He was up before the stars began fading in the dawn, and in the big dining-room of the Post, in which had gathered the factors and their families for two hundred years, the boys ate their last breakfast with those whom they were about to leave for many weeks, perhaps months.  The factor himself was boisterously cheerful in his efforts to keep up the good cheer of Mrs. Drew and the princess mother, and even Minnetaki forced herself to smile, and laugh, though her eyes were red, and all knew that she had been crying.  Rod was glad when the meal was over and they went out into the chill air of the morning, and down to the edge of the lake, where their big birch-bark canoe was loaded and waiting for their departure, and he was still more relieved when they had bade a last good-by to the two mothers.  But Minnetaki came down to the canoe with them, and when Wabi kissed her she burst into tears, and Rod felt a queer thickening in his throat as he took her firm little hand and held it for a moment between both his own.

“Good-by, Minnetaki,” he whispered.

He turned and took his position in the middle of the canoe, and with a last shout Wabi shoved off and the canoe sped out into the gloom.

For a long time there was silence, except for the rhythmic dip of the three paddles.  Once Minnetaki’s voice came to them faintly, and they answered it with a shout.  But that was all.  After a time Rod said,

“By George, this saying good-by is the toughest part of the whole business!”

His words cleared away the feeling of oppression that seemed to have fallen on them.

“It’s always hard for me to leave Minnetaki,” replied Wabigoon.  “Some day I’m going to take her on a trip with me.”

“She’d be a bully fellow!” cried Rod with enthusiasm.

From the stern of the canoe came a delighted chuckle from Mukoki.

“She brave—­she shoot, she hunt, she be dam’ fine!” he added, and both Rod and Wabi burst out laughing.  The young Indian looked at his compass by the light of a match.

“We’ll strike straight across Lake Nipigon instead of following the shore.  What do you say, Muky?” he called back.

The old pathfinder was silent.  In surprise Wabi ceased paddling, and repeated his question.

“Don’t you think it is safe?”

Mukoki wet his hand over the side and held it above his head.

“Wind in south,” he said.  “Maybe no get stronger, but—­”

“If she did,” added Rod dubiously, noting how heavily laden the canoe was, “we’d be in a fix, as sure as you live!”

“It will take us all of to-day and half of to-morrow to follow the shore,” urged Wabi, “while by cutting straight across the lake we can make the other side early this afternoon.  Let’s risk it!”