
 Plenty to do, and no time to lose. You have di^LtnU r 
 
 Charley, as mstructed, led his friends to their new rTsldlce 
 
 "LTk??'/"^'^"'' *^ ^^^"g^ Redfeather to see to the 
 comfortable lodgment of Jacques Caradoc. ^* 
 
 the ^Z of'cw, "'''VT'^'f ""^' ^ ^' -t down on 
 
 ceJt,Ve ''\Sered°H ^? '"^P'--^-"^' they're often de- 
 look a^his £nS !k T'^'''"' P'"''"S^ '" ^'« ablutions to 
 after^Ll ?t °"^'' ^ ™^^ °^ soap-suds-an act which 
 
 uSl'^teat '" ' '°°' '"^ ^^P^" '^' ^ -P-- flow of 
 
 I know f^m «per:r«:"""'*" "" '"'" ""'"■ ■» "^^ y"- ^' 
 " Which means <o say three thing,," replied the in.placabl. 
 
 
34<} 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 Harry- first, that for aU his good-heartedness at bottom 
 he never shows any of it at top; secondly, that he is possessed 
 of that amount of aflFection which is common to all mankind 
 (to a great extent, even to brutes), which prompts a man to 
 be -asonably attentive to his friends; and, thirdly, that you 
 .blaster Kennedy, enjoy the peculiar privUege of being the 
 friend of a two-legged polar bearl" 
 
 " Were I not certain that you jest," retorted Kennedy, « I 
 would compel you to apologize to me for insulting my friend 
 you rascal! But see, here's the cook coming to tell us that 
 dinner waits. If you don't wish to see the teeth of the polar 
 bear, I'd advise you to be smart." 
 
 Thus admonished, Harry sprang up, plunged his hands and 
 lace in the basin and dried them, broke Charley's comb in 
 attempting to pass it hastily through his hair, used his fingers 
 savagely as a substitute, and overtook his companions just as 
 they entered the mess-room. 
 
 The establishment of Stoney-creek was comprised within 
 two acres of ground. It consisted of eight or nine houses- ^ 
 three of which however, alone met the eye on approaching by 
 the lake •' The great " house, as it was termed, on account 
 of Its relative proportion to the other buildings, was a small 
 edifice built substantially but roughly of unsquared logs 
 partially whitewashed, roofed with shingles, and boasting six 
 small windows in front, with a large door between them. On 
 its east side, and at right angles to it, was a similar edifice, bi ;■ 
 smaller, having two doors instead of one, and four windows 
 instead of six. This was the trading-shop and provision- 
 store Opposite to this was a twin building which contained 
 the furs and a variety of miscellaneous stores. Thus was 
 formed three sides of a square, from the centre of wh'ch rose 
 a tall flagstaff^. The buildings behind those just described 
 were smaller and insignificant-the principal one being the 
 house appropriated to the men; the others were mere sheds 
 and workshops. Luxuriant forests ascended the slopes that 
 rose behmd and encircled this oasis, excepting in front, where 
 »he c.ear waters uf the lake sparkled like a blue mirror. 
 On the margin of this lake the new arrivals, left to enjoy 
 
BRS 
 
 dness at bottom, 
 at he is possessed 
 m to all mankind 
 rompts a man to 
 thirdly, that you, 
 ^e of being the 
 
 ed Kennedy, " I 
 ilting my friend, 
 g to tell us that 
 eeth of the polar 
 
 ;d his hands and 
 
 larley's comb in 
 
 used his fingers 
 
 npanions just as 
 
 >mprised within 
 r nine houses- - 
 approaching by 
 led, on account 
 gs, was a small 
 msquared logs, 
 nd boasting six 
 een them. On 
 lilar edifice, hu;' 
 I four windows 
 and provision- 
 'hich contained 
 es. Thus was 
 ; of wh'ch rose 
 just described 
 one being the 
 ;re mere sheds 
 :he slopes that 
 in front, where 
 mirror. 
 , left to enjoy 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,47 
 
 themselves as they best might for a dav «. ♦„ 
 
 aeal of the first bad impression was aftr,K»*oki ^ l- ^ . 
 
 of hi, g«,d qualities be ^/4:tt°::!j;„7 '^ '" -- 
 fri«d3 *;:" '■' """"^ "^ °™ ^'--- =» face a, hi, 
 
 Indian, are begiX^IllLc"*?,-"^' *« *" 
 sighted amo„7.h.™',SZf:t"d dS'rfit,.™-"'"" 
 
 ^n. .0 a di,.ric. whi^rs'L/rrrdrtir 
 
 a pa«y among .hem wh. seem ben. on JS,^' *"» "^ 
 
 ""•" we may Mpect a row, some day or other Th«'. 
 Plea^nt, What think you. Ham^yP .id'^Har^'l'^url'^".: 
 
 re;.iid;^'.id*ziiL:rytp^.jCe^ 
 
 for a row." ^ ^^ ^^^" "°' ^^^^ occasion 
 
 not afraid of a fight, are you, Hamilton?' 
 
 ■*i 
 
 «« v_. 
 
 Charley 
 
 The peculiarly bland smile with which Hamilton 
 
 asked 
 usually 
 
svmmamm 
 
 ^ 
 
 ' 
 
 s. 
 
 
 I - 
 
 *■- 
 
 
 , , '''■ M ! 
 
 1 "r 
 
 .'. t^ 
 
 f ■'. 
 
 a ■ ■;■**♦■ 
 
 \: '': 
 
 .' ''^^ ' 
 
 
 I ^ 
 
 
 :«. 
 
 
 ^«- ;.■ 
 
 
 '■ ■ i 
 
 
 
 
 «! 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 H. tafiiMnilH 
 
 
 Kg .-^ , 
 
 1 
 
 —J 
 
 
 248 
 
 VI 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 received any remark that savoured of banter, overspread his 
 features as Charley spoke, but he merely replied: 
 
 " No, Charley, I'm not afraid." 
 
 " Do you know any of the Indians who are so anxious to 
 vent their spleen on our worthy bourgeois?" asked Harry, 
 as he seated himself on a rocky eminence, commanding a view 
 of the richly- wooded slopes, dotted with huge masses of rock 
 that had fallen from the beetling cliffs behind the creek. 
 
 " Yes, I do," replied Charley; " and, by the way, one of 
 them — the ringleader — is a man with whom you are acquainted, 
 at least by name. You've heard of an Indian called Misconna?" 
 
 " What!" exclaimed Harry, with a look of surprise, '* you 
 don't mean the blackguard mentioned L-y Redfeather, long 
 ago, when he told us his story on the shores of Lake Winnipeg 
 — the man who killed poor Jacques' young wife?" 
 
 " The same," replied Charley. 
 
 " And does Jacques know he is here?" 
 
 " He does; but Jacques is a strange, unaccountable mortal. 
 You remember that, in the struggle described by Redfeather, 
 the trapper and Misconna had neither of them seen each other, 
 Redfeather having felled Misconna before Jacques reached the 
 scene of action — a scene which, he has since told me, he 
 witnessed at a distance, while rushing to the rescue of his 
 wife. Misconna is utterly ignorant of the fact thb.. the husband 
 of his victim is now so near him; indeed, he does not know 
 that she had a husband at all. On the other hand, although 
 Jacqu', i is aware that his bitterest enemy is within rifle-range 
 of him at this moment, he does not know him by sight; and 
 this riornino; he came to me, brqrging that I would send 
 Misconna on some expedition or other, just to keep him out 
 of his way." 
 
 " And do you intend to do so?" 
 
 " I shall do my best," replied Charley; " but I cannot 
 get him out of the way till to-morrow, as there is to be a 
 gathering of IndiatiM in the hall this very day, to have a palaver 
 with Mr. Wjjytc about their grievances, and Misconna wouldn't 
 miss that for a tri", ; but Jacques w<tn't be likely to recognize 
 him among so many; and, if he does, I rely with confidence 
 
 
overspread his 
 d: 
 
 ; so anxious to 
 ' asked Harry, 
 ■nandiug a view 
 masses of rock 
 the creek. 
 he way, one of 
 are acquainted, 
 led Misconna?" 
 surprise, '* you 
 sdfeather, long 
 Lake Winnipeg 
 
 untable mortal, 
 by Redfeather, 
 een each other, 
 jes reached the 
 e told me, he 
 ! rescue of his 
 ihi the husband 
 does not know 
 hand, although 
 thin rifle-range 
 by sight; and 
 I would send 
 > keep him out 
 
 ' but I cannot 
 ere is to be a 
 have a palaver 
 :onna wouldn't 
 ly to recognize 
 nth confidence 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 Indians will have begun toILmhi. ^ f "°°"' ^"^ '^^ 
 
 On reac'hin'g i . th t tun/ t'he'h" ,7" '"'r^'' '^ '"^^ '-^' 
 Who sat croUggel at"nVh?w 1,^/17 "^^'^^ 
 conversmg in low tones, and, to iud^e fm^ .t '" ^'^^P' 
 their dark eyes and lowering Z^^ i ^^'^ expression of 
 bad humour. They T 1 Xn^^ 
 
 however, in their demeanrr w^nV. "''''' '''^''^''^' 
 the apartment and walked up ^oTh.fi ^°?^ "'.'" ^"'"^'^ 
 small fire of wood burned onThe hearth "^^^^^^ '" "^'^'^ « 
 means of rekindling the pipes of the nH "f ' convenient 
 
 out, than as a means of h.T.!^ Ik , '*"' ^''*'" ^^^y ^^nt 
 feather stood lean "g aL^st the J f""'' ^^'^^^^ «"^ ««<^- 
 whispered conve sation Clin.' "'""J" '*' '"^^^^^ '» " 
 Charley observed Cconnar.*^ T^"^ '' ^' '^'^'< 
 and ap;.ently bu^rdT^rtU gh^ hTu'', ''"^"'/' 
 perceived him. and nodded to sevml of L ^. . ? T'^^^ 
 among the crowd wh,.n o « -j T "'^ particular friends 
 
 ^ith an angr^Tx • I'on on h' °°' "P*^"'^' «"^ ^'- ^Vte. 
 fire-place. 7^Z'^Zh\'2::TIT^^^^ T' "^ ^" '^^ 
 his hands behind him wh le hi -a \ ^'' '''»' «P«^ ^^^ 
 
 " So," he bewn '^on » [ ""^ '"'^^y*^^ ^^e group, 
 here I L. fe havryi^: ray?' " ''''' ^'' ^^ ^'^^- 
 
 ha:;^.t^ttr:ei!irr^^ ^^^^ -r --«. 
 
 •peak it as fluently as EngLh '"""''■^' '""''"^'^ »° 
 
 For some moments there was sil..n,^« tu 
 
 .he „„,e who had „ffici„.cdr,he f" !; dl !n "^ "''' '^'''- 
 chapter— rose ami .,.„ i- ,,. ''''™'«'l "'" former 
 
 room, made ; " ', nd trfve V"'"- ^'^ "'^'^"^ "^ »^- 
 great deal that was V," basic. ''"' ';• '" ^'"^''^' '^<«''^«» « 
 more that was u^ erlv fabX I . ''"'' '''' '^'^'''^«"'. «"^' 
 the sorrow, nrK/Il'L^^A"!?" ""*' nonsensical, he recounted 
 
 that the RrcnVchief m,r;i;nTkVrh • '""^^"^.'"^ >"*''» ■■ request 
 
 -the principal '' tWn« '• bll^r! 'i""*^?.'"^" consideration 
 
 Pt tmng. bcmg. that they did not get anything 
 
250 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 m the shape of gratuities, while it was notorious that the 
 Indians in other districts did, and that they did not get enough 
 of goods in advance, on credit of their future hunts. 
 
 Mr. Whyte heard the old man to the end in silence; then, 
 without altering his position, he looked round on the assembly 
 with a frown, and said: " Now, listen to me: I am a man of 
 few words. I have told you over and over again, and I now 
 repeat It, that you shall get no gratuities until vou prove 
 yourselves worthy of them; I shall not increase your advances 
 by so much as half an inch of tobacco, till your last year's 
 debts are scored off, and you begin to show more activity in 
 hunting and less disposition to grumble. Hitherto you have 
 not brought in anything like the quantity of furs that the 
 capabilities of 'he country led me to expect. You are lazy 
 Until you become better hun.ors, you shall have no redress 
 from me." 
 
 As he finished, Mr. Whyte made a step towards the door 
 by which he had entered, but was arrested by another chief 
 
 IT/, «,?"*^*^'' *" ^"^ ^*^''*^- R«'""''"g *i.s place and attitude,' 
 Mr Whyte listened with an expression of dogged dettmina- 
 tion, while guttural grunts of unequivocal dissatisfaction issued 
 from the throats of several of the malcontents. The Indian 
 proceeded to repeat a few of the remarks made by his pre- 
 decessor, but more concisely, and wound up by explaining 
 that the failure in the hunts of the previous year was owing to 
 the will of the G-eat Manito, and not by any means on account 
 of the supposed laziness of himself or his tribe. 
 
 " That is false," said ?ylr. Whyte; " you know it is not 
 true. 
 
 Aa this was said, a murmur of anger ran round the apart- 
 ment, which was interrupted by Misconna. who, apparently 
 unable to restrain his ptt.H,ion, sprang into the middle of the 
 nxmi, and, confronting Mr. Whyte. made a short and pithy 
 •peech, accompanied by violent gesticulation, in which he 
 msuiuated that, if redress wa« not granted, the white men 
 would bitteriy repent it. 
 
 during his speech, the Indians had risen to their feet and 
 drawn closer together, while Jacques and the three young 
 
^- 
 
 rious that the 
 lot get enough 
 nts. 
 
 silence; then, 
 \ the assembly 
 am a man of 
 in, and I now 
 til you prove 
 your advances 
 •ur last year's 
 )re activity in 
 erto you have 
 furs that the 
 You are lazy, 
 ve no redress 
 
 ards the door 
 mother chief, 
 and attitude, 
 !d dctcmina- 
 faction issued 
 The Indian 
 5 by his pre- 
 )y explaining 
 was owing to 
 ns on account 
 
 low it is not 
 
 id the apart- 
 ^, apparently 
 niddle of the 
 trt and pithy 
 in which he 
 : white men 
 
 fieir icct and 
 three young 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,51 
 
 men drew near their superior. Redfeather remained an.r* 
 mouonless, and wuh his eyes fixed on the grouT ^'^' 
 And, pray, what dog~what miserable thieving cur are 
 
 strode w^ithT h- ^'^'^ "^ *'"^^" ^"^^ ^- WhTcLI^^ 
 strode, with flashmg eyes, up to the enraged Indian 
 Misconna clenched his teeth, and his'fingers worked con- 
 
 a" ;; Lt^Vn'' *^Tf «^ ^'^ ^'^' - ^^' exclaimed:'"" 
 am no dog The palefaces are dogs. I am a «eat chief 
 
 MLonrJl!^'°^" ^"^°"« '^^ ^-- °^ y ^ tt 
 
 As the name fell from his lips, Mr. Whyte and Charlev 
 were suddenly dashcl aside, and Jacques sprang 3 
 
 he Indian, his face livid, his eyeballs almost burstinHrom 
 their sockets, and h.^s muscles rigid with passio^ For °^ 
 instant he regarded the savage intently as h^ shrank appalled 
 before him-then his colossal fist fell like lightning S the 
 weight of a sledge-hammer, on Misconnal forfhel^'and 
 drove h.m against the outer door, which, giving way before 
 
 he violent shock, burst from its fasteni^'s and^TnL and 
 fel^ along with the savage, wi^h a loud crash to the Znd 
 
 I^or an instant every one stood aghast at this precipilate 
 
 ermjnation to the discussion, and then, springing foZZt 
 
 « body, with drawn knives, the Indians rushedLon the while 
 
 to hand stood to receive them. At this moment Redfeath^ 
 
 ^h^etrn:^ '-'--^ ''' '^'^^--^- -' -% 
 
 fril!;''*''"' '^f ''■*^"*'^«'" 'l'^^ not take the part of i..s white 
 fnends against his comrades. You know thit he never failed 
 you m the war-path, and he would not fail you now f your 
 
 huter "Tn r ""^f ''''' ''" ""^ •^"^-- '^^- -hite 
 you di^nn .1 " J^' Knistencux. He uid not strike because 
 
 it at the ccnmdl rirc^'' "'^ ''"'' " ^""«' "^"'^"""^ ^'" ''^^ 
 "He it right," exclaimed Jacques, who had recovered hii 
 
 '^1 
 
Ill 
 
 i*t«. 
 
 „ iw 
 
 " *i 
 
 
 252 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 usual grave expression of countenance, " Redfeather is right 
 I bear you no ill-will Injins, and I shall explain the thing 
 myself at your council fire." * 
 
 As Jacques spoke, the Indians sheathed their knives, and 
 stood with frowning brows, as if uncertain what to do The 
 ^rr'l '"'"'^T?^^ «^ their comrade in arms, coupled 
 with his address and that of Jacques, had excited their curiosity. 
 Perhaps the undaunted deportment of their opponents, who 
 stood ready for the encounter with a look of stern determina- 
 
 «;u ? Z^"'*'** ^ ^'"'^^ ^° ^"^y th«'r resentment. 
 
 While the two parties stood thus confronting each other, 
 as If uncertain how to act. a loud report was heard just outside 
 the doorway In another moment, Mr. Whyte fell heavily 
 to the ground, shot through the heart. ^ 
 
 »!': 
 
 |i KU' 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI 
 
 The chase; the fight; retribution. Low spirits and good news 
 
 The tragical end of the consultation related in the last 
 chapter had the effect of immediately reconciling the dis- 
 putants .Vith the exception of four or five of the most 
 depraved and discontented among them, the Indians bore 
 no particular ill-will to the unfortunate principal of Stoney- 
 creek; and, although a good deal disappointed to find that he 
 was a stern, unyielding trader, they had, in reality, no intention 
 of ' .ming to a serious rupture with him. much less of laying 
 violent hands either upon master or men of the establishment 
 
 When, therefore, they beheld Mr. Whyte weltering in his 
 
 MWnnl >, '''' " T"^'' *° '^''' ungovernable passion of 
 Misconna who was by no means a favourite among his 
 brethren, their temporary anger was instantly dissipaicj; and 
 • feehng of deepest indignation n,used in their bosoms against 
 the miserable assassin who had perpetrated the bane and 
 
 cowardlv murder. It iva- t^ f~'- -- -^^ .. - "" 
 
 I 'f ,",'" ' ' *"^!-j"ic, wun a yen oi taac that 
 
 several of the band, immediately after the victim fell, sprang 
 
s 
 
 eather is right. 
 )lain the thing 
 
 :ir knives, and 
 It to do. The 
 arms, coupled 
 their curiosity. 
 )ponents, who 
 !rn deterrnina- 
 it. 
 
 ig each other, 
 rd just outside 
 :e fell heavily 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 1 good news 
 
 1 in the last 
 ling the dis- 
 of the most 
 Indians bore 
 »l of Stoney- 
 > find that he 
 , no intention 
 ess of laying 
 itablishment. 
 tering in his 
 le passion of 
 
 among bis 
 isipalcd, and 
 soms against 
 ic l>H8C and 
 of irigc that 
 
 fell, sprang 
 
 th. for., wL had L" tirl'^r : r '"T"'^ '» 
 that the people in the hall «,.?. n i "'"" °" ^'^""g 
 
 feather was the fim whi iL ""'y !° ""' "> Wows. Red! 
 
 woodsinpJutofletgute Zlf "" ' "=" '"'" *« 
 Charley and his friends rr^eyTheToI^of^r wlf' '''' 
 an adjoining room, where they ,^,„d hta o„ a b«l S°, '""" 
 qu,te dead, the murderer's aim having b«rterrM; .^e """ 
 ret^rd^ S* tnlS thi """'" ,^f """-Tmen 
 
 ™ Krr .'""' '" '"-' """'« '-. ^'"1; :r s:i 
 
 the scoundrel Sugh??^- *'"''"« '"'" ' ''" »«™"'«. " I. 
 
 ^^irZT fr " »»:"■'."«?'«■• ">« Indian, "and d,e 
 rrhes •■ '• " " ™''"« ''"» '» Mo- him ,'hrough the 
 
 " The woldi, .h[cr''.'"nr.:d''RSL''r"^ t^TT-- 
 
 pttfbyrrri""- ^«-p-;Xs...'ie:::rd'ot 
 .«:c.t'";::rr.i^:;^:^:;::;rv"^^ 
 
 in time enlgh ?o catch h""^? ^ ""T f™'' "«'" "" 
 Party'll li, l.il there an^h..,, l?' '"" *« '"l«=. ">« other 
 to hide in the bush "' '"°" P"''" "P '' •« "'" 
 
 MS'T%;':X'ril!lf?:r''"" ■" ""«•""«'' Ch.rl.y. 
 from the dc rclS e^^, .''f/™"r« "' ™'-««''^ "Ction 
 ,l.„l„ i..f.,, ' "T"? "='f"'» "' 'ht <^»l"mitv that ha,l ,„ .U.1- 
 "'? •"■;""< ni... Ill lire loss ol his chief anil frirn,! 
 
 
aS4 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 Hamilton, with a rouple of m,n, launched their canoe on 
 the lake, and set off in pursuit. 
 
 Crossing the country for about a mile, Jacques led hh 
 party to the point on the Duck River to which he lad or- 
 viously referred. Here they found two cnoes, int. one of 
 which the guide stepped with ore of the m.n. a Canadian 
 who had accompanied them; while Harry -.md Charley ein- 
 baxied m the other. In a few mir.utes they were rapidly 
 des. t'ldmg the stream. ^ ^ 
 
 as he r sidled alongside of the guide's canoe. " I it „ot 
 hkeij tn.i!: Mmnnn.i may have cro.Msed the river al-eady? 
 In wh.ch case wc hail f.^ve no chance of catching him." 
 
 Never fe.r, reta,n. : Jar:qucN. " He must have longer 
 legs than mosi men i. » v gets to the flat-rock fall beforr .s 
 wi as tha. s the spo, ^.here lic'll nafrally cross the river 
 btinjj the oi.ly sfraigh. line for the hills that escapes the bend 
 o the bay to the south o' Stoney-creek, we're pretty saitin 
 to stop him there. 
 
 " y/y«; .'^'\^. that being, as you say, the natural route, don't 
 you think It l,k,ly he'll expect that it will be guarded, and 
 avoid It accordingly?" ** ' "* 
 
 • He would do so. Mister Charles, if he thought we were 
 here- but there are two reasons agin this. He thinks that 
 hC8 t>t the start o' us. an' won't need to double by way o' 
 deceivin us; an then he knows that the whole tribe is after 
 r^^rTn' ^°!?f '"^'y- 7"'t take a long road, when there's 
 « short one. . he can help it. Dut here's the rock. Look out. 
 ^r. Charles. We'll have to run the fall, which isn't very 
 bg just now and then hide ,n the hushes at the foot of it 
 til th.^ blackguard shows himself. Keep well to the riRht 
 an don tinind the big rock; the rush o' water takjfou 
 clear o' that without trouble." ^ 
 
 f^ir^t^l!" ^"""'"''•"8 P''^'^ °f «dvice. he pointed to the 
 ahead of them, and which was distinguinhable by a %m, 
 beheld it, his spirits roi. . » 
 
 forgetting, for 
 
 ii> 
 
RS 
 
 their canoe ntx 
 
 Jacques led hi;} 
 lich he ! ad pr^ 
 3es, int» one of 
 «-n, a Caiudian, 
 nd Charley ein- 
 ey were rapidly 
 
 quued Thatley, 
 >e. "I it tot 
 ! river already? 
 Itching him."^ 
 list have longer 
 ; fall befon.' us, 
 :ross the river, 
 jcapes the bend 
 re pretty sanifi 
 
 ral route, don't 
 5 guarded, and 
 
 ought we were 
 He thinks that 
 ible by way o' 
 e tribe is after 
 , when there's 
 >ck. Look out, 
 lich isn't very 
 the foot of it 
 I to the right, 
 Iter takes you 
 
 >ointcd to the 
 Jt half u milr 
 le by a inii' 
 As CharK'* 
 
 T a I., ,ncT«v 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 «.. . *5S 
 
 the circumstances which calleri »,;.« *u 
 
 "I'll run it before ™.JaMu« S"°'m° A""^ '"^'= 
 Harry!" and in soite „f = » ^ Hurrahl Give way, 
 
 «J ilew, rather S'^To™ .het" '""^ '^'""• 
 thb, the guide held bac^^i^ tie him ^^ • °" '^'^ 
 take the plunge ere he fnll™,lS ^ ! I sufficient time to 
 
 :^har, y/cani .^ le'lS^fhe mZ^T" ''""'?'" 
 m the act of raisins himself in .h.V ' »"'' ""T was just 
 
 Hon of the ™cks, '>!iTriztJz::^cv''i r- 
 
 b«de them. Looking „„ diev behdrf . r !■ "''"='°* 
 from ,h. forest, fit an arrow S his boi a^H H T """^ 
 them. The winged messenger w^ t^lT T"^"^'. " "' 
 through the air and lran.,fivTH.c^ '""'"=^> " "Wzzed 
 just af the momem £ 'sw^tSeTX' The"" '''™"'" 
 pletely incapacitated Harrv from L- u ^ ''"°'^ ^°"»- 
 canoe, instead of beinrdLf^H • ? ? ^'' "'*'"• «° '^^' ^'^ 
 
 a sudden turn. das^Td'in' ^n^a Lt\^^^^^^^ '^' 
 
 tween which the water f„,„l. ! "'broken rocks, be. 
 
 Her. the canoe suck St wMe its""*""', """ "'»«• 
 waists in the water, strT^lhg tV^TJ^;! '"""' "^ '" ">"' 
 thev wftf tU^ ^ K8""g lo set it tree — an object which 
 
 The nL, i:^.:r:L:t:J::^jCa t"""^ "r"-^ 
 
 glided over the catamet )lZl V ,, ' he second canoe 
 •nJ upsee, leaving Cla^Hh "'"''"■''' =«""« ">« ««. 
 ■ncn,,' I,; their aid Cever ^ """ '" ' "™"" ''"''i"- 
 rightcd, and embarl^inrqS/'^j;""" ""' "■''« '-'"T 
 " the Indian, who had beln ob LeV,^ L T T"' J"" 
 order to get within ranl-Tf .k " ? ""'"= " ''"""■• '" 
 the banks' ab™ and 'en. a'tther*^,'?" ' /''P'""^"' ™ 
 .unately, howeve;. witho"" effect ' """ """ "■""-'- 
 
 ..nd Jd"':;,- e:t:s';„~i;;:eTf"; •• "■• -^ 
 
 .he.t dripping Co.he.. •■ .„; r"w^rof ^ ^H'^Z ^^ 
 
 rrriiki •'"' ''"™'-' "'""' "-"^ 
 
 I one," exclaimed Harry. " Suwl, 
 
 ate 
 an 
 
m, 
 
 fl i 
 
 ■III 
 
 256 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 » 
 
 we don't need to fear much from a single enemy 
 
 " Humph!" ejaculated the guide, as he examined the lock 
 of his gun. " You've had little to do with Injins, that's plain. 
 You may be sure he's not atone, an' the reptile has a bow 
 with arrows enough to send l's all on a pretty long journey. 
 But we've the trees to dodge behind. If I only had one dry 
 charge!" and the disconcerted guide gave a look, half of per- 
 plexity, half of contempt, at the dripping gun. 
 
 " Never mind," cried Charley, " we have our paddles. 
 But I forgot, Harry, in all this confusion, that you are wounded, 
 my poor fellow — we must have it examined before doing 
 anything farther." 
 
 " Oh! it's nothing at all — a mere scratch, I think; at least 
 I feel very little pain." 
 
 As he spoke the twang of a bow was heard, and an arrow 
 flew past Jacques' ear. 
 
 " Ah! so soon!" exclaimed that worthy, with a look of 
 surprise, as if he had unexpectedly met with an old friend. 
 Stepping behind a tree, he motioned to his friends to do 
 likewise; an example which they followed somewhat hastily 
 on beholding the Indian who had wounded Harry step from 
 the cover of the underwood and deliberately let fly another 
 arrow, which passed through the hair of the Canadian they 
 had brought with them. 
 
 From the several trees behind which they had leaped for 
 shelter, they now perceived that the Indian with the bow 
 was Misconna, and that he was accompanied by eight others, 
 who appeared, however, to be totally unarmed; having, pro- 
 bably, been obliged to leave their weapons behind them, 
 owing to the abniptness of their flight. See-ng that the white 
 men were unable to use their guns, the Indians assembled in 
 a group, and, from the hasty and violent gesticulations of 
 some of the party, especially of Misconna, it was evident tliat 
 a speedy attack was intended. 
 
 Observing this, Jacques coolly left the shelter of his tree, 
 
 
 fM. 
 
 
 .-4. «* XT, 
 
 me. 
 
 I'm goin' to run away, so you'd better come along with P 
 
ngle enemy." 
 nincd the lock 
 ts, that's plain, 
 tile has a bow 
 ' long journey. 
 ly had one dry 
 )k, half of per- 
 
 L. 
 
 ! our paddles. 
 
 J are wounded, 
 
 before doing 
 
 think; at least 
 
 , and an arrow 
 
 vith a look of 
 an old friend, 
 friends to do 
 newhat hastily 
 arry step from 
 let fly another 
 Canadian they 
 
 had leaped for 
 
 with the bow 
 
 y eight others, 
 
 I; having, pro- 
 
 behind them, 
 
 that the white 
 
 IS assembled in 
 
 esticulations of 
 
 as evident that 
 
 ter of his tree, 
 
 v/t:_4. /~<i i^.. 
 
 .T1131CI \_il3IlCS, 
 
 lie along with 
 
 THE YOUNG FDR TRADERS 25, 
 
 Jn '^^TI "?^"^y '^'" "°*' ^^y^ what do you mean?" 
 inquired the other, in astonishment. ^ 
 
 mini ""f " *^^i '^^'^ ^*"P'^ ^■^'^^kins can't make up their 
 mmds what to do, an', as I've no notion o' stoppin' here Si 
 day, I want to make them do what will suit us best You 
 ^!estt7 "^"" *'^°"l^ *^^ --d -d attack us on 11 
 
 a? ;i.rJ ? ^''' "' ' ^''^ °' *^°"^^^' ^"d git away afte 
 all whereas, ,f we run «way, they'll bolt after us in a body 
 and then we can take them in hand all at once, which '11 be 
 more comfortable like, an' easier to manage " 
 As Jacques spoke, they were joined by Harry and the 
 
 toS^hrkn'^tH' '""^ °'""^' 'y *^^ ^"^^- ^^- M 
 together, another arrow was sent among them 
 
 Now, follow me," said Jacques, turning round with 
 a loud howl, and running away. He was closely followed 
 by the others. As the guide had predicted, the Indians no 
 
 " Now, then; stop here; dovm with you " 
 
 Jacques instantly crouched behind a bush, while each 
 of the party did the same. In a moment the avages came 
 shouting up, supposing that the white men were H frunnTg 
 
 "th Ve 1.7;- f""^ *^\f°T°^^ ^ tall, muscular "Z! 
 with the agihty of a panther, bounded over the bush behind 
 which Jacques was concealed, he was met with a blow from the 
 fh t it' sen; \° P^^^f "{ ^f --d -to the pit of his stomach 
 
 nsensible. This event, of course, put a check upon the head- 
 long pursun of the others, who suddenly pauseThke a grol 
 
 The wiT' T' ""^'^P-^^JJy l^aulked of their %^oy 
 The hesitation however, was but for a moment. Misco^nna* 
 who was in advance, suddenly drew his bow again, mid let' 
 fly an arrow at Jacques, which the latter dexterously avorded' 
 and, while his antagonist lowered his eyes for an insist to 
 fit another a..ow to the stHng. the «uide. mnL. ZlJuH 
 
 Sbrttat" r.°'r^'' ' '"^^ •* "^•^'^ Buch fo^ceVnd p^el 
 
 ^Tfclled hil !;j'^ ■ -^t""" '^'''''^y ^^^^^^^» the eyes. 
 
 (11';"^ *" '^' ^«"^- '" «"«ther instant, the two parties 
 
 17 
 
I I! 
 
 '!''^P 
 
 258/ THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 rudied upon each other :v,ti a n< rai melee ensued, in which 
 the white men, beiji-- greatly superior to their adversaries 
 m the use of their nets, soon proved themselves more than 
 a match for them all although inferior in numbers. Charley's 
 first antagonist, making an abortive attempt to grapple with 
 him, received two rapid blows, one on th': • d the other 
 
 on the nose, which knocked him over uie bank into the river, 
 while his conqueror sprang upon another Indian. Harry| 
 having unfortunately selected the biggest savage of the band, 
 as his special property, rushed upon him and dealt him a 
 vigorous biovv on the head with his paddle. 
 
 The -veapcm, however, was made of light wood, and, in- 
 stead of Idling him to the ground, broke into shivers. Spring- 
 mg upon each other, they immediately engaged in a fierce 
 struggle, in which poor Harry learned, when too late, that 
 his wounded shoulder was almost powerless. Meanwhile, 
 the Canadian having been assaulted by three Indians at once] 
 floored one at the onset, and immediately began an impromptu 
 war-dance round the other two, dealing them occasionally 
 a kick « r a blow, vhich would speedi! ■ have rendered them 
 hors de combat, had they not succeeded in closing upon him, 
 when all three fell heavily to the ground. Jacques and Charley 
 having succeeded in overcoming their respective opponents, 
 immediately hastened to his rescue in the meant" ne, Harry 
 and his foe had struggled to a consider ble distance from 
 the others, gradually ed ong to',v rds the Tver's bank. Feel- 
 ing faint from his wound, the former at length sank under 
 the weight of his powerful antagonist, who endeavoured to 
 thrust him over a kind of ii: , which they had appr ached. 
 He was on the point of accomplishing his purj.ose, when 
 Charley and his friends perceived Harry's trr -linent danger, 
 and rushed to the rescue. Quickly tho\<gh litey ran, however,' 
 it seemed likely that they would be late. Harry's he.n.l 
 already overhung the bank, and the dia vas endeavour- 
 ing to loosen the grip of the young uian s hand from his 
 thro. ' preparatory to tossing him over, when a wild crv 
 ran>/ through the forest, followed by the reports of a double- 
 barrelled gun, fired in quick succession. Immediately after, 
 
RS 
 
 jnsued, in which 
 heir adversaries 
 slves more than 
 ibers. Charley's 
 to grapple with 
 'd the other 
 k into the river, 
 ndian. Harry, 
 ige of the band, 
 nd dealt him a 
 
 wood, and, in- 
 hivers. Spring- 
 ged in a fierce 
 1 too late, that 
 J. Meanwhile, 
 'ndians at once, 
 1 an impromptu 
 :m occasionally 
 rendered them 
 sing upon him, 
 les and Charley 
 :ive opponents, 
 eant- :ne, Harry 
 
 distance from 
 's bank. Feel- 
 [th sank under 
 ndeavoured to 
 id appr iched. 
 purjiose, when 
 
 unent danger, 
 ' ran, however, 
 
 Harry's head 
 'as endeavour- 
 land from his 
 ;n a wild crv 
 8 of a double- 
 lediately after, 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 he turned a 00^; eT^ltS,'™ ^ :, '''' """■ "■-"« 
 w.,h a sounding splash into™;;" "'' ""«"'• -" f'" 
 
 and rLst";heX^fr' ''"'l "'^ J"^""' - ". 
 quivering with the exert nf A i ^J .^'' expanded nostrils 
 
 of ac..„^„ .™ti'rr t^Se„r '" "-' '^^ -- 
 
 his .empli. ".hanTo^d ,h I'ta' t" ^''"'^^ ""hed 
 tunately I was walking hi T ■ "" ™ "™' For- 
 
 ol RedLh .2oZ Mnl""" '""^"""h'y ■" advance 
 
 which a fragment of t L t ""^""^ ^" '^^ '''^^^^^^r. from 
 
 " It's a wonder e M t?^^^ ^*^" P^^^"^^^- 
 
 that big thief so Jong,-' ;.^ eL^^^^^^^^ ^"" ^f ^^^^^ on to 
 
 the splinter and bandaged up the s^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^ «"t 
 
 the surgical operation ,fter I 1.,.^ • "''''"^ ^^"^P'^ted 
 
 the defeated lllilTThZeJT f^'^"' '^^^ ^°"«««^' 
 were bound toeethe; b v H ^"" *^"' ^"''^ ^^^^ to walk, 
 fort, under a f ard\vh^ u' ""''''' ^"^ "^^''ched off to the 
 
 of several ofth'e f^r nn^rsZTT''''' ''^ *^^ ^ival 
 
 fugitives, and were attracted' tn.h ^T '" P"'"'""'* °f the 
 
 combatants. naTrard I ^0^ ^k^''°' ''^ *^^ ^^°"^« «f the 
 
 less severely iniuled w.r^ 1 j^' ^^''^ "^ ^^^^ "^^re or 
 
 'o Stoney-creek bvlheTl ^ ''"^ '" '^^^'^ «"d conveyed 
 
 the distaLe of aboVt ha ? ' '^^^^'^'^ ^"^'^ ^'^^^ "-« at 
 „i.:-^.._. .^\"vaDout half a mile from th^ o«„* ^_ „.u- , .. 
 
 --h„, „? .,. .u^aT^^itrs »r.?. ts: 
 
 ^> 1 
 
 i»:.,l 
 
Wh 
 
 ■in 
 
 ill! 
 
 260 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 no sooner did Misconna land, than they advanced to seize 
 him. 
 
 " Keep back, friends," cried Jacques, who perceived their 
 intentions, and stepped hastily between them. " Come here, 
 lads," he continued, turning to his companions, " surround 
 Misconna. He is our prisoner, and must ha' fair justice done 
 him, accordin' to white law." 
 
 They fell back in silence on observing the guide's deter- 
 mined manner, but, as they hurried the wretched culprit 
 towards the house, one of the Indians pressed close upon 
 their rear, and, before any one could prevent him, dashed 
 his tomahawk into Misconna's brain. Seeing that the blow 
 \yas mortal, the traders ceased to offer any further opposi- 
 tion, and the Indians rushing upon his body, bore it away 
 amid shouts and yells of execration to their canoes, to one 
 of which the body was fastened by a rope, and dragged 
 through the water to a point of land that jutted out into the 
 lake near at hand. Here they lighted a fire and burned it to 
 ashes. 
 
 There seems to be a period in the history of everyone, 
 when the fair aspect of this world is darkened; when every- 
 thing, whether past, present, or future, assumes a hue of 
 the deepest gloom— a period when, for the first time, the 
 sun, which has shone in the mental firmament with more 
 or less brilliancy from childhood upwards, entirely disappears 
 behind a cloud of thick darkness, and leaves the soul in a 
 state of deep melancholy — a time when feelings somtjwhat 
 akin to despair pervade us, as we begin gradually to look 
 upon the past as a bright, happy vision, out of which we 
 have at last awakened to view the sad realities of the pre- 
 sent, and look forward with sinking hope to the fui':ure. 
 Various are the causes which produce this, and diverse the 
 efl'ects of it on differently constituted minds; but there are 
 few, we apprehend, who have not passed through the cloud 
 in one or other of its phases, and who do not feel that this 
 first period of prolonged sorrow is darker, and hea/ier, 
 and worse to bear, than many of the more truly grievous 
 
[IS 
 
 vanced to seize 
 
 perceived their 
 . " Come here, 
 3ns, " surround 
 ■air justice done 
 
 ; guide's deter- 
 retched culprit 
 sed close upon 
 rat him, dashed 
 f that the blow 
 further opposi- 
 7, bore it away 
 canoes, to one 
 I, and dragged 
 ed out into the 
 id burned it to 
 
 y of everyone, 
 I; when every- 
 imes a hue of 
 first time, the 
 ent with more 
 rely disappears 
 
 the soul in a 
 ings somewhat 
 dually to look 
 t of which we 
 es of the pre- 
 to the future, 
 nd diverse the 
 
 but there are 
 •ugh the cloud 
 t feel that this 
 
 and heavier, 
 truly grievous 
 
 -i'\ 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS a6i 
 
 and awful death of Mr Whvf^ f^ii "^"^"^^^^f ^^^ sudden 
 unaccustomed as hi ^^^^^^.t^ Csh^^^ ^^ 
 
 Xch nTu'r:rfoir":- /"" ^^ ^^p--"' ''^-ev ; 
 
 rIll.H "^^""^^"y J°"owed, he would probably soon have 
 rallied had not Harry Somerville's wound m the shouldir 
 taken an unfavourable turn, and obliged him to rem2 Ir 
 many weeks in bed under the influence of T slo "^^ r Z 
 that Charley felt a desolation creeping over his soul that no 
 effort he was capable of making could shake off It s tme 
 
 hf^lTf °'.^ r"P'*^°" ^"^ Pl^^«"r« in attending uZ' 
 his sick friend; but as Harry's illness rendered great quiet 
 necessary and as Hamilton had been sent to tfke cha"ie 
 of the fishing-station mentioned in a former chJZ ru T 
 was obliged to indulge his gloomy rtels tSc^'S 
 
 telc'rr^Mr^^^^^^^ ^^ T^' \ ^^"- fromt^t? ahol 
 of h"er • '''"' '""^^' ^^"'"S ^^- °f *h- death 
 
 Meanwhile. Redfeather and Jacques-both of whom at 
 
 JacSv Mr r^ being that which had been presented to 
 Jacques by Mr. Conway the missionary. This single vnlnm« 
 
 grea truth. Irft'^r '"^'^' '^'^ ^^^ ^^' '^^ «ake of the 
 of whft he IT ^' ^T°"''''^' •" '''' ^'^> though much ^^ 
 Ivr :H - """" '" ^"" '"y^^^"""^ «"J "tterlv incom. 
 
 and ea nltnUr If Ph'^osophic gravity of countenance, 
 
 and earnestness of purpose, which he displayed in regard 
 
 i ,. 
 

 262 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 to everything; and deep, serious, and protracted were tne 
 discussions they plunged into, as, night after night, they 
 sat on a log, with the Bible spread out before them, and read 
 by the light of the blazing fire, in the men's house at Stoney- 
 creek. Their intercourse, however, was brought to an abrupt 
 conclusion by the unexpected arrival, one day, of Mr. Con- 
 way, the missionary, in his tin canoe. This gentleman's 
 appearance was most welcome to all parties. It was like 
 a bright ray of sunshine to Charley, to meet with one who 
 could fully sympathize with him in his present sorrowful 
 frame of mind. It was an event of some consequence to Harry 
 Somerville, inasmuch as it provided him with an amateur 
 doctor, who really understood somewhat of his physical 
 complaint, and was able to pour balm, at once literally and 
 spiritually, into his wounds. It was an event productive 
 of the liveliest satisfaction to Redfeather, who now felt as- 
 sured that his tribe would have those mysteries explamed, 
 which he only imperfcctl> understood himself; and it 
 was an event of much rejoicing to the Indians themselves, 
 because their curiosity had been not a little roused by what 
 they had heard of the doings and sayings of the white mis- 
 sionary, who lived on the borders of the great lake. The 
 only person, perhaps, on whom Mr. Conway's arrival acted 
 with other than a pleasing influence, was Jacques Caradoc. 
 This worthy, although glad to meet with a man whom he 
 felt inclined to respect, was by no means gratified to find 
 that his friend Redfeather had agreed to go with tlie mission- 
 ary on his visil to the Indian tribe, and thercaftei to accom- 
 pany him to the settlement on Playgreen Lake. But, with 
 the stoicism that was natural with him, Jacques submitted 
 to circumstances which he could not alter, and contented 
 himself with assuring Redfeather that if he lived till next 
 •pring, lit would most certainly " make trucks for the great 
 lake ", and settle down at the missionary's stati(»n along with 
 him. This promise was made at the end of the wharf of 
 
 i^-i ^-..-,^^ „,^, iitxmitit^ x!u wjutii ivjr. vonway and his 
 
 party embarked in their tin canoe— the same tin ci: mc at 
 which Jacques had curled his nose coiUemptuousl> when he 
 
icted were tne 
 er night, they 
 :hem, and read 
 »use at Stoney- 
 it to an abrupt 
 , of Mr. Con- 
 is gentleman's 
 It was like 
 with one who 
 sent sorrowful 
 ience to Harry 
 :h an amateur 
 ■ his physical 
 e literally and 
 !nt productive 
 ) now felt as- 
 ies explained, 
 isclf; and it 
 IS themselves, 
 lused by what 
 he white mis- 
 at lake. The 
 ^ arrival acted 
 ques Caradoc. 
 nan whonj he 
 Jtihed to find 
 h the misRion- 
 Ftei to accom- 
 e. Hut, with 
 lies submitted 
 ind contented 
 lived till next 
 
 for the great 
 on along with 
 
 the wharf of 
 nway and his 
 
 tin CI! loc at 
 usly when he 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 263 
 
 SlnottrThXf ''"^ constructed, and at which he 
 finished The 1 ui '^^^.^°^'^'"Pt"ously now that he saw it 
 
 wel and hn fl" v'u\ '"'^"'^^ ''' P"^P««« marvellously 
 well and bounded lightly away under the vigorous strokes 
 of ts crew leavmg Charley and Jacques on the vZZ^Z 
 
 oTtt ^ttLf ^ ''^"'^^ r '''^"^^ '-'^y'^^^^ 'S 
 
 over the Take ' '' "" '' ^""''"^ ""^^ ^"'^ "^"^^ ^'^^^'^y 
 
 darTclo^dT/; h^"' "' '% °^ ^""^^^"^ ^'^^^ through the 
 dark cloud hat hung over Stoney-creck. Harry Somerville 
 
 instead of becoming better, grew worse an7vvorsT everv 
 day, so that when Charley despatched the winter paXT 
 he represented the illness of his f.'iend to the powers at head- 
 quarters as being of a nature that required seiolmd 
 immediate attention, and change of scene But f^J^ 
 ^rn^e^iate l>ears a slightly differLtlgSion' n tie b'a^k' 
 wood o what It does in the lands of railroads and ste mboats 
 The letter rontaining this hint took many weeks to trverse 
 the was e wilderness to its destination-months pUed 1 e 
 the reply was written, and many weeks more elapsed er« 
 .ts contents were perused by Charley and his friend' When 
 they dui read ,.. however, the dark cloud that had huniTo er 
 therii s. long hurst at Iast~a ray of sunshine s^r in Twn 
 
 w^ ', ; rir H '"'' 1 ''' '^'"'''"^"y ■•^»- ^he first Lh 
 whl.. , • ^""''y' '"'^"'^""' ">""''"« hi early snrinc 
 
 ^hen the packet arrived, and Charley led Harry, who Z 
 Jiowly recovering his wonted heahh and spirits TthtW 
 f«vou„te rocky resting-place on the margin of Eke ere 
 
 a';!^:rr;:i;x:r"'«'- 
 
 My Dkar Sir. 
 
 «nu' n""** '['^^!i' ^o"<n'"'"K the uocount of Mr. Somer- 
 Viile. .lhie.». ha. b;..n forwarded ,0 me; and I am {uZ^I, 
 to i,„unn you ihai leave of absence, for u short time imi 
 
 ooctor here, who advises me io recommend mat, K your 
 
1**^' 
 
 ■.».?* 
 
 .«, r 
 
 ' ' " "■; e 
 
 a64 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 friend has no other summer residence in view, he should 
 spend part of his time in Red River settlement. In the event 
 01 his agreeing to this I would suggest that he should leave 
 Stoney-creek with the first brigade in spring, or by express 
 canoe, ,f you think it advisable. I am, &c. ^ 
 
 " Sho« but sweet, uncommonly sweet!" said Harry, as 
 a deep flush of joy crimsoned his pale cheeks, while his own 
 merry smile, that had been absent for man; a wea y Ty 
 returned once more to ii. old haunt, and danced rou^ul ks 
 accustomed dimples like a repentant wanderer who has been 
 
 hoL • '"^ ^'' '' ^''' ^^^"^"^^^ '-' his native 
 
 " Sweet, indeed!" echoed Charley. "But that's not all- 
 here s another lump of sugar for you." So saying he puUed 
 a letter from his pocket, unfolded it slowly.^^pr'ead it out 
 on his knee, and looking up at his expectant'fnrnrwinkeS 
 
 .. ^ ""• ^ha''ley; pray don't tantalize me." 
 Tantalize you! My dear fellow, nothing is further from 
 myjhoughts. Listen to this paragraph in my dear old father's 
 
 •"So, you see, my dear Charley, that we have managed 
 to get you appomted to the charge of Lower Fort Garrv 
 and as 1 hoar that poor Harry Somerville is to get leave of 
 absence you had better bring him along with you. I need 
 not add Urn my house is at his service as long as he may 
 wish to remain in it.' ^ 
 
 BJlJlZtlT\ !';'"'' ''i "^ '^'''' '"y '^"y?" ««'^ Charley, 
 as he folded tlie letter, and returned it to his pocket. 
 
 I think, replied Harry. " that your fatf.cr is a dear old 
 
 n thTrn ^ \T "^ '''^'' "'"' ' ^'"""^ ''-" ««' happy to- 
 ri^, that 1 11 be able to walk without the assistance of y.,ur 
 arm to-morrow; mid I tlunk wc had bett^-r go back to the 
 
 it'rwT' AM ' T'l' T' '""f • " ^'"^ ^" 'f ' had had : 
 long walk. Ahl (hnrley, my dear fellow, that I*«.r ^iii 
 
iew, he should 
 t. In the event 
 he should leave 
 , or by express 
 
 said Harry, as 
 
 while his own 
 
 ' a weary day, 
 
 need round its 
 
 who has been 
 
 to, his native 
 
 that's not all; 
 
 'ing, he pulled 
 
 spread it out 
 
 riend, winked. 
 
 I further from 
 :ar old father's 
 
 lave managed 
 • Fort (iarry, 
 1 get leave of 
 you. I need 
 ig as he may 
 
 said Charley, 
 ocket. 
 
 is a dear old 
 »s good when 
 so happy to- 
 ancc of your 
 ' back to the 
 f I hud had a 
 *t letter wi!! 
 
 now tell me 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ^^ 
 
 "lake him interim co™rder.i„-lef ,..r ^™'"T' ^'«' 
 one to tlie eentleman in .h 7,' ' " """= '«'° ^"'"', 
 
 of my moveSr.he others:, '■'' """"• "«'"« '"'^ 
 
 ^i™. pu.to:t:s,;Tthrm,^r:f ^ 
 
 thin, »et and Z Zor „„^ '""• '"^''''■„ """"Rh thick and 
 River aettiememr "^ *"' """■• f'"' ""^ '"''^ f"-- Red 
 
 CHAPTER XXVll 
 
 Old friend, and s^.. ^,„„ .„„„ ^^^ ,^^. . ^^_^^^^^ ^^ 
 
 i" hi. own ann; ^le";" U IVi™-^' wTh"!, ''"'° T'";"' 
 characteristic lircakfasi ,.f h,.rr i ', " '"' ™" '"K''y 
 Wore hin,, an. ,..,:, t "Jlifnl'"^ '"• "'"' P"""™ 
 K».c prc,i,linR „ver the™„ n d "'^'"'""'" ''""'('"er 
 »l'ly despotic ,„,v over „ ll™ "ercwnK "nwarrant- 
 
 ne. aee,'.,ed ..."^^n I^, gf ."J^^ ™'; wi."»e aole happi- 
 
 pe.uai „„„„„„,,,, „„j „ho.c3, ' c. in^rrr''' '" ■'": 
 
 ■t. master and n.iatreaa off their Zrd ttlT, 7" '" ""'' 
 
 to the table, the nieat-af, ™ .T ' " ""«'" K i«l> 
 
 K«e h.,1 g^L" vtv m„"l''''' '"'"'^>'' ""'I "'"c ..call 
 
 «" ri.e « wo::,r„i^ ::;;;■;- -"'- ''.'«■ «". 
 
 •criptio,, here; ln,t „c „ ..cr , , JZi' " """"" '^'• 
 -^ .he only ,oy „r hiT'iire^; X^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ — 
 
 inny 
 
■i^ 
 
 26b 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 remark, was false; for Mr. Kennedy frequently said to Kate, 
 confidentially, that Charley was a great happiness to him; 
 and we are quite sure that the pipe had something to do with 
 the felicity of his existence. But the old gentleman said that 
 Kate was the only joy of his life, and that is all we have to 
 do with at present. Several ill-tempered old ladies in the 
 settlement said that Miss Kennedy was really a quiet modest 
 girl— testimony this (considering the source whence it came) 
 that was quite conclusive. Then, old Mr. Grant remarked 
 to old Mr. Kennedy, over a confidential pipe, that Kate was 
 certainly, in his opinion, the most modest and the prettiest girl 
 in Red River. Her old school companions called her a darling. 
 Tom Whyte said: " he never see'd nothink like her nowhere." 
 The clerks spoke of her in terms too glowing to remember; 
 and the last arrival among them, the youngest, with the 
 slang of the " old country " fresh on his lips, called her a 
 stumetl Even Mrs. Grant got up one of her half-expressed 
 remarks about her, which everybody would have supposed 
 to be quizzical in its nature, were it not for the frequent 
 occurrence of the terms " good girl ", " innocent creatur.j ", 
 which seemed to contradict that idea. 
 
 '* Kate, my darling," said Mr. Kennedy, as 'ic finished 
 the last mouthful of tea, " wouldn't it be capital to get an- 
 other letter from Charley?" 
 
 " Yes, dear Papa; it would, indeed! But I am quite sure 
 that the next time we shall hear from him will he when he 
 arrives here." 
 
 " How so, girl?" said the old trader, with a smile. It may 
 as well be remarked here that the above opening of conver- 
 sation was by no means new. It was stereotyped now. Ever 
 since Charley had been appointed to the niunngement of 
 I.,ower Fort Garry, his father had been so cngrosned by the 
 idea, and spoke of it to Kate so frequently, that he had got 
 into a way of feeling as if the event so much desired would 
 happen in a few ilays, ultluuigh he knew quite well that it 
 could not, in the course of ordinarv or evtrd-.i!ri!i!;iiry -Ar. 
 cumstances, occur in less than sfvertil .ttMnti„i Hovvevci 
 
 tinic rolled on, he began regular I v pvery day or two. 
 
 to 
 
ERS 
 
 ntly said to Kate, 
 appiness to him; 
 ething to do with 
 ntleman said that 
 is all we have to 
 old ladies in the 
 ly a quiet modest 
 whence it came) 
 Grant remarked 
 »e, that Kate was 
 I the prettiest girl 
 led her a darHng. 
 kc her nowhere." 
 ng to remember; 
 mgest, with the 
 ips, called her a 
 5r half-expressed 
 1 have supposed 
 for the frequent 
 Dcent creaturu ", 
 
 , as He Hnished 
 ipital to get an- 
 
 I am quite sure 
 kvill be when he 
 
 tt smile. It may 
 'ning of conver- 
 'ped now. Itivcr 
 management of 
 iigrossed by the 
 that he hud gol 
 \ desireil would 
 lite well that ii 
 
 thn. Howevci, 
 day or two, to 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ^6- 
 
 would lead herTnto a c"^f»^,^' ? ''""^ «?"'««, 
 helped a li«<e"o'2;hi:tt;re. "'"'■" '' -"' "-''" 
 
 3<nce?eVu.::t;ri%^^^^^^^^ 
 
 tun- y of forwarding le^ters from q. ^ " "° °PP°''- 
 
 rather recklessly, to exult ^^etected, and began, 
 
 be'ih^deU'^'meL"^^' f '^'^ ^^"^'^'-"' -^^''y. "it'll 
 
 it with such violent and witl 1 ^^ ^'■'''^' ^"^^''^'•^^^ 
 knocked, not only th^ ca b^ th" T"''' '"/""' '^'' '^ 
 also, off the table ' '^' '"'-P^' *"^ sugar-bowl 
 
 ;• Oh dear Papa!" exclaimed Kate. 
 
 hal^S;^'^:^:Ct^:H;^.^r^'^^ ^^'^-^^^ -^ 
 
 has scarcely beera week . e ^ ' "^^^ '' 
 
 But then, the- mice, Papa—" 
 ;; Well but--but-K,hl hang the micel" 
 ve,; b„( ho>v are we to catch then.f" sM Kate 
 hreak, ';'",rn\',^f -?'•"'«> h-d hoard the ,„„„d of 
 
 ' No, sir: but -•• 
 "But! eh! but! no more huts, you scoundrel rise I'll •• 
 
 to mlT'nT "' ^'' '^^"-^'y'« «•* war . rh cook 
 to mike a precipitate retreat, which h. ^i.i .. Jul „ "'' 
 
 'nomcnt ihat the cat resolved to run for it". Ui« "n"" '"'"I 
 them to meet in th^ a . ' * '"*" ^'"^ 'nused 
 
•68 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 with a loud crash. Mr. Kennedy shut the door gently, and 
 returned to his chair, patting Kate on the head as he passed. 
 
 " Now, darling, go on with what you were saying; and 
 don't mind the tea-pot— let it lie." 
 
 " Well," resumed Kate, with a smile, " I was saying that 
 the next opportunity Charley can have will be by the brigade 
 in spring, which we expect to arrive here, you know, a month 
 b« nre, but we won't get a letter by that, as I feel convinced 
 thai he and Harry will come by it themselves." 
 
 And the express canoe, Kate— the express canoe," said 
 Mr. Kennedy, with a contortion of the left side of his head 
 tiiat was intended for a wink-" you know they got leave 
 to come by express, Kate." 
 
 " Oh, as to the express, Father, I don't expect them to 
 conie by that, as poor Harry Somerville has been so ill." 
 ^ " I don't know that, lass— I don't know that," said Mr. 
 Kennedy, giving another contortion with his left cheek. 
 •• In fact, I shouldn't v ..nder if they arrived this very day' 
 and it's well to be on the look-out, so I'm off to the banks' 
 of the river, Kate." Saying this, the old gentleman threw 
 on an old fur cap with the peak all awry, thrust his left hand 
 into his right glove, put on the other with the back to the 
 front and the thumb in the middle linger, and bustled out 
 of the house, muttering as he went; "Yes, it's well to be 
 on the look-out for him." 
 
 Mr. Keimedy, however, was disappointed; Charley did 
 not arrive that day, nor the next, nor the day after that. Never- 
 theless the old gcntlenian's faith each day remained as firm 
 as on the day previous, that Charley would arrive on that 
 day •• for certain ". About a week after this, Mr. Kennedy 
 put on his hat and gloves as usual, and sauntered liown to 
 the banks of the river, where his pcrsevcrame was at last 
 rcH<,rded by the sight of a small cnoe rapidly approaching 
 the laniling-plnce. From the tostui.ie of the three men who 
 pr.pclku It, the cut of the canoe itself, the precision luid 
 cnerRy ol its movements, and several other minute points 
 «buui It, only apparent to the accustomed eye of a tior 'wester, 
 he judged at 0A«« that this was a new arrival, and not merely 
 
RS 
 
 loor gently, and 
 I as he passed, 
 ire saying; and 
 
 was saying that 
 
 : by the brigade 
 
 know, a month 
 
 feel convinced 
 
 s." 
 
 ss canoe," said 
 ide of his head 
 they got leave 
 
 !xpect them to 
 been so ill." 
 hat," said Mr. 
 lis left cheek, 
 this very day, 
 T to the banks 
 ntleman threw 
 It his left hand 
 ic back to the 
 id bustled out 
 t's well to be 
 
 Charley did 
 rthat. Ncvcr- 
 lained as firm 
 I r rive on that 
 Mr. Kennedy 
 crcd tlown to 
 e was iU last 
 f approaching 
 ircc men who 
 precision and 
 iiinutc points 
 a nor'westcr, 
 kI not merely 
 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 269 
 
 one of the canoes belonging to the settlers, many of which 
 might be seen passmg up and down the river. As they drew 
 near, he fixed his eyes eagerly upon them. 
 
 "Very odd," he exclaimed, while a shade of disappoint- 
 ment passed over his brow, " it ought to be him, but it's not 
 like him-too big-difFerent nose altogether-don 't know 
 any of the three-humphl-well, he's sure to come to-morrow^ 
 at all events." Having come to the conclusion that it was 
 not Charley s canoe, he wheeled sulkily round and sauntered 
 back towards his house, intending to solace himself with a 
 p.pe. At that moment he heard a shout behind him, and 
 ere he could well turn round to see whence it came, a young 
 man bounded up the bank and seized him in his arms with 
 a hug that threatened to dislocate his ribs. The eld gentle- 
 man s first impulse was to bestow on his antagonist (for he 
 verily believed him to be such) one of those vigorous touch.! 
 with his clenched fist, vhich, in days of yore,'used trbril^ 
 some of his disputes to a summary and elfectual close: but 
 his intention changed when the youth spoke 
 
 Ji l^t""'^" .'"'"^ ^''•'"■'^>'' ^^ he loosened his grasn and 
 still holding him by both hands, looked earncsUy into hhl 
 face v/ith swimming eyes. ^ 
 
 Old Air Kennedy seemed to have lost his powers of 
 speech. He gazed at his son for a few seconds in silence 
 then suddenly threw his arms around him and engaged in 
 a spcaes of wrestle which he intended for an embrace. 
 
 -gIi hir ^^* "'I r^ ';" exclaimed, " you've come at last 
 -God bless you let^s look at you-quite chnnged-six 
 
 nL 'oh rf^^'r •'•'^^•T'- ''^^ "''' nose-black as an 
 Indian. Oh Charley, my dear boyl I've been waiting for 
 you for months; why dui you keep me so h,ng? ehl h2 
 It, Where's my handkerchief?" At tUi. 1. » 1 • ** 
 Mr K#.n„„K' i- ' '"'''^'^^"'"^ ^t this last exclamation, 
 Mr. Kennedys lecl.ngs quite w«t:«me him; his full hrr,r 
 overflowed at hia eyes .0 th.t when he triea .0 iS n^;!^ 
 T:^^}V}'V?1'^'^J} P!'r^'V magnified and parti, i^oken 
 
 I a.ulkcrch.ef, which he did not find, he suddenly seized hte 
 lur cap, ,» a burst of exasperation. an«l wiped his eyes with 
 
ii 
 
 a7o THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 armtnroughhis, let us go home. Is Kate there?" 
 
 Ay, ay, cried Mr. Kennedy, waving his hanH =,= i,- 
 
 was dragged away, and bestowingf ^ute ulvSSng y a back 
 handed slap on the cheek tn Ho^r,, c ... z^' ^ "^^i^- 
 
 Ion! W ' f ^'««PPeared through the doorway witi; his 
 long lost and now recovered son 
 
 ness b^i!""^' ^""^ ' • "^ "oy- f«8've my forgetful- 
 you ^r^ .*wf ' o/ J"'"™P'1 """7. "what nonsense 
 
 rnae.4tro„°LT-: - fr c ;i :-s 
 
 Harry. Father, and Jacques; you've heard o Jacques Kate?" 
 
 lighting up his counLrnce ""' ""'°' 1"'" '™'« 
 
 tonllyX ^"'""" ^"''"'' ^"""'°''" >>« ™-«<>. in a,. 
 
 Mr. Kennedy, senior, was s,, over^..hSm^^ K. »L .^ „ 
 Wjon of exciting inHuencen to which he was Z.1Z 
 jected, that he plunged his hand into his pocket for the 
 
was a cap, he 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR RADERS ^^^ 
 
 handkerchief again, and pulled out the fur hat instead, which 
 he flung angnly at the cat; then using the sleeve of hiHoat 
 as a substitute he proceeded to put a series of abrupt qution 
 to Jacques and Charley simultaneously 
 
 " Humph!" said Mr. Kennedy at length. " But come 
 boys. w.th me to my smoking-room, and let's have a t^lk 
 over a pipe, while Kate looks after dinner." Giving Charley 
 
 the old gentleman put on his cap (with the peak behind) 
 and led the way to his glass divan in the garden ^' 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII 
 
 The first day at home; a gallop in the prairie, and its consequences 
 
 K.!Jn^H "'"'■"'"^' ''.'^^ '^""''^"^ ^^^« «^ breakfast, Mr. 
 Kennedy senior, took occasion to propound to his son the 
 plans he had laid down for them during' the next week 
 
 In the first place. Charley, my boy." said ho as well 
 as a large mouthful of buffalo steak and 'potato would per- 
 mit, you must drive up to the fort and report yourself- 
 
 "Tects'to old'r '^T'' T' ^"^' '''^' '^' '-^ P-^ - 
 respects to old Grant (another cup of tea, Kate mv^arlin^^ 
 
 you recollect him. Charley, don't you?" ^ ^^ 
 
 " Yes, perfectly." 
 " Well, then, after we've been to see him, we'll drive down 
 
 ooViron^Jhe Th "" '^^ ''''f' ^* ''' ^'"- ^'^ -" 
 on old Nevenn-he's always out, so he'll be pleased to hear 
 we vvere there, and it won't detain us. Then—" 
 
 But, Father, excuse my interrupting you, Harry -nd 
 I .re very anxious to spend our first day It home eLvcly 
 
 r:'/r/."ui^?^^:. ^-'^ y^V^^-^ it wLld be more p J 
 —.f.: ijicii, ta-morrow 
 
 ;• Now, Charley, this is too had of you," said Mr. Kennedy 
 With a look ol affected indignation; " no sooner b-^ve you 
 
27* 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 come back, than you're at your old tricks, opposing and 
 thwarting your father's wishes." ^ 
 
 "Indeed I do not wish to do so, Father," replied Charley 
 with a smile; " but I thought that you would like my plan 
 better yourself, and that it would afford us an opportunity 
 of having a good, long, satisfactory talk about all that con- 
 cerns us, past, present, and future." 
 
 " What a daring mind you have, Charley," said Harry " to 
 spea.; of cramming a satisfactory talk of the past, the pre- 
 sent, and the future all into one day!" 
 
 ''Harry will take another cup of tea, Kate," said Charley 
 with an arch smile, as he went on— 
 
 "Besides, Father, Jacques tells me that he means to go 
 off immediately, to visit a number of his old voyageur friends 
 m the settlement, and I cannot part with him till we have 
 had one more canter together over the prairies. I want to 
 show him to Kate, for he's a great original." 
 ,. " ^.^' ^^^ ^'^' '' - charming!" cried Kate. " I should 
 hke of all things t. I>e introduced to the bold hunter-another 
 cup of tea, Harr ■ ' 
 
 Harry startcu or, being thus unexpectedly addressed. 
 
 funttrefdyXt^l"^ "'^^ '-'" ^°"-"°' "^^ ^"P'« 
 "Well, well," broke in Mr. Kennedy, senior, '« I see you're 
 all leagued against me, so I give in. But I shall not accom- 
 pany you on your ride, as my bones are a little stiffer than 
 they used to be (the old gentleman sighed heavily), " and 
 ridmg far knocks me up-but I've got business to attend to 
 m my glass house which will occupy me till dinner-time." 
 ^ If the business you speak of," began Charley, " is not 
 
 incompatible with a cigar, I shall be happy to -" 
 
 " Why, as to that, the business itself has special reference 
 to tobacco, and in fact, to nothing else; so come along, you 
 young dog. and the old gentleman's cheek went into violent 
 convulsions as he rose, put on his cap, with the peak very 
 much over one eye. and went out in cmnnun" 
 men. ^ "^ 
 
 
 I 
 
 An hour afterwards, four horses stood saddled and bridled 
 
ERS 
 
 M, opposing and 
 
 ' replied Charley, 
 uld like my plan 
 s an opportunity 
 out all that con- 
 
 ' said Harry, " to 
 le past, the pre- 
 
 ;," said Charley, 
 
 he means to go 
 voyageur friends 
 lim till we have 
 ries. I want to 
 
 te. "I should 
 liunter— another 
 
 ;dly addressed, 
 -no, my cup's 
 
 I", " I see you're 
 hall not accom- 
 ttle stifFer than 
 heavily), " and 
 :88 to attend to 
 linner-time." 
 larley, " is not 
 
 )ecial reference 
 
 )me along, you 
 
 ^nt into violent 
 
 the peak very 
 
 rTtut luc YUUfig 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 I 
 
 for Jacques Caradoc 1^1 f.i" •""gkbour M a mount 
 
 moment, Charley ^dlaZ?!! ',' T" '^- *' *= »™e 
 «.d the whok cLfcade !^,VJ'""' "'" *"' 'Addles, 
 to the prairie foXwXrtead^™ *' """' *« '-^d 
 «nior, who atood Ttte dt™tTi^ °^^'- ^'"^ ' 
 ia his vest pockets, his head TZ^lj"' "77' •■» 'V'"^' 
 waling through a cloud of smok Sat' Sued ^TT*' 
 He seemed the verv nerann,fi„.- /• • . "*"" '"' ''ps. 
 
 The prairi« w^e S -t ^°™' «°°'' ''"'"'>'"■ 
 beautiful. The „,1 Sid """"C*' ^'' ™'P^i"gIy 
 drops more mZTJI^^^^Z on7 f"'"'},!!" ''™'- 
 br^ch in the rays of an u„ fouSS ™„ rlftuTleu'"' "" 
 and the hoisea, which were fim „...„■ i ' ^Pnngy. 
 
 over it. scarce cru»h;„ri^.M«™'"^''°™«» "> dance 
 ■« the; KSed iS ™ldflowers beneath their hoofs, 
 
 WthWd «ea°r^' ^^^ •^„%rV'"^''"' 
 
 ™s.?;:i;rng'"sr:;rh^"' .;..nt':j';'at:he!: 
 
 trees and wild shrubbed 2 ^^.^r/'^"' "'"'"P^ ^^ ^^^^ 
 of all sizeaTwh ch fill^^^^^^^^ ^^'^ ^'^"^ ^^ P°«d». 
 
 porarv sh^^J «f ! }^ ^""^"^^ ^^^ n^i^« around-tem- 
 
 and life were Tve^ ITh? 1^°^ " Additional animation 
 
 busy c^andSle in thf'"! ^^ ^""'^ °^ ^^^^'^^^^J. ^»^°«c 
 air.U s^chTn idS ono7o*i::3ttV^^^^ ^ ^^« 
 aa could not but strike Ti T r '" *^* ''"'*<' creation, 
 tnan. and create a feeiU f ""^ T^'^^^ '" ^<^ ^^^^^^^ ^^ 
 and bJLt AlthouSf b?^ f**'!,"^" *° *^" M*^'-- °f "^an 
 during lefirft part o^th"^""^ '"^ T"""' ^^ «""• ^^ '«ast 
 
 «o Jt the^^^^a;?^:; t^^^ 
 
 T^„_?/ «tf«ds Showed the smallest svmDtom« nf «,» • ' 
 
 =d and bridled I rear, ^d co^7.Z to ."f H I*^'' ^1""''^ ''""8ht u, the 
 I (.»., ""■ " » '»'"' ^'y wth »« three. At length 
 
IMAGE EVALUATION 
 TEST TARGET (M >3) 
 
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 L4_ III 1.6 
 
 
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 33 WIST MAIN ITRIIT 
 
 WIBSTIR.NY I45BO 
 
 (71«) •7a-4S03 
 
 
 c.'^ 
 
274 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
 liiy 
 
 Kate began to think it was just possible the horses might 
 be growing wearied with the slapping pace, and checked 
 her steed; but this was not an easy matter, as the horse seemed 
 to hold quite a contrary opinion, and showed a desire, not 
 only to continue, but to increase its gallop — a propensity 
 that induced Harry to lend his aid by grasping the rein, and 
 compelling the animal to walk. 
 
 " That's a spirited horse, Kate," said Charley, as they 
 ambled along — " have you had him long?" 
 
 " No," replied Kate; " Father purchased him just a week 
 before your arrival, thinking that you would Hkely want 
 a charger now and then. I have only been on him once be- 
 fore. Would he make a good buffalo-runner, Jacques?" 
 
 *' Yes, Miss, he would make an uncommon good runner," 
 answered the hunter, as he regarded the animal with a critical 
 glance — " at least, if he don't shy at a gunshot." 
 
 " I have never tried his nervps in that way," said Kate, 
 with a smile; " perhaps he would shy at that: he has a good 
 deal of spirit — oh, I do dislike a lazy horse, and I do delight 
 in a spirited one!" Kate gave her horse a smart cut with the 
 whip, half involuntarily, as she spoke. In a moment it reared 
 almost pcrpendiculaily, and then bounded forward — not, 
 however, before Jacques' quick eye had observed the danger, 
 and his ever-ready hand arrested its course. 
 
 " Have a cure, Miss Kate," he said, in a warning voice, 
 while lie gazed in the face of the excited girl with a look of 
 undisguised admiration. " It don't do to wallop a skittish 
 beast like that." 
 
 '* Never fear, Jacques," she replied, bending forward to 
 pat her charger's arching neck — " see, he is becoming quite 
 gentle again." 
 
 " If he runs away, Kate, we won't be able to catch you 
 again, for he'a the best of the four, I think," said Harry, 
 with an uneuHy glance at the aniouii't Hashing eye and ex- 
 pandrd nontrils. 
 
 " I know'd a young chap once in St. Louis, who lost his 
 •weetheart by uiin' his whip too freely." 
 
 •K* »jyH!*> sifT !i!ni.' ftfiii-i Is-C^uti-i:, 
 
RADERS 
 
 Bible the horses might 
 ng pace, and checked 
 ter, as the horse seemed 
 i showed a desire, not 
 3 gallop — a propensity 
 grasping the rein, and 
 
 said Charley, as they 
 
 ig?» 
 
 ihased him just a week 
 
 ou would likely want 
 
 been on him once be- 
 runner, Jacques?" 
 :ommon good runner," 
 le animal with a critical 
 
 a gunshot.'* 
 
 that way," said Kate, 
 
 at that: he has a good 
 horse, and I do deUght 
 sc a smart cut with the 
 
 In a moment it reared 
 tounded forward — not, 
 id observed the danger, 
 lurse. 
 
 d, in a warning voice, 
 itcd girl with a look of 
 .to to wallop a skittish 
 
 d, bending forward to 
 , he is becoming quite 
 
 t be able to catch you 
 
 I think," sail! Harry, 
 
 '• Hashing eye and ex- 
 
 ' ** J i" 
 
 t. LfOuis, who lost hii 
 r." 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS ,75 
 
 " Indeed," cried Kate with a merry laugh, as they emerged 
 from one of the numerous thickets and rode out upon the 
 open plam at a foot pace. " how waa that, Jacques? Pray tell 
 us the story. •' 
 
 ^ " As to that, there's little story about it," replied the hunter. 
 You see, Tim Roughead took a'rter his name, an' was 
 always dom some mischief or other, which more than once 
 mgh cost nmi his life; for the young trappers that frequent 
 St Loms are not fellows to stand too much jokin', I can 
 ell ye. Well, T,m fell in love with a gal there, who had jilted 
 about a dozen lads afore; and, bein' an oncommon handsom'. 
 strappm fellow, she encouraged him a good deal. But Tim 
 had a suspicion that Louise was rayther sweet on a youne 
 storekeeper s clerk there; so, bein' an off-hand sort o* critter 
 he went right up to the gal, and says to her, says he: ' Come* 
 l^uise, Its o no use humbuggin* with me any longer. If 
 you like me you like me; and if you don't like me, you don't. 
 There s only two ways about it. Now, jist say the word at 
 once an let s have an end on't. If you agree, I'll squat with 
 you m whativer bit o' the States you like to name; if not 
 I II bid ycu good-bye this blessed mornin', an' make tracks' 
 right away for the Rocky Mountains afore sun-down. Ave 
 or no, lass; which is't to be?' 
 
 ».n^r'' ^""''^ '^'^ **''^" ^" "''«^*^ ^y *^i». but she knew 
 well that Tim was a man who never threatened in jest, an* 
 moreover, she wasn't quite sure o' the young clerk; so she 
 
 w/n '.""u; ru"^";* °^ *" **^"'* ^'^^^ ^^^ *"«ther about the 
 weddin . Well the day came, an' Tim. with a lot o' his com- 
 rades mounted their horaes, and rode off to the bride's house, 
 which was a mile or two up the river out of the town. Just 
 as hey were startin'. Tim's horse gave a plunge that well- 
 nigh pitched urn over its head, an' Tim came down <in him 
 with a cut o his heavy whip that sounded like a pistol-shot. 
 Ihe beast was ho mad at this that it gave a kind o' squeal 
 an another phingc that burst the girths. Tim brought th« 
 wnip auwn on its fiank again, which made it shoot forward 
 hke an arrow out of « bow, leavin' poor Tim on the ground. 
 So Hhck did ,t fly away, that it didnt even throw him on 
 
276 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 tnXf: . i ' ^r ^'" «'«^° ■^»«. saddle and all. plump 
 on the spot where he sprang from. Tim scratched his head 
 an grmned hke a half-worried rattlesnake, as his comrades 
 almost rolled off their saddles with laughin' . Bu it wL n^ 
 laughm' job. for poor Tim's leg was doubled under Wm 
 an broken across at the thigh. It was long before he wL' 
 able to go about again, and when he did recover, he found 
 
 Kemucky'' ^°""^ "^"'^ """"" '^^'"^ ^' ^^^^ '° 
 
 "So you see what arc the probable consequences. Kate, 
 
 orLirnrr "^^'^ "° obstreperously again." cried Charley 
 pressmg his horse mto a canter. ^ 
 
 and darted away before them. In an instant Harry Somer- 
 viUe gave a wild shout, and set off in pursuit. Whether it 
 
 t^t .t L . r""^ "^"^ **" ^^"^ ^*8»' ^«'d back its ears, 
 took the bit between its teeth, and ran away. Jacques w^ 
 
 Zu^t" r*^''^' '".^' ' ^'^ "^*^"^- afte'rwaids. Charley 
 Jo r^ * ^ ^ '''^ '? *^* P"""'*' ^"' t»»«'r utmost efforti 
 felled to do mare than enable them to keep the- ound 
 Kates horse was making for a dense thicket, int ich it 
 became evident they muot certainly plunge. Harry and her 
 brother trembled when they looked at if. and realized her 
 danger, even Jacques' face showed some symptoms of per- 
 turbation for a moment, a. he glanced before him in inde- 
 ^hTk- t' "P"-*"'"" vanished, however, in a few seconds, 
 and his cheerful, self-possessed look returned, aa he cried 
 
 .lope*!"" *^* ^'^' "'" *'"*^' ^'" ^'^' ^ *° *^8« "P '^^ 
 Kate heard the advice, and. exerting all her strength 
 •uccecded m turning her horse a little to the left. wWch 
 caused him to ascend a gentle slope, at the top o wh ch 
 part of the thicket lav. Sh,, «,a. .Ll"- r."-Z? ° S 
 JJ»d her brother who urged their -teei'm;dIy"fomaVd*ii 
 the hope of catching her rein, while Jacques diverged a litUo 
 
^DERS 
 
 ddle and all, plurap 
 1 scratched his head 
 ke, as his comrades 
 lin'. But it was no 
 loubled under him, 
 long before he was 
 I recover, he found 
 ipliced an' away to 
 
 onsequcnces, Kate, 
 ain," cried Charley, 
 
 ^rom under a bush 
 tant Harry Somer- 
 irsuit. Whether it 
 's horse, we cannot 
 
 performed an in- 
 laid back its ears, 
 way. Jacques was 
 ifterwards, Charley 
 leir utmost efforts 
 teep the<*- ound. 
 :ket, int ich it 
 e. Harry and her 
 , and realized her 
 symptoms of per- 
 forc him in inde- 
 
 in a few seconds, 
 rned, as he cried 
 
 y to edge up the 
 
 all her strength, 
 3 the left, which 
 the top of which 
 
 nadly forward in 
 B diverged a httie 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 377 
 
 to the right. By this manoeuvre, the latter hoped to gain on 
 the runaway, as the ground along which he rode was com- 
 paratively level, with a short but steep ascent at the end of 
 it, while that along which Kate flew like the wind was a 
 regular ascent, that would prove very trying to her horse. At 
 the margin of the thicket grew a row of high bushes, towards 
 which they now galloped with frightful speed. As Kats came 
 up to this natural fence, she observed the trapper approach- 
 ing on the other side of it. Springing from his jaded steed, 
 without attempting to check its pace, he leaped over the 
 underwood like a stag, just as the young giri cleared the 
 bushes at a bound. Grasping the reins, and checking the 
 horse violently with one hand, he extended the other to Kate, 
 who leaped unhesitatingly into his arms. At the same instant,' 
 Charley cleared the bushes, and pulled sharply up; while 
 Harry's horse, unable, owing to its speed, to take the leap, 
 came crashing through them, and dashed his rider with stun- 
 ning Violence to the ground. 
 
 Fortunately no bones were broken, and a draught of clear 
 water, brought by Jacques from a neighbouring pond, speedily 
 restored Harry's shaken faculties. 
 
 " Now, Kate," said Charley, leading forward the horse 
 which he had ridden, " I have changed saddles, as you see- 
 this horse will suit you better, and 111 take the shine out of 
 your charger on the way home." 
 
 •• Thank you, Charley," said Kate, with a smile, " I've 
 quite recovered from my fright, if, indeed, it is worth call- 
 
 mg by that name; but I fear that Harry has " 
 
 " 0|»' I'm all right," cried Harry, advancing as he spoke 
 to assist Kate in mounting. " I am ashamed to think ihat 
 my wild cry was the cause of all this." 
 
 In another minute they were again in their saddles, and, 
 turning their faces homeward, they swept over tlic plain 
 at 8 steady gallop, fearing lest their accident should be the 
 means of making Mr. Kennedy wait dinner for them. On 
 arnving, they found the oid gentleman engaged in an ani- 
 mated discussion with the cook about laying the table-cloth 
 which duty he had imposed on himself, in Kate's absence. ' 
 
p 
 
 »78 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 " Ahl Kate, my love," he cried, as they entered " .v..«. 
 here lass and mount guard, ivi slmoZ S^y ^rt 
 m tryn.g to convmce that thick-headed goose that he S 
 set a table properly. Take it off my hands, like a good drl 
 
 SS^Re?4t^r^rh"el^^ ^^^^^ '' '^^ ^'^^^^^^ 
 
 ^es, he and the parson, from the other end of T »U^ 
 
 Wmnipeg, arrived an hour ago in a tin ketX !n i ^ 
 
 on their way to the upper fort » ' ^'^ "'^ "°^ 
 
 " That is, indeed, pleasant news; but I susnw-f *u»^ v 
 
 w,« g,ve much gr«ter pleasure to our friend ^Cea^h" 
 
 dmner gmoke, " Redfeathi ha. come Z ,h, ! "' 
 
 tftey ve come for is more than I can tell h„f t - • . 
 
 connected with Church affai^. Now 'then ^JT'V',' 
 come o' the dinner Kate? Stir' up'^tS Xu^oTatokf 
 I half expect that he has boiled the cat for dinner iTl 
 
 ing. Hallo, Harry, what's wrong?" ^wnoiemom- 
 
 The last exclamation was in consequence of an exnr«i 
 .ion of pam which crossed Harry's fac2 for a momenr^'""' 
 
 anci swelled from the elbow to the shoulder, " that's a seven- 
 
ADERS 
 
 hey entered, " come 
 lost broke my heart 
 
 goose that he can't 
 ids, hke a good girl. 
 
 hear that your old 
 
 ley, in surprise, 
 other end of Lake 
 kettle, and are now 
 
 It I suspect that it 
 riend Jacques, who, 
 life for him, simply 
 
 knocking the ashes 
 '■ ready for an after- 
 
 and the parson's 
 miraculous. What 
 
 but I suppose it's 
 then, Kate, what's 
 rrampus of a cook! 
 for dinner, in his 
 ne the whole mom- 
 
 nce of an expres- 
 »r a moment, 
 ve had a fall from 
 t I'll see to it after 
 
 »edy, energetically 
 )om. " Off with 
 ly," he continued, 
 much discoloured, 
 ', * that's a severe 
 k of; only you'll 
 
 thankful it's no 
 dressed the arm 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS a?^ 
 
 after his own fashion, and then returned with him to the 
 dining-room. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX 
 
 How it all ended 
 
 One morning, about two weeks after Charley's arrival at 
 Red River, Harry Somerville found himself alone in Mr. 
 Kennedy's parlour. The old gentleman himself had just 
 galloped away in the direction of the lower fort, to visit Charley, 
 who was now formally installed there. Kate was busy in the 
 kitchen giving directions about dinner, and Jacques was 
 away with Redfeather visiting his numerous friends in the 
 settlement; so that, for the first time since his arrival, Harry 
 found himself at the hour of ten in the morning utterly alone. 
 Just th'H th door opened and Kate entered. 
 
 " Excuse me, Harry, for leaving you alone," she said, 
 " but I had to attend to several household matters. Do you 
 feel inclined for a walk?" 
 
 " I do, indeed," replied Harry; " it is a charming day, 
 and I am exceedingly anxious to see the bower that you have 
 spoken to me about once or twice, and which Charley told 
 me of long before I came here." 
 
 " Oh! I shall take you to it, with pleasure," replied Kate; 
 " my dear father often goes there with me to smoke. If you 
 will wait for two minutes, I'll put on my bonnet," and she 
 hastened to prepare herself for tl.ie walk, leaving Harry to 
 caress the cat, which he did so energetically that it instantly 
 declared war and sprang from the chair with a remonstrative 
 yell. 
 
 On their way down to the bower, which was situated in 
 a picturesque spot on the river's bank, about a mile below 
 the house, Harry and Kate tried to converse on ordinary 
 topics, s>ut witiiout sueccfiS, and were at last almost reduced 
 to silence. 
 
 On arriving at the bower, however, and sitting down, 
 

 1. til 
 
 oSo 
 
 tl 
 
 THE YOUNG FUR TRADERS 
 
 Har^ plucked up heart, and, heaving a deeo «;„i, -^ 
 
 " Ae wedding. inoMng J.^^ 2" rSS""^ T 
 course of time Harry reMivedVn .„_*"• '" 
 under Ae company I^ ^^J^„'ZT S!^'""' 
 W.II remember, was installed as Jv.™r rf ^l^'^"^ 
 Gany. So botl, lad,, after their run I«T ^U^Z'I '^°" 
 home to settle down m m, r-. . i. j ""• ""o come 
 
 Mr. Conway SS^; ^"^ f^P^"-'^ 'h«y would, 
 
 tion to thS »?^tf h°" "" ""r "■'"'"""y «pe<ii- 
 Redfeather « tot^^rtt^ * 0^^"' i'l?"" " «"'"«•""' 
 them part of th^ X^d £ l '^ "'' """^ >c«»>>pani«l 
 
 *..p^.mi.e*'re!St't"Sit"^;:;;:-^.^-''« 
 
TRADERS 
 
 aving a deep sigh, said: 
 vhich I have long desired 
 
 tc was to tell her the old 
 ng men to maidens from 
 lat he loved her, and he 
 
 accept<!d him. 
 Traders is really ended, 
 and Harry were married 
 and how everybody was 
 s and Redfeather. In 
 
 important appointment 
 r Colony. Charley, you 
 >yernor of Lower Fort 
 
 in the wilds, had come 
 ! prophesied they would, 
 more missionary expedi- 
 t Jacques as guide, and 
 ind Harry accompanied 
 i to return home made 
 B following spring.