APPOINTED GUARDIAN OF "GODBOUT" 53 



with the use of the Hudson Bay Company's de- 

 serted house as a residence. " Forty dollars/' I 

 thought to myself, "that would buy me a cap 

 gun and some steel traps and ammunition." 

 "Papa," I said, "Will you let me stay?" The 

 kind doctor looked at me astonished. Why, he 

 said, a little lad like you, stay here alone. Are 

 you not afraid the Indians will scalp you?" I 

 answered that I was not afraid, that I knew the 

 Indians, had been with them all my life, and did 

 not think there would be any trouble. So I was 

 appointed guardian, which position I have filled 

 uninterruptedly till now. My duties did not en- 

 tail any hard work, and were just of the kind 

 that suited my fancy, to be out in the woods and 

 canoeing. I had a mile and a half of river to 

 paddle or pole up, and then a walk of two miles 

 to reach the furthest "pool." I had been given 

 some lines and flies by the doctor, with permis- 

 sion to fish as much as I pleased. There was an 

 abundance of sea birds about, and plovers and 

 sand larks. There would be fine shooting. These 

 were very brilliant prospects to my young fancy, 

 and I did have a good time. Most of the day I 

 would be on the river, fishing for trout, of which 

 there were many, or else shooting on the sand 

 bar. I was alone in a great big house, and had 

 to do my own cooking, bake my bread, etc. In the 

 evenings or on stormy days I would sit and read 

 some of the books Mr. Lawler had given me, or 



