from the cold by two pair of blanket socks, besides very thick moccasins
of deerskin. The usual head-dress of civilised females in these regions
is a round fur cap; but Edith had a peculiar affection for the Cree
Indian headdress, and, upon the present occasion, wore one which was
lined with fur and accommodated with ear-pieces, to defy the winter
cold. The child's general appearance was somewhat rotund. Painters
would probably have said there was a little too much breadth, perhaps,
in the picture. Her pointed cap, however, with the little bow of ribbon
on the top, gave her a piquant air, and did away with the heavy
appearance of her costume to some extent; in fact, Edith looked like a
fat little witch. But if she looked fat before being wrapped up in the
sledge furs, she looked infinitely fatter when thus placed, and nothing
of her visible except her two twinkling eyes. So grotesque was she that
the whole party burst into a loud laugh as they surveyed her. The laugh
made Chimo start off at full gallop, which caused Frank to grasp the
line of the sledge that trailed behind, and hurry over the snow at a
most undignified pace.

"Take care of her," cried Mr Stanley.

"Ay, ay," shouted Frank.--"Softly, Chimo--softly, you rascal!"

In ten minutes the travellers were round the point and fairly out of
sight; but the shouts of Frank, and an occasional howl from Chimo,
floated back on the breeze as Stanley and his wife returned leisurely to
the hall.

The road, or rather the ground, over which Frank Morton drove Edith that
day was exceedingly rough and rugged--so rough that we will not try the
endurance of the reader by dragging him over it. We will merely
indicate its general features. First of all, they drove about three
miles along the level snow at the foot of the mountains. So far the
road was good; and Chimo went along merrily to the music of the little
thimble-like brass bells with which his harness was garnished. Then
they came to a ravine, and Edith had to get out, put on her snow-shoes,
and clamber up, holding by Frank's hand; while Chimo followed, dragging
the sledge as he best could. Having gained one of the terraces, Edith
slipped her feet out of the snow-shoe lines, jumped into the sledge, and
was swept along to the next ravine, where she got out again, resumed her
snow-shoes, and ascended as before. Thus they went up the ravines and
along the terraces until the summit of the first mountain range