our folly," observed
Malcolm; "had we remained at home, steadily assisting Sam Dawes to
cultivate the farm, we should have escaped them all. We will be wiser
in future."

VOLUME TWO, CHAPTER SIX.

With great satisfaction, and gratitude for the dangers we had escaped,
our eyes once more rested on the silvery waters of the Red River, as it
wound its way though the rich plains of the settlement, towards the
lengthened expanse of Lake Winnipeg. Malcolm and I, putting our spurs
into our mustangs' flanks, galloped on eager to announce our arrival to
Sam Dawes. He was labouring by himself, putting up a fence to a new
field. He saw us coming, and, throwing down his axe, hurried forward to
meet us. Never was there a more happy meeting. He had a great deal to
tell us, as we had to tell him. Gathering up his tools, he walked by
our sides to the hut; a hut though it was no longer, for by his
persevering industry he had converted it into a very comfortable
residence; while he had replaced, though in a somewhat rough fashion,
nearly as the furniture we had lost. My brother and I felt ashamed at
having deserted him for so long, while he was labouring for our benefit.

"Well, dear masters, I did ofttimes feel sad and lonely like while you
were away, but now I've got you back safe all that seems as light as a
feather," he exclaimed, pressing our hands and looking into our faces
with the affection of a parent. He told us that great changes had taken
place in the settlement during our absence, that a clergyman had settled
near us, that a church was built and a school established, and that many
new colonists had bought land along the banks of the river for many
miles towards the south as well as to the north of us. The good
clergyman had also induced several families of Indians to settle in the
neighbourhood, and that they seemed to have accepted with joy the glad
tidings of salvation which he had been the means of offering them.

"I wish that Sigenok would come and join them then," exclaimed Malcolm
warmly; "so brave and energetic a man would bring many others over to
the truth."

The next day Sigenok himself came in to see us. Malcolm opened the
subject of which he had been speaking. Sigenok listened attentively,
and said that he would go and hear what the missionary had to say. He
did so.

The winter set in, and the river and lake were frozen over, and the
ground was covered with snow, and sleighs had taken the