’Listen, and I will tell you what I never even let on to your father.  When he had that accident six years ago that laid him up and we feared he would never go to the hills again, the thought came to me that if he died the parish would have to bury him.  I set it down that no such disgrace would ever fall on our family if I could help it, and when he got better I set to put-by every penny that could be spared, and many a hank I have spun and stocking knitted to get the pennies.  After thinking over Archie’s letter, I counted what I put by and I have one pound, seven shillings, and tenpence.  Your passage, you see, is paid.’

‘But I dare not leave you alone.’

’Mirren, you will do as your mother asks you.  Your brother needs help:  go, and we will follow you a year sooner.’

‘I thought it all over,’ said Mirren, ’and it was settled I should go.  It was quite a venture for a young lass to go alone so far, but I was not afraid, seeing there were the plain markings of what was my duty.  So we set to work to get ready, and here I am.’

’Bless you, Mirren, you have a brave heart and God helping us, we will have father and mother with us in another twelve month, and the black dog.  Want will never frighten them more.’

Mirren was curious to see what Archie had been doing, but he took her first to the rising ground, back in the bush, where he had decided to build his house, and then showed her his crops.  The rest of the day he spent in cutting and setting up poles to make a shelter that would serve as a cookhouse during the day and a sleeping-place for himself at night.  At supper she told of her journey, of the voyage, the slow ascent of the St Lawrence, and the steamboat that landed her at Toronto.  The mate undertook to forward her chest, and pointed out Yonge-street, at the head of the wharf.  Without a minute’s delay she gained it and began her long walk.  Late in the day she asked at a shanty that stood beside the road how far she was from the corner where she had to turn.  The woman, on hearing where she was going, said she could not be there before dark and asked her to stay overnight.  Her husband with the two oldest of the family had gone to visit his uncle and she was alone with the younger children.  Mirren gladly took her offer and tarried next morning to help in cutting and fitting a dress for one of the girls.  There were many wagons on the road, but all were loaded with the baggage of immigrants, who, men, women, and all except the very young, trudged their weary way behind or alongside of them.  It was late in the afternoon when Magarth’s was reached.  On telling her name, she was cordially welcomed.  In the morning she was shown the sledroad that led to the lot of her brother.  The first sign that she was near him was hearing his whistling.  Of the money she had started with she had still $2.25.