The early winter sunset was beginning to tinge the snow with crimson, when the party started back to camp, where Kinney was to give them supper; he had it greatly on his conscience that they should have a good time, and he promoted it as far as hot mince-pie and newly fried doughnuts would go. He also opened a few canned goods, as he called some very exclusive sardines and peaches, and he made an entirely fresh pot of tea, and a pan of soda-biscuit. Mrs. Macallister made remarks across her plate which were for Bartley alone; and Kinney, who was seriously waiting upon his guests, refused to respond to Bartley's joking reference to himself of some questions and comments of hers.
After supper, when the loggers had withdrawn to the other end of the long hut, she called out to Kinney, “Oh, do tell them to smoke: we shall not mind it at all, I assure you. Can't some of them do something? Sing or dance?”
Kinney unbent a little at this. “There's a first-class clog-dancer among them; but he's a little stuck up, and I don't know as you could get him to dance,” he said in a low tone.
“What a bloated aristocrat!” cried the lady. “Then the only thing is for us to dance first. Can they play?”
“One of 'em can whistle like a bird,—he can whistle like a whole band,” answered Kinney, warming. “And of course the Kanucks can fiddle.”
“And what are Kanucks? Is that what you call us Canadians?”
“Well, ma'am, it aint quite the thing to do,” said Kinney, penitently.
“It isn't at all the thing to do! Which are the Kanucks?”
She rose, and went forward with Kinney, in her spoiled way, and addressed a swarthy, gleaming-eyed young logger in French. He answered with a smile that showed all his white teeth, and turned to one of his comrades; then the two rose, and got violins out of the bunks, and came forward. Others of their race joined them, but the Yankees hung gloomily back; they clearly did not like these liberties, this patronage.
“I shall have your clog-dancer on his feet yet, Mr. Kinney,” said Mrs. Macallister, as she came back to her place.