“You shall have some for supper too; but you must not begrudge the poor dog just a little taste,” Katherine said, as with a brief word of command she sent two of the dogs hurrying back to the store for some bundles of meal and flannel that had been left behind for a second journey.

While the dogs were gone, she and Phil stowed into the boat all the goods which had been brought over, then they sat down to wait for the remainder of the load, and Phil’s tongue began to be busy on the events of yesterday.

“I’m downright glad we’ve got to do the backache portage to-day, because, as we can’t be in two places at once, I shan’t be found at the store if anyone comes to see me special,” he said, winking up at a bluebird which sat on a bough above his head.  The bird gave a little chirp, whisked its tail, and then stayed motionless, as if much interested in the talk.

“Who would be likely to make a special visit to you to-day?” asked Katherine, momentarily forgetting Phil’s prank of yesterday.

“Nick Jones, of course.  I guess if I had been minding store to-day, and had seen him coming in at the door, my heart would have about gone down into my boots,” admitted Phil, with great candour.

“But he may come to-morrow, you know,” suggested Katherine.

“No, he won’t, for a lot of them start the next morning in the Mary for a week’s fishing off the Twins; and Mr. Ferrars is going too, I know, because I heard him say so,” replied Phil.

“The Twins are those two islands east of Akimiski, are they not?” asked Katherine.

“I suppose so; they are out in the Bay somewhere, I know, and they are very dangerous, because there are such strong currents all round them and no end of hidden rocks,” Phil said in a cheerful tone, as if he were rather pleased than otherwise that his enemy had to face so much danger in the near future.

“That must be the place where a boat was wrecked two years ago and all the people were drowned.  I wonder they are taking the Mary,” said Katherine, for that was the biggest and best of the new boats, built by Astor M’Kree in the previous winter.

“They are taking her because she is such a good boat; no use having a leaky old tub for such work.  Here come the dogs!” and Phil jumped up in such a hurry that the bluebird flew away in alarm.

The dogs were unloaded, the things they had brought being packed into the boat; then Katherine and Phil took their up-river way, and the dogs went back to the store to spend the morning as they thought fit.