d not want to part with her nephew,
and de la Tour made no objection to his accompanying her, especially as
he himself must needs be often absent from the fort on business
expeditions for months at a time, and Raoul would then be good company
for his wife.

So in due time it all came about as was arranged, and Raoul found
himself settled at Fort St. Louis with his new uncle, whom he greatly
admired and respected. This fort, placed at the extreme south-east
point of what is now Nova Scotia, looked out over the restless waters
of the Atlantic, and kept an eye upon the ships passing by to the Bay
of Fundy or to the New England ports. It was very strongly built of
stone, and mounted many cannon which Raoul longed to see in use. A
snug harbour lay to the east, where de la Tour's vessels could anchor
in safety from any storm, and inland stretched vast forests, which
fairly swarmed with game, from the lively rabbit to the gigantic moose.
What with fishing, trapping and hunting, rowing, sailing and swimming
to his heart's content, Raoul was in no danger of finding the time hang
heavy on his hands.

CHAPTER II

THE GREAT BEAR HUNT

There were many tribes of Indians scattered over Acadia--Abenakes,
Etechemins, Micmacs, Openagos, and so forth, in whom Constance de la
Tour took a very deep interest. She was full of zeal to teach them the
Christian religion, and how to improve their way of living; and she
went about from village to village, and from wigwam to wigwam, with
wonderful patience striving to reach the hearts of the pagans, and help
them to better things; so winning their love that she came to be
esteemed as the guardian angel of their children.

Raoul usually accompanied her on these journeys, and strange enough
were many of the places they visited. Now it would be a mere huddle of
huts that looked like inverted wash-tubs, or again what seemed a
cluster of large-sized hen-coops, or perhaps a big shed a hundred feet
long with sleeping stalls below, and a loft above for the children,
having neither windows nor chimney, and inclosed by a heavy oak
stockade.

Whether big or little, these odd dwellings swarmed with squaws and
children, and while his aunt was speaking to the elder folk, Raoul
would always find amusement with the youngsters.

Many useful things did Madame de la Tour teach her dusky pupils--the
way to bake bread, how to raise corn, pumpkins, and melons, the mode of
preserving the fruit that w