dled a saw or hammer in their lives, and had lived up to that time in
tents, the pastor lent a hand to begin it, drew out the plan (not a very
complicated thing, certainly), set them fairly at work, and kept his eye
on it until it was finished. In short, the worthy pastor was everything
to everybody, "that by all means he might gain some."

Under such management the village flourished as a matter of course,
although it did not increase very rapidly owing to the almost
unconquerable aversion of North American Indians to take up a settled
habitation.

It was to this little hamlet, then, that our three friends directed
their steps. On arriving, they found Pastor Conway in a sort of
workshop, giving directions to an Indian who stood with a soldering-iron
in one hand and a sheet of tin in the other, which he was about to apply
to a curious-looking, half-finished machine that bore some resemblance
to a canoe.

"Ah, my friend Jacques!" he exclaimed as the hunter approached him; "the
very man I wished to see. But I beg pardon, gentlemen--strangers, I
perceive. You are heartily welcome. It is seldom that I have the
pleasure of seeing new friends in my wild dwelling. Pray come with me
to my house."

Pastor Conway shook hands with Harry and Hamilton with a degree of
warmth that evinced the sincerity of his words. The young men thanked
him and accepted the invitation.

As they turned to quit the workshop, the pastor observed Jacques's eye
fixed, with a puzzled expression of countenance, on his canoe.

"You have never seen anything like that before, I dare say?" said he,
with a smile.

"No, sir; I never did see such a queer machine afore."

"It is a tin canoe, with which I hope to pass through many miles of
country this spring, on my way to visit a tribe of Northern Indians; and
it was about this very thing that I wanted to see you, my friend."

Jacques made no reply, but cast a look savouring very slightly of
contempt on the unfinished canoe as they turned and went away.

The pastor's dwelling stood at one end of the village, a view of which
it commanded from the back windows, while those in front overlooked the
lake. It was pleasantly situated and pleasantly tenanted, for the
pastor's wife was a cheerful, active little lady, like-minded with
himself, and delighted to receive and entertain strangers. To her care
Mr Conway consigned the young men, after spending a short time in
conversation with them; and then,