afed to them in having Alfred and Emma spared to them, Mr
and Mrs Campbell consoled themselves in reference to Percival, with the
reflection, that at so early an age, before he had lived to be corrupted
by the world, to die was gain--and that their dear boy had become,
through Divine grace, an inhabitant of the kingdom of Heaven. By
degrees the family became again cheerful and happy; the merry laugh of
Emma once more enlivened them, Alfred again recovered his former health
and spirits, and Mrs Campbell could bear the mention of the name of
Percival, and join in the praises of the amiable child.

The spring now came on, the snow gradually disappeared, the ice was
carried down the rapids, and once more left the blue lake clear; the
cattle were turned out to feed off the grass the year before left on the
prairie, and all the men were busy in preparing to put in the seed. As
soon as the snow was gone, Malachi, Martin, and Alfred, without saying a
word to Mrs Campbell, had gone into the forest, and made every search
for the body of poor Percival, but without success, and it was
considered that he had wandered and died on some spot which they could
not discover, or that the wolves had dug his remains out of the snow,
and devoured them. Not a trace, of him could anywhere be discovered;
and the search was, after a few days, discontinued. The return of the
spring had another good effect upon the spirits of the party; for, with
the spring came on such a variety of work to be done, that they had not
a moment to spare. They had now so many acres for corn that they had
scarcely time to get through all the preparatory work, and fortunate it
was that Alfred was so much recovered that he could join in the labour.
Malachi, John, and even Mr Campbell, assisted, and at last the task was
completed. Then they had a communication with the fort, and letters
from Quebec, Montreal, and England: there was none of any importance
from England, but one from Montreal informed Mr Campbell that,
agreeably to contract, the engineer would arrive in the course of the
month with the _bateaux_ containing the machinery, and that the
water-mill would be erected as soon as possible. There was also a
letter from England which gave them much pleasure; it was from Captain
Sinclair to Alfred, informing him that he had arranged all his business
with his guardian, and that he should rejoin his regiment and be at the
fort early in the spring, as he should sail