od amount of skins to pay for your charges, should you wish to remain
longer at the fort, and learn the ways of the white man; or if not, to
fit you out, that you might come back and trap with me. We might have
had some pleasant days again together, boy; but had you and our friends
not appeared the moment you did, the Blackfeet would have put an end to
all my plans."

"Father," said Laurence, "I never wished to desert you; but it would
have been a sore trial to me to leave the fort; and if God in His mercy
spares your life, I pray that you may return there with me, and that we
may employ our time in a better way than in trapping beaver."

"No, no! God cannot have mercy on such a one as I am," groaned Michael;
"and it's hard to say whether I shall ever get back to the fort."

"Oh, but God is a God of love and mercy," cried Laurence. "He delights
in showing mercy and forgiveness. You must hear what Mr Martin, the
missionary, will tell you about Him; then I am sure you will wish to
stop and hear more, and to serve and love Him."

Peter now came back with the old trapper's horses to the camp, near to
which his friends had dragged their prisoners. He had had much
difficulty in persuading the Crees not to put to death the Blackfeet.
He had still a harder task to perform.

"Friends," he said, "according to Indian custom you might kill them; but
I have learned a new law, which is just and true--given me by an
all-powerful, kind, and merciful Master, who commands His servants to
forgive their enemies, and to do good to those who injure them. Our
prisoners were doing a wicked thing, and have been severely punished,
for one of their number lies dead. I would that he were alive again,
that he might hear what I have to say. I must pray you, therefore, to
let these men go. We will take their arms, that they may do us no
further injury; but we will give them food, that they may return to
their friends, to tell them about the love of our great Father; that He
desires all His children to serve Him, and to be at peace with each
other."

Peter then, in a simple way, suited to the comprehension of his hearers,
unfolded to them the gospel plan of salvation. The Blackfeet listened
with astonished ears, and could scarcely believe the fact that they were
allowed to go free and uninjured. Peter then invited them to the fort,
and promised to receive them as friends, and to tell them more of the
wonderful things of which he had s