way.

"Oh! wow!" cried that excitable old settler when he heard the news.
"Can it pe possible? So many tead an' tying. Oh! wow!--Here, Martha!
Martha! where iss that wuman? It iss always out of the way she iss when
she's wantit. Ay, Peegwish, you will do equally well. Go to the
staple, man, an' tell the poy to put the mare in the cariole. Make him
pe quick; it's slow he iss at the best, whatever."

Lambert did not wait to hear the remarks of Angus, but drove off at
once. Angus put on his leather coat, fut cap, and mittens, and
otherwise prepared himself for a drive over the snow-clad plains to Fort
Garry, where the Governor dwelt, intending to hear what was going to be
done, and offer his services.

With similarly benevolent end in view, old Ravenshaw harnessed his horse
and made for the same goal, regardless alike of rheumatism, age, and
inclement weather. At a certain point, not far from the creek, the old
trader's private track and that which led to the house of Angus
Macdonald united, and thereafter joined the main road, which road, by
the way, was itself a mere track beaten in the snow, with barely room
for two carioles to pass. Now, it so happened that the neighbours came
up to the point of junction at the same moment. Both were driving hard,
being eager and sympathetic about the sufferings of the plain-hunters.
To have continued at the same pace would have been to insure a meeting
and a crash. One _must_ give way to the other! Since the affair of the
knoll these two men had studiously cut each other. They met every
Sabbath day in the same church, and felt this to be incongruous as well
as wrong. The son of the one was stolen by savages. The son of the
other was doing his utmost to rescue the child. Each regretted having
quarrelled with the other, but pride was a powerful influence in both.
What was to be done? Time for thought was short, for two fiery steeds
were approaching each other at the rate of ten miles an hour. Who was
to give in?

"I'll see both carioles smashed to atoms first!" thought Ravenshaw,
grinding his teeth.

"She'll tie first," thought Angus, pursing his lips.

The instinct of self-preservation caused both to come to a dead and
violent halt when within six yards of the meeting-point. A happy
thought burst upon Angus at that instant.

"Efter you, sir," he said, with a palpable sneer, at the same time
backing his horse slightly.

It was an expression of mock humility