That ended things for the time, for the college bells clanged out “lights out,” and the inmates, both white and Indian, slept.

* * * * * * * *

“Yes, my dear boy,” wrote Sir George, some weeks later, “by all means bring young Larocque home for the Easter vacation; I shall welcome the son of my old friend and guide with the greatest delight.  I have frequently told you of French Pete’s heroism and unselfishness, and if by a little hospitality I can show the son what I think of the father, I shall regard it as a privilege.  Your dear mother will write you to-night, and will enclose a little note of invitation from us both to your friend ’Shagganappi’—­how that good old North-West word brings back my youth!  I think I like your friend, even before I see him, just because he has adopted that name.”

So it was all arranged that Shag should spend the Easter vacation at the palatial home of the Benningtons in Montreal.  As Hal was so popular, this holiday invitation was always regarded as the greatest compliment by any boy who was fortunate enough to receive it, but never before had Lady Bennington written personally to invite one of Hal’s friends.

It was such a dear little note, too; Hal never admired his mother quite so much as when Shag handed him the invitation to read.  Lady Bennington was famous as one of the few women who always say and do the right thing at the right moment.  The note ran: 

“Dear Shagganappi,—­
“Do come with my boy at Eastertide; we want you—­come. 
“Your friend, Hal’s mother,
“Constance Bennington.”

So Easter found the boys at Montreal, Shag a little shy at first amidst all the grandeur and wealth of Hal’s home, but covering that shyness with a quiet dignity that sat very well on his young shoulders.  With a wonderful knack of delicacy, Hal would smooth out any threatened difficulty for the Indian boy—­little table entanglements, such as new dishes or unaccustomed foods.  But Shag was at times surprisingly outspoken, and the first night at dinner seemingly won Sir George’s heart by remarking when the fruit plates and finger-glasses were served, “Now, Hal, don’t be afraid that I won’t understand this; fortunately I dined on the dining-cars on the way East.”  Everyone laughed then, including Shag, and Sir George said, “Then you are better up in things than I was at your age, my boy.  I never saw a finger-glass until I was twenty.”  So this little confidence put them all on a kind of family footing; and during the rest of his visit Shag was not afraid to ask and learn any of the usages of wealthy city houses and manners that might puzzle him.  When he left he had endeared himself to Hal’s parents as no other boy had done before.  Lady Bennington especially seemed to have become attached to him.  Once when Hal was taking some snapshots of the grounds, she called Shag to her side, and, placing one hand on his shoulder, asked Hal to photograph them together.  Shag almost trembled with pleasure, but his delight knew no bounds when a week after their return to school he received a little copy of the photograph framed in silver and inscribed on the back with “To Shagganappi Larocque, with love from Hal’s mother.”