ced to leave
our works unfinished. I may be called away thus, before the time comes
when I may tell you what I want you to know. If so, you will find it
all here.'

"My father took from the breast of his coat a small bundle wrapped in
birch-bark and placed it in my hands.

"`Do not open it,' he said. `Do not show it to man or woman in the
tribe. They could not understand, but if ever a white man comes here,
_whom you feel that you can trust_, show it to him.'

"My father rose as he said this, and as he seemed to wish not to speak
more about it, I did not trouble him, but I went and hid the parcel with
care. It was almost immediately afterwards that my dear father was
taken from me."

We were suddenly interrupted at this point by the appearance of a man in
the distance walking smartly towards us. I could perceive, as he drew
near, that it was James Dougall.

"Well, well, Muster Maxby," he said on coming up, "it's gled I am to
find you. I've been seekin' you far an' near."

"Nothing wrong, I hope, Dougall," said I with some anxiety, on observing
that the man was perspiring and panting vehemently.

"No, no, nothin' wrong, Muster Maxby, only it's runnin' aboot the wuds
I've been, lookin' for ye an' skirlin' like a pair o' pipes. We're
aboot to draw the seine-net, ye see, an' Tonald Pane said it would be a
peety, says he, to begin when ye wur awa', an' Muster Lumley agreet wi'
um, an' sent me oot to seek for 'ee--that's a'."

"Come along then, Dougall, we won't keep them waiting."

Nodding adieu to Waboose, I hurried away towards Fort Wichikagan,
followed by the sturdy Highlander.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

FISHING AND ITS RESULTS--ENGINEERING AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.

I found on reaching Wichikagan that the fun was about to begin.
Blondin, who was our chief fisherman, had let down a long seine-net,
which was being drawn slowly in by a band of natives, whose interest in
a process which they had never before seen was deepening into
excitement, as they observed here and there a symptom of something
shooting below the surface of the still water, or beheld a large fish
leap frantically into the air.

At first, when the net was being prepared, those children of the forest
had merely stood by and looked on with curiosity. When Blondin and his
men rowed out from the shore, letting the net drop off the stern of our
boat as they went, they indulged in a few guesses and undertoned
remarks. When the boat gradually