CONCLUSION.
Eli was determined to be in the game, too, and while his chum was thus
engaged in creating a chance for the escape of the two upon the roof,
the boy from the timber region hustled several men forward, bearing
armfuls of pelts that others had just drawn from the lower floor of the
house--they were especially costly skins, and the lot might be worth a
duke's ransom; but at the moment, with those two precious lives in
peril, to the anxious factor they were as dross, and he would only too
willingly have stood the loss of the whole kit could he by this means
have saved the one so dear to his old heart.
With these Eli meant to fashion some sort of buffer, that would break
the fall should the couple above find themselves compelled to jump; and
it was a splendid scheme to be formed on the spur of that dreadful
moment, one that Cuthbert never could forget, or cease to praise.
Meanwhile, he was pretty busily employed at his own affair, placing the
ladder against the building, and directing those who had held the hose
to keep the stream of water chasing up and down that particular quarter.
Owen could not see everything that was being tried; but he knew fairly
well what they intended he should do, and once assured of the presence
of the ladder, he did not hesitate about using the same.
What if the fiery fingers did snatch after him as if furious at being
cheated of their prey--the blessed stream of water, cold with the frosty
breath of the approaching winter, showered about him, and saved them
both from even a serious burn.
Cuthbert was waiting at the foot of the ladder, ready to spring up and
render quick assistance if it was necessary; but Owen still remained in
possession of his powers, and gripped the little girl securely in his
arms.
It was as if a new life had suddenly opened up to the lonely lad--this
one whom he had saved from the deadly gas and fire was his own kith and
kin, daughter of his mother's sister; and the very touch of the girl's
senseless form was able to send a thrill of exultation through him.
Cuthbert did not attempt to take the burden from him, for he understood
just what it meant for Owen to bring the girl to her grandfather by
himself; so he fell in behind, calling to the men to desist with their
stream, to turn it upon the storehouse, while others gathered up the
costly skins that had been thrown down with such good intent.
Alexander Gregory had struggled to his feet again--little did he heed
the pains that accompanied his sprain, even though the misadventure
crippled him for the time being, and rendered it difficult to stand
without help; for his attention was wholly taken up with that still
little form that Owen was hugging in his stalwart and affectionate arms.
Jessie had been almost smothered by the smoke; but her rescuer, knowing
how perilous such a thing might be, had been careful to wrap something
around her head, so that after that the atmosphere reached her less
permeated by noxious gases; and when Owen gained the ground she had so
far recovered as to struggle enough to free her head from this
enveloping mantle, and make a movement as though desirous of being
released.
But Owen, partly overcome himself by the smoke he had taken into his
lungs, did not fully understand, and staggering up to the old factor he
held out his burden, gasping:
"Here she is, grandfather, safe and sound!"
Cuthbert held his breath, and then suddenly gave vent to a shout of joy;
for just as he hoped, even if he did not wholly expect it to occur, the
factor, wild with delight and thankfulness, simply stretched his arms
and gathered into his embrace both girl and lad.
Owen was a wanderer no more; but had found his own in the heart of his
grandsire. It was a splendid ending to the little forest drama, and
Cuthbert was the happiest fellow on the face of the earth at that
moment; for he had in the short time he had known Owen grown to feel
very warmly toward the manly young Canadian, and nothing that could have
happened to himself might have given him one-half the pleasure that this
final scene did.
Eli was a demonstrative chap, and he just squatted down on the spot and
cried for very joy; while he did not know the satisfaction of a home
himself, still he could rejoice over the fact that his friend had ceased
to belong to the grand order of nomads.
There was still considerable to do, in order to keep the fire within
bounds, for while the living quarters of the factor had gone too far to
be saved, there remained other buildings, some containing stores of
great value, and unless the employes of the company were smart the post
would be practically wiped out.
So Cuthbert led them to the assault, and fought fire as valiantly as
ever any member of an engine company in a crack tournament could have
done in order that his town might win the grand prize offered.
The hose proved valuable enough; but only for the assistance of the wind
possibly there might have been another story to tell when the fire
finally ceased its mad antics through lack of fuel--it chanced that the
breeze was blowing away from the other buildings, and while the stockade
caught, it could be easily extinguished.
Of course the factor had met with quite a serious loss; but he seemed to
care mighty little about this, since his precious darling had been
spared; as far as the other things went they could be easily duplicated
before the rigor of winter had fully settled down upon the Saskatchewan
country, and he was well able to stand the penalty in dollars and cents.
Then there was the pride he took in the valiant rescue work of Owen; his
eyes were continually turning toward the lad with a softened light in
their depths, and it was evident that his heart had become exceedingly
tender with respect to this wandering son of his daughter.
He several times called Owen to him to ask if he were certain that he
had not received serious burns while within the blazing house; to
Cuthbert it was plain that this was in part a subterfuge to have the
other near him, since his sprained ankle prevented him from moving
about.
When morning came he would have a heart-to-heart talk with the lad, and
never again must there be a cloud allowed to rise between them--these
three were all that were left of the family, now, and they must stick
together.
The factor told Cuthbert what might be done to insure them some degree
of comfort during the remainder of the night, and with the assistance of
the other lads he saw that it was carried out.
An hour later the excitement had all died away; the spot where the house
of the factor had stood only contained a pile of ruins, still
smouldering, with an occasional tongue of fire shooting upward; but ere
dawn this was fully extinguished by a fall of rain.
They never fully settled how the fire had caught; it may have been an
accident, but there were those who believed that the prisoner had taken
a hint from Alexander Gregory's bitter words and really fired the house;
at any rate he had disappeared utterly, whether finding safety in
flight or meeting death in the flames none could say.
Mr. Gregory was well enough inside of a week to accompany the boys down
the big Saskatchewan to the nearest town where he could obtain those
supplies which were needed to replace what the fire had devoured; they
had a fine time of it swinging along with a couple of great batteaus,
manned by the French-Canadian _voyageurs_, who sang their boat songs as
they rowed, and made things merry around the fire at night time.
Cuthbert and Eli hated to part from the chum who had so quickly won his
way to their hearts, and they readily promised to come back again to
this charming country, when another year rolled around--Eli had his mind
set upon working that copper mine, and Cuthbert had promised to see that
the necessary capital was secured with which to provide all the
paraphernalia such as is used to advantage--if his chum was of the same
mind after he had roamed around the world with him.
Owen's little cousin had accompanied grandpa to town, since a "woman's
judgment" was considered essential in choosing some of the household
effects; and the last glimpse our twain had of dear old Owen, the
erstwhile lad, was standing with his arm about Jessie, while the proud
factor beamed upon them both, and waved his hat with just as much
enthusiasm as the youngsters.
Eli after all never found a chance to develop his copper mine, but with
such a chum as Cuthbert ever with him there promised to be small need of
his looking to that source as a means of travel; together they have seen
nearly all the countries on the map of the world, and at present are
doing South America.
Stackpole and Dubois had sense enough to cruise in other timber than
that surrounding the trading post.
So Cuthbert after all had found much pleasure in the great Saskatchewan
region, even though he failed to map out a new route to Alaska, or learn
any of the wonderful secrets hidden in the wide stretches of barrens
between the country of the Crees and the Chippewas, and the lonely
Hudson Bay.
Many times would his memory go back to the scenes that embraced Owen,
the stern old factor, and sweet little Jessie; and again he would live
over those days and nights when they were "Canoemates in Canada."
THE END.
End of Project Gutenberg's Canoe Mates in Canada, by St. George Rathborne