g."

"As if I didn't know. Why, you were on your back snorting, and puffing,
and talking all sorts of nonsense. That's eating 'Merican pie for
supper."

"I couldn't go to sleep for hours."

"Yah! that's what mother always said when she was late of a morning, and
I had to light the fire. I say, wonder how they are getting on?"

"So do I. I lay thinking about them last night, hoping they wouldn't be
attacked by Indians."

"I don't think an Indian would like to attack my mother again. She
ain't a big woman, but she has got a temper when it's roused. Make
haste; I want my breakfast."

I was not long in dressing, and on going down we found Mr Gunson
waiting for us, and looking more sour, fierce, and forbidding than ever.

"Come, young sirs," he said, "you must learn to see the sun rise
regularly out here in the West. Sit down, and let's have breakfast.
I've a lot to do ready for starting to-morrow."

"I'm sorry I am so late," I said. "I could not sleep last night."

"Why? Let's look at you. Not ill?"

"Oh, no," I said, beginning on my breakfast to try and overtake Esau.

"No," he said, "you're not ill, or you couldn't eat like that. Why
couldn't you sleep?"

"I was thinking so much of what you said about the difficulties before
us. I never thought of them before."

"Oh!" he said, looking at me curiously. "Well, I'm glad of it. But
don't worry yourself. The troubles will not come all at once. You can
fight them one at a time, and get over them, I dare say."

"Then you think we shall be able to get up to Fort Elk somehow?"

"If you make up your minds to it, and say you will do it. That's the
way. There, make a good breakfast, and then perhaps you can help me a
bit. I want to finish buying a few things that one can't get up the
country. By the way, you will have to leave those chests of yours up at
one of the settlements."

"Leave our chests?" said Esau, staring.

"Why, you don't expect to be able to carry a great box each on your
head, do you, through such a country as you'll have to travel. Never
thought of that, I suppose?"

"I'm afraid I did not," I said.

"Of course you did not. Look here, while I think of it. Have you both
got blankets?"

"No," I said. "I thought we need not buy them till we built a house."

"And don't you want to go to sleep till you've built a house? My good
lads, a thoroughly well made thick blanket--a dark-coloured one--is a
man's best friend out her