Ranald put his finger on the map, and said: “I struck the Bass River about here, and using that as a base, first explored the whole west side, for, I should say, about ten miles back from the river.”
“Don't say! How'd you grub? Game mostly?”
“Well, we carried some pork and Hudson Bay hard tack and tea, and of course, we could get all the fish and game we wanted.”
“Lots of game, eh? Small and big?” The colonel was evidently much interested in this part of Ranald's story. “By the great Sam, must go up there!”
“It would do you all the good in the world, Colonel,” said Mr. St. Clair, heartily. “You must really go up with your men and help them lay out the ground, you know.”
“That's so! Now if you were lumbering in there, how'd you get the timber out?”
“Down the Bass River to Lake Nipissing,” said Ranald, pointing out the route.
“Yes, but how'd you get it to the Bass? These limits, I understand, lie on both sides of the Bass, don't they?”
“Yes.”
“And the Bass cuts through it the short way?”