"Oh!" said Esau, in a disappointed tone. "Five months! Why, I didn't
think there was anywhere so far off as that."

"Ah! but there is, and in one letter he told me that a man he knew was
once a year going, but he went in a waggon instead of a ship."

"Get out! He's gammoning us," cried Esau. "You can't drive a waggon
over the sea."

"Who said you could, Clevershakes?" said Dingle--then turning to me, "He
went over to Canady by ship, and then all acrost the prayerees in a
waggon--lots o' waggons all together, because o' the Injins."

"Fire-injins?" said Esau, eagerly. "No. Dunno though," said Dingle,
grinning; "they did fire at 'em a deal."

"Red Injins!" cried Esau. "Oh, I say, I think I'd rather go that way,
because there'd be some fighting."

"What, ain't you had fightin' enough, boy? Want to get at it again?
What yer thinking about, Mr Gordon?"

I started, for my thoughts were far away. "I was thinking about your
brother," I said, hastily.

"Ah! but such a life wouldn't do for you, my lad. There's no clean
hands out there--leastwise I dessay they're clean sometimes. What I
mean is, it's always hard, rough work, and no setting on a stuffed seat
and writing on bloo paper. Why, what do you think my brother had for
chairs in his house?"

"Boxes," I said.

"No, boxes made tables. Stumps of wood--logs cut off a fir tree--no
castors on them, my lad."

"British Columbia?" I said, thoughtfully, as I tried to remember where
that country was on the map, and I am afraid getting a very hazy notion
as to its position.

"Yes, my lad, Bri'ish Columbia; and if you go out there and mention my
name, my brother will be glad enough to see you, I know. There--I must
get to work 'fore the guv'nor catches me, or p'r'aps there'll be another
fight, and me wanting a fresh place too." So we shook hands, promising
to go and see him again, and directly after Esau and I parted, he going
south for home, I going north, and feeling a curious sensation of
shrinking as I neared Mr John Dempster's home.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

MY FRIENDS' PLANS.

They were both in the little sitting-room, when Maria, who had given me
a very indignant look for dragging her down to the gate, announced the
visitor and went away, closing the door more loudly than was necessary,
and the reception I had was very warm as they both rose from where they
had been turning over some letters together.

"Why, Mayne," cried Mr John, "this is an unexp