big fellow turned
on him and gave him one of the handsomest thrashings a man ever
received. The rest of the canoemen pretended to be so horror-stricken
that they could not, or would not, interfere until the thrashing had
been well administered to the governor, and then they made a noisy show
of delivering the tyrant out of the clutches of their enraged comrade.

When the governor recovered his voice, and was able to get the better of
his anger and indignation at the fact that he, the great Sir George
Simpson, had been treated with such indignity by a miserable voyageur,
he vented in not very polished French his threats upon his assailant.
He said:

"Just wait until we reach Montreal, and I will soon clap this villain
into prison, and have him kept there until the flesh rots off his
bones."

With this and other threats of what he would do, the governor worked off
his passion. The imperturbable canoeman, having obtained his
satisfaction in the thrashing administered, returned to his duties, and
paid no more attention to the threats of Sir George. What cared he? It
would be many days ere Montreal was reached, and there were many rapids
to run and portages to cross, and so there was no need of worrying about
what was distant. But the governor, although he had ceased to scold,
became very glum and distant, and the voyageur began to think that
perhaps it would go badly with him and he would have to suffer for his
doings. His fears were not allayed or lessened any by his chums, who
conjured up all sorts of dire calamities that would befall him, and
invented any amount of stories of pains and penalties that had been
inflicted on others who had dared to resent his tyrannies.

Thus the days passed, and at length they reached Lachine, at the end of
the Ottawa River, not very far from Montreal. Here the company had in
those days a large trading establishment. Shortly after they landed,
and Sir George, who had been met by the officials of the company there
stationed, went with them into the principal building and was in close
consultation, while the feelings of the voyageur were not enviable. As
was feared, the big men were not long in consultation ere his name was
called in a loud, stern voice. There was nothing for him to do but
obey, and so he marched up into the building and met the officials and
Sir George.

To his surprise and astonishment Sir George reached out his hand and
there made a full apology for his h