med:

"When does the next train start for home? I want to see my mother."

This inquiry from the irrepressible Sam provoked roars of laughter, and
caused them to forget the mosquitoes and their bills.

When the boys arose one morning they were surprised to find a whole
brigade of boats drawn up on the shore, and the men at various camp
fires, busily preparing their breakfast. They had slept so soundly that
they had not heard the slightest sound.

Mr Ross and the men were up quite a time, and had gone over to chat
with the two officers of the Hudson Bay Company who had charge of the
brigade, which was from the Cumberland House and Swan River district,
and was now on its way up from York Factory with its cargo of goods for
the next winter's trade.

As breakfast was now ready, Mr Ross invited the two officers of the
company, Mr Hamilton and Mr Bolanger, to eat with them. This
invitation was gladly accepted, and to them were introduced Frank, Alec,
and Sam, who became very much interested in them, and in the recital of
various adventures and reminiscences of trading with the Indians in
various parts of the great country.

The officers, on their part, were very anxious to hear all about the
gunpowder explosion that had occurred at Robinson's Portage, as all
sorts of rumours had gone abroad throughout the country about it, and
especially a story that many persons were killed, among them some young
English gentlemen, who for a bit of a lark had laid the train of gun
powder which caused the general flare-up. The boys were amazed and
indignant at first, then vastly amused as they saw by the twinkle in Mr
Ross's eye that he was well acquainted with fondness for banter, which
was a strong characteristic of some of those Hudson Bay gentlemen.

At first the boys hardly knew how to reply to this absurd reflection.
Sam was the first to thoroughly understand them, and so in the richest
brogue of his own green isle, which we will not try to produce in all
its perfection, he said:

"Och, thin, it's roight ye are, av course. An' wasn't it too bad
intoirely, the spalpeen to the loikes of you, an' he too an Englishman!
Shure, thin, an' didn't he fire the powther through downright invy. Do
ye believe me now, didn't he, an' Alec, the Scotchman, sitting there
foreninst ye, wish to blow John Company, body and breeches, all at wanst
into the Nelson River for your rascally chating the poor Injuns, that
they might be after starting