ack and cook
all I require. There," he said, rising, "I'm ready for my start now.
Will you lads walk a little way with me?"

"Yes," I cried; and two minutes later we were outside, with Esau
shouldering the pack, while its owner stood for a few minutes talking
earnestly to Mr Raydon. I could not hear his words, but from his
glancing two or three times in my direction, I guessed the subject of
their conversation.

Gunson would not let us go far, but stopped short at the rise of a steep
slope, at the foot of which the river ran.

"Good-bye, Mayne," he said. "I shall come and look you up by and by if
the Indians do not kill me, or I am starved to death somewhere up
yonder. No, no: my nonsense," he continued, as he saw my horrified
look. "No fear; I shall come back safely. Good-bye."

He shook hands with us both hurriedly, shouldered his pack, and we stood
there watching him till he disappeared round a curve in the valley.

"He don't like me," said Esau, in a grumbling tone, as we began to walk
back.

"And you never liked him," I said.

"No. Perhaps it's because he had only got one eye. Never mind, he's
gone now, and we're going to stay. Will the old man set us to work?"

There seemed to be no sign of it at first, for when we returned to the
Fort Mr Raydon was away, and when he returned we spent our time in what
Esau called sight-seeing, for Mr Raydon took us round the place, and
showed us the armoury with its array of loaded rifles; took us into the
two corner block-houses, with their carefully-kept cannon, and showed us
how thoroughly he was prepared for danger if the Indians should ever
take it into their heads to attack him.

Then there were the stores, with the gay-coloured blankets and other
goods which were dear to the Indian and his squaw, and for which a
portion of a tribe came from time to time to barter the skins they had
collected by trapping and shooting.

There they were, bales of them--seal, sea-otter, beaver, skunk, marten,
and a few bear, the sight of all raising up in our hearts endless ideas
of sport and adventure possibly never to be fulfilled.

"There," said Mr Raydon, when we had seen all the stores, including
that where an ample supply of provisions was laid up, and we had visited
the homes of his men, all of whom had married Indian wives, "I have not
settled anything about you two lads yet. I may set you to work perhaps,
but at all events not for a few days, so you can wander ab