men were moving; then he looked up through the trees, to ascertain the
present state, and, if possible, the future prospects of the weather.
Having come to a satisfactory conclusion on that head, he drew forth his
pipe and began to fill it, when his eye fell on the two boys, who were
still sitting up in their lairs, and staring idiotically at the place
where the fire had been, as if the white ashes, half-burned logs, and
bits of charcoal were a sight of the most novel and interesting
character, that filled them with intense amazement.

Mr Park could scarce forbear smiling.

"Hello, youngsters, precious voyageurs _you'll_ make, to be sure, if
this is the way you're going to begin. Don't you see that the things
are all aboard, and we'll be ready to start in five minutes, and you
sitting there with your neckcloths off?"

Mr Park gave a slight sneer when he spoke of _neckcloths_, as if he
thought, in the first place, that they were quite superfluous portions
of attire, and, in the second place, that having once put them on, the
taking of them off at night was a piece of effeminacy altogether
unworthy of a Nor'-wester.

Charley and Harry needed no second rebuke. It flashed instantly upon
them that sleeping comfortably under their blankets when the men were
bustling about the camp was extremely inconsistent with the heroic
resolves of the previous day. They sprang up, rolled their blankets in
the oil-cloths, which they fastened tightly with ropes; tied the
neckcloths, held in such contempt by Mr Park, in a twinkling; threw on
their coats, and in _less_ than five minutes were ready to embark. They
then found that they might have done things more leisurely, as the crews
had not yet got all their traps on board; so they began to look around
them, and discovered that each had omitted to pack up a blanket.

Very much crestfallen at their stupidity, they proceeded to untie the
bundles again, when it became apparent to the eyes of Charley that his
friend had put on his capote inside out; which had a peculiarly ragged
and grotesque effect. These mistakes were soon rectified, and
shouldering their beds, they carried them down to the boat and tossed
them in. Meanwhile Mr Park, who had been watching the movements of the
boys with a peculiar smile, that filled them with confusion, went round
the different camps to see that nothing was left behind. The men were
all in their places with oars ready, and the boats floating on th