," put in Jacques, "when do you mean to let us off
from this place? I guess the bourgeois won't be over pleased if we
waste time here."

"We'll start this forenoon, Jacques. I and Redfeather shall go along
with you, as I intended to take a run up to the creek about this time at
any rate.--Have you the skins and dried meat packed, Redfeather?"

To this the Indian replied in the affirmative, and the others having
finished breakfast, the whole party rose to prepare for departure, and
set about loading their canoes forthwith. An hour later they were again
cleaving the waters of the lake, with this difference in arrangement,
that Jacques was transferred to Redfeather's canoe, while Charley
Kennedy took his place in the stern of that occupied by Harry and
Hamilton.

The establishment of which our friend Charley pronounced himself
absolute monarch, and at which they arrived in the course of the same
afternoon, consisted of two small log houses or huts, constructed in the
rudest fashion, and without any attempt whatever at architectural
embellishment. It was pleasantly situated on a small bay, whose
northern extremity was sheltered from the arctic blast by a gentle
rising ground clothed with wood. A miscellaneous collection of fishing
apparatus lay scattered about in front of the buildings, and two men in
a canoe completed the picture. The said two men and an Indian woman
were the inhabitants of the place; the king himself, when present, and
his prime minister, Redfeather, being the remainder of the population.

"Pleasant little kingdom that of yours, Charley," remarked Harry
Somerville, as they passed the station.

"Very," was the laconic reply.

They had scarcely passed the place above a mile, when a canoe,
containing a solitary Indian, was observed to shoot out from the shore
and paddle hastily towards them. From this man they learned that a herd
of deer was passing down towards the lake, and would be on its banks in
a few minutes. He had been waiting their arrival when the canoes came
in sight, and induced him to hurry out so as to give them warning.
Having no time to lose, the whole party now paddled swiftly for the
shore, and reached it just a few minutes before the branching antlers of
the deer came in sight above the low bushes that skirted the wood.
Harry Somerville embarked in the bow of the strange Indian's canoe, so
as to lighten the other, and enable all parties to have a fair chance.
After snuffing