down the Settlement there was
a private store-keeper with a jovial countenance.

"O it was a sad, sad sight!" he said to this man on entering the
store--"so very sad to see my tent in ashes, and nothing left--nothing--
absolutely!" The jovial man was moved. He gave La Certe what he asked
for--even pressed things on him, and also bestowed on him a considerable
"gratuity."

Still further down the Settlement the unfortunate man found the store,
or shop, of another friend. This man was saturnine of countenance, but
moderately liberal of heart. La Certe approached him with an air so
pitiful that the saturnine man melted like snow in the sunshine or wax
under heat.

"I have heard of your loss," he said, "and I will give you credit _this_
time, La Certe, though you _are_ so bad at paying your debts. But I
won't give you much."

"I do not want much," returned the afflicted man in tones of deep
humility--"only a little--a very little."

By asking much more than he required, La Certe obtained as much as he
wanted from the saturnine man, and thus he finally started for Lake
Winnipeg with a canoe laden, almost to sinking, with the good things of
this life.

The fineness of that summer brought forth the fruits of the earth in
great luxuriance, and it really seemed as if at last the Scotch settlers
were going to reap some reward for all their prolonged perseverance and
industry. The long rest, the good feeding, the sunshine of nature, and
the starlight of Elspie's eyes had a powerful effect on Dan Davidson's
health, so that, by the time autumn arrived and the prospects of a
splendid harvest became more certain every day, he had recovered much of
his usual strength of body and vigour of mind.

Little Bill also felt the genial influences around him, and, to the
intense joy of Archie, became visibly fatter and stronger, while his
large blue eyes lost some of that wistfully solemn appearance with which
they had been wont to gaze inquiringly into people's faces.

One afternoon Billie, having walked to the summer house in the Prairie
Cottage garden, along with Archie, was left alone there at his own
request, for, unlike other boys, he was fond of occasional solitary
meditation.

"Now mind, Little Bill--you whistle if you want me," said Archie, when
about to leave him. "I'll hear you, for I'm only going to the
carpenter's shed."

"I will, Archie, if I want you; but I don't think I shall, for I can
walk by myself now, q