stern settlements, St. John and Dunvegan,
but running on down, between high and steep banks, through a country
clean and beautiful with its covering of poplar growth. At last, well
wearied with steady paddling, they opened up a great "V" in the
valley, so that they knew they were at the junction of the Smoky and
the Peace, and hence at the end of this stage of their journey.

It was evening at the time of their arrival, and Rob was much for
finishing the journey that day, yet yielded to the wish of Moise, who
thought it would be better to camp some few miles above the town,
although almost within sight of the great ferry which here crosses the
main river from the wagon trail of the north bank.

"We'll must go in like real _voyageurs_," insisted Moise. "We'll not
look good to go in to-night--too much tire an' dirt."

In the morning Moise appeared at the breakfast table attired in his
best. He had in some way managed a clean shave, and now his long,
black hair was bound back with a gaudy handkerchief, his old shirt
replaced by a new and bright one, and his old moccasins discarded for
a pair of new and brilliantly beaded ones, so that in all he made a
brave figure of a voyageur indeed. Alex also in a quiet way had
followed the lead of Moise. The boys themselves, falling into the
spirit of this, hunted through their war-bags for such finery as they
could compass, and decked themselves out in turn with new moccasins,
new gloves, and new kerchiefs for their necks. Moise looked on them
all with the utmost approbation.

"It's the best for return like some _braves hommes_," said he. "Well,
_en avant_!"

They all bent gaily to the paddles now, and sped down the flood of the
great stream until at length they sighted the buildings of the Hudson
Bay post, just below the ferry. Here, finishing with a great spurt of
speed, they pulled alongside the landing bank, just below where there
lay at mooring the tall structure of the Hudson Bay steamboat, _Peace
River_, for the time tarrying at this point. Moise rolled his paddle
along the gunwale, making the spray fly from the blade after the old
fashion of the _voyageurs_ ending a journey, and the boys followed his
example. Many willing hands aided them to disembark. A little later
they found themselves ready for what seemed apt to be one of their
last encampments.

A tall breed woman stood at a little distance up the bank, silently
awaiting their coming. Moise pointed to her with no