Part 2 (1/2)

”That's old Father Le Fevre,” replied his uncle ”He's the purchasing agent for all the many missions of the Catholic Church in the Far North Each year he cooods He o on to Great Slave I understand there are two good Sisters going even farther north this year No one knohen they will co the native schools

”Well, now you see the transport system beyond the head of the rails in the Athabasca and Mackenzie country,” he continued, as, hands in pocket, he passed along a the finished and unfinished craft which still lay in the shi+pyard

Outside,the shore, floated a number of the rude scows, some of which even noere partially laden The leader of the expedition pointed out to one of these

”That's our boat yonder, young men,” said he ”You'll see that she has the distinction of a naets certain scoith certain nuht Sun_ How do you like that?”

”That's fine, sir!” said Rob ”And we'll see to it that she doesn't co as we use her”

”Well, it will only be for a couple of hundred miles or so,” said Uncle dick, ”but I fancy there'll be nothing slow in that two hundred miles”

”Where e eat?” deard for creature comforts

”That's easy,” said Rob ”I know all about that I saoa cook-stove on one of the scows They took it out of a canoe, and how they did it without upsetting the canoe I can't tell, but they did it

I suppose we'll cook as we go along”

”Precisely,” nodded Uncle dick ”The cook-boat is the only thing that goes under steah he were on shore When he calls time forout in canoes and going to the cook-boat foris ht They have certain stages which they try to ood systeh but effective, as you will see”

”Is he a pretty good cook?” asked John, soood enough for the others,”

replied his uncle ”But I'll tell you e ood Sisters who go north with the ade kno to cook better than any half-breed I've ements so that we can eat on their scow once in a while if we like”

”What's that funny business on the end of our boat?” asked Jesse, presently, pointing to a rude framework of bent poles which covered the short deck at the stern of the boat

”That's what they call a 'bower' up in this country,” said Uncle dick

”They have solish words in here, even yet Now a bower is si the end of your boat, as you see You can throw your blankets over it, if you like, or green s It keeps the sun off Since the Hudson's Bay Coer north, it tries to earn itsa bower for the select few, such as we are”

”I don't think that we need any bower,” said Rob, and all the other boys shook their heads

”A little sunshi+ne won't hurt us,” said Jesse, stoutly

”But think of the style about it,” laughed Uncle dick, pleased to see the hardiness of his young charges ”Well, we'll do as we like about that One thing, we've got to have a chance to see out, for I know you ant to keep your eyes open every foot of the way”

”Well, I wish the breeds would hurry up and get the boats loaded,”

added Jesse, i here worth while”

”Don't be too hard with the breeds,” counseled Uncle dick ”They're like children, that's all This is the best tioes north It couldn't go without them

The fur trade in this country couldn't exist without the half-breeds and the full-bloods; there's a half-dozen tribes on whoreat corporation depend absolutely

”You'll see now the best water-es--a hundred pounds or better in each

Every pound of all that stuff is to be portaged across the Se, and even at Grand Island, just below here, if the water is low They have to carry it up from the scows to the steamboats, and from the steaain and again It's the half-breeds that do that They're as strong as horses and as patient as dogs; fineafter their old ways; they don't know any better”