Part 2 (1/2)

The granddaughters, who had been growing more and more anxious lest they should be forgotten, now began to be voluble in complaint.

Oo-koo-hoo called the trader aside and explained the trouble. The Factor realized that he was in a corner, and that if he now refused further supplies he would offend the old chief and drive him to sell his best furs to the opposition trader in revenge. He surrendered, and the girls received ten skins between them.

At long last everyone was pleased except the unhappy Factor. Gathering his purchases together, Oo-koo-hoo tied up the powder, shot, tea, and sugar in the legs of the trousers; placed the purchases for his wife, daughter, and granddaughters in the shawl, and the rest of the goods in the blanket.

Then he made the discovery that he had neither flour nor grease. He could not start without them. The Factor's blood was now almost at the boiling pitch, but he dared not betray his feelings; for the Indian was ready to take offence at the slightest word, so rich and independent did he feel. Angering him now would simply mean adding to the harvest of the opposition trader. He chewed his lower lip in the effort to smother his disgust, and growled out with an angry grin:

”Hoots, mon, ye ha'e gotten ower muckle already. It's fair redeeklus.

I jist canna gi'e ye onythin' mair ava!”

”Ah, but, master, you have forgotten that I am a great hunter. And that my son-in-law is a great hunter, too. This is but the outfit for a lazy man! Besides, the Great Company is rich, and I am poor. If you will be stingy, I shall not trouble you more.”

Once again the Factor gave way, and handed out the flour and grease.

All filed out, and the Factor turned the key in the door. As he walked toward the house, his spirits began to rise, and he clapped the old Indian on the back good-naturedly. Presently Oo-koo-hoo halted in his tracks. He had forgotten something: he had nothing in case of sickness.

”Master, you know my voyage is long; my work is hard; the winter is severe. I am not very strong now: I may fall ill. My wife--she is not very strong--may fall ill also. My son-in-law is not very strong: he may fall ill too. My daughter is not. . . .”

”De'il ha'e ye!” roared the Factor, ”what is't the noo?”

”Never mind, it will do to-morrow,” muttered the hunter with an offended air.

”As I'm a leevin' sinner, it's noo or it's nivver,” insisted the Factor, who had no desire to let the Indian have another day at it.

”Come back this verra minnit, an' I'll gi'e ye a wheen poothers an' sic like, that'll keep ye a' hale and hearty, I houp, till ye win hame again.”

The Factor took him back and gave him some salts, peppermint, pain-killer, and sticking-plaster to offset all the ills that might befall him and his party during the next ten months.

Once more they started for the house. The Factor was ready to put up with anything as long as he could get them away from the store.

Oo-koo-hoo now told the trader not to charge anything against his wife as he would settle her account himself, and that as Amik would be back in the morning, he, too, would want his advances, and if they had forgotten anything, Amik could get it next day.

The Factor scowled again, but it was too late.

While the Indians lounged around the kitchen and talked to the Factor's wife and the half-breed servant girl, the Factor went to his office and made out Oo-koo-hoo's bill, which read:

Fort Consolation 18 September 189- Dr.

Advances to Oo-koo-hoo and family x.x.xx.x.xx.x.xx.x.xx.x.xX1111--164 M.B.

Hudson's Bay Company per Donald Mackenzie, Factor

[Ill.u.s.tration: Oo-koo-hoo's bill.]

The Indian now told the trader that he wanted him to send the ”Fur Runners” to him with supplies in ten weeks' time; and that he must have a ”geese-wark,” or measure of days, in order to know exactly when the Fur Runners would arrive at his camp. So the Factor made out the following calendar:

Fort Consolation 18 September 189-

LNE 1111X111111X1 NRU 11111X111111X111111X111111X1111 NVER 11X111111X111111X111111X111111

Hudson's Bay Company per Donald Mackenzie, Factor

[Ill.u.s.tration: Oo-koo-hoo's calendar.]