e broke the colts of the
year. Each day he tired himself out and knew no satisfaction in his
work, and each morning he faced the shining world with a kind of groan.
Just now he had not even Tole Grampierre to talk to, for Tole, following
the universal law, was sitting up with Berta Thomas.

The steamboat's itinerary took her first to Spirit River Crossing, the
point of departure for "outside" where she discharged her fur and took
on supplies for the posts further up-stream. Proceeding up to Cardigan
and Fort Cheever, she got their fur and brought it back to the Crossing.
Then, putting on supplies for Fort Enterprise, she hustled down home
with the current. It took her twelve days to mount the stream and six to
return. Gaviller was immensely proud of the fact that she was the only
thing in the North that ran on a pre-arranged schedule. He even sent out
a timetable to the city for the benefit of intending tourists. She was
due back at Enterprise on June 15th.

When the morning of that day broke a delightful excitement filled the
breasts of those left at the post. As in most Company establishments, on
the most prominent point of the river-bank stood a tall flagstaff, with
a little brass cannon at its foot. The flag was run up and the cannon
loaded, and every five minutes during the day some one would be running
out to gaze up the river. Only Gaviller affected to be calm.

"You're wasting your time," he would say. "Stinson tied up at Tar Island
last night. If he comes right down he'll be here at three forty-five;
and if he has to land at Carcajou for wood it will be near supper-time."

The coming of the steamboat always held the potentialities of a dramatic
surprise, for they had no telegraph to warn them of whom or what she was
bringing. This year they expected quite a crowd. In addition to their
regular visitors, Duncan Seton, the Company inspector, and Bishop
Trudeau on his rounds, the government was sending in a party of
surveyors to lay off homesteads across the river, and Mr. Pringle, the
Episcopal missionary, was returning to resume his duties. An added spice
of anticipation was lent by the fact that the latter was expected to
bring his sister to keep house for him. There had been no white woman at
Fort Enterprise since the death of Mrs. Gaviller many years before. But,
as Miss Pringle was known to be forty years old, the excitement on her
account was not undue. Her mark would be Gaviller, the younger men said,
af