rls. Before the general
turning in that night Big Jack and Black Shand each contrived to
separate her from the others long enough to make a proposal similar to
Joe's. In each case Bela returned the same answer.

Next morning they were all early astir. The Gagnon boys put on clean
blue-gingham shirts and red woollen sashes, and the girls tied their
sable locks with orange and cerise ribbons. The cheeks of both boys
and girls bore a high polish.

Squaw Gagnon tacked up lace window curtains for a final touch and
brought out a square of carpet for the bishop to rest his reverend
feet upon. To this household it was the greatest day in the year, and
the sun was shining like the shiniest-cheeked Gagnon of them all. The
younger children kept careful watch on Sam. He was an attraction
fortuitously added to the big show.

Johnny Gagnon himself was the most excited of the family.

"You come jus' right!" he was continually exclaiming to Jack. "They
stop all day now. Have trial in my house. Maybe stay to-night, too. I
wish we had a fiddle. We could dance. But we can slap and sing
any'ow."

The girls giggled delightedly at this suggestion.

Each one of the white men thought: "Dance at my wedding, maybe!" and
glanced covertly at Bela. Bela looked out of the window.

"What! dance with the bishop here?" said Jack, affecting to be
scandalized.

"Sure!" cried Johnny. "Bishop Lajeunesse no long-chin _religieux_.
Bishop say let yo'ng folks have a good time. Laugh and mak' fun
wherever he go. He is a man!"

Early as they were they no sooner finished breakfast than they heard a
shrill hail from down river. Every soul about the place excepting Sam
dropped what he was about and scampered down to the water's edge.

Presently around the bend below appeared the tracking crew, slipping
in the ooze, scrambling over fallen trunks, plunging through willows.
Behind them trailed the long, thin line that must be kept taut,
whatever the obstruction. Finally the York boat poked its nose lazily
into view like a gigantic duck.

The other four of the crew stood upon the cargo with long poles to
fend her off the shore, and the steersman was mounted on a little
platform astern wielding an immense sweep. In the waist stood the
passengers. As the celebrities were recognized a shout went up from
the shore.

There was the bishop with red buttons, and the ordinary priests with
black. There were the police in their gay, scarlet tunics; the Indian
age