6o CANADIAN NIGHTS 



any other class of the population. Of course if a 

 man gives himself airs he must expect to pay for 

 it. I remember rather an amusing instance of 

 this. I had engaged a hunter and guide, a first- 

 rate man, to accompany a friend of mine. The 

 day before they were to start the guide came to 

 me and said, " Now look here, friend. I ain't 

 agoing to back out of this bargain, because I told 

 you I'd go ; but I ain't sweet upon the job, I tell 

 you. I never come across a chap with such a lot 

 of side on in my life, and I don't like it. However, 

 I said I'd go, and I'm agoing ; but I ain't agoing 

 at the price I told you. I am going to charge him 

 a dollar a day more." And so my friend enjoyed 

 his expedition in blissful ignorance that he was 

 paying four shillings and twopence a day extra for 

 " side." 



The next morning, after paying some visits 

 and making some preliminary arrangements for a 

 hunt, I wandered off a little distance and sat down 

 on the trunk of a fallen cottonwood tree, and tried 

 to realise that I was in the middle of those prairies 

 that, thanks to Captain Mayne Reid, had haunted 

 my boyish dreams. I cannot say that the realisa- 

 tion of my hopes fulfilled my expectation. I 

 was oppressed with the vastness of the country, 



