, while his cheeks flushed:

"I want to thank you for saving me from my own awkwardness."

Doret became even more embarrassed than the Lieutenant at this show of
gratitude, and grunted churlishly. But when the young man had gone he
turned to Gale, who had watched them silently, and said:

"He's nice young feller, ole man. Sapre! Wen he's mad his eye got so
red lak' my ondershirt."

But the trader made no reply.

CHAPTER III

WITHOUT BENEFIT OF CLERGY

When the steamer had gone Napoleon Doret went to look for Necia, and
found her playing with the younger Gales, who revelled in the gifts he
had brought. Never had there been such a surprise. Never had there been
such gorgeous presents for little folks. This was a land in which there
were no toys, a country too young for babes; and any one whose youth
had been like that of other children would have seen a pathos in the
joy of these two. Poleon had been hard put to it to find anything
suitable for his little friends, for although there was all manner of
merchandise coming into Dawson, none of it was designed for tiny
people, not even clothes.

It was evident that he had pleased them, for when he appeared they ran
at his legs like twin cubs, incoherent and noisy, the pleasure within
them too turbulent for expression. They had never played with a toy
that Poleon had not built for them, nor worn a garment that Alluna had
not made. This, then, was a day of revelations, for the first thing
they beheld upon opening their packs was a pair of rubber boots for
each. They were ladies' knee-boots, the smallest size in stock, but the
Gales entered them bodily, so to speak, moccasins and all, clear to
their hips, like the waders that duck-hunters use. When they ran they
fell down and out of them, but their pride remained upright and serene,
for were not these like the boots that Poleon wore, and not of Indian
make, with foolish beads on them? Next, the youthful heir had found a
straw hat of strange and wondrous fashion, with a brim like a board and
a band of blue, which Poleon had bought from a college man who had
retained this emblem of his past to the final moment. Like the boots,
it was much too large for little John, and hard to master, but it made
a brave display, as did a red cravat, which covered his front like a
baseball catcher's harness. Molly had also two sets of side-combs,
gorgeously ornamented with glass diamonds, and a silver-handled
tooth-brush, with whi