shop all the way from the Landing."

"How did you come up the little river?" asked Charley.

"I bought a boat from Pierre Toma."

"I know her," he said with a chuckle; "cranky as a bath-tub! You
couldn't go up the lake in her!"

"Not while it blows like this," said Garth.

"Then I hope it hits it up for a week!" said Charley, apparently
addressing the hem of Natalie's skirt.

"I was told one Wall-eye Macgregor had a strong boat," Garth said.

"Nothing doing!" returned the boy. "He's got it up at the head of the
lake."

"Then I must try to strengthen the bath-tub and coast around the shore,"
said Garth.

"I'll help you!" said Charley. "We'll pitch in first thing to-morrow."

"How long have you been in the country, Mr. Landrum?" asked Natalie
softly.

The boy blushed for pure pleasure; and his voice deepened as he replied:
"Two years next March, Miss. I came in over the ice with a freighter. I
ran away from school. What was the use?--I got a head like a hickory
nut; and I couldn't keep out of trouble. They gave me a bad name; and
everything that happened was put on me. So I cleared out and came
North."

Gradually the whole naive, boyish tale came out.

"I had a lot of fool ideas about the country then; but they were soon
knocked out of me. All the kids that run away soon come sneaking home
and have to eat their brags; and I wasn't going to do that. So I stuck
it out. At first I admit I pretty near caved in with homesickness; but
I'm hardened now. The first year I worked for a trader up at Ostachegan
creek; and this spring I bought this cabin on credit. Frank Shefford up
at Nine-Mile-Point is going to lend me his team and mower when his hay
is put up; and I'll put up hay myself."

The boy's eyes glowed, as he announced his brave plans for the future.

"Next winter I'm going to keep a stopping-house for freighters. I've
got a good location here, and stable room already for eight teams. I'll
build to it later. There's money in that; and it's a pleasant life for a
man--plenty of company. And when I get a little money ahead, I'll trade;
there's good chances for a free trader that knows the ropes; and in a
few years I'll branch out and have a whole string of trading posts,
like Nick Grylls. There's a smart one! They say he could sell out
for a hundred thousand any day!"

Garth was reminded of his own hopeful, spouting youth.

"I hope you won't be like Nick Grylls," said Natalie gently.

"Don't you like hi