"On sledges straight from the Pole," returned the Colonel with a smile.
"So I suspect!" a humorous twinkle taking the place of the look of astonishment, "but I didna think the Yankees could scare red-coats so far north as that."
"Not so bad! But who have you on that boat of yours, or are you alone? In fact, have you any accommodations to spare? Two or three berths, for instance."
"There's me an' my old woman. If she's willin' possibly we might take in two or three womenfolk, if they can put up with our fixings."
The man took a side glance at Helen, who stood by the fire, and then at the other women, but his eye immediately reverted to the first face. She had regained her color and was attentively observing him.
"Thank you," returned the Colonel, "but how do you happen to be frozen up in this plight?"
"That's easy told," returned the man with a nod. He evidently wanted to have a talk. "Fact is, I'm a trader, dealin' with Indians and whites all around the Georgian Bay. But you see this war bizness knocked me out a bit, for it wan't safe to run a craft right in the teeth o' destruction; so I waited till fall, and when the gunboats laid up for the winter I pitched in and did a rushing business right up to December. Then the big gale hit us, and I thought it would blow the Bumble Bee to pieces, but it didn't. She just drifted right to where she is. Lor! how it did blow that night! An' it friz, too, like all creation! When mornin' came we was froze in as solid as a rock, an' here we are yet, and likely to be for a spell. Turn about's fair play. Straight bizness—none o' yer foolin'! Where did youse all come from?"
"From Halifax."
"How in Sam Hill did you do it?"
"By cutting our way through the woods."