ut very hard work indeed.

Yet in spite of this it was lovely to be out in the fresh air and
the sunshine. When Katherine heard the long, laughing chuckle of
the ptarmigan, or saw the trailing flights of geese headed
northward, she could have shouted and sung from sheer lighthearted
joy at the coming of spring. But, however high her spirits rose as
the weather grew better and finer, there was always the cold dread
in her heart because of what the summer must bring. Of course, if
her father remained in his present condition he would feel and
understand nothing of the embarrassment which must fall alone upon
her in meeting Mr. Selincourt. It was the dread and shrinking at
the thought of this meeting which robbed the spring days of their
keenest joy, and although she would be happy sometimes, the
happiness was certain to be followed by fits of black depression,
especially after the doing of a long portage.

There was a long, low shed at Seal Cove, where all the fish oil,
whalebone, blubber, ivory, skins, and other produce of the sea
harvest were stored pending ocean shipment. Jervis Ferrars had a
small office railed off from one end of this unsavoury shed, and he
was sitting in it writing, one afternoon in early May, when he saw
Katherine's boat coming across from Fort Garry. He had been
looking for it any time within the last hour, and had begun to
wonder that it was so long delayed. But it was coming at last, and
putting on his cap he locked his office and went out to hail the
boat. This was no birchbark journey broken by weary toiling to and
fro on a portage trail, but Katherine and Phil were seated in one
of the good, solid boats turned out by Astor M'Kree, and both of
them looked even brighter than usual.

"Are you coming home with us?" Katherine asked, as she came within
speaking distance and saw that Jervis had his birchbark by a
towrope.

"That is my desire, if you will have me," he said.

"With pleasure. You shall be company, and sit in the place of
honour," Katherine said with a laugh, feeling that the occasion had
somehow become festive, even though two miles of rowing against the
current lay in front of her. "Phil, move that bundle from the seat
and let Mr. Ferrars sit there; he will be more comfortable."

"Thank you, I don't want to sit there, and if I can't do as I like
I shall get into the birchbark and paddle you up river on a
towrope, which will jerk you horribly, and probably capsize me,