' if they wass goot fush."

"Big Otter says they are good," returned our chief, "and I think we may
rely on his opinion. There's a little stretch of rock over there,
jutting out from the shore, which could be made into a capital pier for
our boats and canoes without much labour. What say you, Henri Coppet;
could not a few trees and some planks be easily fitted to these rocks?"

"Oui, monsieur--yes, sir--very easily," answered the carpenter, in
French.

"Ay, an' wan or two big stones on the other pint o' rocks there,"
observed Donald Bane, "would make a goot breakwater, an' a fine harbour,
whatever."

"And I'm sure nothing could be finer than the view," said I, with
feelings of enthusiasm.

"Well, then, since we all seem agreed on that point--here shall our
house be raised," rejoined Lumley, driving the point of a stick he
carried into the ground. "Come now, boys, go to work. Max, you will
superintend the placing of the goods in a secure position and cover them
with tarpaulin in the meantime. We'll soon have a hut ready. Dumont,
set up your forge under yon pine-tree and get your tools ready.
Overhaul your nets, Blondin, and take Salamander to help you--especially
the seine-net; I'll try a sweep this afternoon or to-morrow. Come here,
Max, I want to speak with you."

"Now, Max," he said, when we had gone aside some distance, "see that you
arrange the goods so that they may be easily guarded, and don't let the
redskins come too near. They may be honest enough, but we won't throw
temptation in their way. We shall want one of them, by the bye, to keep
house for us. What say you to hiring Waboose?"

"Out of the question," said I, quickly.

"Why so, Max?"

"Why, because--don't you see--she's far above that sort o' thing, she's
quite a kind of princess in the tribe. Haven't you noticed how
respectful they all are to her? And, besides, she is so--what one might
almost call ladylike. I am convinced that her father must have been a
gentleman."

"Perhaps so," returned Lumley, with a quiet laugh; "well, we won't
insult her by asking her to fill such a position. Away to work now. I
will sketch out the plan of our establishment. When the goods are all
safe, send your men to fell heavy timber for the houses, and let them
also cut some firewood. Off you go."

In a few minutes we were all at work, busy as bees--carrying, hauling,
cutting, hammering and chopping; while some of the Indians looked on,
intense