arf, side by side with those of
Gunson, who left us in charge of them while he went away.

"Wish he wouldn't order us about like that," cried Esau, angrily; "let's
go away, and let some one else look after his traps."

"We can't now," I said.

"But we don't want him with us any more. I say, I don't think much of
this place."

"It's very beautiful," I said, looking away over the sea at beautiful
islands, and up at the wooded hills in view.

"But it looks just like being at home in England. I expected all kinds
of wonderful things in a foreign country, and not to be sitting down on
one's box, with sheds and stacks of timber and wooden houses all about
you. We can get that at home."

I was obliged to own that everything did look rather home-like, even to
some names we could see over the stores.

"And do you know where the skipper's going as soon as he has unloaded?"

"No," I said.

"Up to some place with a rum name here in this island, to get a load of
coals to take back. They only had to call it Newcastle to make it
right. What are you looking at over yonder?"

"Those beautiful mountains across the sea, rising up and up in the
sunshine. That's British Columbia, I suppose, and it must be up among
those mountains that our river runs, and where Fort Elk lies."

"All right, I'm ready. How are we to go?"

"We shall have to find out when some boat sails across I suppose. Let's
go and find the captain, and ask him where we ought to go to get a
night's lodging."

"Here he comes back," said Esau.

"The skipper?"

"No, Gunson. Now let's say good-bye to him, and part friends."

"There's a little steamer goes across to the settlement at the mouth of
the river this afternoon," said Gunson; "so we'll have your chests
carried down. Here, you two can get some kind of dinner in that place,
where you see the red board up. You go on and get something ready; I'll
join you as soon as I've seen your chests on board. The boat starts
from close by here."

"No, no," whispered Esau; "we mustn't trust him, because--"

Esau stopped, for he had glanced at Gunson, and found his eye fixed upon
him searchingly.

"I said I would see your chests safely on board, my lad," he said
sternly. "I suppose you'll trust me, Gordon?"

"Of course I will," I cried, eagerly; for I was ashamed of Esau's
suspicions.

"Go on then and order some dinner," he said; and Esau accompanied me
unwillingly to the rough kind of tavern.

"