Mr. Selincourt said little, but it was easy to see how much he feared, while Mary went about wearing such a look of bereavement that the folk at Seal Cove were confirmed in their belief that some sort of engagement really had existed between her and the young man who managed the business of the fishing fleet.

Katherine, shielding herself behind this mistaken belief on the part of other people, carried her sore heart bravely through those days of hoping against hope and sick apprehension.  The only two people who even suspected her suffering were her brother Miles and Mr. Selincourt; but neither gave any sign of understanding that there might be any personal sorrow hidden under her sympathy for Mrs. Jenkin and the unpleasant Mrs. Jones.

On the sixth day it became necessary for Katherine to do the long portage with supplies for the Indian encampment, which had about doubled in population during the last two or three weeks.  There was the usual bustle of getting off—­the scampering of dogs back along the portage path for fresh burdens, the shouting of Phil, and all the cheerful accompaniments of busy toil and work willingly done.  But Katherine did her part with a mechanical precision, forcing herself to this task and to that, yet feeling no zest or pleasure in anything.

Although the days were so warm and sunny, the nights and early mornings showed already a touch of frostiness, a chilly reminder of the winter that was coming; and Katherine was glad to wear a coat even while she was rowing, until the second portage had been reached.  Astor M’Kree met her himself this morning, his first question being the one she most dreaded to hear.

“Any news of the Mary yet, Miss Radford?”

“No,” she answered sadly.  “Mr. Selincourt’s little flag was hanging at half-mast when we started this morning.”

“If she has gone down, it is the first boat I’ve built that has cost a human life, that I know of,” he said, “and it makes me feel as if I should never have the courage to build another.  I’ve got one on the stocks, but I haven’t touched her since this news came up river.”

“But disasters at sea will come, do what you will, and the best boat ever built would go to pieces on those Akimiski rocks,” Katherine said, trying to cheer him because he seemed so sad.

“It isn’t clear to me why they were on Akimiski at all, when it was the Twins they were making for,” he replied, in a gloomy tone.  “Mr. Selincourt told me the other day that he believed it would be better if I did my boatbuilding down below the portages; but I said no.  There is no difficulty in taking the boats down when the river is in flood, though of course it would not be possible now; and I’ve got the feeling that I like to take the first risk in them myself.  It is a queer sensation, I can tell you, to feel a boat coming to life under your feet, and when I took the Mary over the falls it was just as if she jumped forward in sheer glee, when she felt the swing and the rush of the water swirling round her sides.”