the summer time, when on the bright
waters were seen coming the many beautiful, well-loaded canoes. From
the Hudson Bay trading post there were always a goodly number present
both in summer and winter. The officials and clerks prided themselves
on the quality of their dogs and the beauty and completeness of their
carioles and harness. Then some of the Indians had very valuable
trains, and it was interesting to notice the number of persons that
would be crowded into or on these dog-sleds and the strength of the dogs
in pulling them. Very primitive were some of their sleds, and mongrel
indeed were many of the dogs attached to them. Yet it was surprising to
see how rapidly even the rudest looking sledges got over the ground.
The dogs seemed to know that it was the day of religious worship, and
therefore their duty was to get their masters and mistresses to the
church with as little delay as possible. Then on the return trip, of
course, there must be no delay in getting them back for dinner. For
some winters a great tame black bear used to be attached every Sunday to
a long dog-sled. He was called Napoleon, and Alec and he became great
friends. When ordered to start he would dash off in his rough galloping
way and keep up the one steady pace until the church was reached. It
seemed to make but little difference, such was his strength, whether two
or ten persons were hanging on the sled. At the church he was tied to a
post, and there quietly remained until the service was over, when he at
the same rapid rate drew his load home again. Toward spring Napoleon
disappeared and was not seen for months.

It was understood that there was to be no racing on Sunday, yet somehow
everybody seemed to want to go just about as fast as possible. The
terrible cold may have had something to do with this. Alec was
generally sent on first, or else requested to wait some time after the
others had started, as his dogs had become possessed with the habit of
catching up and going ahead of everything in sight.

"Supposing, Alec," said Mr Morrison, a young clerk of the Company's
service, "that it were not Sunday, I should like to run ahead of your
dogs and show you what travelling is."

"Supposing it were not Sunday, I should like to see you do it," was
Alec's reply.

"Supposing it were not Sunday, here goes," was the saucy challenge of
this young clerk, who thought he had the fleetest train in the whole
district.

"Supposing it i