his mind to see all the phases in the life of
the new Palefaces who had thus come to take possession of the land.

He was a remarkably independent fellow, and as he served the Davidsons
for nothing except his food--which he did not count, as he could easily
have supplied himself with victuals by means of his line, bow, and gun--
he did not deem it necessary to ask leave of absence. He merely went to
the house one morning, and announced his intention of going to Lake
Winnipeg to fish.

"I will go with you," said Dan, to whom the announcement was made.

"An' so will I," said Fred Jenkins, who chanced to be conversing with
Dan at the time--"that is, if they can spare me just now."

"The canoe of Okematan," said the chief, "holds no more than three. He
wishes to take with him Arch-ee and Leetil Bill."

"Very well," returned Dan, "there's no objection to that, for there is
not much doing on the farm at this moment, and Archie has worked hard
all the summer, so he deserves a holiday. We will just make up the same
party that started last time, only that Fergus and I will take a
somewhat bigger canoe so as to accommodate you, Jenkins."

"Thankee. Though I am big--unfort'nitly--I can stow myself away in
small compass, an' I've larned how, when there ain't overmuch grub, to
git along fairly well on short allowance. When d'ee trip your anchor?--
I mean, when do ye start?"

"When to-morrow's sun touches the tree-tops in the east," said the
Indian chief.

"All right, Okematan, I'm your man--after layin' in a breakfast-cargo."

According to this arrangement the two canoes pushed off at daybreak the
following morning, from the wharf at the foot of the garden of Prairie
Cottage, and began the descent of the Red River, which, after flowing
between twenty and thirty miles northward, enters the mighty bosom of
Lake Winnipeg. Okematan and Archie occupied their old places in the
stern and bow of the chief's canoe, with Little Bill in the middle--this
time using a paddle, for his strength had greatly increased. The other
canoe was steered by Dan; Fergus acted bowman, and Jenkins sat between
them, also wielding a paddle.

That night they encamped on the banks of the river, for their progress
had been slow, owing to sundry visits which had to be paid to settlers
on the way down.

"Well, now," observed the sailor, as he stood by the camp-fire smoking
his pipe contemplatively, "I find that as circumstances change about in
thi