my
fortune."

Mrs Dean had been sitting down for some little time now, and as Esau
said these last words she started up, gave the table a sharp slap with
her hand, looked defiantly at us both, and exclaimed--

"Then I shall come too."

We two lads sank back in our chairs astonished. Then we looked at each
other, and we ended by bursting out laughing.

"Oh, all right," said Esau at last. "That's right, mother.--She's
coming to do the shooting for us while we build up the house."

"Ah, you may laugh, sir. But if that's a place that is good for two
lads like you to get on in, it's a good place for a respectable
hard-working woman who can wash, and cook, and bake bread, whether it's
loaves or cakes."

"Well, mother can make cakes," said Esau, "and good ones."

"Of course I can, sir; and very glad you'll be of 'em too when you're
thousands of miles from a baker's shop."

"Yes; but the idee of your coming!" cried Esau. "Haw, haw, haw!"

Somehow it did not seem to me such a very preposterous "idee," as Esau
called it, for just then I too had an idea. Mrs John was going that
long waggon journey; what could be better for her than to have a clever
little managing, hard-working woman like Mrs Dean with her?

But I did not say anything about it then, for I had to think the matter
over. Only a few hours ago it had seemed as if my connection with Esau
was likely to be in the way of my accompanying the Dempsters; now
matters were taking a form that looked as if my friendliness with him
was to be the reason, not only for my being their companion, but of
helping them admirably as well.

But matters were not quite in shape yet, and we all went to bed that
night feeling as if Esau's opinion was correct--that the little supper
had not been a success.

CHAPTER NINE.

DIFFICULTIES.

Mrs Dean was in waiting for me next morning, and attacked me directly.

"Do, do, pray try and help me, my dear," she whispered, so that her
voice might not rise to the little bed-room where we could hear Esau
stamping about, knocking the jug against the basin, and snorting like a
hippopotamus over his ablutions. "You have such a way with you, and
Esau looks up to you so as being a gentleman, and I know he'll do what
you tell him."

"Nonsense, Mrs Dean!" I said; "surely he'll mind his mother more than
he does me."

"No, my dear, no," she said sadly. "He has always been the dearest and
best of boys, and I used to make him think