“I wonder where the Canoe River got its name, Uncle Dick?” queried Rob.
“That I cannot tell you. There are some canoes on the Fraser which came up from the Pacific way, and there are some canoe birches in these woods, this side of the summit. Now, whether some of the old traders one day made a birch-bark canoe and ran that stream I can’t tell. But that is the name given to it by the traders, and I suppose they got it from the earlier traders who crossed this country.
“John,” he added, “this is a hard place for you to bring up your map. I’ll excuse you from your map-making until we have a drier camp than this.”
XV
THE GREAT MOUNTAIN
Happily on the next day the weather relented and the sun greeted them when they were ready for their breakfast, although all the trees were dripping wet. Uncle Dick was very much rejoiced.
“We’ll see Robson to-day if this sun holds,” said he. “Let’s hurry on.”
“There you go!” grumbled John. “Uncle Dick, you always are finding one reason or other for being in a hurry.”