o was something of a daredevil in the canoe, not to undertake any
run which looked in the least bad. Moise and Rob, of course, retained
their position in the lead boat, the _Mary Ann_.

"I believe I'll get the hang of it after a while," said Rob, as they
paused at the head of a rapid lying ahead of the two canoes. "The main
thing is to map out your course before you go through, and then hang
to it. You can't take any too sudden turns, and you have to be careful
not to strike on a rock--that's the most dangerous thing, after all,
except the big swells at the foot of a fast drop."

Sometimes, when the shore was strewn with rocks alongside a rapid
which interrupted the passing down of the boats, all of the party
would be as much in the water as out, wading, shoving and pulling at
the boats. They were pretty well chilled when, well on into the
afternoon, Alex signified that it was time to make camp for the day.

"Better get out dry socks and moccasins, young gentlemen," said he.
"You're not quite as tough as Moise yonder."

Moise, happy and care-free, had not as yet started to make a fire, but
was sitting on a rock playing earnestly at a jews'-harp which he
carried in his pocket.

Jesse, idly prowling around in the "possible bag" in which Moise
carried his personal belongings, tipped out on the ground what looked
to be a small chopping-bowl, or wooden dish. "What's that, Moise?"
said he, "and what are all these sticks tied up in a bundle here?"

"I suppose you'll not know what's those," said Moise.

Jesse shook his head.

"That's what Injun calls his game," said Moise, laughing.

"His game--what's that?"

"Those game she'll been call platter game. All tam in winter Injun
will play those game in hees house--he'll play it here hondred year,
two hondred year, I s'pose maybe."

"I know!" broke in Rob, eagerly. "Mackenzie tells about that very
thing. He says that two of his Indians got to fighting over a game of
platter at the fort down below here. I wonder if that's the same
thing!"

"It is," said Alex, "precisely the same. The Crees all play this,
although so far as I know it isn't known east of Lake Superior. Show
him how to play, Moise."

Moise now spread down one of the blankets on the ground and took his
seat cross-legged at the side of it, motioning to the boys to sit
opposite. He now untied the greasy rag which wrapped up the bundle of
sticks, and produced from it eight little pieces of copper, disks, red