s world men's minds are apt to go 'bout-ship along wi' them."

"That sounds a terribly profound speech, Fred," said Archie, who was
busy at his very usual occupation of whittling an arrow for his brother.
"Did your father teach it you, or did you crib it from a copy-book?"

"No, I raither think," retorted the seaman quietly, "that I got it from
your grandmother by the father's side."

"What may be the circumstance that has caused your mind to go about-ship
just now?" asked Dan, stirring the fire under the robbiboo-kettle.

"Well, it's in regard to them there canoe-paddles. Although they do
seem small, compared with oars, I find they're quite big enough to do
the work, and although I've bin trained from a youngster to handle the
oar, an' go like a crab with my back the way I'm pullin', it do seem
more sensible-like to sit wi' one's face to the front and drive ahead;--
anyhow, it's more comfortable and satisfactory."

"Look out, Jenkins!" exclaimed Little Bill, "else your duck won't be
satisfactory--it's burnin' now."

"O, never mind," remarked Fergus, lighting his pipe. "It iss havin' it
well done he would be fond of."

"Ay, but not over-done," cried the seaman, snatching the duck in
question from before the blaze and turning its other side--for they used
no spits in the Nor'-West in those days, but cooked one side at a time--
nay, even carved off and ate part of the cooked side while the other
side was roasting.

Next day they came out on the ocean-like expanse of the great lake, and
steered along its western shores until they reached the fishery, where
numbers of rudely-constructed wigwams and a few tents sheltered the
fishing community.

They had just returned from a successful visit to the nets when the
visitors arrived, and all was animation and rejoicing at the successful
take. Jacques Bourassin was the first man they met on landing, and he
was enthusiastic about the prospects before them. Slowfoot was the
first woman, and she was quite satisfied--in that amiable state of
mental and physical felicity in which it is so easy to believe that "all
is for the best." Her husband soon after appeared. He, of course, was
also greatly pleased. He had joined the fishers because he believed
that plenty of food, tea, and tobacco would be going amongst them. He
was not mistaken.

"You will come to my tent," he said, in the wealth of his hospitality;
"we have plenty of good fish, a very little meat, some tobacc