g left for two or three massive gateways. The
interior was kept during the summer months beautifully green, and was
the favourite resort of officials, employees, and servants, and white
and Indian visitors.

The relations between Mr Ross and the officials from this large
establishment were most cordial, and visits were frequently
interchanged.

The house which Mr Ross had built was as good as the material of the
country afforded. The walls were of squared logs, the interstices
between them being made as nearly frost-tight as possible. The outsides
were well boarded, and so was the interior. As there is no limestone in
that part of the country, the partitions dividing the rooms were all
made of timber.

In the fall of the year, ere the ground freezes up, the house was banked
up to the lower edges of the windows. Double sashes were placed in
every window. As there is no coal in that part of the country, wood is
used altogether in its place. Great iron stoves are used, in which
roaring fires are kept burning incessantly from October until May. In
this genuine native house the three boys were cordially welcomed, and
soon felt themselves to be as members of the delightful family.

Shortly after their arrival, of course, there were many conversations as
to the various excursions that could be made, and the different hunting
expeditions that would be possible. While they expected to have some
good times hunting the bears, beavers, wolves, reindeer, and other
animals that were within easy reaching distance of their present
headquarters, they were also ambitious enough to hope that they would
have time to reach the haunts of the buffalo on the great western
prairies, the musk ox in the far north, and even the grizzly bear in the
mountain ravines.

In the meantime they had much to interest and amuse themselves with in
studying the habits and customs of the Indians, who were constantly
coming to see Mr Ross, whom they found to be a universal favourite, and
the wise counsellor and adviser of all when in trouble or perplexity.
With the twelve or fifteen splendid dogs which were owned by their host
they soon became fast friends, and with them they had many a run, either
in the forests or along the shores of the great water stretches that
were near. Each boy soon had his favourite dog, and naturally did all
he could to develop his intelligence and bring out all of his latent
sagacity. While in a measure they succeeded