her, till a mighty pile was raised which next moment fell with a
crash into the boiling foam. Then, in one direction there was a rush
which seemed about to carry all before it, but instead of being piled
upwards, some of the masses were driven below, were thrust deep into the
mud, and a jam took place. In a few minutes the ice burst upwards
again, and the masses were swept on to join the battalions that were
already on their way towards the distant lake amid noise and crash and
devastation. It seemed as if ice and snow and water had combined to
revive the picture if not the reality of ancient chaos!

Thus the drapery of winter was rudely swept away, and next morning we
had the joy of seeing our river sweeping grandly on in all the liquid
beauty of early and welcome spring.

CHAPTER SIX.

AN EXPRESS AND ITS RESULTS.

Some weeks after the breaking up of the ice, as we were standing at the
front gate of Fort Dunregan, we experienced a pleasant surprise at the
sight of an Indian canoe sweeping round the point above the fort. Two
men paddled the canoe, one in the bow and one in the stern.

It conveyed a message from headquarters directing that two of the clerks
should be sent to establish an outpost in the regions of the far north,
the very region from which Macnab's friend Big Otter had come. One of
the two canoe-men was a clerk sent to undertake, at Dunregan, the work
of those who should be selected for the expedition, and he said that
another clerk was to follow in the spring-brigade of boats.

"That's marching orders for _you_, Lumley," said Macnab, who was beside
us when the canoe arrived.

"You cannot tell that," returned Lumley. "It may be that our chief will
select Max or Spooner. Did you hear any mention of names?" he asked of
the new clerk, as we all walked up to the house.

"No, our governor does not tell us much of his intentions. Perhaps your
chief may be the man."

"He's too useful where he is," suggested Macnab. "But we shall know
when the letters are opened."

Having delivered his despatches, the new arrival returned to us in
Batchelors' Hall, where we soon began to make the most of him, and were
engaged in a brisk fire of question and reply, when a message came for
Mr Lumley to go to the mess-room.

"I've sent for you, Lumley," said our chief, "to say that you have been
appointed to fill an honourable and responsible post. It seems that the
governor, with his wonted sagacity, has p