courage
and enthusiasm of Riel's party.

"I have begun this matter," the leader said to one of
his followers, "and I do not mean to deal in half measures.
Without stores we can do nothing. Fort Garry is worth
our having just now, but we must move circumspectly in
getting possession of it." So it was ordered that his
followers should proceed in twos and threes, as if on no
special mission, to the desired point. Presently, Governor
McTavish saw in the shadow of the fort the rebel leader
and a number of followers.

"We are desirous of entering," Riel said.

"Wherefore?" enquired the Governor.

"We cannot tell you now," was the reply; "it is enough
for me to say that a great danger threatens the fort."
Without further explanation, the feeble-willed Hudson
Bay officer permitted the rebel and his followers to
enter.

"Huzza!" they all shouted, when they found themselves
inside the stockades, and glanced at tier upon tier of
barrels of flour, and pork, and beef, and molasses; and
upon the sacks of corn, and the warm clothing, and better
than all, upon the arms and ammunition.

"I am at last master in Red River," Riel said to one of
his followers. "My men can fight now, for here we have
at once a fortification and a base of supplies."

Just a few words with reference to Mr. McDougall, and I
shall dismiss him from these pages. He lived quietly at
Pembina between the date of his expulsion from Red River
and the first day of December. The latter date was fixed
for the transfer of the new territory to the Dominion of
Canada. So, towards midnight, on the 30th of November,
the Governor-Designate and his party sallied, forth from
the "line" and took formal possession of the territory
in the name of the Government of Canada. There was no
one stirring about the prairie on the night in question,
for the glass shewed the thermometer to be 20 degrees
below zero: so the gallant Governor was enabled to take
possession without obstruction.

Riel was now fairly intoxicated with success. Some of
his followers would sometimes ask him if he had no fear
that the Canadian Government would send out a large force
of soldiers against him. His invariable reply was:

"They never will do this. The way is too long, and the
march too difficult. They will eventually make up their
mind to let us rule this Province ourselves."

"And do you propose to stand aloof as an independent
colony?"

"Perhaps! And, perhaps, we may, by and by, discu