man. "When a bunch is along he either feels that he has no
right around the fire with the others or he is too busy to get into the
humor."

"He has certainly had some experiences," said Bob.

They determined, before they sought their blankets, that the next day
they would go down to the mouth of the Portneuf River and then get the
St. Lawrence steamer up to Escoumains. They decided to do this so that
they would save time, as Bob and his party had to leave the woods in a
very few days. Then again, they were all eager to find out what luck
Bill and Mr. Anderson had had in getting in a claim on the gulch.
Nothing exciting occurred the next day, as it was smooth sailing, or
rather canoeing, until they hit the St. Lawrence. At this place the St.
Lawrence is about forty miles wide. There was a southerly wind, so they
kept to their original plan and took the river boat to Escoumains,
arriving there about four o'clock in the afternoon. Mr. Waterman hustled
around and soon had a pair of little Canadian horses. These hustled away
with them and the two canoes, and by dark they were at the ford once
more.

The next morning they were up early, and by seven o'clock they were back
on Lac Parent. Jerry's cheery halloo proved to them that they had been
expected. They found Bill and Mr. Anderson already back, and Mr.
Waterman was very much pleased with the way they had gotten results.

"The gulch is ours, then," said Mr. Waterman. "We can easily raise the
money, as land is cheap down here."

"We won't have to pay the money until it is regularly surveyed, and that
will not be until next summer, I expect," said Mr. Anderson.

"I hope that it will keep, for I want to have three or four days' good
fishing before I go," said Bob.

"I'd like to go over to the cabin again and get some more samples of
that ore, so that we can have it examined in Philadelphia when we get
home," said Bill.

"We'll do that too," said Mr. Anderson.

The next four days were quietly spent. Fishing and a side expedition
over the gulch furnished only moderate excitement, but everybody enjoyed
himself. Then one morning our three boys awoke to the fact that they had
to leave the woods where they had had such a good time and in which they
had learned so much and had such exciting experiences. As usual, they
got up early. It really was not a happy party that left Lac Parent that
morning. They went into Escoumains over the old trail. The fact that
they portaged th