Produced by Al Haines
[Illustration: Cover art]
[Frontispiece: A BIG BLACK BEAR MADE FURIOUS EFFORTS TO SEIZE DOUR AND
DANDY. _See page 19_.]
TI-TI-PU
A BOY OF RED RIVER
BY
J. MACDONALD OXLEY
Author of 'Standing the Test,' etc.
TORONTO
THE MUSSON BOOK COMPANY LIMITED
1900
CONTENTS
CHAP.
I. FROM THE OLD WORLD TO THE NEW
II. AT ODDS WITH BRUIN
III. A COLD PLUNGE
IV. HECTOR ENTRAPPED
V. THE SEARCH FOR HECTOR
VI. ORDERED OFF
VII. HOW HECTOR GOT HIS NICKNAME
VIII. ON THE MOVE AGAIN
IX. THE BUFFALO HUNT
X. LOST ON THE PRAIRIE
XI. THE LOSING AND FINDING OF AILIE
XII. THE MOOSE HUNT
TI-TI-PU
A Boy of Red River
CHAPTER I
From the Old World to the New
This is how it befell. Thomas Douglas, Earl of Selkirk, thought that a
flourishing colony right in the midst of the rich hunting-grounds of
the Hudson's Bay Company, in which he was interested, would prove no
less a benefit to the natives than an excellent thing for the
colonists. Accordingly, he busied himself in persuading a number of
his fellow-countrymen to leave their hillside farms, and, with their
families, voyage to the unknown wilds of the New World.
Among those whose courage was equal to this enterprise was Andrew
Macrae, accompanied by his good wife, Kirstie, his sturdy son, Hector,
then just on the edge of his teens, his bonnie wee daughter, Ailie, and
his two splendid sheep dogs, Dour and Dandy.
The dogs' names were not given them at random. They just fitted their
natures. A more serious creature than Dour surely never stood upon
four legs. He bore himself as if he were responsible, not merely for
the occupants of the sheep-cote, but also of the cottage as well. He
was never known to frisk or gambol, or to bark without due cause.
Dandy was the very opposite, as black as a raven, save for a superb
snow-white shirt-front, which he managed to keep marvellously clean,
and a few touches of golden-brown on his shapely head. He was only a
little slighter than Dour, and as lively and frolicsome as the other
was impassive. Although not quite the equal of Dour, Dandy was an
excellent sheep dog, too, and many a cotter envied Andrew the
possession of the two fine creatures.
Hector loved both dogs dearly, albeit he stood a trifle in awe of Dour.
The dogs were as much members of the family as Ailie and himself. He
would have shared his last bit of bannock or sup of 'parritch' with
either of them, and they fully returned his affection, each in his own
way.
Hector was a 'braw laddie,' in very sooth. From his father, he got the
straightness and strength of body, the deftness of hand and foot, and
the rapidity of thought that made him an unquestioned leader among his
playfellows, and from his mother the light, crisp hair, the laughing
blue eyes, and the happy turn of speech that made the other boys love
as well as obey him.
He stood in much awe of his father, who was as strict as he was just,
but his mother had his whole heart, and many a time did he go to her
for comfort, when reproved by Andrew for some little bit of
heedlessness.
With little Ailie, a dark-eyed, dark-haired sprite, not like either
parent, to protect and pet, the Macraes made up a notably happy family
group, and were the recipients of many attentions from their fellow
passengers, on the long voyage on a slow sailing ship to the bleak
shores of Hudson's Bay.
That voyage out proved far from being a pleasant holiday. Cooped up in
an over-loaded vessel, whose accommodation was scant at best, fed upon
pork and beef that was salter than the sea itself, and hard biscuits
that became alive with weevils ere the ship reached its destination,
all the colonists suffered more or less severely. It spoke well for
the stamina of the Macraes that they bore the privations of the passage
better than the majority, and landed at York Factory in fairly good
trim.
'Eh, but glad I am to put my feet upon the solid ground again!'
exclaimed Andrew Macrae, with heartfelt emphasis, as he sprang out of
the boat and strode up the beach, and, in so saying, he spoke for every
one on board the vessel.
Hector's legs wobbled under him in so absurd a fashion that he tumbled
over several times in his first attempt at running, and even Dour and
Dandy, for a little, seemed hardly to understand that they were free to
bound away in any direction they pleased.
But presently all the colonists were landed, and, having been kindly
welcomed by the Hudson's Bay Company's employees at York Factory, made
haste to bestow themselves as best they might among the buildings of
the fort.
The Macraes were fortunate in getting a snug room to themselves, and
there, with their two children and faithful dogs, they settled down to
await the beginning of the next stage of their long journey.
On the following morning, Hector, accompanied by Ailie, and having Dour
and Dandy, went down to the beach, where there was much going on to
entertain them.
The sailors were busy unloading the vessel of her very miscellaneous
cargo, comprising tea and tobacco, sugar and salt, blankets and
muskets, knives, hatchets, and all the varied articles required for
provisioning the forts, or trading with the Indians, while Indians and
half-breeds lounged near by, watching them with half-contemptuous
interest. The Hudson's Bay officials moved briskly about, giving sharp
orders, and, in and among them everywhere, were dogs of all ages and
sizes, but alike in resembling wolves or foxes, for the Huskie breed
was predominant.
The sheep dogs made no attempt to find favour with the others. On the
contrary, they kept close to Hector, their gleaming eyes, curling lips,
and bristling necks expressing in the clearest way what they thought of
their new acquaintances. The latter were not long in showing their
feelings in the matter. No sooner did the collies draw near them than
they rushed to meet them, snarling and growling so ferociously that
Hector began to feel a little alarmed, while Ailie shrank closer to
him, clasping his hand tightly in hers, and murmuring: 'I'm frightened.
They'll bite us.' 'They won't dare to,' responded Hector bravely,
albeit his heart was thumping at a lively rate. 'I'll drive them off
with my stick,' and he flourished gallantly a slender cudgel that he
had picked up at the gate of the fort.
But the graceless Huskies had small respect for a stick when not in the
hands of a man, and they closed in about the little group in a very
menacing way. At last they got so close that Dour and Dandy, in their
love and loyalty to the two children, could restrain themselves no
longer, and, at the same moment, they flew at the throats of the two
foremost assailants.
Instantly, there was a terrific uproar, the dogs barking and wrangling
furiously, Hector shouting: 'Away, you brutes!' while he laid his stick
stoutly upon the backs and heads of the Huskies, and poor little Ailie
shrieked pitifully at what she believed to be the imminent peril of all
four.
The collies fought superbly. Fearfully outnumbered as they were, their
superior sagacity and speed of movement for a while enabled them to
hold their own. Keeping close together in front of the children, they
struck to right and left with their keen white fangs, slashing the
Huskies on head and shoulder, so that one after another slunk away,
howling dolefully.
But for each one thus driven off, two others rushed to the attack, and,
in spite of the splendid play Hector made with his stick, at the risk
of being badly bitten himself, the issue must have gone hard against
the gallant collies, for the Huskies would not have stopped until they
had torn them to pieces. But, in the nick of time, a stalwart figure
came charging down the beach with mighty strides.
Into the thick of the melee plunged Andrew Macrae, using, with
unsparing energy, not only his heavily booted feet, but his tightly
clenched fists. On this side and that fell his tremendous blows, and
every one meant a disabled or disheartened dog, until, presently, the
whole pack had fled out of reach, and the wrathful Scotsman stood
panting but triumphant, Ailie clinging sobbingly to one knee, and
Hector standing breathless at the other, while Dour and Dandy, after a
brief greeting, made haste to take stock of themselves, and see what
damage they had suffered at the teeth of the evil-tempered Huskies.