more to their paddles, they set up their
monotonous chant, and in about an hour we were round the great rocky
buttress, and making for a meadow-like patch surrounded by magnificent
trees, and upon which dotted here and there were rough shanties.

"Why this is the settlement!" cried Gunson. "They have done as they
promised after all. Now, my lads," he said, "what do you say?--shall we
try and get shelter at one of those places, or camp out for the first
time, and you can try what it's like?"

"Camp out," I said eagerly, for there was an attraction about the idea.
"What do you say, Esau?"

"Same as you do, sir, same as you."

"Then we will camp out," said Gunson; and directing the Indians to a
nook away from the tents, they landed us there by a spring of cold
water, and then began to take out the chests.

"No, no. To-morrow," said Gunson. "Now then; first thing is a fire
when we have chosen our tent."

Just then Esau cried sharply--"I say, lookye there!" and burst into a
fit of laughter.

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.

ESAU HAS A DREAM.

I laughed too as I saw the little yellow-faced figure of our Chinese
companion of the boat, as he came up with his small bundle swinging from
one finger.

"Why how did you get up here?" I said.

"Indian--chinook come along, walkee, walkee," he said; and he pointed
toward the west. "Wantee fire--make blead?" he said laconically; and
then without losing a moment, he selected a sheltered spot, collected a
quantity of pine-needles and fir-cones, produced a box of matches from
somewhere,--I think it was from up his sleeve,--started the fire, nursed
it carefully, and as soon as it began to burn freely, ran here and there
to collect dry wood, and after building this up round, dragged up bigger
pieces, and then added these, making a famous fire in a very short time.

Gunson laughed at the Chinaman's busy, officious way, and with us to
help him, brought our stores ashore, while the Indians prepared their
own camping-place some little distance off.

"We may as well make ourselves comfortable for the night," he said. "We
shall work all the better to-morrow."

"Where floul--make blead?" said the Chinaman, looking up suddenly.

"Don't want any. Got plenty of bread."

"Don'tee want any. Plenty blead?" said the Chinaman. "Want pot makum
boil tea; want bacon--good fi' cook bacon."

I was just unpacking the latter, which had been tucked in the kettle
safe receptacle, and our ne