le.

"Let me have un," said he, putting down the gun, and reaching for the
wet garments on Shad's arm proceeded at once to spread them upon a
line behind the stove.

"Set in an' have a bite, now. You must be wonderful hungry after your
cruise," invited Mrs. Gray.

"'Tis only trout an' a bit o' bread an' jam an' a drop o' tea,"
Richard apologised, as he joined Shad and Bob at the table, "but we
has t' do wi' plain eatin' in this country, an' be content with what
th' Lord sends us."

"Trout are a real luxury to me," assured Shad. "We are seldom able to
get them at home, and a trout supper is a feast to be remembered."

"Well, now! Trout a luxury!" exclaimed Richard. "About all we gets t'
eat in th' summer is trout an' salmon, an' we're glad enough when th'
birds flies in th' fall."

"What birds do you get?" asked Shad.

"Duck and geese, and there's plenty of partridge in the winter,"
explained Richard.

"An' I were thinkin', now, you might not care for un," said Mrs. Gray.
"I'm wonderful glad you likes un."

Richard asked the blessing, and then invited Shad to "fall to," and
frequently urged him to take more trout and not to be "afraid of un,"
a quite unnecessary warning in view of Shad's long fast and naturally
vigorous appetite.

"Mr. Trowbridge wants me t' go on a fortnight's trip up th' country
with he," remarked Bob, as they ate.

"A trip up th' country?" inquired Richard.

"Yes," said Shad, "a fishing and canoeing trip."

"But Bob's t' be wonderful busy makin' ready for th' trappin',"
Richard objected.

"So he tells me," said Shad, "but perhaps if we talk it over to-morrow
you can make some suggestion."

"Aye," agreed Richard, with evident relief, "we'll talk un over
to-morrow."

When the meal was finished, Richard devoutly offered thanks, after the
manner of the God-fearing folk of the country.

The mantel clock struck two as they arose from the table. Dawn was
breaking, for at this season of the year the Labrador nights are
short, and Shad, at the end of his long and eventful day, was quite
content to follow Bob above stairs to his attic bunk.

IV

AWAY TO THE TRAILS

Sunshine was streaming through the open south window of the attic when
Shad awoke. Just outside the window a jay was screeching noisily.
Bob's bunk was vacant. It was evident that Shad had slept long and
that the hour was late, and he sprang quickly from his bed and
consulted his watch, but the watch, flooded with wat