ROMANCE AND ADVENTURE 31 



bestowed upon her lover. I was growing more inquisitive 

 than ever as to who Son-in-law might be. Indeed, I felt like 

 asking, but was really too shy, and besides, when I thought it 

 over, I concluded it was none of my business. 



When the time came for me to return to the Hudson's Bay 

 Post, I shook hands with them all — Athabasca had nice hands 

 and a good grip, too. Her parents gave me a pressing invita- 

 tion to visit them again for a few days at New Year's, when 

 everyone in the country would be going to the great winter 

 festival that was always held at Fort Consolation. As I 

 paddled away I mused: 



"By George, Son-in-law is certainly a lucky dog, for Atha- 

 basca's a peach . . . but I don't see how in thunder her 

 lover ever gets a chance to call." 



LEAVING FORT CONSOLATION 



I was up early next morning and as I wished to see how 

 Oo-koo-hoo and his party would pack up and board their 

 canoes, I walked round the bay to the Indian village. After a 

 hasty breakfast, the women pulled down the lodge coverings of 

 sheets of birch bark and rolling them up placed them upon the 

 star-chi-gan — the stage — along with other things which they 

 intended leaving behind. The lodge poles were left standing in 

 readiness for their return next summer, and it wasn't long be- 

 fore all their worldly goods — save their skin tepees and most of 

 their traps, which had been left on their last winter's hunting 

 grounds — were placed aboard their three canoes, and off they 

 paddled to the Post, to say good-bye, while Amik secured his 

 advances. 



Just think of it, all you housekeepers — no gold plate or silver- 

 ware to send to the vault, no bric-a-brac to pack, no furniture to 

 cover, no bedding to put away, no rugs or furs or clothes to send 

 to cold storage, no servants to wrangle with or discharge, 



