A CHRISTMAS JAUNT 



But a few miles accomplished, and 

 being then nowhere in particular, our 

 new charioteer suddenly turned round 

 and shot at us "J'ai I'idee de virer id." 

 On it being suggested to him that from 

 our point of view this was neither a logi- 

 cal nor a convenient stopping-place, 

 with equal promptness and great cheer- 

 fulness he declared his willingness to 

 proceed. Arrived at the house of a sub- 

 stantial farmer where a fresh horse 

 could be had, we parted company with 

 mutual compliments and wishes for 

 good fortune on the road. A fine type 

 of countryman this, polite, obliging, 

 competent, and perfectly independent. 



Our next driver had in his stable no 

 less than three stout horses, which, the 

 week before, had hauled I forget just 

 how many hundred pounds of miscel- 

 laneous farm produce to Quebec in two 

 days. Entering his well-built dwelling 

 to warm up, we found the fortnightly 

 baking at that anxious stage when the 



217 



