y that knocks holes in
their pockets."

"But I can't put my wife in a stock-car!" protested Harris.

"There's worse places," McCrae answered, calmly worrying a
considerable section from a plug of black chewing tobacco. "Worse
places, Ah should say. Ah've seen times when a good warm stock-car
would have passed for heaven. But that ain't what Ah have in mind.
We'll all turn in an' get the stock unloaded, hitch up horses, pack a
load, an' get away. Morrison's hired man'll drive his team, an'
Tom'll stay here himself an' look after the rest of the stuff. Ah've
been making a canvass, an' Ah find we have six or seven families who
can be ready to pull out this afternoon. An soon as we get into
settled country, perhaps we can get accommodation, such as it is,
along the way. But my team will go along, with a good tent an' some
cooking outfit. Everyone has bedding, so we're all right for that.
Now, if all hustle we can be started by four o'clock, an' out ten or
twelve miles before we pitch camp. That's far enough for the horses
the first day, anyway. How does it suit you?"

"What do you say, Mr. Morrison?"

"I think Aleck's plan is best. I've my wife and the two girls, and
there's no roof for their heads here. I can find a place for myself,
but I've got to get them started. Ned is a trusty man; he will drive
my team. It suits me."

"But after we get there?" said Harris, "For my part, I don't know
where I'm going. Even with Aleck's help it will take some time to
look up my land and build a place to live in. Mind you," he said, as
if forestalling a question in their minds, "I'm mightily obliged for
the kindness of your offer, and it isn't myself I'm thinking about."

"Hoots, man!" said Morrison. "We ken who you're thinkin' about, right
well. And a poor man ye'd be if ye didn't, for a bonnier lass never
came out of Canada, and that's saying somethin'. But she'll be all
right out there, and a deal better than if you left her here. There's
not many settlers with houses in the country yet, Aleck tells me, but
there's a few, and it's wonderful the e-las-ticity of a shanty on the
prairie."

"Tom's right," said McCrae. "We haven't many of the conveniences of
civilization out there yet, but we haven't the narrowness or vices
either, an' your wife'll be both welcome an' safe in any farmer's
home. Now, if it's all settled," continued McCrae, who had the
leader's knack of suppressing indecision at the psychological moment,
"we'll al