When the stores were all safely housed, Mrs. M'Kree insisted on
their drinking a cup of hot coffee before they returned; and just
as she was lifting the coffee pot from the stove her husband came
in. He was tall, thin, and sombre of face, as men who live in the
woods are apt to be, but he had a genial manner, and that he was no
tyrant could be seen from the way his children clung about his legs.

"Dear me, these youngsters!" he exclaimed, sitting down on the
nearest bench with a child on each knee. "I wish they were old
enough to go to your school, Miss Radford, then I'd get some peace
for part of the day at least."

"I wish they were old enough, too," sighed Katherine. "It is
really quite dreadful to think what a long time I have got to wait
before all the small children in the neighbourhood are of an age to
need school."

"By which time I expect you won't be wanting to keep school at
all," said Mrs. M'Kree with a laugh. Then to her husband she said:
"Mr. Radford brought some letters, Astor; perhaps you'll want to
read them before he goes back."

"Ah! yes, I'd better perhaps, though there will be no hurry about
the answers, I guess, for this will be the last mail that will get
through the Strait before the spring." He stood up as he spoke,
sliding the babies on to the ground at his feet, for he could not
read his letters with the small people clutching and clawing at his
hands. The others went on talking, to be interrupted a few minutes
later by a surprised exclamation from the master of the house.