city; I have the message here. It came down from Circle City
on the last boat."

"And you, sir? I beg your pardon--"

"I am the archdeacon of the Anglican Church in this district," replied
the other, "and my name is Hudson. I have come this morning to ask you
to our house to live during your stay here. There will be no boat out
for some days as yet." Still he looked half-doubtfully at the man whom
he addressed, as though possibly he might be some impostor, so strange
did he appear, unshaven, with long hair, and in garments which barely
clung together.

Uncle Dick laughed at this, and explained that he did not blame any
one for suspecting himself and his party of anything in the world.
Then he called to his young companions, and the archdeacon himself
smiled when he saw the four standing, the fresher for the pails of
water which they threw over one another, in the front yard.

"I am a traveler myself," said he, "and have mushed dogs many thousand
miles in this northern country. So I know what hard travel is, winter
and summer. Come with me, if you please."

So they accompanied him to his home, the only civilized place, as
Uncle Dick was disposed to say, in all the settlement thereabouts.
Here the boys of the party had the best meal they had known for many a
day, with real meat and gravy and actual bread and butter, such as
they had been used to at home. Although, of course, they displayed no
curiosity in their host's house, they were well pleased enough, as
they later saw signs of comfort and good taste all about them.

"Now," said the archdeacon, after they had breakfasted, "I know how
you feel about your clothes. Happily, I have some such clothing
provided for our own needs here. Although the things will not be in
the latest fashion, perhaps we can fix you up better than you now are.

"As for you," he said to Uncle Dick, "you are welcome to a suit of my
own clothing if it will serve you. We are not dissimilar in build, I
believe. Come with me and let us see what we can do for you."

In half an hour the four emerged from another room in the house, each
with a complete new outfit, and to each of them it seemed, in the
circumstances, that they were especially well-dressed.

"Well," said Uncle Dick, "you certainly are Good Samaritans in your
church here in the North. I shall not offend you by offering pay for
what you have done for us, but we have some boats here, with a canoe
and a few odds and ends of that sort