a wealthy and independent man.

As soon as the harvest set in, Malachi and John, who were of no use in
thrashing out the corn, renewed their hunting expeditions, and seldom
returned without venison. The Indians had not been seen by Malachi
during his excursions, nor any trace of their having been in the
neighbourhood.

All alarm, therefore, on that account was now over, and the family
prepared to meet the coming winter with all the additional precautions
which the foregoing had advised them of. But during the Indian summer
they received letters from England, detailing, as usual, the news
relative to friends with whom they had been intimate; also one from
Quebec, informing Mr Campbell that his application for the extra grant
of land was consented to; and another from Montreal, from Mr Emmerson,
stating that he had offered terms to two families of settlers who bore
very good characters, and if they were accepted by Mr Campbell, the
parties would join them at the commencement of the ensuing spring.

This was highly gratifying to Mr Campbell, and as the terms were, with
a slight variation, such as he had proposed, he immediately wrote to Mr
Emmerson, agreeing to the terms, and requesting that the bargain might
be concluded. At the same time that the Colonel forwarded the above
letters, he wrote to Mr Campbell to say that the interior of the fort
required a large quantity of plank for repairs, that he was authorised
to take them from Mr Campbell, at a certain price, if he could afford
to supply them on those terms, and have them ready by the following
spring. This was another act of kindness on the part of the Colonel, as
it would now give employment to the saw-mill for the winter, and it was
during the winter, and at the time that the snow was on the ground, that
they could easily drag the timber after it was felled to the saw-mill.
Mr Campbell wrote an answer, thanking the Colonel for his offer, which
he accepted, and promised to have the planks ready by the time the lake
was again open.

At last the winter set in, with its usual fall of snow. Captain
Sinclair took his leave for a long time, much to the sorrow of all the
family, who were warmly attached to him. It was now arranged that the
only parties who were to go on the hunting excursions should be Malachi
and John, as Henry had ample employment in the barns; and Martin and
Alfred, in felling timber and dragging up the stems to the saw-mill,
would, with atten