my son-in-law is a great hunter, too. This is but the outfit for
a lazy man! Besides, the Great Company is rich, and I am poor. If you
will be stingy, I shall not trouble you more."

Once again the Factor gave way, and handed out the flour and grease.
All filed out, and the Factor turned the key in the door. As he walked
toward the house, his spirits began to rise, and he clapped the old
Indian on the back good-naturedly. Presently Oo-koo-hoo halted in his
tracks. He had forgotten something: he had nothing in case of sickness.

"Master, you know my voyage is long; my work is hard; the winter is
severe. I am not very strong now: I may fall ill. My wife--she is not
very strong--may fall ill also. My son-in-law is not very strong: he
may fall ill too. My daughter is not. . . ."

"De'il ha'e ye!" roared the Factor, "what is't the noo?"

"Never mind, it will do to-morrow," muttered the hunter with an
offended air.

"As I'm a leevin' sinner, it's noo or it's nivver," insisted the
Factor, who had no desire to let the Indian have another day at it.
"Come back this verra minnit, an' I'll gi'e ye a wheen poothers an' sic
like, that'll keep ye a' hale and hearty, I houp, till ye win hame
again."

The Factor took him back and gave him some salts, peppermint,
pain-killer, and sticking-plaster to offset all the ills that might
befall him and his party during the next ten months.

Once more they started for the house. The Factor was ready to put up
with anything as long as he could get them away from the store.
Oo-koo-hoo now told the trader not to charge anything against his wife
as he would settle her account himself, and that as Amik would be back
in the morning, he, too, would want his advances, and if they had
forgotten anything, Amik could get it next day.

The Factor scowled again, but it was too late.

While the Indians lounged around the kitchen and talked to the Factor's
wife and the half-breed servant girl, the Factor went to his office and
made out Oo-koo-hoo's bill, which read:

Fort Consolation 18 September 189-
Dr.
Advances to
Oo-koo-hoo and family
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX1111--164 M.B.
Hudson's Bay Company
per Donald Mackenzie, Factor

[Illustration: Oo-koo-hoo's bill.]

The Indian now told the trader that he wanted him to send the "Fur
Runners" to him with supplies in ten weeks' time; and that he must have
a "geese-wark," or measure of days, in order to know exactly