"Well, my boy," said he, seating himself on the bedside and taking his
son's hand, "how goes it now? Head getting all right again? I fear
that Kate has been talking too much to you.--Is it so, you little
chatterbox?"

Mr Kennedy parted Kate's clustering ringlets and kissed her forehead.

Charley assured his father that he was almost well, and much the better
of having Kate to tend him. In fact, he felt so much revived that he
said he would get up and go out for a walk.

"Had I not better tell Tom Whyte to saddle the young horse for you?"
said his father, half ironically. "No, no, boy; lie still where you are
to-day, and get up if you feel better to-morrow. In the meantime, I've
come to say goodbye, as I intend to go home to relieve your mother's
anxiety about you. I'll see you again, probably, the day after
to-morrow. Hark you, boy; I've been talking your affairs over again
with Mr Grant, and we've come to the conclusion to give you a run in
the woods for a time. You'll have to be ready to start early in spring
with the first brigades for the north. So adieu!"

Mr Kennedy patted him on the head, and hastily left the room.

A burning blush of shame arose on Charley's cheek as he recollected his
late remarks about his father; and then, recalling the purport of his
last words, he sent forth an exulting shout as he thought of the coming
spring.

"Well now, Charley," said Kate, with an arch smile, "let us talk
seriously over your arrangements for running away."

Charley replied by seizing the pillow and throwing it at his sister's
head; but being accustomed to such eccentricities, she anticipated the
movement, and evaded the blow.

"Ah, Charley," cried Kate, laughing, "you mustn't let your hand get out
of practice! That was a shockingly bad shot for a man thirsting to
become a bear and buffalo hunter!"

"I'll make my fortune at once," cried Charley, as Kate replaced the
pillow, "build a wooden castle on the shores of Great Bear Lake, take
you to keep house for me, and when I'm out hunting you'll fish for
whales in the lake, and we'll live there to a good old age; so
good-night, Kate dear, and go to bed."

Kate laughed, gave her brother a parting kiss, and left him.

CHAPTER SIX.

SPRING AND THE VOYAGEURS.

Winter, with its snow and its ice; winter, with its sharp winds and
white drifts; winter, with its various characteristic occupations and
employments, is past, and it is spring now.

The sun