To The West Part 24

"So do I. I lay thinking about them last night, hoping they wouldn't be attacked by Indians."

"I don't think an Indian would like to attack my mother again. She ain't a big woman, but she has got a temper when it's roused. Make haste; I want my breakfast."

I was not long in dressing, and on going down we found Mr Gunson waiting for us, and looking more sour, fierce, and forbidding than ever.

"Come, young sirs," he said, "you must learn to see the sun rise regularly out here in the West. Sit down, and let's have breakfast.

I've a lot to do ready for starting to-morrow."

"I'm sorry I am so late," I said. "I could not sleep last night."

"Why? Let's look at you. Not ill?"

"Oh, no," I said, beginning on my breakfast to try and overtake Esau.

"No," he said, "you're not ill, or you couldn't eat like that. Why couldn't you sleep?"

"I was thinking so much of what you said about the difficulties before us. I never thought of them before."

"Oh!" he said, looking at me curiously. "Well, I'm glad of it. But don't worry yourself. The troubles will not come all at once. You can fight them one at a time, and get over them, I dare say."

"Then you think we shall be able to get up to Fort Elk somehow?"

"If you make up your minds to it, and say you will do it. That's the way. There, make a good breakfast, and then perhaps you can help me a bit. I want to finish buying a few things that one can't get up the country. By the way, you will have to leave those chests of yours up at one of the settlements."

"Leave our chests?" said Esau, staring.

"Why, you don't expect to be able to carry a great box each on your head, do you, through such a country as you'll have to travel. Never thought of that, I suppose?"

"I'm afraid I did not," I said.

"Of course you did not. Look here, while I think of it. Have you both got blankets?"

"No," I said. "I thought we need not buy them till we built a house."

"And don't you want to go to sleep till you've built a house? My good lads, a thoroughly well made thick blanket--a dark-coloured one--is a man's best friend out here. It's bed, greatcoat, seat, cushion, carpet-bag, everything. It's even food sometimes."

"Go on," cried Esau, laughing. "You can't eat your blanket."

"There was a snake at the Zoo once thought differently," said Gunson, laughing. "No, you can't eat your blanket, but you can roll yourself up warm in it sometimes when there's no food, and have a good sleep. _Qui dort dine_, the French folk say."

"But do you mean to say that up there we shan't get anything to eat sometimes?" cried Esau, who looked aghast.

"Yes, often. A man who wants to get on in a new country must not think of eating and drinking. Why, I went three days once with nothing but a drop of water now and then, and a bit of stick to chew, so as to keep my mouth moist."

I burst out into an uncontrollable fit of laughter, and Gunson looked annoyed.

"It's no joke, young fellow," he said; "and I'm not romancing."

"No, no, no," I panted out; "not--laughing--at you. Look--look!"

I pointed at Esau, and Mr Gunson's face relaxed into a smile, and then he too laughed heartily at the comical, horror-stricken countenance before us.

"What are you laughing at?" cried Esau. "I say, though, do you mean it?

Shall we have to go without sometimes like that?"

"Of course you will."

"I say, Mr Gordon," said Esau, in despondent tones, "hadn't we better go back?"

"Go back?--no!" I cried. "It will not be very pleasant, but we can eat all the more afterwards."

Esau brightened up.

"Yes," he said. "I didn't think of that."

"You neither of you seem to have thought anything about what's before you, my lads."

"Then you think we have done very foolishly in coming?" I said.

"Not I. You have done wisely; and if you make up your minds to take everything as it comes, I have no doubt that you will grow up into well-to-do hearty men. There, now, let's talk business. I'll go with you and see that you are not cheated while you buy yourselves a blanket apiece. Have you knives?"

"Yes," I said; and we each produced one.

"Ah, well, you can keep those in your pockets to pick your teeth with when you do get anything to eat. You must buy yourselves each a good strong case-knife, big enough to chop wood or skin an animal, and to use for your food."

"Anything else, sir?"

"There are other things you'll want, but you can wait till you join your friend up at Fort Elk. I dare say he will be able to supply you out of his store."

"But he does not keep a store," I ventured to observe. "He is the head man over one of the Hudson's Bay Company's depots."

"Exactly. Then he keeps a store. You don't suppose he gives the Indians dollars for the skins they bring in, do you? He keeps a store of blankets and cutlery, and all kinds of useful things for barter with the people. Blankets up yonder are like bank-notes. Well, what are you looking at?"

"I was wishing I knew as much about the place as you do."

"Have patience," he said, laughing, "and I dare say you'll know a good deal more."

We went out soon after breakfast, and I had my first lesson in frontier life in watching Gunson make his purchases after he had helped us make ours; and the rest of the day was occupied in overhauling our chests, and repacking them with things our new friend a.s.sured us that we should not want, while he pointed out to us those we did, and showed us how to make a light package of them that we could easily carry.

Twice over that day I caught sight of the man I wanted to avoid, but fortunately he did not see us, and at last night came, and we sat down to our supper with our chests on board the schooner, and nothing to do the next morning but walk on board.

I slept well that night, and we were down in good time, Mr Gunson nodding his approval, and after breakfast he said--

"Look here, my lads, I've seen those roughs hanging about as if they meant mischief. Of course we could get the protection of the law, but that might mean detaining us, and as the schooner sails at noon, we don't want any complications of that sort."

"Of course not," I said.

"So my advice is, that you stop here quietly till nearly the time, and then we'll go on board, though I dare say it will be evening before we really start."