A week later found Charley and his sister seated on the lump of blue ice
where they were first introduced to the reader, and where Charley
announced his unalterable resolve to run away, following it up with the
statement that _that_ was "the end of it." He was quite mistaken,
however, for that was by no means the end of it. In fact it was only
the beginning of it, as we shall see hereafter.

CHAPTER TWO.

THE OLD FUR-TRADER ENDEAVOURS TO "FIX" HIS SON'S "FLINT," AND FINDS THE
THING MORE DIFFICULT TO DO THAN HE EXPECTED.

Near the centre of the colony of Red River, the stream from which the
settlement derives its name is joined by another, called the
Assiniboine. About five or six hundred yards from the point where this
union takes place, and on the banks of the latter stream, stands the
Hudson's Bay Company's trading-post, Fort Garry. It is a massive square
building of stone. Four high and thick walls enclose a space of ground
on which are built six or eight wooden houses, some of which are used as
dwellings for the servants of the Hudson's Bay Company, and others as
stores, wherein are contained the furs, the provisions which are sent
annually to various parts of the country, and the goods (such as cloth,
guns, powder and shot, blankets, twine, axes, knives, etcetera,
etcetera,) with which the fur-trade is carried on. Although Red River
is a peaceful colony, and not at all likely to be assaulted by the poor
Indians, it was, nevertheless, deemed prudent by the traders to make
some show of power; and so at the corners of the fort four round
bastions of a very imposing appearance were built, from the embrasures
of which several large black-muzzled guns protruded. No one ever
conceived the idea of firing these engines of war; and, indeed, it is
highly probable that such an attempt would have been attended with
consequences much more dreadful to those _behind_ than to those who
might chance to be in front of the guns. Nevertheless they were
imposing, and harmonised well with the flagstaff, which was the only
other military symptom about the place. This latter was used on
particular occasions, such as the arrival or departure of a brigade of
boats, for the purpose of displaying the folds of a red flag on which
were the letters H.B.C.

The fort stood, as we have said, on the banks of the Assiniboine River,
on the opposite side of which the land was somewhat wooded, though not
heavily, with oak, maple, pop