itories. Their
favourite horses and the mule "Jeannette" had been left behind. This was
a necessity, as these creatures, however useful upon the dry prairies of
the South, where there are few or no lakes, and where rivers only occur
at long intervals, would be of little service to the traveller in the
Northern regions. Here the route is crossed and intercepted by numerous
rivers; and lakes of all sizes, with tracts of inundated marsh, succeed
one another continually. Such, in fact, are the highways of the country,
and the canoe the travelling carriage; so that a journey from one point
of the Hudson's Bay territory to another is often a canoe voyage of
thousands of miles--equal to a "trip" across the Atlantic.

Following the usual custom, therefore, our Boy Hunters had become
voyageurs--"_Young Voyageurs_." They had navigated the St. Peter's in
safety, almost to its head-waters. These interlock with the sources of
the Red River. By a "portage" of a few miles they had crossed to the
latter stream; and, having launched their canoe upon its waters, were
now floating downward and northward with its current. But they had yet a
long journey before them--nearly two thousand miles! Many a river to be
"run," many a rapid to be "shot," many a lake to be crossed, and many a
"portage" to be passed, ere they could reach the end of that great
_voyage_.

Come, boy reader, shall we accompany them? Yes. The strange scenes and
wild adventures through which we must pass, may lighten the toils, and
perhaps repay us for the perils of the journey. Think not of the toils.
Roses grow only upon thorns. From toil we learn to enjoy leisure. Regard
not the perils. "From the nettle danger we pluck the flower safety."
Security often springs from peril. From such hard experiences great men
have arisen. Come, then, my young friend! mind neither toil nor peril,
but with me to the great wilderness of the North!

Stay! We are to have another "_compagnon du voyage_." There is a fourth
in the boat, a fourth "young voyageur." Who is he? In appearance he is
as old as Basil, full as tall, and not unlike him in "build." But he is
altogether of a different _colour_. He is fair-haired; but his hair
(unlike that of Lucien, which is also light-coloured) is strong, crisp,
and curly. It does not droop, but stands out over his cheeks in a
profusion of handsome ringlets. His complexion is of that kind known as
"fresh," and the weather, to which it has evidently been