"Not likely to be anything else," said the captain.
"I suppose you're aware that those fellows may take a notion to have us accompany them to London," remarked Raed.
"If they can catch us," Kit added.
"Persons caught trading with the natives within the limits of the Hudson-bay Company's chartered territory are liable to be seized, and carried to London for trial," continued Raed. "It's best to keep that point well in view. Nobody would suppose that, in this age, the old beef-heads would have the cheek to try to enforce such a right against Americans, citizens of the United States, who ought to have the inside track of everything on this continent. Still they may."
"It will depend somewhat on the captain of the vessel—what sort of a man he is," said Kit. "He may be one of the high and mighty sort, full of overgrown notions of the company's authority."
Another jet of white smoke puffed out from the side of the ship, followed in a few seconds by another dull bang.
"We'll stand by our colors in any case," remarked Capt. Mazard, attaching our flag to the signal halliards.
Raed and Kit ran to hoist it. Up it went to the peak of the bright-yellow mast,—the bonny bright stars and stripes.
"All hands weigh anchor!" ordered Capt. Mazard.
"Load the howitzer!" cried Kit. "Let's answer their gun in coin!"