my
hands, like a good girl.--Charley, my boy, you'll be pleased to hear
that your old friend Redfeather is here."

"Redfeather, father!" exclaimed Charley, in surprise.

"Yes; he and the parson, from the other end of Lake Winnipeg, arrived an
hour ago in a tin kettle, and are now on their way to the upper fort."

"That is indeed pleasant news; but I suspect that it will give much
greater pleasure to our friend Jacques, who, I believe, would be glad to
lay down his life for him, simply to prove his affection."

"Well, well," said the old gentleman, knocking the ashes out of his
pipe, and refilling it so as to be ready for an after-dinner smoke,
"Redfeather has come, and the parson's come too; and I look upon it as
quite miraculous that they _have_ come, considering the _thing_ they
came in. What they've come for is more than I can tell, but I suppose
it's connected with church affairs.--Now then, Kate, what's come o' the
dinner, Kate? Stir up that grampus of a cook! I half expect that he
has boiled the cat for dinner, in his wrath, for it has been badgering
him and me the whole morning.--Hollo, Harry, what's wrong?"

The last exclamation was in consequence of an expression of pain which
crossed Harry's face for a moment.

"Nothing, nothing," replied Harry. "I've had a fall from my horse, and
bruised my arm a little. But I'll see to it after dinner."

"That you shall not," cried Mr Kennedy, energetically, dragging his
young friend into his bedroom. "Off with your coat, lad. Let's see it
at once. Ay, ay," he continued, examining Harry's left arm, which was
very much discoloured, and swelled from the elbow to the shoulder,
"that's a severe thump, my boy. But it's nothing to speak of; only
you'll have to submit to a sling for a day or two."

"That's annoying, certainly, but I'm thankful it's no worse," remarked
Harry, as Mr Kennedy dressed the arm after his own fashion, and then
returned with him to the dining-room.

CHAPTER THIRTY.

LOVE--OLD MR. KENNEDY PUTS HIS FOOT IN IT.

One morning, about two weeks after Charley's arrival at Red River, Harry
Somerville found himself alone in Mr Kennedy's parlour. The old
gentleman himself had just galloped away in the direction of the lower
fort, to visit Charley, who was now formally installed there; Kate was
busy in the kitchen, giving directions about dinner; and Jacques was
away with Redfeather, visiting his numerous friends in the settlement:
so that, f