CHAPTER THREE.
PREPARATIONS FOR A FEAST.
"Why so grave, Robin?" inquired Mrs Gore, when her husband returned tothe parlour after seeing Wapaw laid in a warm corner of the kitchen, andcommitted to the care of Larry O'Dowd.
"Molly, my dear, it's of no use concealin' things from you, 'cause whenbad luck falls we must just face it. This Injun--Wapaw, he callshimself--tells me he has com'd here a-purpose, as fast as he could, tosay that his tribe have resolved to attack me, burn the Fort, kill allthe men, and carry you off into slavery."
"God help me! can this be true?"
"True enough, I don't doubt, 'cause Wapaw has the face of an honest man,and I believe in faces. He says some of the worst men of his tribe arein power just now; that they want the contents of my store withoutpaying for them; that he tried to get them to give up the notion, butfailed. On seeing that they were bent on it, he said he was going offto hunt, and came straight here to warn me. He says they talked ofstarting for the Fort two days after he did, and that he pushed on asfast as he could travel, so it's not likely they'll be here for two orthree days yet. I'll get ready for them, hows'ever, and when thereptiles do come they'll meet with a warm reception, I warrant them;meanwhile, do you go and get dinner ready. We won't let such varmintsinterfere with our New Year's feast."
While Robin's wife went to her larder, his children were in the kitchentending the Indian with earnest solicitude, and Larry was preparing alittle soup for him.
"Do you like rabbit soup?" asked Nelly, kneeling beside the pallet ofpine branches on which Wapaw lay.
The Indian smiled, and said something in his native tongue.
"Sure he don't onderstan' ye," exclaimed Larry, as he bustled in anenergetic way amongst his pots and pans.
"Let me try him with Cree," said Roy, kneeling beside his sister, "Iknow a little--a _very_ little Cree."
Roy tried his "very little Cree," but without success.
"It's o' no use," he said, "father must talk to him, for _he_ knowsevery language on earth, I believe."
Roy's idea of the number of languages "on earth" was very limited.
"Och! don't bother him, see, here is a lingo that every wanonderstan's," cried Larry, carrying a can of hot soup towards Wapaw.
"Oh, let me! _do_ let me!" cried Nelly, jumping up and seizing the can.
"Be all manes," said Larry, resigning it.
The child once more knelt by the side of the Indian and held the can tohim, while he conveyed the soup to his lips with a trembling, unsteadyhand. The eyes of the poor man glittered as he gazed eagerly at thefood, which he ate with the avidity of a half-famished wolf.
His nurses looked on with great satisfaction, and when Wapaw glanced upfrom time to time in their faces, he was advised to continue his mealwith nods and smiles of goodwill.
Great preparations were made for the dinner of that New Year's Day.Those who "dwell at home at ease" have no idea of the peculiar feelingswith which the world's wanderers hail the season of Christmas and NewYear. Surrounded as they usually are by strange scenes, and ignorant asthey are of what friends at home are doing or thinking, they lay hold ofthis season as being one point at least in the circle of the year inwhich they can unite with the home circle, and, at the _same time_,commemorate with them the birth of the blessed Saviour of mankind, andthink with them of absent friends. Much, therefore, as the "happy"season is made of in the "old country," it is made more of, if possible,in the colonies; especially on the outskirts of the world, where theadventurous and daring have pitched their tents.
Of course Robin Gore and his household did not think of the "oldcountry," for they were descendants of settlers; but they had imbibedthe spirit of the old country from their forefathers, and thought ofthose well-remembered friends whom they had left behind them in thesettlements.
Notwithstanding the delay caused by the conveying of Wapaw to the Fort,the hunters had walked so fast that there was still some time to sparebefore dinner should be ready.
Roy resolved to devote this time to a ramble in the woods with hissister Nelly. Accordingly the two put on their snow-shoes, and, merelysaying to their mother that they were going to take a run in the woods,set forth.
Now, it must be known that Mrs Gore had looked forward to New Year'sDay dinner with great interest and much anxiety. There was a generalfeeling of hilarity and excitement among the male members of theself-exiled family that extended itself to the good woman, and inducedher to resolve that the entire household should have what Walter styleda "rare blow-out!" During the whole morning she had been busy with thepreparation of the various dishes, among which were a tart made ofcloudberry jam, a salt goose, and a lump of bear's ham, besides therabbits and ptarmigan which had been shot that day.
"That's the way to do it, Molly," cried Robin, as he opened the door andpeeped in upon his wife during the height and heat of her culinarylabours; "keep the pot bilin', my dear, and don't spare the butter thisday. It only comes once a year, you know."
"Twice," muttered Larry in a low voice, as he stirred the contents of alarge pot which hung over the fire.
"And see that you look after Wapaw," continued Robin. "Don't give himtoo much at first, it'll hurt him."
"No fear of that," replied Larry, "he's got so much a'ready that hecouldn't howld another morsel av he was to try."
"Well, well, take care of him, anyhow," said Robin, with a laugh;"meanwhile I'll go see after the defences o' the Fort, and make allsnug."
By dint of unwearied perseverance the dinner was cooked, and then itoccurred to Robin to ask where the children were, but no one could tell,so the hunter remarked quietly that they would "doubtless make theirappearance in a short while."
Gradually the dinner reached that interesting point which is usuallystyled "ready to dish." Whereupon Robin again asked where the childrenwere. Still no one could tell, so he said he would go out and hailthem. Loudly and long did the hunter call, but no one answered; then hemade a rapid search in and about the Fort, but they were not to befound. Moreover, a snow-storm had begun to set in, and the driftrendered it difficult to distinguish tracks in the snow.
At last the day's labours were brought to a close. Dinner was served,and smoked invitingly on the table. The party only awaited the returnof Robin with the children. In a few minutes Robin entered hastily.
"Molly," said he, in a tone of anxiety, "the foolish things have goneinto the woods, I think. Come, lads, we must hunt them down. It'ssnowin' hard, so we've no time to lose."
Walter and Larry at once put on their capotes, fur-caps, and snow-shoes,and sallied forth, leaving Mrs Gore seated alone, and in a state ofdeep anxiety, by the side of her untasted New Year's Day dinner.
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