Somerville, I wish you would pay more attention to your work and
less to the conversation."

"Oh dear!" cried Harry, becoming almost hysterical under the combined
effects of chagrin at making so many mistakes, and suppressed merriment
at the idea of selling Annettes by the yard. "Oh, dear me--"

Harry could say no more, but stuffed his handkerchief into his mouth and
turned away.

"Well, sir," said the offended Peter, "when you have laughed to your
entire satisfaction, we will go on with our work, if you please."

"All right," cried Harry, suppressing his feelings with a strong effort;
"what next?"

Just then a tall, raw-boned man entered the store, and rudely thrusting
Baptiste aside, asked if he could get his supplies now.

"No," said Mactavish, sharply; "you'll take your turn like the rest."

The new-comer was a native of Orkney, a country from which, and the
neighbouring islands, the Fur Company almost exclusively recruits its
staff of labourers. These men are steady, useful servants, although
inclined to be slow and lazy _at first_; but they soon get used to the
country, and rapidly improve under the example of the active Canadians
and half-breeds with whom they associate. Some of them are the best
servants the Company possess. Hugh Mathison, however, was a very bad
specimen of the race, being rough and coarse in his manners, and very
lazy withal. Upon receiving the trader's answer, Hugh turned sulkily on
his heel and strode towards the door. Now, it happened that Baptiste's
bundle lay just behind him, and on turning to leave the place, he
tripped over it and stumbled, whereat the voyageurs burst into an
ironical laugh (for Hugh was not a favourite).

"Confound your trash!" he cried, giving the little bundle a kick that
scattered everything over the floor.

"Crapaud!" said Baptiste, between his set teeth, while his eyes flashed
angrily, and he stood up before Hugh with clinched fists, "what mean you
by that, eh?"

The big Scotchman held his little opponent in contempt; so that, instead
of putting himself on the defensive, he leaned his back against the
door, thrust his hands into his pockets, and requested to know "what
that was to him."

Baptiste was not a man of many words, and this reply, coupled with the
insolent sneer with which it was uttered, caused him to plant a sudden
and well-directed blow on the point of Hugh's nose, which flattened it
on his face, and brought the back of his head int