I replied.

"Why, we have nothing to set before you but fish," they would say.

"Never mind if you have but little; we will see to the food. All we are
anxious for you to do is to have your little house as clean as you can
possibly make it, and yourselves and children as clean and nice as
possible."

In this way we would talk to the half-frightened women, who were at
first really alarmed at the prospect of having to entertain us; however,
our words comforted them, and they went off delighted.

Our plan was generally as follows. I would start off after breakfast
and make several pastoral visits, or attend to some other matters, and
so arrange my forenoon work that I should be able to reach the Indian
home, where that day we had announced to dine, about noon. Mrs Young
would have her own train of dogs harnessed up about ten o'clock. In her
cariole she would put dishes, tablecloth, and provisions, with
everything else requisite for a comfortable dinner considering our
limited circumstances. A faithful young Indian acted as her dog-driver,
and soon she and her load were at the home of the expectant family, who
were all excitement at the coming of the Missionary and his wife.

Very clean and tidy looked the little house and family. The floor had
been scrubbed and rubbed until it could not be made whiter, and
everything else was similarly polished up. As but very few of the
houses had tables in those days, the floor was ever used as the
substitute. On it the tablecloth was spread, and the dishes and knives
and forks were arranged in order, and the dinner prepared. If the
family had fish and potatoes, some of them would be cooked; but if not,
sufficient was always taken in the cariole. We ever found it best to
let them contribute to the dinner if they had abundance of either fish
or potatoes.

About the time I arrived dinner would be ready, and after cheering words
of greeting to all, even to the fat papoose in the board cradle, we sat
down, picnic style, on the floor to dinner. It would be called in
civilised lands a plain dinner, and so it was; yet it was a feast to
them, a banquet to us. Cheery conversation added to our enjoyment, and
a very happy hour was thus spent. Then the Bible and hymn-books were
brought out, and together we sang and read and talked about the blessed
truths of that glorious Book. Then together we kneeled down, and "by
prayer and supplication with thanksgiving" made our requests kno