but he seemed singularly reserved about his intentions. That he
was going to the Fraser River he made no secret; but though he kept us
in the dark, he somehow or another, now that he was more with us,
contrived to possess himself of all our projects.

He seemed at times quite changed, and his manner set me wondering why it
was that, though we had passed nearly five months together on board the
_Albatross_, seeing us every day, he had rarely spoken to us then, and
we parted almost as much strangers as on the first day when we
encountered each other in the dark cabin of the ship.

First one and then the other would think he had found a clue to our
companion's intentions; but when we parted for the night we felt far
from sure, but more curious than ever.

"So you are going hunting, are you?" he said, in the course of our
conversation.

"No," I said.

"What do you call it then, a chase--wild-goose chase?"

"I don't see that it's a wild-goose chase for two lads to come to a new
country to try and get on," I said.

"Not a bit, my lad, but a very worthy thing to do. I meant it was
rather a wild-goose chase for this friend of yours to send you in the
hope of his brother-in-law helping you. Isn't he rather an inconsistent
sort of a gentleman?"

"Mr John Dempster is one of the best of men," I said warmly.

"Perhaps so; but the best of men make mistakes sometimes, and it looks
like one to me for him to be taking a sick wife right across the country
to this new home. Tried it before, perhaps?"

"No," I said; "Mr John was never out of England. He told me so."

"Then he will have rather a startling experience, and I wish him well
through with it."

"I say, don't talk like that," said Esau, suddenly, "because my mother's
there."

"Then I wish her well out of it too."

"Have you ever made the journey?" I said eagerly.

"Yes, once," said Gunson, quietly. "Once was enough."

"But Mrs John's brother told them he thought it would do his sister
good."

"Well, it may. I'm not a doctor; but after what I went through I should
hesitate about taking a delicate woman such a route. And you too. When
you get to the Fraser, how do you mean to journey hundreds of miles up
to Fort Elk?"

I was silent, for it seemed to me as if we were for the first time
coming face to face with the difficulties of our task.

"Dunno," said Esau, thoughtfully. "S'pose there ain't no 'buses."

"No, nor yet cabs," said Gunson, laughing