on--' when
your little dog bounced in and Jenkins bounced out, leaving the rest of
it unsaid."

"Then he has just left you?" said Elise.

"Just a moment or two before you came up. I think he must have seen
some sort of beast in the wood, and gone in chase of it, he bolted in
such a hurry, so I don't know yet what I was not to mention."

"Now, Little Bill," said Elise with great seriousness of tone and
manner, "you must not tell Mr Jenkins one word of the conversation that
you and I have had just now."

"What! not a single word?"

"Not one. You understand?"

"Yes, but, if he asks me, I must answer something, you know, and I must
not tell lies."

"Quite true, Billie. You must not tell lies on any account whatever.
Now, listen. If he asks you about our conversation this morning, you
must say that I told you you were never to open your lips about the
subject again either to me or to him or to anybody. Mr Jenkins is an
honourable man, and will not ask you a single question after that."

"Then I'm not to tell him whether you want to marry him?"

"How can you tell him what you don't know?"

"Well, but, I mean that you're not going to tell me, so that I might
tell him?"

"Certainly not."

"Not a word to him and not a word to you--nor to anybody! Not even to
Archie!"

"Yes. That is exactly what you must promise me."

"This is a very unpleasant state of things," said Little Bill, with a
sad and puzzled countenance, "but of course I promise, for it is your
affair, you know."

It was a notable fact, which Little Bill did not fail to note--but did
not dare to mention--that after that date there was a distinct change of
demeanour in Elise Morel towards the handsome sailor--whether in his
favour or otherwise it was impossible to tell.

Meanwhile, events were pending which were destined to exercise a very
powerful influence over the fortunes of the Red River Colony, and,
indeed, over the condition of the whole of Rupert's Land.

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.

THE FISHERY DISASTERS.

One fine day, when summer had merged into autumn, and things in Red
River appeared to be advancing favourably, and Dan Davidson had
recovered his strength, and Little Bill was fairly well, it occurred to
Okematan that he would like to go to Lake Winnipeg, and see how the
settlers who had gone to the fishery there, were getting on.

You see, the Cree chief was an observant savage, and, before returning
to his tribe, had made up