might!"

Frank Kennedy was not a man to stand this unexpected miscarriage of his
eloquence with equanimity. His first action was to throw his pipe at
the head of his enthusiastic boy; without worse effect, however, than
smashing it to atoms on the opposite wall. He then started up and
rushed towards his son, who, being near the door, retreated
precipitately and vanished.

"So," said Mr Grant, not very sure whether to laugh or be angry at the
result of their united efforts, "you've settled the question now, at all
events."

Frank Kennedy said nothing, but filled another pipe, sat doggedly down
in front of the fire, and speedily enveloped himself, and his friend,
and all that the room contained, in thick, impenetrable clouds of smoke.

Meanwhile his worthy son rushed off in a state of great glee. He had
often heard the voyageurs of Red River dilate on the delights of
roughing it in the woods, and his heart had bounded as they spoke of
dangers encountered and overcome among the rapids of the Far North, or
with the bears and bison-bulls of the prairie, but never till now had he
heard his father corroborate their testimony by a recital of his own
actual experience; and although the old gentleman's intention was
undoubtedly to damp the boy's spirit, his eloquence had exactly the
opposite effect--so that it was with a hop and a shout that he burst
into the counting-room, with the occupants of which Charley was a
special favourite.

CHAPTER THREE.

THE COUNTING-ROOM.

Every one knows the general appearance of a counting-room. There are
one or two peculiar features about such apartments that are quite
unmistakable and very characteristic; and the counting-room at Fort
Garry, although many hundred miles distant from other specimens of its
race, and, from the peculiar circumstances of its position, not
therefore likely to bear them much resemblance, possessed one or two
features of similarity, in the shape of two large desks and several very
tall stools, besides sundry ink-bottles, rulers, books, and sheets of
blotting-paper. But there were other implements there, savouring
strongly of the backwoods and savage life, which merit more particular
notice.

The room itself was small, and lighted by two little windows, which
opened into the courtyard. The entire apartment was made of wood. The
floor was of unpainted fir boards. The walls were of the same material,
painted blue from the floor upwards to about thr