et down your way?" asked Captain Rudstone.

"Yes, as far as Fort Garry and the Red River," Tom replied. "We had
dispatches within a week, and though they mentioned bad feeling and a
few rows in which men were killed on both sides, there has been no
general outbreak. As for the trouble up north, we hadn't an inkling of
it."

"Apparently, then," said the captain, "the attack on Fort Royal was a
private grudge--an act of revenge instigated solely by Cuthbert
Mackenzie, who stirred up the redskins to help him. There was motive
enough, you know, for a man of his nature."

"It's likely as you say," Tom answered, "but at the same time I'm afraid
the Northwest Company knew what was on foot, and will declare open war
as soon as they hear of the fall of Fort Royal. The Indians may have
gone north to attack other forts on the bay, or possibly they will march
to Fort Charter next. We must lose no time in getting back and giving
the alarm. This is the worst of news."

"I am sure there is no danger," I said hurriedly, noticing that. Flora
looked disturbed and anxious. "The Indians must have gone toward Fort
York to cut us off; if they had come this way you would have heard of
them long ago."

"Yes, that's right," assented Captain Rudstone. "It will be time enough
to start in the morning, when the storm will likely be over. If you set
off now, you have ten chances to one of perishing in the snow. You can't
do better than share our cozy quarters."

"I'll think about it," Arnold answered doubtfully. "At all events, we'll
have a jolly good feed together, and then we'll see what the weather
promises. I ought to be back at the fort long before to-morrow
morning."

By this time the dinner was ready. Carteret had found a packet of
cornmeal that had been overlooked before, and our visitors contributed
freely from their own ample store of food. So our spirits brightened a
little, and while we ate and drank we chatted of more pleasing things
than Indians and warfare. But Christopher Burley was in a sullen mood
and showed a very curt manner to Captain Rudstone. Why the latter had
cut the law clerk's speech short so brusquely, and why he had been
disturbed by it, were mysteries to which I could find no solution.
Indeed, I felt keenly disappointed, for I knew that Burley had been on
the point of explaining the task that had brought him out to the
Canadas.

The meal over, a surprise was in store for us. We observed that more
light shone