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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/33740-h.zip b/33740-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..124db61 --- /dev/null +++ b/33740-h.zip diff --git a/33740-h/33740-h.htm b/33740-h/33740-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a2fe53d --- /dev/null +++ b/33740-h/33740-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3495 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<HTML> +<HEAD> + +<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> + +<TITLE> +The Project Gutenberg E-text of Ti-Ti-Pu, by J. Macdonald Oxley +</TITLE> + +<STYLE TYPE="text/css"> +BODY { color: Black; + background: White; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; + text-align: justify } + +P {text-indent: 4% } + +P.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +P.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; } + +P.letter {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +P.finis { font-size: larger ; + text-align: center ; + text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +H4.h4center { margin-left: 0; + margin-right: 0 ; + margin-bottom: .5% ; + margin-top: 0; + float: none ; + clear: both ; + text-align: center } + +IMG.imgcenter { margin-left: auto; + margin-bottom: 0; + margin-top: 1%; + margin-right: auto; } + +</STYLE> + +</HEAD> + +<BODY> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Ti-Ti-Pu, by J. Macdonald Oxley + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Ti-Ti-Pu + A Boy of Red River + +Author: J. Macdonald Oxley + +Release Date: September 16, 2010 [EBook #33740] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TI-TI-PU *** + + + + +Produced by Al Haines + + + + + +</pre> + + +<BR><BR> + +<A NAME="img-cover"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG CLASS="imgcenter" SRC="images/img-cover.jpg" ALT="Cover art" BORDER="2" WIDTH="444" HEIGHT="680"> +</CENTER> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="img-front"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG CLASS="imgcenter" SRC="images/img-front.jpg" ALT="A BIG BLACK BEAR MADE FURIOUS EFFORTS TO SEIZE DOUR AND DANDY. <I>See page 19</I>." BORDER="2" WIDTH="480" HEIGHT="743"> +<H4 CLASS="h4center" STYLE="width: 480px"> +A BIG BLACK BEAR MADE FURIOUS EFFORTS TO SEIZE DOUR AND DANDY. <I><A HREF="#P19">See page 19</A></I>. +</H4> +</CENTER> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +TI-TI-PU +</H1> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +A BOY OF RED RIVER +</H2> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +BY +</H4> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +J. MACDONALD OXLEY +</H3> + +<H5 ALIGN="center"> +Author of 'Standing the Test,' etc. +</H5> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +TORONTO +<BR> +THE MUSSON BOOK COMPANY LIMITED +<BR> +1900 +</H4> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +CONTENTS +</H2> + +<TABLE ALIGN="center" WIDTH="80%"> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">CHAP.</TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> </TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">I. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap01">FROM THE OLD WORLD TO THE NEW</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">II. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap02">AT ODDS WITH BRUIN</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">III. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap03">A COLD PLUNGE</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">IV. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap04">HECTOR ENTRAPPED</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">V. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap05">THE SEARCH FOR HECTOR</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">VI. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap06">ORDERED OFF</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">VII. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap07">HOW HECTOR GOT HIS NICKNAME</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">VIII. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap08">ON THE MOVE AGAIN</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">IX. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap09">THE BUFFALO HUNT</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">X. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap10">LOST ON THE PRAIRIE</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XI. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap11">THE LOSING AND FINDING OF AILIE</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XII. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap12">THE MOOSE HUNT</A></TD> +</TR> + +</TABLE> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap01"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +TI-TI-PU +</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +A Boy of Red River +</H3> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER I +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +From the Old World to the New +</H4> + +<P> +This is how it befell. Thomas Douglas, Earl of Selkirk, thought that a +flourishing colony right in the midst of the rich hunting-grounds of +the Hudson's Bay Company, in which he was interested, would prove no +less a benefit to the natives than an excellent thing for the +colonists. Accordingly, he busied himself in persuading a number of +his fellow-countrymen to leave their hillside farms, and, with their +families, voyage to the unknown wilds of the New World. +</P> + +<P> +Among those whose courage was equal to this enterprise was Andrew +Macrae, accompanied by his good wife, Kirstie, his sturdy son, Hector, +then just on the edge of his teens, his bonnie wee daughter, Ailie, and +his two splendid sheep dogs, Dour and Dandy. +</P> + +<P> +The dogs' names were not given them at random. They just fitted their +natures. A more serious creature than Dour surely never stood upon +four legs. He bore himself as if he were responsible, not merely for +the occupants of the sheep-cote, but also of the cottage as well. He +was never known to frisk or gambol, or to bark without due cause. +</P> + +<P> +Dandy was the very opposite, as black as a raven, save for a superb +snow-white shirt-front, which he managed to keep marvellously clean, +and a few touches of golden-brown on his shapely head. He was only a +little slighter than Dour, and as lively and frolicsome as the other +was impassive. Although not quite the equal of Dour, Dandy was an +excellent sheep dog, too, and many a cotter envied Andrew the +possession of the two fine creatures. +</P> + +<P> +Hector loved both dogs dearly, albeit he stood a trifle in awe of Dour. +The dogs were as much members of the family as Ailie and himself. He +would have shared his last bit of bannock or sup of 'parritch' with +either of them, and they fully returned his affection, each in his own +way. +</P> + +<P> +Hector was a 'braw laddie,' in very sooth. From his father, he got the +straightness and strength of body, the deftness of hand and foot, and +the rapidity of thought that made him an unquestioned leader among his +playfellows, and from his mother the light, crisp hair, the laughing +blue eyes, and the happy turn of speech that made the other boys love +as well as obey him. +</P> + +<P> +He stood in much awe of his father, who was as strict as he was just, +but his mother had his whole heart, and many a time did he go to her +for comfort, when reproved by Andrew for some little bit of +heedlessness. +</P> + +<P> +With little Ailie, a dark-eyed, dark-haired sprite, not like either +parent, to protect and pet, the Macraes made up a notably happy family +group, and were the recipients of many attentions from their fellow +passengers, on the long voyage on a slow sailing ship to the bleak +shores of Hudson's Bay. +</P> + +<P> +That voyage out proved far from being a pleasant holiday. Cooped up in +an over-loaded vessel, whose accommodation was scant at best, fed upon +pork and beef that was salter than the sea itself, and hard biscuits +that became alive with weevils ere the ship reached its destination, +all the colonists suffered more or less severely. It spoke well for +the stamina of the Macraes that they bore the privations of the passage +better than the majority, and landed at York Factory in fairly good +trim. +</P> + +<P> +'Eh, but glad I am to put my feet upon the solid ground again!' +exclaimed Andrew Macrae, with heartfelt emphasis, as he sprang out of +the boat and strode up the beach, and, in so saying, he spoke for every +one on board the vessel. +</P> + +<P> +Hector's legs wobbled under him in so absurd a fashion that he tumbled +over several times in his first attempt at running, and even Dour and +Dandy, for a little, seemed hardly to understand that they were free to +bound away in any direction they pleased. +</P> + +<P> +But presently all the colonists were landed, and, having been kindly +welcomed by the Hudson's Bay Company's employees at York Factory, made +haste to bestow themselves as best they might among the buildings of +the fort. +</P> + +<P> +The Macraes were fortunate in getting a snug room to themselves, and +there, with their two children and faithful dogs, they settled down to +await the beginning of the next stage of their long journey. +</P> + +<P> +On the following morning, Hector, accompanied by Ailie, and having Dour +and Dandy, went down to the beach, where there was much going on to +entertain them. +</P> + +<P> +The sailors were busy unloading the vessel of her very miscellaneous +cargo, comprising tea and tobacco, sugar and salt, blankets and +muskets, knives, hatchets, and all the varied articles required for +provisioning the forts, or trading with the Indians, while Indians and +half-breeds lounged near by, watching them with half-contemptuous +interest. The Hudson's Bay officials moved briskly about, giving sharp +orders, and, in and among them everywhere, were dogs of all ages and +sizes, but alike in resembling wolves or foxes, for the Huskie breed +was predominant. +</P> + +<P> +The sheep dogs made no attempt to find favour with the others. On the +contrary, they kept close to Hector, their gleaming eyes, curling lips, +and bristling necks expressing in the clearest way what they thought of +their new acquaintances. The latter were not long in showing their +feelings in the matter. No sooner did the collies draw near them than +they rushed to meet them, snarling and growling so ferociously that +Hector began to feel a little alarmed, while Ailie shrank closer to +him, clasping his hand tightly in hers, and murmuring: 'I'm frightened. +They'll bite us.' 'They won't dare to,' responded Hector bravely, +albeit his heart was thumping at a lively rate. 'I'll drive them off +with my stick,' and he flourished gallantly a slender cudgel that he +had picked up at the gate of the fort. +</P> + +<P> +But the graceless Huskies had small respect for a stick when not in the +hands of a man, and they closed in about the little group in a very +menacing way. At last they got so close that Dour and Dandy, in their +love and loyalty to the two children, could restrain themselves no +longer, and, at the same moment, they flew at the throats of the two +foremost assailants. +</P> + +<P> +Instantly, there was a terrific uproar, the dogs barking and wrangling +furiously, Hector shouting: 'Away, you brutes!' while he laid his stick +stoutly upon the backs and heads of the Huskies, and poor little Ailie +shrieked pitifully at what she believed to be the imminent peril of all +four. +</P> + +<P> +The collies fought superbly. Fearfully outnumbered as they were, their +superior sagacity and speed of movement for a while enabled them to +hold their own. Keeping close together in front of the children, they +struck to right and left with their keen white fangs, slashing the +Huskies on head and shoulder, so that one after another slunk away, +howling dolefully. +</P> + +<P> +But for each one thus driven off, two others rushed to the attack, and, +in spite of the splendid play Hector made with his stick, at the risk +of being badly bitten himself, the issue must have gone hard against +the gallant collies, for the Huskies would not have stopped until they +had torn them to pieces. But, in the nick of time, a stalwart figure +came charging down the beach with mighty strides. +</P> + +<P> +Into the thick of the melee plunged Andrew Macrae, using, with +unsparing energy, not only his heavily booted feet, but his tightly +clenched fists. On this side and that fell his tremendous blows, and +every one meant a disabled or disheartened dog, until, presently, the +whole pack had fled out of reach, and the wrathful Scotsman stood +panting but triumphant, Ailie clinging sobbingly to one knee, and +Hector standing breathless at the other, while Dour and Dandy, after a +brief greeting, made haste to take stock of themselves, and see what +damage they had suffered at the teeth of the evil-tempered Huskies. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap02"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER II +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +At Odds with Bruin +</H4> + +<P> +'Ech, bairns!' exclaimed Andrew, putting a calming hand upon the head +of each of the agitated children, 'but they're an ill lot of curs to +set upon ye in that unmannerly fashion. I'm richt glad I heard the row +they were making, and thocht that maybe Dour and Dandy might be glad o' +my help. I'm sore mistaken if those snarling beasts,' and he indicated +with a sweep of his hand the Huskies now hovering at a respectful +distance, 'will be ettlin' to feel my foot verra soon. They're nae +fules, though they don't know how to be decent to strangers.' +</P> + +<P> +By this time Ailie's tears were stayed, and Hector had recovered his +wind, so they continued along the beach, the collies keeping close to +Andrew's heels, giving vent to triumphant little growls whenever a +Huskie ventured within earshot. +</P> + +<P> +As the sailing vessel had to lie out in the deep water, her cargo was +being brought ashore in big boats, with high bows and sterns that could +each carry a wonderful load. The process of discharging interested all +the little party, and they were standing watching it, when one of their +fellow-travellers came up, and, pointing to the boats, said: 'It's in +those barkies that we're going to the Red River. I canna say I like +the look of them ower much. They're right clumsy things, in my +opinion.' +</P> + +<P> +Before Andrew could make reply, Hector broke in with an eager 'Oh, are +we truly going on those boats? Eh, but that will be fine!—won't it, +Ailie?' And he gave his sister a hearty hug, just by way of expressing +his joy. +</P> + +<P> +His father smiled with grave indulgence. 'I would think ye'd had mair +than enough of the water for a spell, laddie. I wonder ye're so eager +to take to it again.' +</P> + +<P> +'Eh, but that was in a big ship, father,' responded Hector, defending +himself, 'and a boat will be different, and we will go along the river +instead of on the ocean.' +</P> + +<P> +'We'll see, we'll see,' said Andrew, sagely, 'the river may not be sae +guid to us as you think.' +</P> + +<P> +As the season was slipping by, and as it was important for the settlers +to reach their destination in good time before the long winter came, +the preparations for the remainder of the journey were hurried as much +as possible. +</P> + +<P> +Yet there seemed so much to be done, that September was at hand ere the +little brigade of 'York boats,' with their precious freight of humanity +and goods, hoisted their big sails, and moved slowly off up the river, +amid a parting volley of cheers and good wishes from the people of York +Factory, many of whom would have been glad enough to accompany them. +</P> + +<P> +Hector was in the highest spirits. This method of travelling was +altogether to his liking: no longer the cramping confinement of the +sailing-ship, but the freedom of the roomy boat; no more tumbling about +among the rude billows, but smooth gliding on the bosom of the river; +no dreary waste of chill, gray water, but on either hand the +well-wooded banks glowed with varied colour, the light yellow of the +fading poplar contrasting with the dark evergreen of the spruce, while +the willows of an intermediate hue seemed to shade the two tints into +each other. Here and there the bright purple of the dogwood, the +sombre brown of the dwarf birch, and the gay yellow of the shrubby +cinquefoil gave richer notes of colour, while, to the keen-eyed, +restless boy, there was ever the hope of some wild animal—a fox, a +deer, or perhaps even a bear—being sighted as they advanced. +</P> + +<P> +It was not all plain sailing, however. In some places, the current was +so strong that it became necessary to resort to tracking. Only the +women and children remained in the boat, while the men, taking hold of +a line fastened to the foot of the mast, tugged and toiled along the +river bank, one-half their number working at a time, and then being +relieved by the other; thus dragging the clumsy craft forward at the +rate of about two miles an hour. +</P> + +<P> +Andrew Macrae did not shirk his share of the hard work, but of course +Hector was not expected to join the trackers, and so, accompanied by +Dour and Dandy, he scampered freely along the top of the bank, being +bidden by his father not to roam out of sight. +</P> + +<P> +For some time he obeyed this injunction implicitly. But, on towards +mid-day, the collies caught a glimpse of something that caused them to +dart off into the woods, barking furiously. Carried away by +excitement, Hector followed them, running at top speed straight away +from the river. +</P> + +<P> +He could easily hear the dogs when he could not see them, and so, +recking nothing of what might happen, he raced after them, until +presently the change in their barking announced that whatever animal it +was they had been chasing, they had brought it to bay. +</P> + +<A NAME="P19"></A> + +<P> +A moment later, he came out into a little glade at the farther side of +which a big black bear stood upon its hind legs, in front of a great +tree, and made furious efforts to seize Dour and Dandy with its +forepaws, or to deal them such buffets that they would never bark again. +</P> + +<P> +It was a thrilling spectacle for the most experienced hunter, but for +Hector, who had never seen any kind of a bear before, and whose +generous heart was at once filled with anxiety for the dogs that were +so dear to him, it simply made him forget himself entirely. +</P> + +<P> +Rushing forward, he shouted: 'Leave them alone, you brute! Don't you +hurt my dogs!' +</P> + +<P> +Considering that the dogs must have started the row, by finding the +bear in the first instance, this was rather unfair to Bruin. But +Hector had no thought for the exact justice of the case. His one +concern was for the dogs. +</P> + +<P> +He had picked up a stout stick in the course of his ramble, and this he +now swung above his head in threatening fashion, little knowing that, +if he should venture within striking distance, the bear would not only +parry his blow, but knock his ineffective cudgel out of his grasp as +easily as though it were a feather. +</P> + +<P> +Still shouting he hardly knew what, the fearless boy ran right up to +the combatant and, so engrossed was Bruin with his two lively +assailants, that he did not notice his coming until he was within a +couple of paces of him. +</P> + +<P> +Then he caught sight of his two-legged enemy, stared at him for a +moment with manifest amazement, let forth an ominous growl, and, +dropping upon all fours, made straight for him with open mouth. +</P> + +<P> +Well was it for Hector that Dour and Dandy were not less strong than +they were active and brave. They sprang upon the bear, one at either +side of his head, and before he could shake himself free, Hector, not +needing to be told that his only safety was in flight, had darted off +at the top of his speed in the direction of the river. +</P> + +<P> +In hot pursuit, the bear followed, with the dauntless dogs hanging to +his flanks and greatly impeding his movements. Otherwise, clumsy +creature though he seemed, he would soon have overhauled his quarry. +</P> + +<P> +Happily, Hector was no less sure than he was swift of foot. There are +few smooth places in the Highlands, and he had learned to race over the +roughest ground without a stumble. +</P> + +<P> +On he went, exulting in his own speed, even though deeply concerned for +his own safety, and after him lumbered the bear, as fast as the +faithful dogs would suffer him to move. Yet, hindered and harried as +he was, Bruin steadily gained on the boy, as the latter could not help +noticing. 'I maun climb a tree!' he panted. 'The creature will na get +me there. Eh, that's a grand tree yonder. I'll rin for it.' +</P> + +<P> +Changing his course slightly, Hector made for a stately pine that held +out welcoming branches at a friendly height from the ground. If he +could reach it and spring into them, he would be able to laugh at his +fierce pursuer's futile efforts to reach him. Summoning all his fast +waning strength for a supreme effort, he dashed towards the tree. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap03"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER III +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +A Cold Plunge +</H4> + +<P> +Hector had all but reached the pine. In fact, one more stride would +have brought him to its trunk, when his right foot slipped upon one of +the outspreading roots, hidden under a carpet of smooth brown needles, +and he pitched forward, narrowly escaping striking his head against the +massive trunk. +</P> + +<P> +He was little hurt by the fall, but he was very much dazed, and the +bear might have had him in its deadly hug ere he could have recovered +himself, had not a new actor appeared upon the scene. The boats had +come to a halt to rest the men just about the time that Hector ran off +after the dogs, and Andrew Macrae, noting the boy's disappearance, +snatched up a gun and climbed the river-bank to see what had become of +him. +</P> + +<P> +'He's na here,' he exclaimed in surprise, as he stood looking all about +him. 'Where can the feckless bairn ha' gone to?' +</P> + +<P> +Just then his keen ears, trained not to miss the slightest sound, +caught faintly the sharp barking of the two dogs. 'Eh! eh!' he +muttered. 'They've started up some creature—maybe a squirrel or the +like. I'll just run and see what they're doing.' +</P> + +<P> +So, gun in hand, he set off at a long easy lope that was little slower +than a horse's trot. As the barking came more strongly to his ears, he +realized that something serious was taking place, and quickened his +pace, until he had reached the limit of his powers. +</P> + +<P> +But a few minutes of such exertion were required to bring him to the +scene of action, and swinging around the pine tree, he arrived at the +very crisis of his son's peril. +</P> + +<P> +Throwing the gun to his shoulder, and not waiting to take careful aim, +he fired just as the great black brute reared to strike at Hector. The +whole charge of heavy buckshot took effect full in the bear's breast, +and down he pitched almost upon Hector, but incapable of further harm. +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Macrae's feelings were so mixed that he hardly knew how to express +himself. He had been angry with Hector for straying away from the +river-bank, but now he was naturally hugely proud of his own success as +a bear killer, and this rose superior to his anger. Raising Hector to +his feet, he said, mildly enough: 'Ye didna heed ma word, laddie,' and +then added with swelling voice, 'eh, but it's a grand creature! Rin +now to the boat, and tell the men to come and help me with it. I canna +carry it back alone.' +</P> + +<P> +Relieved beyond expression at his escape from the bear, and from his +father's deserved reproof, Hector darted off, and presently returned +with several of the men, who were all greatly interested in the big +game Andrew Macrae had bagged. +</P> + +<P> +Andrew was anxious that his 'gude wife' should see his noble prize, +before it was skinned, and so he persuaded the men to help him take it +down to the river. +</P> + +<P> +The little party made quite a triumphal procession, with Hector proudly +leading the way, the four strong men bending beneath the weight of +their trophy, and the two dogs frisking and barking about them, +evidently quite aware of the important part they had played in the +business. +</P> + +<P> +Of course, Hector's mother both scolded and coddled him, and little +Ailie gazed with startled eyes at the motionless monster, and Dour and +Dandy came in for unlimited praise and patting, which they accepted +with their wonted dignity. Among the boatmen were those who knew +exactly what to do with the bear, which was in superb condition, and +the splendid skin having been carefully removed, the best part of the +meat was saved to provide juicy steaks and cutlets for the travellers' +table. +</P> + +<P> +From the Hayes River, the boats turned into the Stool, and then into +the Fox River, and later into the Hill River, which was the most rapid +of all, and very difficult to work up against its opposing currents. +</P> + +<P> +One of the worst places was Rock Portage, where the river, pent in by a +range of small islands, formed several cascades, none of which could be +ascended by the laden boats. It was, therefore, necessary to take out +all the cargo, portage it across one of the islands, and then, by dint +of tremendous toil, drag the big boat across the island, and launch it +again above the cascade. +</P> + +<P> +This sort of thing went on day after day, until at last, to the +infinite relief of the tired toilers, they reached Oxford House, an +important post of the Hudson's Bay Company, where a rest of several +days was allowed for them to recuperate. +</P> + +<P> +During all this toilsome progress, Hector never had a dull moment. He +helped whenever he could, and when not required for this, found plenty +to occupy his attention. He was the best of brothers to Ailie, taking +her to play upon the bank, picking flowers for her, and pointing out +the birds in the trees, and the tiny creatures that rustled through the +dry grass. Often his mother would join in these little rambles, and +then Hector's happiness was complete. He felt himself the man of the +party, and assumed an air of importance that greatly tickled his +shrewd, fond mother. +</P> + +<P> +The halt at Oxford House was enjoyed by everybody. Here both ducks and +trout were to be had in plenty and most of the men went either shooting +or fishing. Andrew Macrae preferred the former, and, having succeeded +in securing the loan of a canoe, with a half-breed to paddle it, took +Hector off with him for a day's sport. +</P> + +<P> +The weather was favourable, and Cross-Eye, the half-breed, who got the +name from his eyes being on the bias, promised them plenty of ducks. +They paddled up the lake for several miles until they came to a kind of +enclosed bay, whose shores were lined with a thick growth of underbrush. +</P> + +<P> +'In there we go,' said Cross-Eye, in his queer guttural tone, and the +canoe was directed to a good landing-place. 'Hide him,' grunted the +half-breed, and the light craft was lifted out of the water, and +concealed among the trees. +</P> + +<P> +They next proceeded to put themselves out of sight, there to patiently +wait the appearance of the ducks. Mr. Macrae and Cross-Eye settled +down comfortably. Not so Hector. He had absolutely nothing to do but +search the sky for the black specks that would grow into the toothsome +birds they sought, and, as none of these were visible, he naturally +grew restless. He fired questions at Cross-Eye, in spite of the +taciturn half-breed's surly responses, and he bothered his father with +proposals to do this or that, none of which were approved. +</P> + +<P> +At last he gave a cry of delight, at the same moment that Cross-Eye +grunted in a relieved way. Far to the west, a thin black line showed +faintly above the horizon, and rapidly grew more distinct. The ducks +were coming at last. +</P> + +<P> +Crouching close to the ground, and hardly breathing in their +excitement, the three hunters awaited their approach. When the orderly +array of winged <I>voyageurs</I> had come within reach of the sound, +Cross-Eye proceeded to imitate their cries with a marvellous fidelity. +</P> + +<P> +Hector was amazed at the sounds which issued from him. They were so +perfectly bird-like. +</P> + +<P> +Instead of flying over, the ducks hesitated, returned the cries that +attracted their attention, and then, with much flapping of wings, +dropped down upon the still surface of the little bay, right in front +of their hidden enemy. The moment they were well within range, at a +signal from Cross-Eye, the report of two guns rang out like one, and +two ducks gave their last quack. +</P> + +<P> +With wonderful quickness the half-breed had the canoe launched, but +Hector was no less quick in springing into it, and off they went after +the birds. A few powerful strokes brought them to where they lay upon +the water. +</P> + +<P> +'You get them,' grunted Cross-Eye, as he held the canoe steady, and +Hector leaned over the side to pick up the ducks. It was not a +difficult thing to do, but the sudden excitement after the wearisome +waiting had flustered him. He was so eager to do his share of the work +that he overdid it, and upset the canoe, throwing the half-breed and +himself into the water. +</P> + +<P> +Now there was nothing of the hero in Cross-Eye. He was both angry with +Hector for his awkwardness, and alarmed about his own safety. So, +without one thought of the boy, he made for the shore as fast as he +could, in spite of Mr. Macrae's indignant appeals to him to help Hector. +</P> + +<P> +As for the latter, he had not been born and bred beside a Scottish loch +without learning to swim. Indeed, neither Dour nor Dandy could get +faster through the water. But the ice-cold lake into which he had been +so suddenly plunged was a different thing from the sunny loch in +summer-time. +</P> + +<P> +Before he had taken a dozen strokes towards the shore, the deadly chill +laid hold upon him, and numbed his arms and legs until he could scarce +keep his head above water. Indeed it did go under once, the water +smothering the cry for help that his peril had wrung from him, ere his +father, throwing off his coat, plunged in to his rescue. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap04"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER IV +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +Hector Entrapped +</H4> + +<P> +Before Mr. Macrae had reached Hector, he, too, felt the paralysing +effect of the glacial water. But he was a man of enormous strength, +and, wallowing through it like a whale, grasped the boy firmly with his +left hand, while he struck out for the canoe, which rocked upon the +water in supreme indifference to their struggles for life. +</P> + +<P> +'Keep up, laddie, keep up,' he panted. 'I'll get ye safe ashore.' +Reaching the canoe, he drew down the side until Hector could seize it +with his stiffening hands. 'Noo, then, laddie, ye'll just haud on +there, and I'll push the thing to the land.' +</P> + +<P> +Hector held on with the strength that his terror gave him, and Mr. +Macrae, grasping the canoe at the other side, pushed it through the +water with all his might. +</P> + +<P> +In this fashion they made the shore, where Cross-Eye stood shivering +and glowering at them. Mr. Macrae's first impulse was to warm his skin +pretty thoroughly for his cowardly desertion of the boy. But before +his hand fell, he checked himself, saying: 'Ye feckless loon!—ye ken +nae better, nae doubt. Yer only thought was for yer ainsel'. Well, +we'll say nae mair. Come, let's make a fire and dry our things.' +</P> + +<P> +The half-breed, who had evidently expected some rough usage, looked +immensely relieved at the quick turn of affairs, and set himself to the +building of a big blaze, with such skill and energy, that the chilled +duck-hunters were presently basking in its welcome warmth. +</P> + +<P> +As soon as their clothes were dried, they recovered the ducks, which +were still floating on the water, and then hid themselves to await +another flock. Their patience was rewarded by the securing of some +half-dozen more. Then, feeling well content with the day's bag, they +paddled back to Oxford House. +</P> + +<P> +A few days later, the boats resumed their journey, crossing Holey Lake, +ascending a little river to Hell Gate—a very difficult place to +pass—and so on by way of Echenamis, and Sea River, and across the Play +Green Lakes, to Norway House at the north end of Lake Winnipeg. +</P> + +<P> +Here all difficulties with rocks and rapids ended—the exhausting +labours of the portage were over. With broad sails hoisted to the +wind, the big boats ploughed through the turbid waters of the shallow +lake, traversing it from north to south, and without any mishap, +reached the end of their voyage. The colonists, heartily weary of +being cooped up in the boats so long, were only too glad to be put out +upon the solid land. +</P> + +<P> +They were now actually in the Red River country, for which they had +ventured so much, and it was with eager, anxious eyes that they looked +about them. +</P> + +<P> +The Red River itself constituted the central feature of the landscape. +Having its source in the elevated land some hundreds of miles away, it +flowed in a muddy, sluggish fashion into Lake Winnipeg. On its west +side the country was one boundless level plain of rich, deep loam, +whose fertility would presently amaze the newcomers, accustomed to the +grudging, niggardly soil of their native land. On the east the scene +was more varied with hill and dale, and skirted at no great distance by +what were called the pine hills, covered with timber, and running +parallel to the river all the way. +</P> + +<P> +'The gude God be thankit!' ejaculated Andrew Macrae, as his keen gray +eyes surveyed the fair prospect, all glowing beneath the splendour of +an unclouded sky, and, removing his bonnet, he offered a brief yet +fervent thanksgiving. 'Eh! but it's a fine land!' he continued. 'Why, +ye scarce can see a stane on it, and where there are sae mony flowers, +there'll be nae lack o' fat crops in the comin' year.' +</P> + +<P> +Thus speaking, Andrew gave voice to the first impression of all the +men, while the women, with glad eyes, noted the soft beauty of the +country, and said to one another that it was a bonnie place, and they +were glad they had come to it. +</P> + +<P> +As for the children, they could hardly contain themselves. The thick, +soft grass in which they could roll and tumble without let or hindrance +was a pure delight to them. Oh, what a romp they and the dogs did +have! and how heartily Hector and Ailie entered into the merriment! +</P> + +<P> +There were somewhat primitive carts to carry the heavy baggage, but the +colonists all had to walk; and it was, consequently, at no hurried rate +of progress, that they moved southward to their final destination. +</P> + +<P> +It was in the beginning of October that the weary, travel-worn +colonists, with their families and possessions, reached the tract of +land beside the Red River which their lordly patron had selected for +their settlement. +</P> + +<P> +Their very first proceeding was to gather together and offer thanks to +God, for His providential care of them through all the perils of the +long journey. Never before had the clear sweet air of the prairie been +stirred by the strains of sacred song, and, as the solemn beautiful +music of the Psalms rose heavenward, there hurried to the wondrous +novelty a motley crowd of fur hunters, half-breeds, and Indians, who +remained to listen in gaping curiosity, if not in reverent +appreciation, to Andrew Macrae's dignified reading from 'the Book,' and +to the lengthy prayers that followed from other men of the party. +</P> + +<P> +The instant the praise service was concluded, Hector, accompanied by +Dour and Dandy, started out to inspect their new home. The boy was in +high spirits, which his four-footed friends shared. At least, Dandy +did, for he frisked and barked with great vim, thereby attracting the +attention of the suspicious, snarling curs that belonged to the +residents, who had never seen so handsome a member of their race +before. Dour bore himself with more dignity, yet it was evident that +he understood that they had arrived at the end of their tiresome +travelling, and that he rejoiced thereat. +</P> + +<P> +Naturally Hector turned his steps towards the fort, which was the most +conspicuous feature of the scene. This did not belong to the Hudson's +Bay Company, but to their bitter rivals, the North-West Fur Company, +and, had the boy only known, was the stronghold of those who were to +give the settlers many miserable days. +</P> + +<P> +It was not a very imposing affair, simply a stout stockade in the form +of a square, having one gate protected by short towers, and enclosing a +cluster of buildings, only one storey in height, built in the same +rough fashion. +</P> + +<P> +Hector, drawing near the gate, which stood wide open, looked curiously +in. The whole thing was entirely novel to him, and, boy-like, he +greatly longed to understand it. Dour and Dandy, feeling ill at ease +now, kept very close to him. They did not altogether like the look of +things, and would have preferred retracing their steps, but of course +they had not the slightest notion of deserting their young master. +</P> + +<P> +As Hector stood hesitating, a young man, coming from the interior, +beckoned to him in a friendly fashion, saying: 'You want come in. All +right, you come.' He was clearly a half-breed, and had a dark, evil +face that was far from prepossessing. +</P> + +<P> +Hector instinctively disliked him, but could not very well refuse his +invitation, even though the shrewd collies sniffed so suspiciously at +his legs that the fellow shrank away lest they should bite him. 'Nice +place, eh?' he asked, with a sly ingratiating smile. 'Plenty good furs +in there,' and he pointed, with a very dirty finger, to the largest of +the buildings. 'You stranger, yes? Come I show you the store.' +</P> + +<P> +Hector had a premonition of trouble, but was not sufficiently +strong-minded to beat a retreat, as he should have done. The +half-breed certainly seemed courteous, even if the expression of his +face were sinister. +</P> + +<P> +Following his guide, the lad entered the trade-house, which contained +the goods used in bartering with the Indians for their furs, and was +astonished at the quantity and variety of the stock displayed. Here +were guns, pistols, knives, hatchets, blankets, shirts, caps, mitts, +tobacco, tea, sugar, smoked and salted meats, handkerchiefs, sashes, +snowshoes, moccasins, coats and trousers, and so on, piled upon the +floor according to a rude, but no doubt effective system. +</P> + +<P> +'Plenty goods here, eh?' said the half breed, with a crafty leer, as if +his object were to arouse the boy's envy. 'Company very rich—very +strong—have many forts all about'—and with a sweep of his arms he +indicated a wide stretch of territory. Hector certainly was much +impressed by what he saw, and felt free to say so, whereat his guide +seemed much gratified. +</P> + +<P> +'Come now see furs—oh! fine furs!' he cried, and, taking hold of +Hector's arm, led him off to another building, even more solidly built +than the trade-house. A single door was both the means of admittance +and of lighting the place. Inside were ranged bales of furs, the pelts +of marten, mink, otter, bear, fox, wolf, and beaver, which had been +trapped by Indians and half-breeds in far-away places, and brought in +to exchange for the goods they coveted. +</P> + +<P> +Some of the skins were loose, and the half-breed drew Hector's +attention to a particularly fine blue fox, which he explained was worth +'heap money.' Hector was examining this, passing his hand over the +soft, rich fur, when suddenly he was tripped and thrown upon the floor +by his scoundrelly guide, who, before the boy could regain his feet, +dashed out of the door and slammed it shut, setting the great bar +across it. +</P> + +<P> +In perfect darkness and bewilderment, Hector picked himself up. Can +you blame the poor lad if his first feeling was something very like +panic-stricken terror? He had been taken so completely by surprise, +and felt so utterly helpless. Through the thick door, he could hear +the angry barking of Dour and Dandy, who were evidently defending +themselves against assailants of some kind, and he shouted with all his +might: 'Help! Help! Let me out! Let me out!' +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap05"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER V +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +The Search for Hector +</H4> + +<P> +Again and again Hector cried out for help and deliverance from his +prison, but, even had there been any one near, they could hardly have +heard him through the thick walls and solid door of the fur-house. +</P> + +<P> +Pressing his ear against the join of the door, he heard the fierce +barking of the collies growing fainter and fainter, until presently he +heard it no more. Evidently they had been dragged off by the +half-breed, and confined somewhere. +</P> + +<P> +The truth of the matter was that, to the dogs, Hector owed the alarming +situation in which he found himself. While he hung about the gate of +the fort, the half-breed had noticed the splendid creatures, and, at +once coveting them, set about getting them into his possession. +Extraordinary as his conduct may seem, the subsequent experiences of +the settlers showed only too clearly that he really was not running any +great risk of trouble to himself. +</P> + +<P> +The faithful collies, knowing that their young master was shut up in +the fur-house, stayed close at the door, and this enabled the rascally +half-breed, with the aid of another whom he called upon, to fasten +thongs around their necks, and to drag them off, in spite of their +frantic opposition. +</P> + +<P> +Hector shouted and kicked at the door, until, at last, exhausted and +despairing, he threw himself down among the furs, and burst into futile +tears. +</P> + +<P> +'What are they going to do to me?' he sobbed. 'Oh, I wish I'd never +gone near the fort! How can father find out where I am?' +</P> + +<P> +How, indeed, was the question. Mr. Macrae had many things to engross +his attention, and Mrs. Macrae was so used to Hector's roaming about on +his own account, that she would not be apt to miss him until sundown. +As it fell out, it was from a most unlooked-for source that the clue +came. Having made the best arrangements they could for shelter, and +these were very scant at best, the settlers gathered together for their +evening meal. Then did the mother-heart of Mrs. Macrae begin to feel +concerned for her son. 'Where is Hector?' she asked her husband. 'I +have na seen him these many hours. Was he no with you?' +</P> + +<P> +'He was no with me at all,' answered Mr. Macrae, turning his keen +glance in every direction. 'He went aff with the twa dogs a gude while +ago, and I didna see just which way he went.' +</P> + +<P> +'God grant he's na got into any harm!' sighed Mrs. Macrae. ''Tis a +strange place this, and there's na tellin' what may happen to the +laddie.' +</P> + +<P> +'Oh, he's a' richt,' responded her husband, cheerfully. 'He'll be +wanting his bannocks, and that'll bring him back soon.' +</P> + +<P> +But when night fell, and still no sign of Hector, the Macraes grew very +anxious. Andrew set out to make enquiries, and went through the party +of settlers, asking if any of them had seen the boy since mid-day. +Several of them had noticed him strolling about, accompanied by the +dogs, but no one could say definitely in what direction he had gone. +</P> + +<P> +When the mystery was at its height, and the whole party was aroused to +concern for the missing boy, suddenly Dour appeared, and rushed up to +Mr. Macrae, barking joyfully. The remains of a raw-hide thong, which +he had bitten through close to his body, hung about his neck, and, with +all the means of expression at the command of the most sagacious of his +kind, he strove to tell his story. +</P> + +<P> +'Gude dog! Gude dog!' murmured Mr. Macrae, patting the clever creature +fondly. 'There's been ill wark, nae doot. Come with me, friends, an' +we'll sift it to the verra bottom.' +</P> + +<P> +Slipping pistols into their pockets, for there was no telling what +might happen, half-a-dozen of the men signified their readiness to +accompany Mr. Macrae in the search for his son. They were stalwart, +stern-looking men, with shaggy faces, and piercing, fearless eyes—not +the men to be trifled with by any one, and now deeply intent upon their +purpose, for their hearts beat in sympathy for the anxious father and +mother. +</P> + +<P> +'Lead on, Dour, gude dog,' said Andrew; 'ye dootless ken the way. +We'll keep close ahind ye.' +</P> + +<P> +The intelligent animal, fully grasping his master's meaning, set off at +once straight for the fort, the men following at a rapid jog-trot, in +order not to be left behind. When they arrived at the fort they found +the gate closed, but, as Dour was insistent about entering, Mr. Macrae +did not hesitate to rap loud and long upon the stout timber with the +butt of his pistol. +</P> + +<P> +For some time there was no response, for although those inside had not +yet gone to bed, they were all so engrossed in drinking, smoking, +talking, or gambling that they did not hear him. At last a rough voice +was heard demanding in a surly tone: 'What do you want? Who are you?' +</P> + +<P> +'I want to see the Governor of the Fort,' replied Mr. Macrae, in a tone +that had no uncertain sound about it. +</P> + +<P> +'He no see you now. He busy,' was the growling reply, as the speaker +turned to go away. +</P> + +<P> +'But I maun see him, and that richt awa,' retorted Mr. Macrae, and at +his signal the whole party fell to smiting the gate with their heavy +pistol butts. This thundering tattoo evidently impressed the man +inside, for he came back to the gate, and, in a slow, sulky fashion, +proceeded to unfasten the stout bars that held it. Opening it a couple +of inches, he peered suspiciously at the importunate callers, but the +latter gave him no time to scrutinize them; for, led by Mr. Macrae, +they threw themselves upon the heavy gate, forced it wide open, and +charged through ere the bewildered Metis realized their purpose. +</P> + +<P> +There was no difficulty in distinguishing the factor's residence, for +it fairly blazed with light, and thither the group of stern, stalwart +men directed their steps, Dour, satisfied that they knew what they were +about, keeping close at his master's heels. +</P> + +<P> +The door of the house stood wide open, but Mr. Macrae did not attempt +to enter without first rapping in a proper manner. His summons brought +out a young lad, evidently from Scotland, who showed a very different +spirit from the surly half-breed at the gate. 'Ye wad hae a word wi' +the Governor, eh?' he asked, with a pleasant smile. 'Just bide ye +there, an' I'll gie him yer message.' +</P> + +<P> +He disappeared into the room at the right, and Mr. Macrae prepared +himself to address the important official he had asked for. But he was +not to have that privilege in a hurry. The minutes went by without the +Governor appearing, or the young Scotsman returning, and, in rising +wrath, Andrew Macrae was just about to knock on the inside door, when +suddenly it opened, and there stood before him a thick-set, +shaggy-haired personage, whose deeply flushed features showed that he +had been dining not wisely but too well. 'What is it?' he demanded +brusquely. 'Why do you bother me now? Why can't you wait until the +morning?' +</P> + +<P> +In a firm, yet respectful, tone, Hector's father stated the reason of +his coming. 'Tut! Tut!' growled the man. 'I can't attend to that +to-night. Come back to-morrow,' and he was about to close the door, +when Mr. Macrae, with a quick movement, thrust his foot against it, and +at the same moment he laid his hand firmly upon the factor's arm. +</P> + +<P> +'It's ma ain bairn I'm seeking, and I shall na leave here until I find +him.' As he spoke, his companions pressed close behind him, shoulder +to shoulder. +</P> + +<P> +The factor's bloodshot eyes went from one stern, intent face to +another. Manifestly, these were not men to be trifled with. Obscured +by strong drink as his brain was, enough sense remained to understand +that. With an oath he flung the door open, and said sneeringly: 'Do ye +expect to find him in here?' +</P> + +<P> +Through the cloud of tobacco smoke that filled the room, Mr. Macrae saw +several men sitting at the table with glasses before them. +</P> + +<P> +'Surely not;' he replied, an accent of fine scorn in his deep voice. +'But with your permission, I'll search the fort.' +</P> + +<P> +'Do so, and——' here followed rough words, but Andrew, having gained +his point, took no notice of the man's gross rudeness. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap06"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER VI +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +Ordered Off +</H4> + +<P> +'Come awa', men,' he said to his companions. 'We'll na give o'er till +we've searched the place throughout. Lead awa', Dour, gude dog.' +</P> + +<P> +The clever collie needed no second bidding. He had been very +impatiently awaiting the conclusion of the colloquy at the factor's, +and now bounded across the open space between the different buildings, +making straight for the fur-house. +</P> + +<P> +By this time, several of the inmates of the fort had gathered, curious +as to what was up, and, had Mr. Macrae been alone, their sinister looks +might well have made him anxious concerning his own safety. +</P> + +<P> +But his only thought was for Hector, and the grave, sinewy men by his +side, though few in numbers, were not the kind to invite hasty attack; +so, paying no heed to threatening looks or menacing utterances, the +little party reached the door of the fur-house. +</P> + +<P> +Upon this, Mr. Macrae struck hard with his pistol-butt, calling out: +'Hector, laddie, are ye there?' +</P> + +<P> +Instantly there came back from the interior a muffled cry of joy, and +the faint words: 'Father! oh, father! is that you?' +</P> + +<P> +There was a stout padlock fastening the door, but Mr. Macrae quickly +prised this off, and tore the door open. Out of the interior darkness +rushed Hector and flung himself, half-sobbing, into his father's arms. +</P> + +<P> +Andrew returned the embrace warmly, and then asked in a tone of +surprise and concern: 'Was no' Dandy with you?' +</P> + +<P> +'Why no, father!' replied Hector. 'The man that shut me up took both +Dour and Dandy away with him.' +</P> + +<P> +'Then we maun find the dog,' was the resolute rejoinder. 'Here, Dour, +gude dog, call Dandy.' Without a moment's hesitation, the well-trained +creature poured forth a volley of barks that meant as plainly as +possible, 'Dandy, where are you? Tell us.' +</P> + +<P> +'Now listen, friends, for the answer,' said Mr. Macrae, with a grim +smile. +</P> + +<P> +There was no doubt about the response, for out of the surrounding gloom +burst a chorus of canine music that fairly made the welkin ring, and +how Dandy's particular contribution could be distinguished seemed a +hopeless problem. +</P> + +<P> +But Mr. Macrae waited silently until the commotion had somewhat +subsided, and then, pointing to the northern end of the enclosure, said +confidently: 'There's whaur they've got Dandy.' +</P> + +<P> +Dour evidently approved of their going thither, and presently, turning +the corner of one of the most remote buildings, they found the object +of their search, half-strangled in his frantic efforts to break the +thong that held him fast. +</P> + +<P> +'God be thanked—we've found all three, and they're nane the waur of +it,' said Mr. Macrae, in a tone of fervent gratitude; and then, his +voice changing to righteous indignation, 'by the morn we'll find out +why this was done to ma laddie, and who did it.' +</P> + +<P> +With the morn, however, came strange and startling events, that caused +Hector's peculiar experience to be entirely forgotten. To understand +these aright, a little explanation is necessary. Although the great +Hudson's Bay Company claimed full ownership of the North-West, their +right to this vast wilderness was vigorously disputed by a company +formed in Lower Canada and called the North-West Fur Company. The +rivalry between the two companies for control of the fur-trade was +intense and unscrupulous. They resorted to all sorts of stratagems to +injure each other, and wherever one built a fort, the other soon +established a second within sight. Often their employees, made wild +with strong drink, broke out into open violence and many lives were +lost, and a number of forts sacked and burned in the course of the +bitter struggle. +</P> + +<P> +Now, the Nor-Westers, as they were called for short, regarded the +advent of the Scotch folk with lively animosity. They suspected it to +be a shrewd device of their rivals to get a firmer grip upon the +country. The new-comers would not be rovers like themselves, but +settlers, who would build houses, and till the rich soil, and multiply +in numbers until they became a power in the land. +</P> + +<P> +This far-seeing scheme must be nipped in the bud, and forthwith they +set themselves to do it. +</P> + +<P> +The strange part of the whole affair was that they ran slight risk of +interference with their nefarious design from their hated rivals, for +the employees of the Hudson's Bay Company, although, of course, they +would take no part against the immigrants, were little more in favour +of their coming than the Nor-Westers. They did not want the country +settled. They had much rather it should remain a hunters' paradise, +and they were not disposed to lift a finger on behalf of the newcomers. +</P> + +<P> +The first morning after the settlers' arrival seemed full of kindly +promise. Summer was just giving way to autumn. The prairie air was +clear and bracing without being too cool. The sun shone from an azure +sky upon a vast expanse of golden-hued turf almost as level as a floor, +that only required to be turned over by the plough to be ready for fall +seeding. +</P> + +<P> +The hardy Scotch folk, accustomed to the rocky uplands and stony +meadows of their 'ain countree,' looked with wonder and delight at the +rich inheritance into which they had come. +</P> + +<P> +'Eh, mon! but it's grand, grand!' ejaculated Saunders Rowan, in a tone +of unqualified appreciation. He was the senior member of the party, +and had been rather given to 'croaking,' but this glorious morning his +doubts and fears were all dispelled. +</P> + +<P> +The women busied themselves preparing the morning meal, while the +children and dogs romped and rolled joyously in the rich, soft grass. +It was altogether a pretty picture, that seemed to be a happy augury of +the good times in store. +</P> + +<P> +Suddenly, like a bolt out of the blue, this scene of gladness and peace +changed to one of terror and strife. With no more warning than if they +had risen out of the ground itself, there charged down upon the +defenceless settlers a band of Indians in full war paint, mounted upon +their piebald ponies, armed with spears, bows, arrows, and guns, which +weapons they brandished fiercely, while they gave their awful war-whoop +with all the power of their lungs. +</P> + +<P> +Crying to their children, and gathering them close, as the mother hen +does her chickens at sight of a hawk, the women huddled together in a +panic-stricken group, while the doughty dogs faced the enemy with +flashing teeth and threatening growls, and the men rushed to snatch up +their guns, or anything else that might serve as an effective weapon. +</P> + +<P> +For a moment it seemed as if blood must be shed. The Indians seemed +ripe for mischief and the stalwart Scots were determined to defend +their dear ones to the last extremity. +</P> + +<P> +But before a blow was struck, the band, at a signal from their leader, +brought their horses to a halt, and ceased their hideous howlings. The +leader then drew out from his mob of followers, and holding up his +hands in token of his wish to parley, asked in broken English for the +chief man of the strangers. +</P> + +<P> +There was at first some hesitancy among the Scots at replying to this. +They had never formally chosen a leader, although, naturally, some of +the men had shown themselves stronger and shrewder than others. +Presently all eyes turned towards Andrew Macrae. No man was fitter by +appearance or sagacity to be their spokesman, and, in response to their +unmistakable choice, he stepped forward. +</P> + +<P> +'I'm but one of our little company, yet if ye'll tell me what ye mean +by a' this claverin' and scarin' peaceable folk, I'm ready to talk wi' +ye.' +</P> + +<P> +The Indian leader straightened up in his saddle. The stern, stalwart +Scotsman was no antagonist to be trifled with, and his first intention +of using the ready wit for which he had a reputation, to bait the +strangers for the amusement of his followers, before proceeding to +rougher measures, underwent a change. Such a man needed to be dealt +with in a different fashion. Accordingly, assuming as much dignity as +he could command, he began to explain what the alarming demonstration +meant. +</P> + +<P> +His speech was a strange jargon compounded of English, French and +Indian words that would have sorely puzzled poor Mr. Macrae, were it +not helped out by a vigorous pantomime, that enabled him to follow the +drift of it, after a fashion. +</P> + +<P> +The purport was serious enough, and his normally grave countenance grew +graver still as the meaning became clearer to him. +</P> + +<P> +In brief, it was an order to quit! Having at last reached their haven, +after so long and perilous a journey over sea and land, they were +summarily commanded to depart, and that without delay. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap07"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER VII +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +How Hector Got His Nickname +</H4> + +<P> +At first, Mr. Macrae refused to credit his own intelligence. The idea +was too appalling, and in his slow, deliberate way he made the Indian +leader repeat and reiterate his sinister communication. +</P> + +<P> +Then, calling aside the seniors of his party, who had all been watching +the parley with intent, anxious faces, he told them the startling truth. +</P> + +<P> +Naturally enough, they likewise were at the outset incredulous, and +stirred to righteous wrath. What had this howling mob of painted and +befeathered Indians to do with them? They were not the lords of the +land now, whatever they might have been before the coming of the white +man. Lord Selkirk was the rightful owner of the broad, rich acres to +which they had made so painful a pilgrimage, and they, the settlers, +were the possessors in his name. Not one step would they budge. They +had come to stay. +</P> + +<P> +All this, and more, Mr. Macrae repeated to the Indian leader with the +utmost emphasis, but he might as well have spared his breath. +</P> + +<P> +'Non—no—non!' the fellow responded in his hybrid jargon. 'Must go +way. No stay here. No food, no fire, no tepee. Go way down there,' +and he pointed due south. +</P> + +<P> +While this parley was proceeding, the other members of his party had +been quietly forming a circle about the band of settlers, drawing +steadily closer until they were almost within touch of them. As it +happened, little Ailie, her first fright having passed off, grew +interested in the gay trappings of the Indians, and, ere her mother +noticed, sidled towards one of them, in order to touch the feathers +that adorned his leggings. +</P> + +<P> +She was just beside his stirrup, when, with a quick movement, he +reached down, grasped her under the arms, and swung her up before him, +saying, in what was meant to be a soothing tone: +</P> + +<P> +'Ma jolie petite. You like ride—eh?' Ailie gave a scream of terror, +that reached the ears of her mother and Hector at the same moment. The +former stood transfixed, but Hector, whose position was somewhat behind +the Indian, with the spring of a panther reached the pony's withers, +and the next moment had the Indian's throat tightly clasped in his +strong young hand. +</P> + +<P> +The pony, frightened by the sudden addition of a second rider, at once +began to buck and rear, so that even its expert owner could hardly +retain his seat, doubly hampered as he was, holding Ailie, and being +held by Hector. +</P> + +<P> +Noting his predicament, his companions closed in upon him to give him +help, and just at that moment Mrs. Macrae, her comely countenance +aflame with maternal anger, darted into their midst, and reaching up, +caught Ailie in her arms, crying: 'Ma bonnie bairn! Are ye hurt?' The +Indian let go his burden readily enough, and turned to attack Hector. +</P> + +<P> +But the latter was too quick for him. He had seen his mother's action, +and the instant Ailie was safely in her arms, he let go of the Indian's +throat, and threw himself to the ground, narrowly escaping being +trampled upon by the ponies of the nearest Indians. +</P> + +<P> +The whole thing happened so quickly that many of both parties saw +nothing of it but the excitement it occasioned, and, for the moment, +there was a complete break-up of the parley between Mr. Macrae and the +Indian leader. +</P> + +<P> +When order was in some measure restored, and Mr. Macrae had assured +himself that neither of his children was in any wise injured, he once +more gave attention to the serious situation which had so unexpectedly +presented itself. +</P> + +<P> +With considerable difficulty he made the Indian understand that he must +have time to consider his astounding communication, and to consult with +the other men of his party. To this the fellow, with much show of +reluctance, at last consented, and a gruff command sent the whole +cavalcade cantering off to a little distance, where they dismounted, +and, squatting upon the turf in a sort of circle, proceeded to light +their pipes, and talk in guttural tones of what had happened. +</P> + +<P> +The Scots, that is to say the older men of the party, now gathered in a +little knot, their countenances grown suddenly haggard, for they all +realized that they were face to face with a crisis more menacing than +anything they had previously encountered. +</P> + +<P> +''Tis unco strange. I canna understand it at all,' said Mr. Macrae. +'Noo that we are come here after sae great trouble they say we canna +bide, but maun gang away doon to the States, where we dinna want to be.' +</P> + +<P> +'Let us gang ower to the fort there,' suggested Saunders, pointing to +the Hudson's Bay fort, which stood on the bank of the river, about a +quarter of a mile distant. 'Surely the Governor will take our pairt +and winna let these savages have their way with us.' This suggestion +met with instant approval, and three of the party, including Mr. +Macrae, were appointed to carry it out. +</P> + +<P> +They at once set out across the prairie, while the other men rejoined +the women, to await the result of the embassy. +</P> + +<P> +But no sooner had the three got well started, than with whoops and +yells the Indians sprang on their ponies and came cantering towards +them, waving their weapons in a way that meant only one thing—the +Scotsmen must go no farther. Baffled and disheartened, the latter, +after a futile attempt at parley with the Indians, walked slowly and in +silence back to their companions. +</P> + +<P> +The situation seemed as desperate as it was bewildering. They were +utterly at a loss either to understand it or cope with it. Lord +Selkirk had given them to believe that they would be warmly welcomed at +Red River, and afforded all necessary assistance in settling down, and +this was the way in which his promises were being fulfilled. +</P> + +<P> +In their extremity they sought guidance and strength from God, and, to +the amazement of the Indians, who had again drawn closer, the stately +music of the Psalms rose from their midst, followed by the sonorous +voice of Saunders, laying before the Lord of all the anguish of their +hearts. +</P> + +<P> +When their prayers were over they all felt more composed in mind, +although no light had come to them concerning the crisis. +</P> + +<P> +The Indians again withdrew a little distance, and Hector, who was as +curious as he was courageous, and whose eye had been taken by the gay +feathers and beaded buckskins of the Indian leader, which certainly +made a brave show, went over towards him for a closer inspection, Dour +and Dandy following at his heels. +</P> + +<P> +The Indian, noting the movement, advanced to meet him with an amiable +grin, and, just before they came together, threw himself off his +cayuse, as much as to say: 'See, I'm willing to be on even terms with +you.' He was rather a fine-looking fellow, and Hector, little as he +yet knew about the red men of the plain, somehow felt that this was no +ordinary one. +</P> + +<P> +He towered above the boy as they stood side by side, and, smiling +mischievously, he lifted the latter's thick cap from his head, and went +through the motion of scalping him. The next instant, his teasing +expression changed to one of lively admiration, he thrust his hands +into Hector's curly locks, exclaiming: 'Ti-ti-pu! Ti-ti-pu!' +</P> + +<P> +Hector, for a moment, was somewhat startled, but he did not betray it. +Dour and Dandy, however, did not quite like the proceedings, and +growled menacingly through their glistening teeth. The fact of the +matter was the Indian had never seen such a poll of golden curly locks +before, and, accustomed as he was to the straight, black, limp tresses +of his own people, they seemed to him something almost supernatural. +Thenceforward he would call Hector nothing but 'Ti-ti-pu,' and the +nickname stuck like a burr, until only the gravest members of his own +party hardly ever thought of calling him anything else. +</P> + +<P> +In sore perplexity the Scots took counsel together as to what they +should do. Their stock of provisions was nearly exhausted, and +although they had amongst them all a good deal of money, of what use +was it if the hostile residents would not sell them anything? +</P> + +<P> +'It wad seem as though we maun go ewa' doon south for the winter at any +rate,' said Mr. Macrae, in a tone of profound despondency. 'The ways +of Providence are beyond our ken. We maun just trust that the Lord +will guide us, and provide for our necessities.' +</P> + +<P> +The Indian leader was then informed that, if they were allowed to +obtain a supply of provisions, and such other things as would be +necessary for the journey, they would obey their orders and go down to +the United States. +</P> + +<P> +This was assented to, and, after some further parley, most of the +Indians went away, leaving the rest of their number on guard. The +settlers, with heavy hearts, made preparations for the night. +</P> + +<P> +Among the older members of the little band of pilgrims, to whom the +promised land seemed about to prove so bitter a disappointment, there +was not much sleep that night, and the morning found them haggard, +weary and depressed. But after they had all, like one great family, +united in prayer and the singing of the Psalms, they became more +composed. They were in God's hands, and dark as everything now looked, +He would send light in the end. +</P> + +<P> +Soon after sunrise, the Indians reappeared in force, this time in quite +good humour, the settlers having already agreed to obey their orders, +and Mr. Macrae had little difficulty in making arrangements with them +to conduct the party to Pembina. +</P> + +<P> +Under other circumstances, the settlement of the terms would have been +very amusing, for on the one side the language employed was a mixture +of Gaelic and English, and on the other of Indian jargon and mongrel +French, so that a great deal had to be made out by means of signs and +gestures, and contortions of countenances. Hector watched the +proceedings with intense interest. To tell the truth, after his first +fear of them had passed away, and he realized that they were not going +to kill and scalp his people, he was quite taken by the Indians, and +eager to get upon friendly terms with them. +</P> + +<P> +By the leader he was particularly attracted, and, in exchange for the +nickname the Indian had given him, he, on his part, got the red man to +give him a name whereby to call him, namely, Wikonaie, which he +presently shortened to Wikon. +</P> + +<P> +His friendship with the Indian, Hector's father looked upon with +approval. He himself was perhaps of too unbending a nature to make any +advances towards a more amiable footing, but he was very glad to see +Hector accomplish it in his frank, boyish way. +</P> + +<P> +Word was given that the start for Pembina would be made early the next +morning; and one of the bitter things the settlers had to endure was +being deprived of all their arms. Poor Rob McEwen had to part with his +greatest treasure, a flintlock that his father had carried and used to +good effect in the battle of Culloden, and who can blame him if the +tears stood in his grey eyes as, after fondling the firearm as tenderly +as if it were a baby, he let it go from him never to get it back? But +even harder perhaps was the case of Jeanie Sinclair, who had to part +with her marriage ring, whose glitter caught the eye of a big Indian, +who would not be denied the gleaming treasure. +</P> + +<P> +In spite of all their troubles, the settlers did not forget to sing +their Psalm and to join with one of their elders in earnest prayer, ere +they sadly turned their faces southward. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap08"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER VIII +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +On the Move Again +</H4> + +<P> +The procession that set forth for Pembina certainly presented a curious +sight. It might have been intended to represent the triumph of +savagery over civilization. +</P> + +<P> +Decked out in their gayest garb, fully armed, and mounted upon spirited +horses, the Indians pranced about in lordly style, giving orders to the +unfortunate folk from over sea, who, although they were really so much +superior to them, for the time being were completely in their power. +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Macrae had succeeded in making an arrangement with the Indians that +they should carry the young children upon their horses, for, of course, +it would be out of the question for the little ones to walk, and this +gave the riders the chance to have a good deal of amusement at the +expense of the mothers of the children. +</P> + +<P> +No sooner had the strange cavalcade got well under way than the rascals +galloped off ahead, and were presently out of sight on the boundless +prairie, while the bewildered, anxious mothers ran crying and pleading +after them, until they fell exhausted upon the turf. +</P> + +<P> +Ailie Macrae was among those thus carried off, and Hector pursued the +Indian who held her until even his stout legs could not take another +stride, while Dour and Dandy, barking fiercely, continued the chase a +mile or two farther. +</P> + +<P> +But, as he lay panting upon the grass, his first excitement having +passed away, he began to reason the theory out. 'That's just a trick +they're playing on us,' he said to himself. 'They'll bring the bairns +back nae doot, but it's a mean trick, and I'll tell them so.' +</P> + +<P> +And the boy was as good as his word. When the horsemen, having had +their fun, came back to those on foot, with the children unharmed, and +in most cases having greatly enjoyed the wild gallop, Hector made +straight for his new friend, Wikonaie, and with high-pitched voice and +vigorous gesture, made plain to him what he thought of the performance. +</P> + +<P> +Wikonaie smiled at his passionate earnestness, and took no offence at +his fearless scolding. 'You talk big words,' he said, in a tone of +good-humoured admiration. 'You be big chief some day. Me like you.' +This soft answer completely turned away Hector's wrath, and, in spite +of himself, a smile took possession of his flushed features. +</P> + +<P> +'Ha! Ha! Wikonaie,' he cried, 'ye're a canny chiel. Ye ken right +well how to get out of it.' +</P> + +<P> +And so the matter ended between them, but it was a noticeable fact +that, although some of the other Indians repeated the foolish trick, +Wikonaie took no further part in it, and that henceforth it was little +Ailie that rode upon his saddle, and was so happy there that she was +always sorry when she had to dismount. +</P> + +<P> +The procession could make but slow progress. The settlers were no less +heavy of foot than of heart, and both women and men alike had to carry, +up to the limit of their strength, such of their belongings as they +could not possibly part with. Moreover, their English-made boots were +not at all the right thing, and their poor feet swelled out and +blistered inside them, until some could scarcely stand upright. +</P> + +<P> +How they envied the Indians their soft moccasins, and how they vowed to +themselves that they would put off their clumsy, uncomfortable boots +for them at the first opportunity! +</P> + +<P> +So they struggled on over the prairie, the weather, fortunately, +continuing fine and warm, so that they could sleep in the open air at +night without inconvenience. At last footsore, weary, and sad of +heart, they reached their destination.—Pembina, a frontier settlement +of the United States, where they were now to pass the long, cold winter. +</P> + +<P> +Hector was rather sorry when the journey came to an end, tiresome as it +was to his seniors. They went so slowly that he had plenty of time to +roam at his will, and never without the company of Dour and Dandy. He +would make excursions to the right and left of the line of march, and +generally manage to find plenty to amuse and interest him. +</P> + +<P> +'Eh! but ye're grand friends to have!' he would cry to his faithful +four-legged playmates after a wild scamper over the prairie, which set +all three of them panting. 'Ye ken as much as most ordinary folk, and +ye can run faster and farther than the best man that ever lived. +Indeed, I just wish I could run about half as fast myself. It would be +a fine thing to be able to do,' and then he would take their hairy +heads between his hands, and rub his own face fondly between them. +</P> + +<P> +At Pembina, they were well received by the residents, who seemed glad +to have such an addition to their numbers, and, with their aid and +advice, they at once set about getting ready the huts or tents that +would be their only homes for many months to come. With all who could +help lending a hand, these simple habitations did not take long to put +up, and in the course of a few days, each family had their own little +dwelling, such as it was, and the whole party felt in better spirits +than they had done for many a day. +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Macrae's hut was one of the best of the little group. Taking the +Highland cottage as his model, he constructed out of sods, wood, and +canvas, the latter serving for the roof, a really snug affair with a +'butt' and a 'ben,' that gave him much satisfaction, and of which +Hector was immensely proud, as it was the only 'residence' in the camp +having two rooms. +</P> + +<P> +Shelter having thus been secured, the next thing to be taken into +account was the food question. Happily the answer to this lay right +around them. The country was rich in game. From the frisky rabbit to +the lordly buffalo, the prairie or the woods offered the hunter rich +reward for his skill and patience. +</P> + +<P> +To Hector's vast delight, his father bought a gun for him as well as +for himself. +</P> + +<P> +'Ye're a big laddie now,' said Mr. Macrae, his grave features lighting +up with a rare smile of love and pride, as he watched the boy fondling +the firearm as a mother would her baby, 'and it is right you should +learn to use the gun. Be verra careful with it, laddie, and dinna +forget that powder and bullets are very scarce, and maun na be wasted.' +</P> + +<P> +Hector, of course, promised to be as economical as possible of +ammunition, and, having thanked his father over and over again, rushed +off to show his gun to the other boys in the party. +</P> + +<P> +Naturally his first essay as a hunter was against the rabbits, that +were quite plentiful in the clumps of trees which were a feature of the +country. With Dour and Dandy bounding and barking beside him, and a +young half-breed with whom he had picked up an acquaintance as his +companion, he set off very proudly and confidently. Baptiste had +promised to guide him to the best places for the bunnies, and Hector +said confidently to his mother, as, with no small anxiety in her eye +and voice, she was warning him to be careful in handling the gun: 'To +be sure, mither, to be sure; I'll take the best o' care o' myself and +the gun, and, mither, I'll bring ye back as many rabbits as I can +carry.' +</P> + +<P> +It was a boyish boast, for he had yet to shoot his first rabbit; but +Hector had that happy quality, 'a gude conceit of himself,' and it was +a great help to him in life. +</P> + +<P> +Reaching the woods, the dogs, with the fine intelligence of their noble +race, ceased bounding and barking aimlessly, and, with lowered heads, +ran silently hither and thither seeking for game. They were not long +in picking up a brace of bunnies that gave a fine chance for a shot ere +they leaped away out of range. +</P> + +<P> +'Shoot 'em—queek!' cried Baptiste excitedly. +</P> + +<P> +Hector threw the gun to his shoulder with all speed, and pulled the +trigger without stopping to take aim. Naturally the charge of shot +buried itself harmlessly in the side of a tree, and the panic-stricken +rabbits vanished unhurt. +</P> + +<P> +'Bah!' cried Hector, in disgust at his miserable markmanship. 'I did +na touch them! Eh, Baptiste, but they're awfu' smart!' +</P> + +<P> +Baptiste, considerately doing his best to smother a smile, nodded in +assent and muttered something about trying again. +</P> + +<P> +Another chance soon came, but Hector had no better luck, and he began +to realize that shooting the long-eared, long-legged little creatures +was not so easy as he had at first imagined. Having failed for the +third time, he handed the gun, in disgust, to the half-breed, saying: +'Here, Baptiste, you try.' +</P> + +<P> +Baptiste eagerly seized the fire-arm, and the next rabbit that was +started he tumbled over neatly. Another and another was shot in quick +succession, and then, returning the gun with a grateful smile, Baptiste +said: 'Now you shoot.' +</P> + +<P> +Hector's next attempt, happily, was not a miss, and encouraged by this, +he kept on with varying success, until, between him and Baptiste, +nearly a dozen rabbits had been bowled over. Then, satisfied with +their bag, they hastened homeward to proudly exhibit the results of +their day's hunting. +</P> + +<P> +'Weel done, laddie, weel done!' exclaimed Mrs. Macrae, patting Hector +fondly. 'Ye'll be getting us mony a gude dinner, I'm thinking.' +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap09"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER IX +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +The Buffalo Hunt +</H4> + +<P> +Soon after the arrival of the Selkirk settlers at Pembina, the people +of the place set about preparing for the great fall buffalo hunt, and +they cordially invited the Scots to join them. +</P> + +<P> +The latter accepted the kind invitation eagerly, and all the men who +had a little money to spare purchased guns and ammunition from the +store-keepers. +</P> + +<P> +For days the settlement and the Scotch camp were full of bustle. +Ponies had to be provided for all the hunters, provisions prepared, as +they would be away probably for ten days or so, and a number of other +things attended to. +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Macrae, having decided to go himself, at first wanted Hector to +remain behind with his mother, but the boy pleaded so earnestly to be +taken, and the loving, self-sacrificing mother, though she dreaded some +mishap, so warmly supported his plea, that, to his abounding joy, his +father consented. +</P> + +<P> +It was an odd-looking cavalcade that set forth from Pembina on a +bright, bracing October morning. The Scotsmen looked very awkward as, +mounted upon Indian ponies, some of which were so small that the long +legs of the riders almost touched the ground, they strove to carry +their guns and keep their seats with some sort of dignity. +</P> + +<P> +The Pembina folk, whether white or half-breed, were all good riders, +and, having taken the pick of the ponies, as was only natural, looked +remarkably well, while half-a-score Indians who were to act as guides +galloped hither and thither, whooping and brandishing their guns by way +of showing off. +</P> + +<P> +Hector was delighted with the pony that fell to him, a sturdy, piebald +creature, in quite good condition and full of life, but not at all +vicious. No knight of old sallying forth in full armour could have +felt prouder than did the Scotch laddie, as, with Dour and Dandy +barking and pretending to bite the pony's nose, he took his place in +the motley procession. +</P> + +<P> +'Eh, father, but isn't this just grand!' he cried, enthusiastically, as +he cantered beside his father, whose stalwart frame looked bigger than +ever as he rode solemnly upon a steed that, assuredly, had never +carried so weighty a rider before. 'See what a fine horse I have, and +he's that good, too! Oh, but I hope we'll be sure to find the buffalo!' +</P> + +<P> +'Ye need na fash yersel', laddie,' responded Mr. Macrae, with one of +his wise, kind smiles. 'Ye'll have plenty of riding upon your little +horse, and we're likely enough to find the buffalo, for these folk ken +just where to look for them. So be patient an' ye'll have your desire.' +</P> + +<P> +They travelled for two days due west, and then made camp on a lovely +spot beside a clear flowing stream, where a clump of trees afforded +them both shade and firewood. Farther west stretched the prairie where +roamed the noble animal of whom they were in quest. +</P> + +<P> +Soon after dawn the next morning the whole camp was astir, and after a +hurried meal everybody got ready for the day's business. The weather +was all that could be wished, and spirits ran high. +</P> + +<P> +'Ye'll keep as near to me as ye can, eh, laddie?' said Mr. Macrae to +Hector. 'There'll be mony ways o' getting hurt, e'en though ye may be +careful.' +</P> + +<P> +'Yes, father, I'll try,' answered Hector promptly, but in his heart he +felt that once the chase really began his speedy pony, with only his +light weight to carry, must soon run away from the scarcely larger +animal that had his father's two hundred pounds upon his back. +</P> + +<P> +A veteran hunter, nick-named Buffalo Carter, took entire charge of the +hunt, and under his short, sharp commands the party was divided up, and +sent off in different directions. +</P> + +<P> +There were six in the party to which Mr. Macrae and Hector were +assigned, and their captain—so to speak—was a shrewd, good-humoured +half-breed, Narcisse by name, who had killed many score of buffalo in +the course of his career. He had taken a liking to Hector, and he +greatly admired Dour and Dandy, who, having vented their superfluous +spirits, were now trotting quietly along beside Hector's pony, and he +said to him in a sort of aside: 'You keep close to me, eh! <I>mon petit +ami</I>. Kill big buffalo for sure, eh!' +</P> + +<P> +Hector responded with a grateful smile. 'I will that if I can, but +your fine horse will likely run away from my pony.' +</P> + +<P> +'Non-non—that's all right,' laughed Narcisse, pleased at the +compliment to his steed. 'You keep so near me as possible.' +</P> + +<P> +The different groups of riders being about a quarter of a mile apart, +the whole party covered a pretty wide stretch of prairie, as they +steered due west at a leisurely lope. +</P> + +<P> +The leader's plan of campaign was that, on a herd of buffalo being +sighted, every effort should be made to surround it without stampeding +it, and to this end instructions had been given to the captains of each +band that not a shot should be fired until the signal was given by +Carter himself. +</P> + +<P> +On they loped over the billowy prairie, the tensity of eagerness +growing with each mile covered. Suddenly, Carter, who was a little in +advance of all the others, pulled up on the hither side of a swale, and +gave the signal agreed upon for a general halt. It passed from band to +band almost instantaneously and the hunters became as motionless as +statues. +</P> + +<P> +Carter, slipping from his horse, went forward cautiously on foot some +little distance, and then, dropping on all fours, peered over the top +of a big swale beyond which, perhaps, was the big game they sought. +</P> + +<P> +'He see 'em! Buffalo near now!' exclaimed Narcisse to Hector, as he +tightened rein and grasped his gun more firmly. 'You be ready, eh?' +Hector was too excited to do more than nod assent, as he kept his eyes +following every movement of Carter. +</P> + +<P> +The latter, evidently satisfied with his scrutiny, made haste back to +his horse, and, having remounted, by making a sort of semaphore of +himself, waving his arms in rapid fashion, signalled to the captains of +each band. +</P> + +<P> +They caught his meaning, and the next instant, all were in motion +closing in toward their leader. When they were near enough he +signalled for them to spread out in a single line, then, waving his gun +above his head as a final signal for them to do likewise, he dashed +forward at the full speed of his swift steed. +</P> + +<P> +As they swept over the swale, the buffalo came in sight—a fine herd, +numbering several hundred, grazing on the rich grass in utter +unconsciousness of the human cyclone rushing upon them. +</P> + +<P> +The wind blew from them towards the hunters, thus giving the latter, +whose ponies' hoofs made scarcely any sound upon the thick turf, the +opportunity to get quite close ere an old bull threw up his head, +caught sight of the charging cavalcade, and instantly gave vent to a +thundering bellow of warning, that caused the whole herd to cease +grazing and huddle together nervously. +</P> + +<P> +Only for a moment did they thus hesitate. Then, moving as one huge +black mass, they were off in full flight, with the hunters not a +hundred yards behind. +</P> + +<P> +Hector was amazed that such heavy, clumsy-looking creatures could get +up such speed, and his excitement rose to its highest pitch as, urging +his pony on by voice and heel, he strove to reach the rear of the +panic-stricken herd. +</P> + +<P> +Dour and Dandy, in no less a state of excitement, were already snapping +at the heels of the buffalo, and enjoying themselves immensely. +</P> + +<P> +Little by little Hector's clever pony, to which, by the way, he had +given the appropriate name of Joseph, because his coat was of many +colours, caught up to the herd, until, at last, with an extra spurt, he +charged right into it, and Hector, not altogether to his comfort, found +himself wedged in between two great shaggy animals, whose bloodshot +eyes made them look very fierce, even if they were fleeing for their +lives. +</P> + +<P> +He did his best to check the speed of his pony, pulling upon the reins +with all his might. But Joseph had got the bit in his teeth, and being +in a regular frenzy of excitement, all Hector's efforts were fruitless. +Not only so, but as the tremendous pace began to tell upon the buffalo, +and their speed slackened, Joseph, who showed no signs of tiring, made +his way deeper into the herd, until presently Hector was completely +surrounded by the huge animals. +</P> + +<P> +His situation was one of great peril, for, although the buffalo were +too intent upon flight to pay him any attention, yet if by chance his +pony were to stumble or put his foot in a gopher hole, bringing down +himself and his rider, they would both infallibly be trampled out of +all semblance of life under the hoofs of the mighty creatures. +</P> + +<P> +But not for a moment did the boy lose his wits. Holding hard to the +saddle he watched keenly for his chance of deliverance. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap10"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER X +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +Lost on the Prairie +</H4> + +<P> +Not until he had become embedded as it were in the panic-stricken mass +of buffalo did Mr. Macrae observe his son's peril. +</P> + +<P> +At almost the same moment Narcisse caught sight of the boy, and, with a +characteristic exclamation of horror, at once drove his horse into the +herd, that he might, if possible, get to Hector's side. +</P> + +<P> +'Take care! Take care!' he shouted with all his might, not recking +that his voice was utterly lost in the thunder of the countless hoofs. +'Keep hold, eh!' +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Macrae followed his example, and the two men plunged into the mob +of terrified monsters, steering as best they could for the imperilled +boy. +</P> + +<P> +Meanwhile, Hector, who had kept both his head and his seat wonderfully, +not forgetting the purpose of the whole affair, pointed his gun behind +the shoulder of a fine fat buffalo and fired. +</P> + +<P> +The muzzle of the gun was so close to the buffalo that the discharge +burned the animal's hide, and the recoil almost knocked Hector out of +his saddle. +</P> + +<P> +But the bullet found its way to the great creature's heart, and, a +moment later, down it went, to the delight of the young huntsman. The +loud report was not without effect upon the buffalo that hemmed in +Hector. They swerved off to right and left, giving him more room and +thereby enabling Narcisse and his father to reach his side. +</P> + +<P> +'Ah, laddie!' cried his father. 'I was in great fear for ye. Ye +should na have gone into such danger. Be carefu' now, for ye're not +yet out of harm's way.' +</P> + +<P> +Hector nodded gaily in reply. He was so exultant over his success that +he could think of nothing else for the moment. +</P> + +<P> +As neither Narcisse nor Mr. Macrae had yet bagged their buffalo, they +left Hector to stay beside his prize while they went on after the +fleeing herd, upon whom the tremendous pace was beginning to tell. +</P> + +<P> +The reports of the guns followed fast upon each other, as the different +members of the hunting party, choosing a fine fat cow, or a prime young +bull, brought down their victim with unerring aim. +</P> + +<P> +At last the pursuit of the herd ended, and the hunters returned to take +stock of results. These were certainly satisfactory: nearly a score of +buffalo, all in the best of condition, had been secured, and a supply +of food that would keep the whole settlement for many weeks was ensured. +</P> + +<P> +Very proud and content was Buffalo Carter, and all the other members of +the party, particularly Hector, whose buffalo was as fine a specimen as +any of the others. +</P> + +<P> +'Eh, but it was a warm, stirrin' experience,' remarked Mr. Macrae, with +emphasis. 'I never expected to see the like of it. 'Tis a wonderful +country, this, and there's a powerful lot to be learned. But I'm right +glad I've come, laddie,' he went on, laying his hand fondly upon +Hector's shoulder, 'and with the favour of God we shall yet do better +here than e'er we could in the land we left.' +</P> + +<P> +This was a good deal for him to say, but the excitement of the hunt had +for the time swept away his reserve, and he was in almost as high +spirits as Hector. +</P> + +<P> +So soon as they had rested a little, the buffalo hunters set to work to +skin the buffalo, and to cut the rich meat into long strips, which, +after being dried in the sun, were then minced as small as possible, +and so made into 'pemmican,' which was then packed away for use in the +winter. +</P> + +<P> +Of course, there was great feasting meanwhile, and the special +tit-bits, such as the tongues and the humps, were cooked and eaten with +the keenest relish. +</P> + +<P> +Dour and Dandy were so well supplied with bits of juicy steak, or +well-covered bones, that they were in danger of overfeeding, and Mr. +Macrae had to limit their allowance. +</P> + +<P> +It took several days to prepare the pemmican, and then, laden with it +and with the buffalo-skins which would at leisure be made into the +warmest of robes, the whole party moved slowly back to Pembina. +</P> + +<P> +'Eh! but I'm glad I killed one myself,' said Hector to his father as +they rode along together, 'for now I'll have a buffalo robe of my own, +and that will be fine when the winter comes, won't it, father?' +</P> + +<P> +So indeed it proved. There was many a night during the long cold +winter at Pembina, when Hector, lying snug and warm under his +buffalo-robe, had reason to be thankful for the success of his shot. +</P> + +<P> +The reception of the hunting-party at Pembina was a royal one, and the +feasting that followed was shared in by all. Then the remainder of the +meat was stored away for the winter. +</P> + +<P> +As already mentioned, Mr. Macrae had taken more pains and spent +somewhat more money upon the hut that sheltered his family, and now, +having got everything fixed to his satisfaction, with that fore-thought +which was one of his distinguishing traits, he resolved to secure a +supply of firewood for the winter. +</P> + +<P> +A fine 'bunch of timber,' as it was called locally, stood not more than +a mile away, and, hiring a horse and cart from one of the residents, +Mr. Macrae, accompanied by his whole family—for it was beautiful +weather, being the so-called Indian summer—began his attack upon the +trees. +</P> + +<P> +'I'll cut them doon, laddie,' he said to Hector, 'and ye'll chop off +the branches, and so we'll just divide the wark between us.' +</P> + +<P> +This arrangement suited Hector, and he did his part faithfully, lopping +off the branches so that the trunk itself could be cut up into suitable +lengths. +</P> + +<P> +None of the trees were large. The country is not favourable to forest +giants, and the wood was fairly soft, so that Hector's task was by no +means beyond his powers. +</P> + +<P> +The work went on steadily from day to day, and Mrs. Macrae viewed with +the approval and satisfaction of a good housewife the growing pile of +fuel that would be right at hand through the long winter. +</P> + +<P> +'Ye always were a good provider, Andrew,' she said, giving her stalwart +husband a look of ineffable love and pride. 'Nane o' yer charge will +ever want while ye're aboot.' +</P> + +<P> +From under his shaggy brows, Andrew Macrae returned the look of love +and pride; for to him there was no woman so bonnie or so wise as his +gude wife, but he pretended to make light of the compliment, saying he +was but doing his duty. +</P> + +<P> +The wood-pile at the hut had grown big enough, and they were making +their last trip to the timber. Mrs. Macrae had not accompanied them, +but little Ailie would not be left at home. She enjoyed too much the +ride out on the empty cart, and then back again, perched triumphantly +on top of the load, to lose the last chance for it. So father had to +yield to her pretty pleadings, although he would have preferred her +remaining with her mother. +</P> + +<P> +The father and son worked very hard that day, and during the afternoon +got so engrossed in the completion of their task, that they quite +forgot the little girl. +</P> + +<P> +Then, left to her own resources, Ailie, as sturdy a child for her years +as ever stepped, wandered off over the prairie in the opposite +direction to home, her little head filled with some foolish notion of +getting nearer to the sunset. +</P> + +<P> +On and on she went, forgetful of everything but the beauty of the +western sky, which had so fascinated her, and it was because her blue +eyes were intent upon this, and not upon what was under her feet, that +she did not notice the coulee, or break in the prairie, into which she +fell with a sharp cry of fright. +</P> + +<P> +Happily it was soft earth at the bottom of the coulee, and Ailie was +not injured in the least by her fall. But she was terrified beyond +measure at her situation, and screamed for her father and brother with +the full strength of her lungs. +</P> + +<P> +But, lying as she was at the bottom of the coulee, a dozen feet or more +below the surface of the prairie, her most vigorous efforts could not +have been heard many yards away. +</P> + +<P> +There the poor little lonely frightened girl wept and wailed and cried +out for her father and Hector, until at last, in sheer exhaustion, she +lapsed into a sort of stupor and knew no more. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap11"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XI +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +The Losing and Finding of Ailie +</H4> + +<P> +It was not until they had completed the day's task and the wood was all +ready to be loaded into the cart, that Mr. Macrae missed Ailie. +</P> + +<P> +Not seeing her about, he called out: +</P> + +<P> +'Ailie, Ailie, my bairnie, where are you? Come ye here noo!' +</P> + +<P> +Then, getting no response, he began to call louder and louder, and to +go this way and that among the trees, looking anxiously for the +golden-haired lassie, while Hector ran out on the prairie calling with +all his might: +</P> + +<P> +'Ailie! Ailie! come here.' Still no answer, and as the sun had set +and it was already beginning to grow dusk, the anxiety of father and +brother became intense. +</P> + +<P> +Little Ailie was lost—lost on the prairie—and in a short time night +would be upon them. Oh, what was to be done? +</P> + +<P> +After the first hurried rushing hither and thither without avail, Mr. +Macrae, realizing that it would be necessary to carry on the search on +a larger scale, called Hector to him and said: +</P> + +<P> +'We must have help. I'll go and get our friends. Ye bide here. Maybe +Ailie will come back of herself.' +</P> + +<P> +So saying, Mr. Macrae set off on foot across the prairie at a swift +pace, far faster than could have been made by the heavily-loaded cart. +</P> + +<P> +Thus left alone, Hector, in spite of himself, began to feel nervous. +Snow, the first of the year, began falling softly and silently. +</P> + +<P> +For some time Hector sat waiting, then the happy thought came to him to +set the dogs on Ailie's trail. He took from his pocket a ribbon the +child had dropped the day before, and showing it to the clever +creatures, told them to 'find Ailie.' They seemed to understand at +once what was expected of them, and set out on the vanishing, whitening +trail, Hector keeping up with them as best he might. +</P> + +<P> +Soon after this, Mr. Macrae and his party arrived, each man bearing a +lantern or torch. They were greatly dismayed to find Hector also +missing, and doubly hastened their preparations for the search. Under +Mr. Macrae's directions, the party, leaving their horses tied to the +trees, until they had first made search on foot, spread out in a long +line, ten yards or so separating each man from his neighbour, and +proceeded to make a thorough search of the prairie. +</P> + +<P> +It was a weird night, and one such as never before had been seen +there—the long line of lights bobbing about as the searchers moved +through the darkness. +</P> + +<P> +Meanwhile, Hector's search was being diligently made. Dour and Dandy +hesitated once or twice as if puzzled, but in a moment trotted on +again, and before very long they led Hector to the coulee. The excited +boy fell rather than climbed down, and made straight for a sort of +pocket in the bank where he could hear the dogs sniffing. +</P> + +<P> +And there lay Ailie! Curled up like a kitten, and so motionless that, +for a moment, Hector's heart stood still with fear. Then a quick move +forward in the dim light, and his hand was among the clustered curls, +and touching the warm, soft neck. +</P> + +<P> +Ailie was alive! hurt, perhaps, but alive, and in the greatness of his +joy the boy sent forth a shout that caused Dour and Dandy above to +break forth into an 'exposition of barking' that attracted the +attention of several of the searchers, making them wonder if the wise +dogs might not have discovered something. +</P> + +<P> +Hector picked up Ailie with the utmost tenderness. The child, aroused +from her stupor, gave a little cry of fear, then threw her arms about +her brother's neck, and burst into tears. +</P> + +<P> +He hugged, and patted, and soothed her with loving words. 'And are ye +no hurt anywhere?' he asked her, half in wonder, half in joy. 'Just to +think of it. Oh, but the good God took wonderfu' care of you. Now +just you bide there a minute, and I'll try to let them know I found ye.' +</P> + +<P> +Ailie, puzzled but obedient, stood as she was directed, and Hector +began to shout with all the vigour of his healthy young lungs. 'Hi +there! Come here! I've found her! She's not hurt.' +</P> + +<P> +The clear strong voice rose out of the coulee, and was first heard by +those who had noticed the eager barking of Dour and Dandy. 'Ah! ha!' +exclaimed one of them, Black Rory Macdonald, his shaggy face lighting +up eagerly. 'Come awa', there,'—and off he went as fast as his mighty +legs could carry him. He had no trouble in locating the dogs, and +holding his lantern over the edge of the little hollow, he at once +caught sight of Hector and Ailie. +</P> + +<P> +'The gude Lord be praised!' he cried fervently. 'The bairnie's found, +and there's nae hurt upon her.' +</P> + +<P> +His joyous shouts rapidly brought the other searchers, Mr. Macrae being +among the first to reach the spot. Without loss of time, the boy and +girl were lifted out of the coulee, to be overwhelmed with +demonstrations of delight and affection from men who ordinarily kept +their feelings very strictly under control. +</P> + +<P> +'And noo awa' tae yer mither—yer poor distracted mither,' broke in Mr. +Macrae, gathering up Ailie and starting towards the place where the +horses were tethered. With long impatient steps he swept over the +ground, and, taking the first horse he came to, put Ailie upon the +saddle before him, and galloped off for the encampment, where, with +brimming eyes and trembling lips, he placed the child in the mother's +arms, saying softly: 'Praise God, Mary, oor bairnie's given back to us.' +</P> + +<P> +The winter came soon after this, and it was well for the Highland folk +that they had at home been inured to the cold, for Jack Frost certainly +did not spare them at Pembina. +</P> + +<P> +The clear, dry atmosphere misled them at first. They would not realize +how cold it really was, until nose or cheeks were nipped. And more +than one of them had a narrow escape from being frozen to death. +</P> + +<P> +Yet, upon the whole, the winter passed quite comfortably, albeit the +question of food sometimes became a pressing one, when the hunters had +been unsuccessful for a time. +</P> + +<P> +One day, Narcisse, who took a lively interest in Hector, rushed to tell +him that a great moose had been seen in the woods to the north, and +that he was going out next day to hunt for him. He invited Hector to +go with him. +</P> + +<P> +Of course, the boy jumped at the invitation, and, his father not +objecting, for he had considerable confidence in Narcisse, arrangements +for the enterprise were made at once. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap12"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XII +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +The Moose Hunt +</H4> + +<P> +Mr. Macrae allowed Hector to take Dour and Dandy, and, as Narcisse had +two good dogs of his own, they were well provided. The only other +member of the party was Narcisse's half-brother, Baptiste, not equal to +him in intelligence and experience, but a strong and good-natured +fellow, who would take his share of work or danger. +</P> + +<P> +They took a horse apiece, not to ride, for of course they travelled on +snowshoes, but to carry their blankets, buffalo-robes, cooking gear, +etc. +</P> + +<P> +Hector was a very happy boy as he set forth on a superb winter morning +clad in the warmest of clothing, and striding along upon his +snow-shoes, in the use of which he had become quite expert. +</P> + +<P> +His mother watched with eyes in which there was anxiety as well as +admiration and love, but all she said was: 'Be verra carefu', laddie, +and do whatever Narcisse bids you.' +</P> + +<P> +They steered north-east from Pembina and travelled all day without +interruption, except for the necessary mid-day meal. +</P> + +<P> +The country now appeared to change somewhat. The deep woods had given +place to rolling prairie, broken at the sky-line by low poplar bluffs. +By nightfall they had reached the frozen marshy borders of the Roseau +River. East from its waters there stretched hundreds of miles of +spruce forest, home of the moose, caribou, and the great timber wolf. +A rough camp was quickly made, and in the morning the hunters pursued +their way again through the deep evergreens. In a short time more they +would have reached the hunting-ground, when an accident occurred, that +almost caused them to turn back empty-handed. +</P> + +<P> +Narcisse, on his snow-shoes, in stepping over a half-burned log, fell +forward, wrenching his knee so badly that on rising he could scarcely +walk. All thought of the hunt had now to be given up, but as they were +sadly retracing their steps, they espied the smoke of a tepee at the +end of a small clearing. +</P> + +<P> +A few minutes later, and to their joy they were in the broad tepee of +their former friend, Wikonaie, who was himself, at that moment, +preparing to start on a hunt. +</P> + +<P> +Failing Narcisse, nothing would have suited Hector better than to have +Wikonaie accompany them. Narcisse was left in Wikonaie's tepee in +charge of the young Indians, and the horses were also left at the camp, +as well as Narcisse's two dogs, who answered ill to orders from any one +except their master. Then the party eagerly set-out. +</P> + +<P> +The hours were passing without any sign of game, when Wikonaie gave a +cry of joy. 'See!' he cried, 'you know what that means? Eh, I will +show you a great moose soon.' +</P> + +<P> +Their eyes followed the direction of his finger, and there, plainly +printed in the snow, which was softer here, was the great footprint +which, from its size, could be no other than that of the quarry they +sought. They exchanged exclamations of surprise and delight, and then +Wikonaie, bidding them tighten their belts, for there would be no +dinner that day, gave out his plan of campaign. +</P> + +<P> +The moose was ahead of him, perhaps only a mile or two; they must push +forward with utmost speed and at the same time utmost caution. For +this purpose, Wikonaie would lead the way, Baptiste follow, and Hector +bring up the rear, keeping Dour and Dandy at heel until their services +should be required. +</P> + +<P> +Thus, in Indian file, they went on for quite another mile, when +Wikonaie, with a low exclamation of warning, suddenly sank to his +knees, at the same time pointing to something under the tree that his +sharp eyes at that moment caught. +</P> + +<P> +Coming up to him, the others imitated his attitude, and peered in the +direction indicated, until presently they also made out a great dark +mass, half-obscured by the tree-trunks, but manifestly not motionless. +</P> + +<P> +'We come up to heem behind,' said Wikonaie, in a dramatic whisper, 'not +in front, but on de side. You follow me!' +</P> + +<P> +With the infinite care of the experienced hunter, Wikonaie made his way +in a sort of semi-circle which, at the end, brought him within firing +distance of the moose, and almost straight behind him. As the wind +blew straight from the moose towards the hunters, things seemed very +much in their favour. +</P> + +<P> +'Ah, now, we must be ver' careful, ver' careful, not make no noise,' +whispered Wikonaie to his companions, who nodded eager assent. Yard by +yard they crept upon their unconscious prey. The giant creature had +struck a small bunch of particularly young and juicy trees, and he was +enjoying them to his heart's content. +</P> + +<P> +When Wikonaie deemed they were sufficiently near, he gave the signal +for them to be ready to fire. The next moment the woods rang out with +a strange wild shout, which would have startled anything in the way of +man or beast: and the moose, thus rudely interrupted in his rich +repast, flung up his head with a snort, partly of fear and partly of +defiance. +</P> + +<P> +This was the moment for which Wikonaie was waiting. 'Now fire!' he +cried, drawing the trigger of his own gun as he spoke. +</P> + +<P> +Almost as one, the three reports startled the echoes of the woods, and +the moose, suddenly wheeling round, the incarnation of fury and of +fright, was met by the two dogs, Dour and Dandy, who sprang gallantly +at him, barking and leaping for his great nose. Bewildered by this +novel attack, he thought flight the best thing, and sped off into the +woods at an amazing pace. Indeed, he went so fast that Hector, who had +fully expected to see the great creature drop instantly, began to fear +lest he might not be mortally wounded after all, and they should lose +him in the woods. Wikonaie's countenance showed no such anxiety. True +the moose had disappeared with the dogs at his heels, but he left on +the spotless snow the sure sign of a stricken animal—great splashes of +red, which told that he could not go very far. +</P> + +<P> +'We follow heem now, eh?' cried Wikonaie, rapidly reloading his gun, +the others doing the same. Off they set along the blood-marked trail, +and, about the end of a mile, Wikonaie gave a shout of joy, for there, +just ahead of him, fallen at the foot of an unusually large tree, was +their quarry, to all appearances dead. Now, for the first time, +Wikonaie showed a rashness which he had not before; for dropping his +gun, and drawing his hunting-knife, he went triumphantly up to the +fallen monarch, and waved the keen steel above his massive antlers in +token of victory. +</P> + +<P> +The next instant, with a roar of startling ferocity, the moose sprang +to his feet, hurling Wikonaie over on his back, right in front of him, +where a single stroke from one of his tremendous forelegs would have +made of the Indian a bleeding lifeless hulk. +</P> + +<P> +Fortunate indeed was the presence of the dogs, Dour and Dandy, as they, +realizing the crisis, sprang at the moose's head with utter +fearlessness, and one of them succeeded in securing a temporary hold +upon the thick neck. This bewildered the monster for a moment, and +that gave Hector an opportunity, to which the boy, all of a tremble as +he was, happily proved equal. +</P> + +<P> +To free himself from the dogs the moose tossed his head high in the +air, thereby flinging Dour to one side, but at the same time exposing +in the completest way his magnificent breast. Hardly pausing to take +aim, Hector fired, and the bullet went straight to the heart of the +noble creature. +</P> + +<P> +With a despairing bellow, almost like a great human groan, he once more +sank at the foot of the tree, this time to rise no more. +</P> + +<P> +How those three rejoiced over their great triumph, Baptiste claiming +that his first shot had been fatal; Wikonaie proud of his little +Ti-ti-pu, now a strong young brave, skilled in the chase, and a man to +be feared in war: and Hector, thankful for the opportunity which had +enabled him to save his Indian friend. +</P> + +<P> +Late as the hour was, they decided to return to Wikonaie's tepee, where +half the night was spent in extolling Ti-ti-pu's prowess and further +cementing the friendship so strangely begun. +</P> + +<P> +And not alone was Hector benefited, but Wikonaie was able to promise +that the settlers could return unmolested to their farms in the summer, +partly because of his own feeling, and partly because the North-Westers +had ceased to bribe the Indians to make trouble, and they required +little persuading to follow the leadership of Wikonaie, their chief. +</P> + +<P> +But the settlers still had a desperately hard time of it, sometimes +being reduced to no other food than the wild turnip found in great +quantities in that locality, and at the end of the second summer, +nearly all of them returned to Pembina for the winter. +</P> + +<P> +This sort of thing went on for several years, until finally, having +received further reinforcements from Lord Selkirk, they really began to +take root, and a comfortable, self-sustaining settlement grew up, which +in large part realized the hopes which had drawn them from the Old +World to the New. +</P> + +<P> +Through it all, Hector was a loyal, obedient son. He shared in all his +father's toil, did his best to brighten little Ailie's play hours, and +altogether bore himself with infinite credit. +</P> + +<P> +None of the Scotch settlers struck deeper roots into the country than +did the Macraes, but this story cannot follow them any farther. +Suffice it to say, their descendants are some of the finest men and +women, not to mention boys and girls, in the Canadian North-West. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H5 ALIGN="center"> +<I>Printed by Hasell, Watson & Viney, Ld., London and Aylesbury.</I> +</H5> + +<BR><BR><BR><BR> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Ti-Ti-Pu, by J. 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Macdonald Oxley + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Ti-Ti-Pu + A Boy of Red River + +Author: J. Macdonald Oxley + +Release Date: September 16, 2010 [EBook #33740] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TI-TI-PU *** + + + + +Produced by Al Haines + + + + + + + + + +[Illustration: Cover art] + + + + + +[Frontispiece: A BIG BLACK BEAR MADE FURIOUS EFFORTS TO SEIZE DOUR AND +DANDY. _See page 19_.] + + + + + +TI-TI-PU + +A BOY OF RED RIVER + + +BY + +J. MACDONALD OXLEY + +Author of 'Standing the Test,' etc. + + + + +TORONTO + +THE MUSSON BOOK COMPANY LIMITED + +1900 + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAP. + + I. FROM THE OLD WORLD TO THE NEW + II. AT ODDS WITH BRUIN + III. A COLD PLUNGE + IV. HECTOR ENTRAPPED + V. THE SEARCH FOR HECTOR + VI. ORDERED OFF + VII. HOW HECTOR GOT HIS NICKNAME + VIII. ON THE MOVE AGAIN + IX. THE BUFFALO HUNT + X. LOST ON THE PRAIRIE + XI. THE LOSING AND FINDING OF AILIE + XII. THE MOOSE HUNT + + + + +TI-TI-PU + +A Boy of Red River + + +CHAPTER I + +From the Old World to the New + +This is how it befell. Thomas Douglas, Earl of Selkirk, thought that a +flourishing colony right in the midst of the rich hunting-grounds of +the Hudson's Bay Company, in which he was interested, would prove no +less a benefit to the natives than an excellent thing for the +colonists. Accordingly, he busied himself in persuading a number of +his fellow-countrymen to leave their hillside farms, and, with their +families, voyage to the unknown wilds of the New World. + +Among those whose courage was equal to this enterprise was Andrew +Macrae, accompanied by his good wife, Kirstie, his sturdy son, Hector, +then just on the edge of his teens, his bonnie wee daughter, Ailie, and +his two splendid sheep dogs, Dour and Dandy. + +The dogs' names were not given them at random. They just fitted their +natures. A more serious creature than Dour surely never stood upon +four legs. He bore himself as if he were responsible, not merely for +the occupants of the sheep-cote, but also of the cottage as well. He +was never known to frisk or gambol, or to bark without due cause. + +Dandy was the very opposite, as black as a raven, save for a superb +snow-white shirt-front, which he managed to keep marvellously clean, +and a few touches of golden-brown on his shapely head. He was only a +little slighter than Dour, and as lively and frolicsome as the other +was impassive. Although not quite the equal of Dour, Dandy was an +excellent sheep dog, too, and many a cotter envied Andrew the +possession of the two fine creatures. + +Hector loved both dogs dearly, albeit he stood a trifle in awe of Dour. +The dogs were as much members of the family as Ailie and himself. He +would have shared his last bit of bannock or sup of 'parritch' with +either of them, and they fully returned his affection, each in his own +way. + +Hector was a 'braw laddie,' in very sooth. From his father, he got the +straightness and strength of body, the deftness of hand and foot, and +the rapidity of thought that made him an unquestioned leader among his +playfellows, and from his mother the light, crisp hair, the laughing +blue eyes, and the happy turn of speech that made the other boys love +as well as obey him. + +He stood in much awe of his father, who was as strict as he was just, +but his mother had his whole heart, and many a time did he go to her +for comfort, when reproved by Andrew for some little bit of +heedlessness. + +With little Ailie, a dark-eyed, dark-haired sprite, not like either +parent, to protect and pet, the Macraes made up a notably happy family +group, and were the recipients of many attentions from their fellow +passengers, on the long voyage on a slow sailing ship to the bleak +shores of Hudson's Bay. + +That voyage out proved far from being a pleasant holiday. Cooped up in +an over-loaded vessel, whose accommodation was scant at best, fed upon +pork and beef that was salter than the sea itself, and hard biscuits +that became alive with weevils ere the ship reached its destination, +all the colonists suffered more or less severely. It spoke well for +the stamina of the Macraes that they bore the privations of the passage +better than the majority, and landed at York Factory in fairly good +trim. + +'Eh, but glad I am to put my feet upon the solid ground again!' +exclaimed Andrew Macrae, with heartfelt emphasis, as he sprang out of +the boat and strode up the beach, and, in so saying, he spoke for every +one on board the vessel. + +Hector's legs wobbled under him in so absurd a fashion that he tumbled +over several times in his first attempt at running, and even Dour and +Dandy, for a little, seemed hardly to understand that they were free to +bound away in any direction they pleased. + +But presently all the colonists were landed, and, having been kindly +welcomed by the Hudson's Bay Company's employees at York Factory, made +haste to bestow themselves as best they might among the buildings of +the fort. + +The Macraes were fortunate in getting a snug room to themselves, and +there, with their two children and faithful dogs, they settled down to +await the beginning of the next stage of their long journey. + +On the following morning, Hector, accompanied by Ailie, and having Dour +and Dandy, went down to the beach, where there was much going on to +entertain them. + +The sailors were busy unloading the vessel of her very miscellaneous +cargo, comprising tea and tobacco, sugar and salt, blankets and +muskets, knives, hatchets, and all the varied articles required for +provisioning the forts, or trading with the Indians, while Indians and +half-breeds lounged near by, watching them with half-contemptuous +interest. The Hudson's Bay officials moved briskly about, giving sharp +orders, and, in and among them everywhere, were dogs of all ages and +sizes, but alike in resembling wolves or foxes, for the Huskie breed +was predominant. + +The sheep dogs made no attempt to find favour with the others. On the +contrary, they kept close to Hector, their gleaming eyes, curling lips, +and bristling necks expressing in the clearest way what they thought of +their new acquaintances. The latter were not long in showing their +feelings in the matter. No sooner did the collies draw near them than +they rushed to meet them, snarling and growling so ferociously that +Hector began to feel a little alarmed, while Ailie shrank closer to +him, clasping his hand tightly in hers, and murmuring: 'I'm frightened. +They'll bite us.' 'They won't dare to,' responded Hector bravely, +albeit his heart was thumping at a lively rate. 'I'll drive them off +with my stick,' and he flourished gallantly a slender cudgel that he +had picked up at the gate of the fort. + +But the graceless Huskies had small respect for a stick when not in the +hands of a man, and they closed in about the little group in a very +menacing way. At last they got so close that Dour and Dandy, in their +love and loyalty to the two children, could restrain themselves no +longer, and, at the same moment, they flew at the throats of the two +foremost assailants. + +Instantly, there was a terrific uproar, the dogs barking and wrangling +furiously, Hector shouting: 'Away, you brutes!' while he laid his stick +stoutly upon the backs and heads of the Huskies, and poor little Ailie +shrieked pitifully at what she believed to be the imminent peril of all +four. + +The collies fought superbly. Fearfully outnumbered as they were, their +superior sagacity and speed of movement for a while enabled them to +hold their own. Keeping close together in front of the children, they +struck to right and left with their keen white fangs, slashing the +Huskies on head and shoulder, so that one after another slunk away, +howling dolefully. + +But for each one thus driven off, two others rushed to the attack, and, +in spite of the splendid play Hector made with his stick, at the risk +of being badly bitten himself, the issue must have gone hard against +the gallant collies, for the Huskies would not have stopped until they +had torn them to pieces. But, in the nick of time, a stalwart figure +came charging down the beach with mighty strides. + +Into the thick of the melee plunged Andrew Macrae, using, with +unsparing energy, not only his heavily booted feet, but his tightly +clenched fists. On this side and that fell his tremendous blows, and +every one meant a disabled or disheartened dog, until, presently, the +whole pack had fled out of reach, and the wrathful Scotsman stood +panting but triumphant, Ailie clinging sobbingly to one knee, and +Hector standing breathless at the other, while Dour and Dandy, after a +brief greeting, made haste to take stock of themselves, and see what +damage they had suffered at the teeth of the evil-tempered Huskies. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +At Odds with Bruin + +'Ech, bairns!' exclaimed Andrew, putting a calming hand upon the head +of each of the agitated children, 'but they're an ill lot of curs to +set upon ye in that unmannerly fashion. I'm richt glad I heard the row +they were making, and thocht that maybe Dour and Dandy might be glad o' +my help. I'm sore mistaken if those snarling beasts,' and he indicated +with a sweep of his hand the Huskies now hovering at a respectful +distance, 'will be ettlin' to feel my foot verra soon. They're nae +fules, though they don't know how to be decent to strangers.' + +By this time Ailie's tears were stayed, and Hector had recovered his +wind, so they continued along the beach, the collies keeping close to +Andrew's heels, giving vent to triumphant little growls whenever a +Huskie ventured within earshot. + +As the sailing vessel had to lie out in the deep water, her cargo was +being brought ashore in big boats, with high bows and sterns that could +each carry a wonderful load. The process of discharging interested all +the little party, and they were standing watching it, when one of their +fellow-travellers came up, and, pointing to the boats, said: 'It's in +those barkies that we're going to the Red River. I canna say I like +the look of them ower much. They're right clumsy things, in my +opinion.' + +Before Andrew could make reply, Hector broke in with an eager 'Oh, are +we truly going on those boats? Eh, but that will be fine!--won't it, +Ailie?' And he gave his sister a hearty hug, just by way of expressing +his joy. + +His father smiled with grave indulgence. 'I would think ye'd had mair +than enough of the water for a spell, laddie. I wonder ye're so eager +to take to it again.' + +'Eh, but that was in a big ship, father,' responded Hector, defending +himself, 'and a boat will be different, and we will go along the river +instead of on the ocean.' + +'We'll see, we'll see,' said Andrew, sagely, 'the river may not be sae +guid to us as you think.' + +As the season was slipping by, and as it was important for the settlers +to reach their destination in good time before the long winter came, +the preparations for the remainder of the journey were hurried as much +as possible. + +Yet there seemed so much to be done, that September was at hand ere the +little brigade of 'York boats,' with their precious freight of humanity +and goods, hoisted their big sails, and moved slowly off up the river, +amid a parting volley of cheers and good wishes from the people of York +Factory, many of whom would have been glad enough to accompany them. + +Hector was in the highest spirits. This method of travelling was +altogether to his liking: no longer the cramping confinement of the +sailing-ship, but the freedom of the roomy boat; no more tumbling about +among the rude billows, but smooth gliding on the bosom of the river; +no dreary waste of chill, gray water, but on either hand the +well-wooded banks glowed with varied colour, the light yellow of the +fading poplar contrasting with the dark evergreen of the spruce, while +the willows of an intermediate hue seemed to shade the two tints into +each other. Here and there the bright purple of the dogwood, the +sombre brown of the dwarf birch, and the gay yellow of the shrubby +cinquefoil gave richer notes of colour, while, to the keen-eyed, +restless boy, there was ever the hope of some wild animal--a fox, a +deer, or perhaps even a bear--being sighted as they advanced. + +It was not all plain sailing, however. In some places, the current was +so strong that it became necessary to resort to tracking. Only the +women and children remained in the boat, while the men, taking hold of +a line fastened to the foot of the mast, tugged and toiled along the +river bank, one-half their number working at a time, and then being +relieved by the other; thus dragging the clumsy craft forward at the +rate of about two miles an hour. + +Andrew Macrae did not shirk his share of the hard work, but of course +Hector was not expected to join the trackers, and so, accompanied by +Dour and Dandy, he scampered freely along the top of the bank, being +bidden by his father not to roam out of sight. + +For some time he obeyed this injunction implicitly. But, on towards +mid-day, the collies caught a glimpse of something that caused them to +dart off into the woods, barking furiously. Carried away by +excitement, Hector followed them, running at top speed straight away +from the river. + +He could easily hear the dogs when he could not see them, and so, +recking nothing of what might happen, he raced after them, until +presently the change in their barking announced that whatever animal it +was they had been chasing, they had brought it to bay. + +A moment later, he came out into a little glade at the farther side of +which a big black bear stood upon its hind legs, in front of a great +tree, and made furious efforts to seize Dour and Dandy with its +forepaws, or to deal them such buffets that they would never bark again. + +It was a thrilling spectacle for the most experienced hunter, but for +Hector, who had never seen any kind of a bear before, and whose +generous heart was at once filled with anxiety for the dogs that were +so dear to him, it simply made him forget himself entirely. + +Rushing forward, he shouted: 'Leave them alone, you brute! Don't you +hurt my dogs!' + +Considering that the dogs must have started the row, by finding the +bear in the first instance, this was rather unfair to Bruin. But +Hector had no thought for the exact justice of the case. His one +concern was for the dogs. + +He had picked up a stout stick in the course of his ramble, and this he +now swung above his head in threatening fashion, little knowing that, +if he should venture within striking distance, the bear would not only +parry his blow, but knock his ineffective cudgel out of his grasp as +easily as though it were a feather. + +Still shouting he hardly knew what, the fearless boy ran right up to +the combatant and, so engrossed was Bruin with his two lively +assailants, that he did not notice his coming until he was within a +couple of paces of him. + +Then he caught sight of his two-legged enemy, stared at him for a +moment with manifest amazement, let forth an ominous growl, and, +dropping upon all fours, made straight for him with open mouth. + +Well was it for Hector that Dour and Dandy were not less strong than +they were active and brave. They sprang upon the bear, one at either +side of his head, and before he could shake himself free, Hector, not +needing to be told that his only safety was in flight, had darted off +at the top of his speed in the direction of the river. + +In hot pursuit, the bear followed, with the dauntless dogs hanging to +his flanks and greatly impeding his movements. Otherwise, clumsy +creature though he seemed, he would soon have overhauled his quarry. + +Happily, Hector was no less sure than he was swift of foot. There are +few smooth places in the Highlands, and he had learned to race over the +roughest ground without a stumble. + +On he went, exulting in his own speed, even though deeply concerned for +his own safety, and after him lumbered the bear, as fast as the +faithful dogs would suffer him to move. Yet, hindered and harried as +he was, Bruin steadily gained on the boy, as the latter could not help +noticing. 'I maun climb a tree!' he panted. 'The creature will na get +me there. Eh, that's a grand tree yonder. I'll rin for it.' + +Changing his course slightly, Hector made for a stately pine that held +out welcoming branches at a friendly height from the ground. If he +could reach it and spring into them, he would be able to laugh at his +fierce pursuer's futile efforts to reach him. Summoning all his fast +waning strength for a supreme effort, he dashed towards the tree. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +A Cold Plunge + +Hector had all but reached the pine. In fact, one more stride would +have brought him to its trunk, when his right foot slipped upon one of +the outspreading roots, hidden under a carpet of smooth brown needles, +and he pitched forward, narrowly escaping striking his head against the +massive trunk. + +He was little hurt by the fall, but he was very much dazed, and the +bear might have had him in its deadly hug ere he could have recovered +himself, had not a new actor appeared upon the scene. The boats had +come to a halt to rest the men just about the time that Hector ran off +after the dogs, and Andrew Macrae, noting the boy's disappearance, +snatched up a gun and climbed the river-bank to see what had become of +him. + +'He's na here,' he exclaimed in surprise, as he stood looking all about +him. 'Where can the feckless bairn ha' gone to?' + +Just then his keen ears, trained not to miss the slightest sound, +caught faintly the sharp barking of the two dogs. 'Eh! eh!' he +muttered. 'They've started up some creature--maybe a squirrel or the +like. I'll just run and see what they're doing.' + +So, gun in hand, he set off at a long easy lope that was little slower +than a horse's trot. As the barking came more strongly to his ears, he +realized that something serious was taking place, and quickened his +pace, until he had reached the limit of his powers. + +But a few minutes of such exertion were required to bring him to the +scene of action, and swinging around the pine tree, he arrived at the +very crisis of his son's peril. + +Throwing the gun to his shoulder, and not waiting to take careful aim, +he fired just as the great black brute reared to strike at Hector. The +whole charge of heavy buckshot took effect full in the bear's breast, +and down he pitched almost upon Hector, but incapable of further harm. + +Mr. Macrae's feelings were so mixed that he hardly knew how to express +himself. He had been angry with Hector for straying away from the +river-bank, but now he was naturally hugely proud of his own success as +a bear killer, and this rose superior to his anger. Raising Hector to +his feet, he said, mildly enough: 'Ye didna heed ma word, laddie,' and +then added with swelling voice, 'eh, but it's a grand creature! Rin +now to the boat, and tell the men to come and help me with it. I canna +carry it back alone.' + +Relieved beyond expression at his escape from the bear, and from his +father's deserved reproof, Hector darted off, and presently returned +with several of the men, who were all greatly interested in the big +game Andrew Macrae had bagged. + +Andrew was anxious that his 'gude wife' should see his noble prize, +before it was skinned, and so he persuaded the men to help him take it +down to the river. + +The little party made quite a triumphal procession, with Hector proudly +leading the way, the four strong men bending beneath the weight of +their trophy, and the two dogs frisking and barking about them, +evidently quite aware of the important part they had played in the +business. + +Of course, Hector's mother both scolded and coddled him, and little +Ailie gazed with startled eyes at the motionless monster, and Dour and +Dandy came in for unlimited praise and patting, which they accepted +with their wonted dignity. Among the boatmen were those who knew +exactly what to do with the bear, which was in superb condition, and +the splendid skin having been carefully removed, the best part of the +meat was saved to provide juicy steaks and cutlets for the travellers' +table. + +From the Hayes River, the boats turned into the Stool, and then into +the Fox River, and later into the Hill River, which was the most rapid +of all, and very difficult to work up against its opposing currents. + +One of the worst places was Rock Portage, where the river, pent in by a +range of small islands, formed several cascades, none of which could be +ascended by the laden boats. It was, therefore, necessary to take out +all the cargo, portage it across one of the islands, and then, by dint +of tremendous toil, drag the big boat across the island, and launch it +again above the cascade. + +This sort of thing went on day after day, until at last, to the +infinite relief of the tired toilers, they reached Oxford House, an +important post of the Hudson's Bay Company, where a rest of several +days was allowed for them to recuperate. + +During all this toilsome progress, Hector never had a dull moment. He +helped whenever he could, and when not required for this, found plenty +to occupy his attention. He was the best of brothers to Ailie, taking +her to play upon the bank, picking flowers for her, and pointing out +the birds in the trees, and the tiny creatures that rustled through the +dry grass. Often his mother would join in these little rambles, and +then Hector's happiness was complete. He felt himself the man of the +party, and assumed an air of importance that greatly tickled his +shrewd, fond mother. + +The halt at Oxford House was enjoyed by everybody. Here both ducks and +trout were to be had in plenty and most of the men went either shooting +or fishing. Andrew Macrae preferred the former, and, having succeeded +in securing the loan of a canoe, with a half-breed to paddle it, took +Hector off with him for a day's sport. + +The weather was favourable, and Cross-Eye, the half-breed, who got the +name from his eyes being on the bias, promised them plenty of ducks. +They paddled up the lake for several miles until they came to a kind of +enclosed bay, whose shores were lined with a thick growth of underbrush. + +'In there we go,' said Cross-Eye, in his queer guttural tone, and the +canoe was directed to a good landing-place. 'Hide him,' grunted the +half-breed, and the light craft was lifted out of the water, and +concealed among the trees. + +They next proceeded to put themselves out of sight, there to patiently +wait the appearance of the ducks. Mr. Macrae and Cross-Eye settled +down comfortably. Not so Hector. He had absolutely nothing to do but +search the sky for the black specks that would grow into the toothsome +birds they sought, and, as none of these were visible, he naturally +grew restless. He fired questions at Cross-Eye, in spite of the +taciturn half-breed's surly responses, and he bothered his father with +proposals to do this or that, none of which were approved. + +At last he gave a cry of delight, at the same moment that Cross-Eye +grunted in a relieved way. Far to the west, a thin black line showed +faintly above the horizon, and rapidly grew more distinct. The ducks +were coming at last. + +Crouching close to the ground, and hardly breathing in their +excitement, the three hunters awaited their approach. When the orderly +array of winged _voyageurs_ had come within reach of the sound, +Cross-Eye proceeded to imitate their cries with a marvellous fidelity. + +Hector was amazed at the sounds which issued from him. They were so +perfectly bird-like. + +Instead of flying over, the ducks hesitated, returned the cries that +attracted their attention, and then, with much flapping of wings, +dropped down upon the still surface of the little bay, right in front +of their hidden enemy. The moment they were well within range, at a +signal from Cross-Eye, the report of two guns rang out like one, and +two ducks gave their last quack. + +With wonderful quickness the half-breed had the canoe launched, but +Hector was no less quick in springing into it, and off they went after +the birds. A few powerful strokes brought them to where they lay upon +the water. + +'You get them,' grunted Cross-Eye, as he held the canoe steady, and +Hector leaned over the side to pick up the ducks. It was not a +difficult thing to do, but the sudden excitement after the wearisome +waiting had flustered him. He was so eager to do his share of the work +that he overdid it, and upset the canoe, throwing the half-breed and +himself into the water. + +Now there was nothing of the hero in Cross-Eye. He was both angry with +Hector for his awkwardness, and alarmed about his own safety. So, +without one thought of the boy, he made for the shore as fast as he +could, in spite of Mr. Macrae's indignant appeals to him to help Hector. + +As for the latter, he had not been born and bred beside a Scottish loch +without learning to swim. Indeed, neither Dour nor Dandy could get +faster through the water. But the ice-cold lake into which he had been +so suddenly plunged was a different thing from the sunny loch in +summer-time. + +Before he had taken a dozen strokes towards the shore, the deadly chill +laid hold upon him, and numbed his arms and legs until he could scarce +keep his head above water. Indeed it did go under once, the water +smothering the cry for help that his peril had wrung from him, ere his +father, throwing off his coat, plunged in to his rescue. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +Hector Entrapped + +Before Mr. Macrae had reached Hector, he, too, felt the paralysing +effect of the glacial water. But he was a man of enormous strength, +and, wallowing through it like a whale, grasped the boy firmly with his +left hand, while he struck out for the canoe, which rocked upon the +water in supreme indifference to their struggles for life. + +'Keep up, laddie, keep up,' he panted. 'I'll get ye safe ashore.' +Reaching the canoe, he drew down the side until Hector could seize it +with his stiffening hands. 'Noo, then, laddie, ye'll just haud on +there, and I'll push the thing to the land.' + +Hector held on with the strength that his terror gave him, and Mr. +Macrae, grasping the canoe at the other side, pushed it through the +water with all his might. + +In this fashion they made the shore, where Cross-Eye stood shivering +and glowering at them. Mr. Macrae's first impulse was to warm his skin +pretty thoroughly for his cowardly desertion of the boy. But before +his hand fell, he checked himself, saying: 'Ye feckless loon!--ye ken +nae better, nae doubt. Yer only thought was for yer ainsel'. Well, +we'll say nae mair. Come, let's make a fire and dry our things.' + +The half-breed, who had evidently expected some rough usage, looked +immensely relieved at the quick turn of affairs, and set himself to the +building of a big blaze, with such skill and energy, that the chilled +duck-hunters were presently basking in its welcome warmth. + +As soon as their clothes were dried, they recovered the ducks, which +were still floating on the water, and then hid themselves to await +another flock. Their patience was rewarded by the securing of some +half-dozen more. Then, feeling well content with the day's bag, they +paddled back to Oxford House. + +A few days later, the boats resumed their journey, crossing Holey Lake, +ascending a little river to Hell Gate--a very difficult place to +pass--and so on by way of Echenamis, and Sea River, and across the Play +Green Lakes, to Norway House at the north end of Lake Winnipeg. + +Here all difficulties with rocks and rapids ended--the exhausting +labours of the portage were over. With broad sails hoisted to the +wind, the big boats ploughed through the turbid waters of the shallow +lake, traversing it from north to south, and without any mishap, +reached the end of their voyage. The colonists, heartily weary of +being cooped up in the boats so long, were only too glad to be put out +upon the solid land. + +They were now actually in the Red River country, for which they had +ventured so much, and it was with eager, anxious eyes that they looked +about them. + +The Red River itself constituted the central feature of the landscape. +Having its source in the elevated land some hundreds of miles away, it +flowed in a muddy, sluggish fashion into Lake Winnipeg. On its west +side the country was one boundless level plain of rich, deep loam, +whose fertility would presently amaze the newcomers, accustomed to the +grudging, niggardly soil of their native land. On the east the scene +was more varied with hill and dale, and skirted at no great distance by +what were called the pine hills, covered with timber, and running +parallel to the river all the way. + +'The gude God be thankit!' ejaculated Andrew Macrae, as his keen gray +eyes surveyed the fair prospect, all glowing beneath the splendour of +an unclouded sky, and, removing his bonnet, he offered a brief yet +fervent thanksgiving. 'Eh! but it's a fine land!' he continued. 'Why, +ye scarce can see a stane on it, and where there are sae mony flowers, +there'll be nae lack o' fat crops in the comin' year.' + +Thus speaking, Andrew gave voice to the first impression of all the +men, while the women, with glad eyes, noted the soft beauty of the +country, and said to one another that it was a bonnie place, and they +were glad they had come to it. + +As for the children, they could hardly contain themselves. The thick, +soft grass in which they could roll and tumble without let or hindrance +was a pure delight to them. Oh, what a romp they and the dogs did +have! and how heartily Hector and Ailie entered into the merriment! + +There were somewhat primitive carts to carry the heavy baggage, but the +colonists all had to walk; and it was, consequently, at no hurried rate +of progress, that they moved southward to their final destination. + +It was in the beginning of October that the weary, travel-worn +colonists, with their families and possessions, reached the tract of +land beside the Red River which their lordly patron had selected for +their settlement. + +Their very first proceeding was to gather together and offer thanks to +God, for His providential care of them through all the perils of the +long journey. Never before had the clear sweet air of the prairie been +stirred by the strains of sacred song, and, as the solemn beautiful +music of the Psalms rose heavenward, there hurried to the wondrous +novelty a motley crowd of fur hunters, half-breeds, and Indians, who +remained to listen in gaping curiosity, if not in reverent +appreciation, to Andrew Macrae's dignified reading from 'the Book,' and +to the lengthy prayers that followed from other men of the party. + +The instant the praise service was concluded, Hector, accompanied by +Dour and Dandy, started out to inspect their new home. The boy was in +high spirits, which his four-footed friends shared. At least, Dandy +did, for he frisked and barked with great vim, thereby attracting the +attention of the suspicious, snarling curs that belonged to the +residents, who had never seen so handsome a member of their race +before. Dour bore himself with more dignity, yet it was evident that +he understood that they had arrived at the end of their tiresome +travelling, and that he rejoiced thereat. + +Naturally Hector turned his steps towards the fort, which was the most +conspicuous feature of the scene. This did not belong to the Hudson's +Bay Company, but to their bitter rivals, the North-West Fur Company, +and, had the boy only known, was the stronghold of those who were to +give the settlers many miserable days. + +It was not a very imposing affair, simply a stout stockade in the form +of a square, having one gate protected by short towers, and enclosing a +cluster of buildings, only one storey in height, built in the same +rough fashion. + +Hector, drawing near the gate, which stood wide open, looked curiously +in. The whole thing was entirely novel to him, and, boy-like, he +greatly longed to understand it. Dour and Dandy, feeling ill at ease +now, kept very close to him. They did not altogether like the look of +things, and would have preferred retracing their steps, but of course +they had not the slightest notion of deserting their young master. + +As Hector stood hesitating, a young man, coming from the interior, +beckoned to him in a friendly fashion, saying: 'You want come in. All +right, you come.' He was clearly a half-breed, and had a dark, evil +face that was far from prepossessing. + +Hector instinctively disliked him, but could not very well refuse his +invitation, even though the shrewd collies sniffed so suspiciously at +his legs that the fellow shrank away lest they should bite him. 'Nice +place, eh?' he asked, with a sly ingratiating smile. 'Plenty good furs +in there,' and he pointed, with a very dirty finger, to the largest of +the buildings. 'You stranger, yes? Come I show you the store.' + +Hector had a premonition of trouble, but was not sufficiently +strong-minded to beat a retreat, as he should have done. The +half-breed certainly seemed courteous, even if the expression of his +face were sinister. + +Following his guide, the lad entered the trade-house, which contained +the goods used in bartering with the Indians for their furs, and was +astonished at the quantity and variety of the stock displayed. Here +were guns, pistols, knives, hatchets, blankets, shirts, caps, mitts, +tobacco, tea, sugar, smoked and salted meats, handkerchiefs, sashes, +snowshoes, moccasins, coats and trousers, and so on, piled upon the +floor according to a rude, but no doubt effective system. + +'Plenty goods here, eh?' said the half breed, with a crafty leer, as if +his object were to arouse the boy's envy. 'Company very rich--very +strong--have many forts all about'--and with a sweep of his arms he +indicated a wide stretch of territory. Hector certainly was much +impressed by what he saw, and felt free to say so, whereat his guide +seemed much gratified. + +'Come now see furs--oh! fine furs!' he cried, and, taking hold of +Hector's arm, led him off to another building, even more solidly built +than the trade-house. A single door was both the means of admittance +and of lighting the place. Inside were ranged bales of furs, the pelts +of marten, mink, otter, bear, fox, wolf, and beaver, which had been +trapped by Indians and half-breeds in far-away places, and brought in +to exchange for the goods they coveted. + +Some of the skins were loose, and the half-breed drew Hector's +attention to a particularly fine blue fox, which he explained was worth +'heap money.' Hector was examining this, passing his hand over the +soft, rich fur, when suddenly he was tripped and thrown upon the floor +by his scoundrelly guide, who, before the boy could regain his feet, +dashed out of the door and slammed it shut, setting the great bar +across it. + +In perfect darkness and bewilderment, Hector picked himself up. Can +you blame the poor lad if his first feeling was something very like +panic-stricken terror? He had been taken so completely by surprise, +and felt so utterly helpless. Through the thick door, he could hear +the angry barking of Dour and Dandy, who were evidently defending +themselves against assailants of some kind, and he shouted with all his +might: 'Help! Help! Let me out! Let me out!' + + + + +CHAPTER V + +The Search for Hector + +Again and again Hector cried out for help and deliverance from his +prison, but, even had there been any one near, they could hardly have +heard him through the thick walls and solid door of the fur-house. + +Pressing his ear against the join of the door, he heard the fierce +barking of the collies growing fainter and fainter, until presently he +heard it no more. Evidently they had been dragged off by the +half-breed, and confined somewhere. + +The truth of the matter was that, to the dogs, Hector owed the alarming +situation in which he found himself. While he hung about the gate of +the fort, the half-breed had noticed the splendid creatures, and, at +once coveting them, set about getting them into his possession. +Extraordinary as his conduct may seem, the subsequent experiences of +the settlers showed only too clearly that he really was not running any +great risk of trouble to himself. + +The faithful collies, knowing that their young master was shut up in +the fur-house, stayed close at the door, and this enabled the rascally +half-breed, with the aid of another whom he called upon, to fasten +thongs around their necks, and to drag them off, in spite of their +frantic opposition. + +Hector shouted and kicked at the door, until, at last, exhausted and +despairing, he threw himself down among the furs, and burst into futile +tears. + +'What are they going to do to me?' he sobbed. 'Oh, I wish I'd never +gone near the fort! How can father find out where I am?' + +How, indeed, was the question. Mr. Macrae had many things to engross +his attention, and Mrs. Macrae was so used to Hector's roaming about on +his own account, that she would not be apt to miss him until sundown. +As it fell out, it was from a most unlooked-for source that the clue +came. Having made the best arrangements they could for shelter, and +these were very scant at best, the settlers gathered together for their +evening meal. Then did the mother-heart of Mrs. Macrae begin to feel +concerned for her son. 'Where is Hector?' she asked her husband. 'I +have na seen him these many hours. Was he no with you?' + +'He was no with me at all,' answered Mr. Macrae, turning his keen +glance in every direction. 'He went aff with the twa dogs a gude while +ago, and I didna see just which way he went.' + +'God grant he's na got into any harm!' sighed Mrs. Macrae. ''Tis a +strange place this, and there's na tellin' what may happen to the +laddie.' + +'Oh, he's a' richt,' responded her husband, cheerfully. 'He'll be +wanting his bannocks, and that'll bring him back soon.' + +But when night fell, and still no sign of Hector, the Macraes grew very +anxious. Andrew set out to make enquiries, and went through the party +of settlers, asking if any of them had seen the boy since mid-day. +Several of them had noticed him strolling about, accompanied by the +dogs, but no one could say definitely in what direction he had gone. + +When the mystery was at its height, and the whole party was aroused to +concern for the missing boy, suddenly Dour appeared, and rushed up to +Mr. Macrae, barking joyfully. The remains of a raw-hide thong, which +he had bitten through close to his body, hung about his neck, and, with +all the means of expression at the command of the most sagacious of his +kind, he strove to tell his story. + +'Gude dog! Gude dog!' murmured Mr. Macrae, patting the clever creature +fondly. 'There's been ill wark, nae doot. Come with me, friends, an' +we'll sift it to the verra bottom.' + +Slipping pistols into their pockets, for there was no telling what +might happen, half-a-dozen of the men signified their readiness to +accompany Mr. Macrae in the search for his son. They were stalwart, +stern-looking men, with shaggy faces, and piercing, fearless eyes--not +the men to be trifled with by any one, and now deeply intent upon their +purpose, for their hearts beat in sympathy for the anxious father and +mother. + +'Lead on, Dour, gude dog,' said Andrew; 'ye dootless ken the way. +We'll keep close ahind ye.' + +The intelligent animal, fully grasping his master's meaning, set off at +once straight for the fort, the men following at a rapid jog-trot, in +order not to be left behind. When they arrived at the fort they found +the gate closed, but, as Dour was insistent about entering, Mr. Macrae +did not hesitate to rap loud and long upon the stout timber with the +butt of his pistol. + +For some time there was no response, for although those inside had not +yet gone to bed, they were all so engrossed in drinking, smoking, +talking, or gambling that they did not hear him. At last a rough voice +was heard demanding in a surly tone: 'What do you want? Who are you?' + +'I want to see the Governor of the Fort,' replied Mr. Macrae, in a tone +that had no uncertain sound about it. + +'He no see you now. He busy,' was the growling reply, as the speaker +turned to go away. + +'But I maun see him, and that richt awa,' retorted Mr. Macrae, and at +his signal the whole party fell to smiting the gate with their heavy +pistol butts. This thundering tattoo evidently impressed the man +inside, for he came back to the gate, and, in a slow, sulky fashion, +proceeded to unfasten the stout bars that held it. Opening it a couple +of inches, he peered suspiciously at the importunate callers, but the +latter gave him no time to scrutinize them; for, led by Mr. Macrae, +they threw themselves upon the heavy gate, forced it wide open, and +charged through ere the bewildered Metis realized their purpose. + +There was no difficulty in distinguishing the factor's residence, for +it fairly blazed with light, and thither the group of stern, stalwart +men directed their steps, Dour, satisfied that they knew what they were +about, keeping close at his master's heels. + +The door of the house stood wide open, but Mr. Macrae did not attempt +to enter without first rapping in a proper manner. His summons brought +out a young lad, evidently from Scotland, who showed a very different +spirit from the surly half-breed at the gate. 'Ye wad hae a word wi' +the Governor, eh?' he asked, with a pleasant smile. 'Just bide ye +there, an' I'll gie him yer message.' + +He disappeared into the room at the right, and Mr. Macrae prepared +himself to address the important official he had asked for. But he was +not to have that privilege in a hurry. The minutes went by without the +Governor appearing, or the young Scotsman returning, and, in rising +wrath, Andrew Macrae was just about to knock on the inside door, when +suddenly it opened, and there stood before him a thick-set, +shaggy-haired personage, whose deeply flushed features showed that he +had been dining not wisely but too well. 'What is it?' he demanded +brusquely. 'Why do you bother me now? Why can't you wait until the +morning?' + +In a firm, yet respectful, tone, Hector's father stated the reason of +his coming. 'Tut! Tut!' growled the man. 'I can't attend to that +to-night. Come back to-morrow,' and he was about to close the door, +when Mr. Macrae, with a quick movement, thrust his foot against it, and +at the same moment he laid his hand firmly upon the factor's arm. + +'It's ma ain bairn I'm seeking, and I shall na leave here until I find +him.' As he spoke, his companions pressed close behind him, shoulder +to shoulder. + +The factor's bloodshot eyes went from one stern, intent face to +another. Manifestly, these were not men to be trifled with. Obscured +by strong drink as his brain was, enough sense remained to understand +that. With an oath he flung the door open, and said sneeringly: 'Do ye +expect to find him in here?' + +Through the cloud of tobacco smoke that filled the room, Mr. Macrae saw +several men sitting at the table with glasses before them. + +'Surely not;' he replied, an accent of fine scorn in his deep voice. +'But with your permission, I'll search the fort.' + +'Do so, and----' here followed rough words, but Andrew, having gained +his point, took no notice of the man's gross rudeness. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +Ordered Off + +'Come awa', men,' he said to his companions. 'We'll na give o'er till +we've searched the place throughout. Lead awa', Dour, gude dog.' + +The clever collie needed no second bidding. He had been very +impatiently awaiting the conclusion of the colloquy at the factor's, +and now bounded across the open space between the different buildings, +making straight for the fur-house. + +By this time, several of the inmates of the fort had gathered, curious +as to what was up, and, had Mr. Macrae been alone, their sinister looks +might well have made him anxious concerning his own safety. + +But his only thought was for Hector, and the grave, sinewy men by his +side, though few in numbers, were not the kind to invite hasty attack; +so, paying no heed to threatening looks or menacing utterances, the +little party reached the door of the fur-house. + +Upon this, Mr. Macrae struck hard with his pistol-butt, calling out: +'Hector, laddie, are ye there?' + +Instantly there came back from the interior a muffled cry of joy, and +the faint words: 'Father! oh, father! is that you?' + +There was a stout padlock fastening the door, but Mr. Macrae quickly +prised this off, and tore the door open. Out of the interior darkness +rushed Hector and flung himself, half-sobbing, into his father's arms. + +Andrew returned the embrace warmly, and then asked in a tone of +surprise and concern: 'Was no' Dandy with you?' + +'Why no, father!' replied Hector. 'The man that shut me up took both +Dour and Dandy away with him.' + +'Then we maun find the dog,' was the resolute rejoinder. 'Here, Dour, +gude dog, call Dandy.' Without a moment's hesitation, the well-trained +creature poured forth a volley of barks that meant as plainly as +possible, 'Dandy, where are you? Tell us.' + +'Now listen, friends, for the answer,' said Mr. Macrae, with a grim +smile. + +There was no doubt about the response, for out of the surrounding gloom +burst a chorus of canine music that fairly made the welkin ring, and +how Dandy's particular contribution could be distinguished seemed a +hopeless problem. + +But Mr. Macrae waited silently until the commotion had somewhat +subsided, and then, pointing to the northern end of the enclosure, said +confidently: 'There's whaur they've got Dandy.' + +Dour evidently approved of their going thither, and presently, turning +the corner of one of the most remote buildings, they found the object +of their search, half-strangled in his frantic efforts to break the +thong that held him fast. + +'God be thanked--we've found all three, and they're nane the waur of +it,' said Mr. Macrae, in a tone of fervent gratitude; and then, his +voice changing to righteous indignation, 'by the morn we'll find out +why this was done to ma laddie, and who did it.' + +With the morn, however, came strange and startling events, that caused +Hector's peculiar experience to be entirely forgotten. To understand +these aright, a little explanation is necessary. Although the great +Hudson's Bay Company claimed full ownership of the North-West, their +right to this vast wilderness was vigorously disputed by a company +formed in Lower Canada and called the North-West Fur Company. The +rivalry between the two companies for control of the fur-trade was +intense and unscrupulous. They resorted to all sorts of stratagems to +injure each other, and wherever one built a fort, the other soon +established a second within sight. Often their employees, made wild +with strong drink, broke out into open violence and many lives were +lost, and a number of forts sacked and burned in the course of the +bitter struggle. + +Now, the Nor-Westers, as they were called for short, regarded the +advent of the Scotch folk with lively animosity. They suspected it to +be a shrewd device of their rivals to get a firmer grip upon the +country. The new-comers would not be rovers like themselves, but +settlers, who would build houses, and till the rich soil, and multiply +in numbers until they became a power in the land. + +This far-seeing scheme must be nipped in the bud, and forthwith they +set themselves to do it. + +The strange part of the whole affair was that they ran slight risk of +interference with their nefarious design from their hated rivals, for +the employees of the Hudson's Bay Company, although, of course, they +would take no part against the immigrants, were little more in favour +of their coming than the Nor-Westers. They did not want the country +settled. They had much rather it should remain a hunters' paradise, +and they were not disposed to lift a finger on behalf of the newcomers. + +The first morning after the settlers' arrival seemed full of kindly +promise. Summer was just giving way to autumn. The prairie air was +clear and bracing without being too cool. The sun shone from an azure +sky upon a vast expanse of golden-hued turf almost as level as a floor, +that only required to be turned over by the plough to be ready for fall +seeding. + +The hardy Scotch folk, accustomed to the rocky uplands and stony +meadows of their 'ain countree,' looked with wonder and delight at the +rich inheritance into which they had come. + +'Eh, mon! but it's grand, grand!' ejaculated Saunders Rowan, in a tone +of unqualified appreciation. He was the senior member of the party, +and had been rather given to 'croaking,' but this glorious morning his +doubts and fears were all dispelled. + +The women busied themselves preparing the morning meal, while the +children and dogs romped and rolled joyously in the rich, soft grass. +It was altogether a pretty picture, that seemed to be a happy augury of +the good times in store. + +Suddenly, like a bolt out of the blue, this scene of gladness and peace +changed to one of terror and strife. With no more warning than if they +had risen out of the ground itself, there charged down upon the +defenceless settlers a band of Indians in full war paint, mounted upon +their piebald ponies, armed with spears, bows, arrows, and guns, which +weapons they brandished fiercely, while they gave their awful war-whoop +with all the power of their lungs. + +Crying to their children, and gathering them close, as the mother hen +does her chickens at sight of a hawk, the women huddled together in a +panic-stricken group, while the doughty dogs faced the enemy with +flashing teeth and threatening growls, and the men rushed to snatch up +their guns, or anything else that might serve as an effective weapon. + +For a moment it seemed as if blood must be shed. The Indians seemed +ripe for mischief and the stalwart Scots were determined to defend +their dear ones to the last extremity. + +But before a blow was struck, the band, at a signal from their leader, +brought their horses to a halt, and ceased their hideous howlings. The +leader then drew out from his mob of followers, and holding up his +hands in token of his wish to parley, asked in broken English for the +chief man of the strangers. + +There was at first some hesitancy among the Scots at replying to this. +They had never formally chosen a leader, although, naturally, some of +the men had shown themselves stronger and shrewder than others. +Presently all eyes turned towards Andrew Macrae. No man was fitter by +appearance or sagacity to be their spokesman, and, in response to their +unmistakable choice, he stepped forward. + +'I'm but one of our little company, yet if ye'll tell me what ye mean +by a' this claverin' and scarin' peaceable folk, I'm ready to talk wi' +ye.' + +The Indian leader straightened up in his saddle. The stern, stalwart +Scotsman was no antagonist to be trifled with, and his first intention +of using the ready wit for which he had a reputation, to bait the +strangers for the amusement of his followers, before proceeding to +rougher measures, underwent a change. Such a man needed to be dealt +with in a different fashion. Accordingly, assuming as much dignity as +he could command, he began to explain what the alarming demonstration +meant. + +His speech was a strange jargon compounded of English, French and +Indian words that would have sorely puzzled poor Mr. Macrae, were it +not helped out by a vigorous pantomime, that enabled him to follow the +drift of it, after a fashion. + +The purport was serious enough, and his normally grave countenance grew +graver still as the meaning became clearer to him. + +In brief, it was an order to quit! Having at last reached their haven, +after so long and perilous a journey over sea and land, they were +summarily commanded to depart, and that without delay. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +How Hector Got His Nickname + +At first, Mr. Macrae refused to credit his own intelligence. The idea +was too appalling, and in his slow, deliberate way he made the Indian +leader repeat and reiterate his sinister communication. + +Then, calling aside the seniors of his party, who had all been watching +the parley with intent, anxious faces, he told them the startling truth. + +Naturally enough, they likewise were at the outset incredulous, and +stirred to righteous wrath. What had this howling mob of painted and +befeathered Indians to do with them? They were not the lords of the +land now, whatever they might have been before the coming of the white +man. Lord Selkirk was the rightful owner of the broad, rich acres to +which they had made so painful a pilgrimage, and they, the settlers, +were the possessors in his name. Not one step would they budge. They +had come to stay. + +All this, and more, Mr. Macrae repeated to the Indian leader with the +utmost emphasis, but he might as well have spared his breath. + +'Non--no--non!' the fellow responded in his hybrid jargon. 'Must go +way. No stay here. No food, no fire, no tepee. Go way down there,' +and he pointed due south. + +While this parley was proceeding, the other members of his party had +been quietly forming a circle about the band of settlers, drawing +steadily closer until they were almost within touch of them. As it +happened, little Ailie, her first fright having passed off, grew +interested in the gay trappings of the Indians, and, ere her mother +noticed, sidled towards one of them, in order to touch the feathers +that adorned his leggings. + +She was just beside his stirrup, when, with a quick movement, he +reached down, grasped her under the arms, and swung her up before him, +saying, in what was meant to be a soothing tone: + +'Ma jolie petite. You like ride--eh?' Ailie gave a scream of terror, +that reached the ears of her mother and Hector at the same moment. The +former stood transfixed, but Hector, whose position was somewhat behind +the Indian, with the spring of a panther reached the pony's withers, +and the next moment had the Indian's throat tightly clasped in his +strong young hand. + +The pony, frightened by the sudden addition of a second rider, at once +began to buck and rear, so that even its expert owner could hardly +retain his seat, doubly hampered as he was, holding Ailie, and being +held by Hector. + +Noting his predicament, his companions closed in upon him to give him +help, and just at that moment Mrs. Macrae, her comely countenance +aflame with maternal anger, darted into their midst, and reaching up, +caught Ailie in her arms, crying: 'Ma bonnie bairn! Are ye hurt?' The +Indian let go his burden readily enough, and turned to attack Hector. + +But the latter was too quick for him. He had seen his mother's action, +and the instant Ailie was safely in her arms, he let go of the Indian's +throat, and threw himself to the ground, narrowly escaping being +trampled upon by the ponies of the nearest Indians. + +The whole thing happened so quickly that many of both parties saw +nothing of it but the excitement it occasioned, and, for the moment, +there was a complete break-up of the parley between Mr. Macrae and the +Indian leader. + +When order was in some measure restored, and Mr. Macrae had assured +himself that neither of his children was in any wise injured, he once +more gave attention to the serious situation which had so unexpectedly +presented itself. + +With considerable difficulty he made the Indian understand that he must +have time to consider his astounding communication, and to consult with +the other men of his party. To this the fellow, with much show of +reluctance, at last consented, and a gruff command sent the whole +cavalcade cantering off to a little distance, where they dismounted, +and, squatting upon the turf in a sort of circle, proceeded to light +their pipes, and talk in guttural tones of what had happened. + +The Scots, that is to say the older men of the party, now gathered in a +little knot, their countenances grown suddenly haggard, for they all +realized that they were face to face with a crisis more menacing than +anything they had previously encountered. + +''Tis unco strange. I canna understand it at all,' said Mr. Macrae. +'Noo that we are come here after sae great trouble they say we canna +bide, but maun gang away doon to the States, where we dinna want to be.' + +'Let us gang ower to the fort there,' suggested Saunders, pointing to +the Hudson's Bay fort, which stood on the bank of the river, about a +quarter of a mile distant. 'Surely the Governor will take our pairt +and winna let these savages have their way with us.' This suggestion +met with instant approval, and three of the party, including Mr. +Macrae, were appointed to carry it out. + +They at once set out across the prairie, while the other men rejoined +the women, to await the result of the embassy. + +But no sooner had the three got well started, than with whoops and +yells the Indians sprang on their ponies and came cantering towards +them, waving their weapons in a way that meant only one thing--the +Scotsmen must go no farther. Baffled and disheartened, the latter, +after a futile attempt at parley with the Indians, walked slowly and in +silence back to their companions. + +The situation seemed as desperate as it was bewildering. They were +utterly at a loss either to understand it or cope with it. Lord +Selkirk had given them to believe that they would be warmly welcomed at +Red River, and afforded all necessary assistance in settling down, and +this was the way in which his promises were being fulfilled. + +In their extremity they sought guidance and strength from God, and, to +the amazement of the Indians, who had again drawn closer, the stately +music of the Psalms rose from their midst, followed by the sonorous +voice of Saunders, laying before the Lord of all the anguish of their +hearts. + +When their prayers were over they all felt more composed in mind, +although no light had come to them concerning the crisis. + +The Indians again withdrew a little distance, and Hector, who was as +curious as he was courageous, and whose eye had been taken by the gay +feathers and beaded buckskins of the Indian leader, which certainly +made a brave show, went over towards him for a closer inspection, Dour +and Dandy following at his heels. + +The Indian, noting the movement, advanced to meet him with an amiable +grin, and, just before they came together, threw himself off his +cayuse, as much as to say: 'See, I'm willing to be on even terms with +you.' He was rather a fine-looking fellow, and Hector, little as he +yet knew about the red men of the plain, somehow felt that this was no +ordinary one. + +He towered above the boy as they stood side by side, and, smiling +mischievously, he lifted the latter's thick cap from his head, and went +through the motion of scalping him. The next instant, his teasing +expression changed to one of lively admiration, he thrust his hands +into Hector's curly locks, exclaiming: 'Ti-ti-pu! Ti-ti-pu!' + +Hector, for a moment, was somewhat startled, but he did not betray it. +Dour and Dandy, however, did not quite like the proceedings, and +growled menacingly through their glistening teeth. The fact of the +matter was the Indian had never seen such a poll of golden curly locks +before, and, accustomed as he was to the straight, black, limp tresses +of his own people, they seemed to him something almost supernatural. +Thenceforward he would call Hector nothing but 'Ti-ti-pu,' and the +nickname stuck like a burr, until only the gravest members of his own +party hardly ever thought of calling him anything else. + +In sore perplexity the Scots took counsel together as to what they +should do. Their stock of provisions was nearly exhausted, and +although they had amongst them all a good deal of money, of what use +was it if the hostile residents would not sell them anything? + +'It wad seem as though we maun go ewa' doon south for the winter at any +rate,' said Mr. Macrae, in a tone of profound despondency. 'The ways +of Providence are beyond our ken. We maun just trust that the Lord +will guide us, and provide for our necessities.' + +The Indian leader was then informed that, if they were allowed to +obtain a supply of provisions, and such other things as would be +necessary for the journey, they would obey their orders and go down to +the United States. + +This was assented to, and, after some further parley, most of the +Indians went away, leaving the rest of their number on guard. The +settlers, with heavy hearts, made preparations for the night. + +Among the older members of the little band of pilgrims, to whom the +promised land seemed about to prove so bitter a disappointment, there +was not much sleep that night, and the morning found them haggard, +weary and depressed. But after they had all, like one great family, +united in prayer and the singing of the Psalms, they became more +composed. They were in God's hands, and dark as everything now looked, +He would send light in the end. + +Soon after sunrise, the Indians reappeared in force, this time in quite +good humour, the settlers having already agreed to obey their orders, +and Mr. Macrae had little difficulty in making arrangements with them +to conduct the party to Pembina. + +Under other circumstances, the settlement of the terms would have been +very amusing, for on the one side the language employed was a mixture +of Gaelic and English, and on the other of Indian jargon and mongrel +French, so that a great deal had to be made out by means of signs and +gestures, and contortions of countenances. Hector watched the +proceedings with intense interest. To tell the truth, after his first +fear of them had passed away, and he realized that they were not going +to kill and scalp his people, he was quite taken by the Indians, and +eager to get upon friendly terms with them. + +By the leader he was particularly attracted, and, in exchange for the +nickname the Indian had given him, he, on his part, got the red man to +give him a name whereby to call him, namely, Wikonaie, which he +presently shortened to Wikon. + +His friendship with the Indian, Hector's father looked upon with +approval. He himself was perhaps of too unbending a nature to make any +advances towards a more amiable footing, but he was very glad to see +Hector accomplish it in his frank, boyish way. + +Word was given that the start for Pembina would be made early the next +morning; and one of the bitter things the settlers had to endure was +being deprived of all their arms. Poor Rob McEwen had to part with his +greatest treasure, a flintlock that his father had carried and used to +good effect in the battle of Culloden, and who can blame him if the +tears stood in his grey eyes as, after fondling the firearm as tenderly +as if it were a baby, he let it go from him never to get it back? But +even harder perhaps was the case of Jeanie Sinclair, who had to part +with her marriage ring, whose glitter caught the eye of a big Indian, +who would not be denied the gleaming treasure. + +In spite of all their troubles, the settlers did not forget to sing +their Psalm and to join with one of their elders in earnest prayer, ere +they sadly turned their faces southward. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +On the Move Again + +The procession that set forth for Pembina certainly presented a curious +sight. It might have been intended to represent the triumph of +savagery over civilization. + +Decked out in their gayest garb, fully armed, and mounted upon spirited +horses, the Indians pranced about in lordly style, giving orders to the +unfortunate folk from over sea, who, although they were really so much +superior to them, for the time being were completely in their power. + +Mr. Macrae had succeeded in making an arrangement with the Indians that +they should carry the young children upon their horses, for, of course, +it would be out of the question for the little ones to walk, and this +gave the riders the chance to have a good deal of amusement at the +expense of the mothers of the children. + +No sooner had the strange cavalcade got well under way than the rascals +galloped off ahead, and were presently out of sight on the boundless +prairie, while the bewildered, anxious mothers ran crying and pleading +after them, until they fell exhausted upon the turf. + +Ailie Macrae was among those thus carried off, and Hector pursued the +Indian who held her until even his stout legs could not take another +stride, while Dour and Dandy, barking fiercely, continued the chase a +mile or two farther. + +But, as he lay panting upon the grass, his first excitement having +passed away, he began to reason the theory out. 'That's just a trick +they're playing on us,' he said to himself. 'They'll bring the bairns +back nae doot, but it's a mean trick, and I'll tell them so.' + +And the boy was as good as his word. When the horsemen, having had +their fun, came back to those on foot, with the children unharmed, and +in most cases having greatly enjoyed the wild gallop, Hector made +straight for his new friend, Wikonaie, and with high-pitched voice and +vigorous gesture, made plain to him what he thought of the performance. + +Wikonaie smiled at his passionate earnestness, and took no offence at +his fearless scolding. 'You talk big words,' he said, in a tone of +good-humoured admiration. 'You be big chief some day. Me like you.' +This soft answer completely turned away Hector's wrath, and, in spite +of himself, a smile took possession of his flushed features. + +'Ha! Ha! Wikonaie,' he cried, 'ye're a canny chiel. Ye ken right +well how to get out of it.' + +And so the matter ended between them, but it was a noticeable fact +that, although some of the other Indians repeated the foolish trick, +Wikonaie took no further part in it, and that henceforth it was little +Ailie that rode upon his saddle, and was so happy there that she was +always sorry when she had to dismount. + +The procession could make but slow progress. The settlers were no less +heavy of foot than of heart, and both women and men alike had to carry, +up to the limit of their strength, such of their belongings as they +could not possibly part with. Moreover, their English-made boots were +not at all the right thing, and their poor feet swelled out and +blistered inside them, until some could scarcely stand upright. + +How they envied the Indians their soft moccasins, and how they vowed to +themselves that they would put off their clumsy, uncomfortable boots +for them at the first opportunity! + +So they struggled on over the prairie, the weather, fortunately, +continuing fine and warm, so that they could sleep in the open air at +night without inconvenience. At last footsore, weary, and sad of +heart, they reached their destination.--Pembina, a frontier settlement +of the United States, where they were now to pass the long, cold winter. + +Hector was rather sorry when the journey came to an end, tiresome as it +was to his seniors. They went so slowly that he had plenty of time to +roam at his will, and never without the company of Dour and Dandy. He +would make excursions to the right and left of the line of march, and +generally manage to find plenty to amuse and interest him. + +'Eh! but ye're grand friends to have!' he would cry to his faithful +four-legged playmates after a wild scamper over the prairie, which set +all three of them panting. 'Ye ken as much as most ordinary folk, and +ye can run faster and farther than the best man that ever lived. +Indeed, I just wish I could run about half as fast myself. It would be +a fine thing to be able to do,' and then he would take their hairy +heads between his hands, and rub his own face fondly between them. + +At Pembina, they were well received by the residents, who seemed glad +to have such an addition to their numbers, and, with their aid and +advice, they at once set about getting ready the huts or tents that +would be their only homes for many months to come. With all who could +help lending a hand, these simple habitations did not take long to put +up, and in the course of a few days, each family had their own little +dwelling, such as it was, and the whole party felt in better spirits +than they had done for many a day. + +Mr. Macrae's hut was one of the best of the little group. Taking the +Highland cottage as his model, he constructed out of sods, wood, and +canvas, the latter serving for the roof, a really snug affair with a +'butt' and a 'ben,' that gave him much satisfaction, and of which +Hector was immensely proud, as it was the only 'residence' in the camp +having two rooms. + +Shelter having thus been secured, the next thing to be taken into +account was the food question. Happily the answer to this lay right +around them. The country was rich in game. From the frisky rabbit to +the lordly buffalo, the prairie or the woods offered the hunter rich +reward for his skill and patience. + +To Hector's vast delight, his father bought a gun for him as well as +for himself. + +'Ye're a big laddie now,' said Mr. Macrae, his grave features lighting +up with a rare smile of love and pride, as he watched the boy fondling +the firearm as a mother would her baby, 'and it is right you should +learn to use the gun. Be verra careful with it, laddie, and dinna +forget that powder and bullets are very scarce, and maun na be wasted.' + +Hector, of course, promised to be as economical as possible of +ammunition, and, having thanked his father over and over again, rushed +off to show his gun to the other boys in the party. + +Naturally his first essay as a hunter was against the rabbits, that +were quite plentiful in the clumps of trees which were a feature of the +country. With Dour and Dandy bounding and barking beside him, and a +young half-breed with whom he had picked up an acquaintance as his +companion, he set off very proudly and confidently. Baptiste had +promised to guide him to the best places for the bunnies, and Hector +said confidently to his mother, as, with no small anxiety in her eye +and voice, she was warning him to be careful in handling the gun: 'To +be sure, mither, to be sure; I'll take the best o' care o' myself and +the gun, and, mither, I'll bring ye back as many rabbits as I can +carry.' + +It was a boyish boast, for he had yet to shoot his first rabbit; but +Hector had that happy quality, 'a gude conceit of himself,' and it was +a great help to him in life. + +Reaching the woods, the dogs, with the fine intelligence of their noble +race, ceased bounding and barking aimlessly, and, with lowered heads, +ran silently hither and thither seeking for game. They were not long +in picking up a brace of bunnies that gave a fine chance for a shot ere +they leaped away out of range. + +'Shoot 'em--queek!' cried Baptiste excitedly. + +Hector threw the gun to his shoulder with all speed, and pulled the +trigger without stopping to take aim. Naturally the charge of shot +buried itself harmlessly in the side of a tree, and the panic-stricken +rabbits vanished unhurt. + +'Bah!' cried Hector, in disgust at his miserable markmanship. 'I did +na touch them! Eh, Baptiste, but they're awfu' smart!' + +Baptiste, considerately doing his best to smother a smile, nodded in +assent and muttered something about trying again. + +Another chance soon came, but Hector had no better luck, and he began +to realize that shooting the long-eared, long-legged little creatures +was not so easy as he had at first imagined. Having failed for the +third time, he handed the gun, in disgust, to the half-breed, saying: +'Here, Baptiste, you try.' + +Baptiste eagerly seized the fire-arm, and the next rabbit that was +started he tumbled over neatly. Another and another was shot in quick +succession, and then, returning the gun with a grateful smile, Baptiste +said: 'Now you shoot.' + +Hector's next attempt, happily, was not a miss, and encouraged by this, +he kept on with varying success, until, between him and Baptiste, +nearly a dozen rabbits had been bowled over. Then, satisfied with +their bag, they hastened homeward to proudly exhibit the results of +their day's hunting. + +'Weel done, laddie, weel done!' exclaimed Mrs. Macrae, patting Hector +fondly. 'Ye'll be getting us mony a gude dinner, I'm thinking.' + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +The Buffalo Hunt + +Soon after the arrival of the Selkirk settlers at Pembina, the people +of the place set about preparing for the great fall buffalo hunt, and +they cordially invited the Scots to join them. + +The latter accepted the kind invitation eagerly, and all the men who +had a little money to spare purchased guns and ammunition from the +store-keepers. + +For days the settlement and the Scotch camp were full of bustle. +Ponies had to be provided for all the hunters, provisions prepared, as +they would be away probably for ten days or so, and a number of other +things attended to. + +Mr. Macrae, having decided to go himself, at first wanted Hector to +remain behind with his mother, but the boy pleaded so earnestly to be +taken, and the loving, self-sacrificing mother, though she dreaded some +mishap, so warmly supported his plea, that, to his abounding joy, his +father consented. + +It was an odd-looking cavalcade that set forth from Pembina on a +bright, bracing October morning. The Scotsmen looked very awkward as, +mounted upon Indian ponies, some of which were so small that the long +legs of the riders almost touched the ground, they strove to carry +their guns and keep their seats with some sort of dignity. + +The Pembina folk, whether white or half-breed, were all good riders, +and, having taken the pick of the ponies, as was only natural, looked +remarkably well, while half-a-score Indians who were to act as guides +galloped hither and thither, whooping and brandishing their guns by way +of showing off. + +Hector was delighted with the pony that fell to him, a sturdy, piebald +creature, in quite good condition and full of life, but not at all +vicious. No knight of old sallying forth in full armour could have +felt prouder than did the Scotch laddie, as, with Dour and Dandy +barking and pretending to bite the pony's nose, he took his place in +the motley procession. + +'Eh, father, but isn't this just grand!' he cried, enthusiastically, as +he cantered beside his father, whose stalwart frame looked bigger than +ever as he rode solemnly upon a steed that, assuredly, had never +carried so weighty a rider before. 'See what a fine horse I have, and +he's that good, too! Oh, but I hope we'll be sure to find the buffalo!' + +'Ye need na fash yersel', laddie,' responded Mr. Macrae, with one of +his wise, kind smiles. 'Ye'll have plenty of riding upon your little +horse, and we're likely enough to find the buffalo, for these folk ken +just where to look for them. So be patient an' ye'll have your desire.' + +They travelled for two days due west, and then made camp on a lovely +spot beside a clear flowing stream, where a clump of trees afforded +them both shade and firewood. Farther west stretched the prairie where +roamed the noble animal of whom they were in quest. + +Soon after dawn the next morning the whole camp was astir, and after a +hurried meal everybody got ready for the day's business. The weather +was all that could be wished, and spirits ran high. + +'Ye'll keep as near to me as ye can, eh, laddie?' said Mr. Macrae to +Hector. 'There'll be mony ways o' getting hurt, e'en though ye may be +careful.' + +'Yes, father, I'll try,' answered Hector promptly, but in his heart he +felt that once the chase really began his speedy pony, with only his +light weight to carry, must soon run away from the scarcely larger +animal that had his father's two hundred pounds upon his back. + +A veteran hunter, nick-named Buffalo Carter, took entire charge of the +hunt, and under his short, sharp commands the party was divided up, and +sent off in different directions. + +There were six in the party to which Mr. Macrae and Hector were +assigned, and their captain--so to speak--was a shrewd, good-humoured +half-breed, Narcisse by name, who had killed many score of buffalo in +the course of his career. He had taken a liking to Hector, and he +greatly admired Dour and Dandy, who, having vented their superfluous +spirits, were now trotting quietly along beside Hector's pony, and he +said to him in a sort of aside: 'You keep close to me, eh! _mon petit +ami_. Kill big buffalo for sure, eh!' + +Hector responded with a grateful smile. 'I will that if I can, but +your fine horse will likely run away from my pony.' + +'Non-non--that's all right,' laughed Narcisse, pleased at the +compliment to his steed. 'You keep so near me as possible.' + +The different groups of riders being about a quarter of a mile apart, +the whole party covered a pretty wide stretch of prairie, as they +steered due west at a leisurely lope. + +The leader's plan of campaign was that, on a herd of buffalo being +sighted, every effort should be made to surround it without stampeding +it, and to this end instructions had been given to the captains of each +band that not a shot should be fired until the signal was given by +Carter himself. + +On they loped over the billowy prairie, the tensity of eagerness +growing with each mile covered. Suddenly, Carter, who was a little in +advance of all the others, pulled up on the hither side of a swale, and +gave the signal agreed upon for a general halt. It passed from band to +band almost instantaneously and the hunters became as motionless as +statues. + +Carter, slipping from his horse, went forward cautiously on foot some +little distance, and then, dropping on all fours, peered over the top +of a big swale beyond which, perhaps, was the big game they sought. + +'He see 'em! Buffalo near now!' exclaimed Narcisse to Hector, as he +tightened rein and grasped his gun more firmly. 'You be ready, eh?' +Hector was too excited to do more than nod assent, as he kept his eyes +following every movement of Carter. + +The latter, evidently satisfied with his scrutiny, made haste back to +his horse, and, having remounted, by making a sort of semaphore of +himself, waving his arms in rapid fashion, signalled to the captains of +each band. + +They caught his meaning, and the next instant, all were in motion +closing in toward their leader. When they were near enough he +signalled for them to spread out in a single line, then, waving his gun +above his head as a final signal for them to do likewise, he dashed +forward at the full speed of his swift steed. + +As they swept over the swale, the buffalo came in sight--a fine herd, +numbering several hundred, grazing on the rich grass in utter +unconsciousness of the human cyclone rushing upon them. + +The wind blew from them towards the hunters, thus giving the latter, +whose ponies' hoofs made scarcely any sound upon the thick turf, the +opportunity to get quite close ere an old bull threw up his head, +caught sight of the charging cavalcade, and instantly gave vent to a +thundering bellow of warning, that caused the whole herd to cease +grazing and huddle together nervously. + +Only for a moment did they thus hesitate. Then, moving as one huge +black mass, they were off in full flight, with the hunters not a +hundred yards behind. + +Hector was amazed that such heavy, clumsy-looking creatures could get +up such speed, and his excitement rose to its highest pitch as, urging +his pony on by voice and heel, he strove to reach the rear of the +panic-stricken herd. + +Dour and Dandy, in no less a state of excitement, were already snapping +at the heels of the buffalo, and enjoying themselves immensely. + +Little by little Hector's clever pony, to which, by the way, he had +given the appropriate name of Joseph, because his coat was of many +colours, caught up to the herd, until, at last, with an extra spurt, he +charged right into it, and Hector, not altogether to his comfort, found +himself wedged in between two great shaggy animals, whose bloodshot +eyes made them look very fierce, even if they were fleeing for their +lives. + +He did his best to check the speed of his pony, pulling upon the reins +with all his might. But Joseph had got the bit in his teeth, and being +in a regular frenzy of excitement, all Hector's efforts were fruitless. +Not only so, but as the tremendous pace began to tell upon the buffalo, +and their speed slackened, Joseph, who showed no signs of tiring, made +his way deeper into the herd, until presently Hector was completely +surrounded by the huge animals. + +His situation was one of great peril, for, although the buffalo were +too intent upon flight to pay him any attention, yet if by chance his +pony were to stumble or put his foot in a gopher hole, bringing down +himself and his rider, they would both infallibly be trampled out of +all semblance of life under the hoofs of the mighty creatures. + +But not for a moment did the boy lose his wits. Holding hard to the +saddle he watched keenly for his chance of deliverance. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +Lost on the Prairie + +Not until he had become embedded as it were in the panic-stricken mass +of buffalo did Mr. Macrae observe his son's peril. + +At almost the same moment Narcisse caught sight of the boy, and, with a +characteristic exclamation of horror, at once drove his horse into the +herd, that he might, if possible, get to Hector's side. + +'Take care! Take care!' he shouted with all his might, not recking +that his voice was utterly lost in the thunder of the countless hoofs. +'Keep hold, eh!' + +Mr. Macrae followed his example, and the two men plunged into the mob +of terrified monsters, steering as best they could for the imperilled +boy. + +Meanwhile, Hector, who had kept both his head and his seat wonderfully, +not forgetting the purpose of the whole affair, pointed his gun behind +the shoulder of a fine fat buffalo and fired. + +The muzzle of the gun was so close to the buffalo that the discharge +burned the animal's hide, and the recoil almost knocked Hector out of +his saddle. + +But the bullet found its way to the great creature's heart, and, a +moment later, down it went, to the delight of the young huntsman. The +loud report was not without effect upon the buffalo that hemmed in +Hector. They swerved off to right and left, giving him more room and +thereby enabling Narcisse and his father to reach his side. + +'Ah, laddie!' cried his father. 'I was in great fear for ye. Ye +should na have gone into such danger. Be carefu' now, for ye're not +yet out of harm's way.' + +Hector nodded gaily in reply. He was so exultant over his success that +he could think of nothing else for the moment. + +As neither Narcisse nor Mr. Macrae had yet bagged their buffalo, they +left Hector to stay beside his prize while they went on after the +fleeing herd, upon whom the tremendous pace was beginning to tell. + +The reports of the guns followed fast upon each other, as the different +members of the hunting party, choosing a fine fat cow, or a prime young +bull, brought down their victim with unerring aim. + +At last the pursuit of the herd ended, and the hunters returned to take +stock of results. These were certainly satisfactory: nearly a score of +buffalo, all in the best of condition, had been secured, and a supply +of food that would keep the whole settlement for many weeks was ensured. + +Very proud and content was Buffalo Carter, and all the other members of +the party, particularly Hector, whose buffalo was as fine a specimen as +any of the others. + +'Eh, but it was a warm, stirrin' experience,' remarked Mr. Macrae, with +emphasis. 'I never expected to see the like of it. 'Tis a wonderful +country, this, and there's a powerful lot to be learned. But I'm right +glad I've come, laddie,' he went on, laying his hand fondly upon +Hector's shoulder, 'and with the favour of God we shall yet do better +here than e'er we could in the land we left.' + +This was a good deal for him to say, but the excitement of the hunt had +for the time swept away his reserve, and he was in almost as high +spirits as Hector. + +So soon as they had rested a little, the buffalo hunters set to work to +skin the buffalo, and to cut the rich meat into long strips, which, +after being dried in the sun, were then minced as small as possible, +and so made into 'pemmican,' which was then packed away for use in the +winter. + +Of course, there was great feasting meanwhile, and the special +tit-bits, such as the tongues and the humps, were cooked and eaten with +the keenest relish. + +Dour and Dandy were so well supplied with bits of juicy steak, or +well-covered bones, that they were in danger of overfeeding, and Mr. +Macrae had to limit their allowance. + +It took several days to prepare the pemmican, and then, laden with it +and with the buffalo-skins which would at leisure be made into the +warmest of robes, the whole party moved slowly back to Pembina. + +'Eh! but I'm glad I killed one myself,' said Hector to his father as +they rode along together, 'for now I'll have a buffalo robe of my own, +and that will be fine when the winter comes, won't it, father?' + +So indeed it proved. There was many a night during the long cold +winter at Pembina, when Hector, lying snug and warm under his +buffalo-robe, had reason to be thankful for the success of his shot. + +The reception of the hunting-party at Pembina was a royal one, and the +feasting that followed was shared in by all. Then the remainder of the +meat was stored away for the winter. + +As already mentioned, Mr. Macrae had taken more pains and spent +somewhat more money upon the hut that sheltered his family, and now, +having got everything fixed to his satisfaction, with that fore-thought +which was one of his distinguishing traits, he resolved to secure a +supply of firewood for the winter. + +A fine 'bunch of timber,' as it was called locally, stood not more than +a mile away, and, hiring a horse and cart from one of the residents, +Mr. Macrae, accompanied by his whole family--for it was beautiful +weather, being the so-called Indian summer--began his attack upon the +trees. + +'I'll cut them doon, laddie,' he said to Hector, 'and ye'll chop off +the branches, and so we'll just divide the wark between us.' + +This arrangement suited Hector, and he did his part faithfully, lopping +off the branches so that the trunk itself could be cut up into suitable +lengths. + +None of the trees were large. The country is not favourable to forest +giants, and the wood was fairly soft, so that Hector's task was by no +means beyond his powers. + +The work went on steadily from day to day, and Mrs. Macrae viewed with +the approval and satisfaction of a good housewife the growing pile of +fuel that would be right at hand through the long winter. + +'Ye always were a good provider, Andrew,' she said, giving her stalwart +husband a look of ineffable love and pride. 'Nane o' yer charge will +ever want while ye're aboot.' + +From under his shaggy brows, Andrew Macrae returned the look of love +and pride; for to him there was no woman so bonnie or so wise as his +gude wife, but he pretended to make light of the compliment, saying he +was but doing his duty. + +The wood-pile at the hut had grown big enough, and they were making +their last trip to the timber. Mrs. Macrae had not accompanied them, +but little Ailie would not be left at home. She enjoyed too much the +ride out on the empty cart, and then back again, perched triumphantly +on top of the load, to lose the last chance for it. So father had to +yield to her pretty pleadings, although he would have preferred her +remaining with her mother. + +The father and son worked very hard that day, and during the afternoon +got so engrossed in the completion of their task, that they quite +forgot the little girl. + +Then, left to her own resources, Ailie, as sturdy a child for her years +as ever stepped, wandered off over the prairie in the opposite +direction to home, her little head filled with some foolish notion of +getting nearer to the sunset. + +On and on she went, forgetful of everything but the beauty of the +western sky, which had so fascinated her, and it was because her blue +eyes were intent upon this, and not upon what was under her feet, that +she did not notice the coulee, or break in the prairie, into which she +fell with a sharp cry of fright. + +Happily it was soft earth at the bottom of the coulee, and Ailie was +not injured in the least by her fall. But she was terrified beyond +measure at her situation, and screamed for her father and brother with +the full strength of her lungs. + +But, lying as she was at the bottom of the coulee, a dozen feet or more +below the surface of the prairie, her most vigorous efforts could not +have been heard many yards away. + +There the poor little lonely frightened girl wept and wailed and cried +out for her father and Hector, until at last, in sheer exhaustion, she +lapsed into a sort of stupor and knew no more. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +The Losing and Finding of Ailie + +It was not until they had completed the day's task and the wood was all +ready to be loaded into the cart, that Mr. Macrae missed Ailie. + +Not seeing her about, he called out: + +'Ailie, Ailie, my bairnie, where are you? Come ye here noo!' + +Then, getting no response, he began to call louder and louder, and to +go this way and that among the trees, looking anxiously for the +golden-haired lassie, while Hector ran out on the prairie calling with +all his might: + +'Ailie! Ailie! come here.' Still no answer, and as the sun had set +and it was already beginning to grow dusk, the anxiety of father and +brother became intense. + +Little Ailie was lost--lost on the prairie--and in a short time night +would be upon them. Oh, what was to be done? + +After the first hurried rushing hither and thither without avail, Mr. +Macrae, realizing that it would be necessary to carry on the search on +a larger scale, called Hector to him and said: + +'We must have help. I'll go and get our friends. Ye bide here. Maybe +Ailie will come back of herself.' + +So saying, Mr. Macrae set off on foot across the prairie at a swift +pace, far faster than could have been made by the heavily-loaded cart. + +Thus left alone, Hector, in spite of himself, began to feel nervous. +Snow, the first of the year, began falling softly and silently. + +For some time Hector sat waiting, then the happy thought came to him to +set the dogs on Ailie's trail. He took from his pocket a ribbon the +child had dropped the day before, and showing it to the clever +creatures, told them to 'find Ailie.' They seemed to understand at +once what was expected of them, and set out on the vanishing, whitening +trail, Hector keeping up with them as best he might. + +Soon after this, Mr. Macrae and his party arrived, each man bearing a +lantern or torch. They were greatly dismayed to find Hector also +missing, and doubly hastened their preparations for the search. Under +Mr. Macrae's directions, the party, leaving their horses tied to the +trees, until they had first made search on foot, spread out in a long +line, ten yards or so separating each man from his neighbour, and +proceeded to make a thorough search of the prairie. + +It was a weird night, and one such as never before had been seen +there--the long line of lights bobbing about as the searchers moved +through the darkness. + +Meanwhile, Hector's search was being diligently made. Dour and Dandy +hesitated once or twice as if puzzled, but in a moment trotted on +again, and before very long they led Hector to the coulee. The excited +boy fell rather than climbed down, and made straight for a sort of +pocket in the bank where he could hear the dogs sniffing. + +And there lay Ailie! Curled up like a kitten, and so motionless that, +for a moment, Hector's heart stood still with fear. Then a quick move +forward in the dim light, and his hand was among the clustered curls, +and touching the warm, soft neck. + +Ailie was alive! hurt, perhaps, but alive, and in the greatness of his +joy the boy sent forth a shout that caused Dour and Dandy above to +break forth into an 'exposition of barking' that attracted the +attention of several of the searchers, making them wonder if the wise +dogs might not have discovered something. + +Hector picked up Ailie with the utmost tenderness. The child, aroused +from her stupor, gave a little cry of fear, then threw her arms about +her brother's neck, and burst into tears. + +He hugged, and patted, and soothed her with loving words. 'And are ye +no hurt anywhere?' he asked her, half in wonder, half in joy. 'Just to +think of it. Oh, but the good God took wonderfu' care of you. Now +just you bide there a minute, and I'll try to let them know I found ye.' + +Ailie, puzzled but obedient, stood as she was directed, and Hector +began to shout with all the vigour of his healthy young lungs. 'Hi +there! Come here! I've found her! She's not hurt.' + +The clear strong voice rose out of the coulee, and was first heard by +those who had noticed the eager barking of Dour and Dandy. 'Ah! ha!' +exclaimed one of them, Black Rory Macdonald, his shaggy face lighting +up eagerly. 'Come awa', there,'--and off he went as fast as his mighty +legs could carry him. He had no trouble in locating the dogs, and +holding his lantern over the edge of the little hollow, he at once +caught sight of Hector and Ailie. + +'The gude Lord be praised!' he cried fervently. 'The bairnie's found, +and there's nae hurt upon her.' + +His joyous shouts rapidly brought the other searchers, Mr. Macrae being +among the first to reach the spot. Without loss of time, the boy and +girl were lifted out of the coulee, to be overwhelmed with +demonstrations of delight and affection from men who ordinarily kept +their feelings very strictly under control. + +'And noo awa' tae yer mither--yer poor distracted mither,' broke in Mr. +Macrae, gathering up Ailie and starting towards the place where the +horses were tethered. With long impatient steps he swept over the +ground, and, taking the first horse he came to, put Ailie upon the +saddle before him, and galloped off for the encampment, where, with +brimming eyes and trembling lips, he placed the child in the mother's +arms, saying softly: 'Praise God, Mary, oor bairnie's given back to us.' + +The winter came soon after this, and it was well for the Highland folk +that they had at home been inured to the cold, for Jack Frost certainly +did not spare them at Pembina. + +The clear, dry atmosphere misled them at first. They would not realize +how cold it really was, until nose or cheeks were nipped. And more +than one of them had a narrow escape from being frozen to death. + +Yet, upon the whole, the winter passed quite comfortably, albeit the +question of food sometimes became a pressing one, when the hunters had +been unsuccessful for a time. + +One day, Narcisse, who took a lively interest in Hector, rushed to tell +him that a great moose had been seen in the woods to the north, and +that he was going out next day to hunt for him. He invited Hector to +go with him. + +Of course, the boy jumped at the invitation, and, his father not +objecting, for he had considerable confidence in Narcisse, arrangements +for the enterprise were made at once. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +The Moose Hunt + +Mr. Macrae allowed Hector to take Dour and Dandy, and, as Narcisse had +two good dogs of his own, they were well provided. The only other +member of the party was Narcisse's half-brother, Baptiste, not equal to +him in intelligence and experience, but a strong and good-natured +fellow, who would take his share of work or danger. + +They took a horse apiece, not to ride, for of course they travelled on +snowshoes, but to carry their blankets, buffalo-robes, cooking gear, +etc. + +Hector was a very happy boy as he set forth on a superb winter morning +clad in the warmest of clothing, and striding along upon his +snow-shoes, in the use of which he had become quite expert. + +His mother watched with eyes in which there was anxiety as well as +admiration and love, but all she said was: 'Be verra carefu', laddie, +and do whatever Narcisse bids you.' + +They steered north-east from Pembina and travelled all day without +interruption, except for the necessary mid-day meal. + +The country now appeared to change somewhat. The deep woods had given +place to rolling prairie, broken at the sky-line by low poplar bluffs. +By nightfall they had reached the frozen marshy borders of the Roseau +River. East from its waters there stretched hundreds of miles of +spruce forest, home of the moose, caribou, and the great timber wolf. +A rough camp was quickly made, and in the morning the hunters pursued +their way again through the deep evergreens. In a short time more they +would have reached the hunting-ground, when an accident occurred, that +almost caused them to turn back empty-handed. + +Narcisse, on his snow-shoes, in stepping over a half-burned log, fell +forward, wrenching his knee so badly that on rising he could scarcely +walk. All thought of the hunt had now to be given up, but as they were +sadly retracing their steps, they espied the smoke of a tepee at the +end of a small clearing. + +A few minutes later, and to their joy they were in the broad tepee of +their former friend, Wikonaie, who was himself, at that moment, +preparing to start on a hunt. + +Failing Narcisse, nothing would have suited Hector better than to have +Wikonaie accompany them. Narcisse was left in Wikonaie's tepee in +charge of the young Indians, and the horses were also left at the camp, +as well as Narcisse's two dogs, who answered ill to orders from any one +except their master. Then the party eagerly set-out. + +The hours were passing without any sign of game, when Wikonaie gave a +cry of joy. 'See!' he cried, 'you know what that means? Eh, I will +show you a great moose soon.' + +Their eyes followed the direction of his finger, and there, plainly +printed in the snow, which was softer here, was the great footprint +which, from its size, could be no other than that of the quarry they +sought. They exchanged exclamations of surprise and delight, and then +Wikonaie, bidding them tighten their belts, for there would be no +dinner that day, gave out his plan of campaign. + +The moose was ahead of him, perhaps only a mile or two; they must push +forward with utmost speed and at the same time utmost caution. For +this purpose, Wikonaie would lead the way, Baptiste follow, and Hector +bring up the rear, keeping Dour and Dandy at heel until their services +should be required. + +Thus, in Indian file, they went on for quite another mile, when +Wikonaie, with a low exclamation of warning, suddenly sank to his +knees, at the same time pointing to something under the tree that his +sharp eyes at that moment caught. + +Coming up to him, the others imitated his attitude, and peered in the +direction indicated, until presently they also made out a great dark +mass, half-obscured by the tree-trunks, but manifestly not motionless. + +'We come up to heem behind,' said Wikonaie, in a dramatic whisper, 'not +in front, but on de side. You follow me!' + +With the infinite care of the experienced hunter, Wikonaie made his way +in a sort of semi-circle which, at the end, brought him within firing +distance of the moose, and almost straight behind him. As the wind +blew straight from the moose towards the hunters, things seemed very +much in their favour. + +'Ah, now, we must be ver' careful, ver' careful, not make no noise,' +whispered Wikonaie to his companions, who nodded eager assent. Yard by +yard they crept upon their unconscious prey. The giant creature had +struck a small bunch of particularly young and juicy trees, and he was +enjoying them to his heart's content. + +When Wikonaie deemed they were sufficiently near, he gave the signal +for them to be ready to fire. The next moment the woods rang out with +a strange wild shout, which would have startled anything in the way of +man or beast: and the moose, thus rudely interrupted in his rich +repast, flung up his head with a snort, partly of fear and partly of +defiance. + +This was the moment for which Wikonaie was waiting. 'Now fire!' he +cried, drawing the trigger of his own gun as he spoke. + +Almost as one, the three reports startled the echoes of the woods, and +the moose, suddenly wheeling round, the incarnation of fury and of +fright, was met by the two dogs, Dour and Dandy, who sprang gallantly +at him, barking and leaping for his great nose. Bewildered by this +novel attack, he thought flight the best thing, and sped off into the +woods at an amazing pace. Indeed, he went so fast that Hector, who had +fully expected to see the great creature drop instantly, began to fear +lest he might not be mortally wounded after all, and they should lose +him in the woods. Wikonaie's countenance showed no such anxiety. True +the moose had disappeared with the dogs at his heels, but he left on +the spotless snow the sure sign of a stricken animal--great splashes of +red, which told that he could not go very far. + +'We follow heem now, eh?' cried Wikonaie, rapidly reloading his gun, +the others doing the same. Off they set along the blood-marked trail, +and, about the end of a mile, Wikonaie gave a shout of joy, for there, +just ahead of him, fallen at the foot of an unusually large tree, was +their quarry, to all appearances dead. Now, for the first time, +Wikonaie showed a rashness which he had not before; for dropping his +gun, and drawing his hunting-knife, he went triumphantly up to the +fallen monarch, and waved the keen steel above his massive antlers in +token of victory. + +The next instant, with a roar of startling ferocity, the moose sprang +to his feet, hurling Wikonaie over on his back, right in front of him, +where a single stroke from one of his tremendous forelegs would have +made of the Indian a bleeding lifeless hulk. + +Fortunate indeed was the presence of the dogs, Dour and Dandy, as they, +realizing the crisis, sprang at the moose's head with utter +fearlessness, and one of them succeeded in securing a temporary hold +upon the thick neck. This bewildered the monster for a moment, and +that gave Hector an opportunity, to which the boy, all of a tremble as +he was, happily proved equal. + +To free himself from the dogs the moose tossed his head high in the +air, thereby flinging Dour to one side, but at the same time exposing +in the completest way his magnificent breast. Hardly pausing to take +aim, Hector fired, and the bullet went straight to the heart of the +noble creature. + +With a despairing bellow, almost like a great human groan, he once more +sank at the foot of the tree, this time to rise no more. + +How those three rejoiced over their great triumph, Baptiste claiming +that his first shot had been fatal; Wikonaie proud of his little +Ti-ti-pu, now a strong young brave, skilled in the chase, and a man to +be feared in war: and Hector, thankful for the opportunity which had +enabled him to save his Indian friend. + +Late as the hour was, they decided to return to Wikonaie's tepee, where +half the night was spent in extolling Ti-ti-pu's prowess and further +cementing the friendship so strangely begun. + +And not alone was Hector benefited, but Wikonaie was able to promise +that the settlers could return unmolested to their farms in the summer, +partly because of his own feeling, and partly because the North-Westers +had ceased to bribe the Indians to make trouble, and they required +little persuading to follow the leadership of Wikonaie, their chief. + +But the settlers still had a desperately hard time of it, sometimes +being reduced to no other food than the wild turnip found in great +quantities in that locality, and at the end of the second summer, +nearly all of them returned to Pembina for the winter. + +This sort of thing went on for several years, until finally, having +received further reinforcements from Lord Selkirk, they really began to +take root, and a comfortable, self-sustaining settlement grew up, which +in large part realized the hopes which had drawn them from the Old +World to the New. + +Through it all, Hector was a loyal, obedient son. He shared in all his +father's toil, did his best to brighten little Ailie's play hours, and +altogether bore himself with infinite credit. + +None of the Scotch settlers struck deeper roots into the country than +did the Macraes, but this story cannot follow them any farther. +Suffice it to say, their descendants are some of the finest men and +women, not to mention boys and girls, in the Canadian North-West. + + + + +_Printed by Hasell, Watson & Viney, Ld., London and Aylesbury._ + + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Ti-Ti-Pu, by J. 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