Part 25 (2/2)

But the longest night has an end, and next day the boats were rowed up to Lower Fort Garry Here the boys bade good-bye to Big Tom and the other Indians, after they had taken theht for each soent letters here awaiting him, and so that afternoon horses were secured, and he and our three boys were driven along the beautiful prairie road, on the western bank of the winding Red River, twenty lance the boys had ever had of a genuine prairie

They were siht at its vastness and ini it as they did, in this early sureenest and its brilliant spring flowers at the perfection of their beauty, it was no wonder that they were in such raptures of delight Twenty ht the played a prominent part in the history of that country Here they were hospitably entertained by the officers of the Hudson Bay Company

A few days only were needed totrip across the prairies to St Paul, in Minnesota Some Red River carts, each drawn by an ox, were secured to carry the baggage and supplies

For the boys a double-seated buckboard wagon, with a canvas top, was purchased, and Baptiste, a fae the rather uncertain horses that in relays were to drag the affair along Saddles were also taken along for them to travel on horseback when they so desired

As there were all sorts of ru the hostile Sioux and Chippewa Indians along the route, it was decided that the party should join a large brigade of carts that, loaded principally with buffalo robes and furs, was just starting for St Paul These brigades carried the trading flag of the Hudson Bay Company Its motto was ”Pro pella cuteenerations, even a was respected, and those carrying it were never robbed or in any way interfered with

With sincere regret and sorrow the parting between Mr Ross and the boys took place However, they were delighted at his promise that, if all ell, he would see them a couple of years hence in their own ho in the earlyout their silvery notes These are the bells, the first out there on the lonely prairies, that Whittier has eur srows apace; Well he knows the vesper ringing Of the bells of St Boniface--

”The bells of the Roman Mission That call from their turrets twain To the boatmen on the river, To the hunter on the plain!

”Even so in our mortal journey The bitter north winds blow, And thus upon life's Red River Our hearts as oarsmen row”

As so with the large brigade, our young folks had some capital company After a few days the trip lost much of its excitement and interest The prairies, beautiful as they at first looked, became somewhat reeted with pleasure As the horses could travel faster than the oxen, sometimes Baptiste would hurry on ahead to some well-known lake full of wild ducks, and here the boys and their friends would have soreeably added to the food supply

When out about a week they were told by so up from the front, that a herd of buffalo was not far distant, and that so to run them Saddles were at once put on some of the relay horses, and Frank, Alec, and Sam, and some of their co sport They fortunately reached a high swell in the prairie just in time to have a splendid view of the whole affair The buffaloes nu them were perhaps fifty or sixty of the finest horsemen in the world Their horses were trained buffalo runners, and entered into the mad, wild sport with all the enthusiasm of the riders All the saddle these riders had was a small piece of buffalo robe so securely fastened on that it could not slip

There was neither halter nor bride on their horses' heads One end of a long lariat was fastened loosely around their necks, while the rest of it dragged along the ground

The Indians availed thereat swell in the prairies, and so were able to get quite close to the herd ere they were discovered Very few of these warriors had guns, but they ell armed with their famous bows and arrows About two an the attack on the opposite side of the herd The result was that as the frightened ani on before their dreaded foes the boys had a splendid view of the whole scene For a tiht be involved in the mass of terrified aniradual and they were in the direct line of the rush However, Baptiste and others, ell kne to ether, and had all the guns fired off in quick succession This speedily parted the onco herd, and so they in two divisions thundered by on the right and left, with their merciless pursuers on their flanks and in the rear, rapidly thinning their nuenuine sportsman that orth e into the fray, especially when the great buffaloes went galloping by not two hundred yards on each side of theh excited, were untrained for such sport, and in all probability if started off at full speed would soon have stu's nest, and thus send their riders over their heads So Baptiste wisely restrained their ardour The next day our party visited the village of these noted warriors of the plains

St Paul at length was reached Here passage was secured in a flat- bottoreat wheel at the stern Down to St Croix, on the Mississippi, in this they voyaged Then across the State of Wisconsin to Milwaukee they travelled by railroad At this city they secured passage in a steaan, Huron, St Chair, and Erie was very delightful In the Canal the boys were much interested as they entered into the series of locks, by which great vessels go up and down the great hillside On they steareat St Lawrence River they glided The Thousand Islands seeed with the speed of an express train, veryof the fifth day from Milwaukee the towers and steeples of Montreal became visible, with its splendid side of one of the wharves of that great, busy shi+pping port, and this part of the journey was ended By telegraph their berths had already been secured for them, and so all our travellers had to do was to oversee the trans-shi+pment of their boxes and bales from the lake propeller to the ocean steae would begin, they had an opportunity for a drive or two around the glorious ives the city its name They also visited the quaint old cathedral and other places of historic interest in that fareat St Lawrence is a randeur, very azed with interest as some well-read travellers pointed out Wolfe's Cove, and the place up which Wolfe's gallant ht the next day, on the Plains of Abraham, that fierce battle that caused half of the continent to change froain they steamed

Soon they were out on the store was uneventful, and in ten days or so they sighted the coast of Ireland On and on they pushed, until the Mersey was reached The tide was favourable, and so there was no delay

Here they were at length, after all their wanderings, in dear old England Very green and beautiful did the country look, after their long voyage on the storhty city where at its marvellous stone docks are seen the shi+ps of every sea The boys are excited now They are nearing ho of the shi+p has been reported hours before, and now, as she gallantly feels her way a eyes, are at the front, gazing for the sight of loved ones that they are sure will be there tohandkerchiefs and excited gestures, are representatives from three fahtful is the ho; joyous are the welcomes

Here we leave theether We are loath to separate froain and take theions to meet and wed their sweethearts, left in that far-away country, will much depend upon events which are beyond our ken at present Suffice to say that the year spent in the Great Lone Land proved to have been one of the most profitable of their lives They had returned in the lected, and then they had in addition the rich stores of knowledge and information that a year so full of varied adventure could not fail to bestow

They had also returned with so like correct views of the red Indians of North A scenes, they had seen how the genuine Indian, when honourably dealt with, is a peaceful person, and can, under decent treathted also to speak ly of the work acco the thousands of theanis the civilisation