retty conclusive proof to most men that the road is
changed; and, besides, we don't often have people driving round corners
at full gallop; but--"

"Hollo! Charley, you rascal," interrupted Mr Kennedy--"here, take the
mare to the stable, and don't drive her too fast. Mind, now, no going
off upon the wrong road for the sake of a drive, you understand."

"All right, father," exclaimed the boy, while a bright smile lit up his
features and displayed two rows of white teeth: "I'll be particularly
careful," and he sprang into the light vehicle, seized the reins, and
with a sharp crack of the whip dashed down the road at a hard gallop.

"He's a fine fellow that son of yours," said Mr Grant, "and will make a
first-rate fur-trader."

"Fur-trader!" exclaimed Mr Kennedy. "Just look at him! I'll be shot
if he isn't thrashing the mare as if she were made of leather." The old
man's ire was rising rapidly as he heard the whip crack every now and
then, and saw the mare bound madly over the snow. "And see!" he
continued, "I declare he _has_ taken the wrong turn after all."

"True," said Mr Grant: "he'll never reach the stable by that road; he's
much more likely to visit the White-horse Plains. But come, friend,
it's of no use fretting. Charley will soon tire of his ride; so come
with me to my room and have a pipe before dinner."

Old Mr Kennedy gave a short groan of despair, shook his fist at the
form of his retreating son, and accompanied his friend to the house.

It must not be supposed that Frank Kennedy was very deeply offended with
his son, although he did shower on him a considerable amount of abuse.
On the contrary, he loved him very much. But it was the old man's
nature to give way to little bursts of passion on almost every occasion
in which his feelings were at all excited. These bursts, however, were
like the little puffs that ripple the surface of the sea on a calm
summer's day. They were over in a second, and left his good-humoured,
rough, candid countenance in unruffled serenity. Charley knew this
well, and loved his father tenderly, so that his conscience frequently
smote him for raising his anger so often; and he over and over again
promised his sister Kate to do his best to refrain from doing anything
that was likely to annoy the old man in future. But, alas! Charley's
resolves, like those of many other boys, were soon forgotten, and his
father's equanimity was upset generally two or three times a da