Fort Desolation | Page 8

full, true, and particular account of every thing connected with Fort
Desolation. We will not, however, inflict this on the reader. Reduced to
its narrowest limits, his information was to the following effect:--
That the Indians, generally, were well disposed towards the traders,
though difficult to please. That a good many furs had been already
obtained, and there was a report of more coming in. That the salmon
fishery was situated on a river twenty miles below the fort, and was
progressing favourably; but that the five men engaged there were a
quarrelsome set and difficult to keep in order. Teddy thought, however,
that it was all owing to one of the men, named Ladoc, a bully, who kept
the other four in bad humour.
But the point on which poor Teddy dilated most was his solitude. For
some time he had been living with no other companions than an old
Indian woman and her half-caste daughter, and they having left him,
during the last three days he had been living entirely alone "among the
ghosts," many of which he described minutely.
This intelligence was brought to an abrupt close by a row among the
men in the kitchen. Rollo had been boasting of his walking powers to
such an extent, that Pierre had become disgusted and spoke
contemptuously of Rollo; whereupon the bully, as usual, began to
storm, and his wrath culminated when Pierre asserted that, "Mr
Robinson would bring him to his marrow-bones ere long."
"Jack Robinson!" exclaimed Rollo with contempt; "I'd walk him blind
in two hours."
Just at that moment the door opened, and Jack stood before them.
"You are too noisy, men," said he, in a quiet voice, (Jack almost always
spoke in a soft voice); "remember that this kitchen is within hearing of
the hall. Rollo, go down to the beach and haul up the sloop's boat, I see
the tide is making on her."
Rollo hesitated.

"You hear?" said Jack, still in a quiet tone, but with a look--not a fierce
look, or a threatening look, but--a peculiar look, which instantly took
effect.
One has often observed a cat when about to spring. It makes many
pauses in its prowling towards its prey, and occasional motions that
lead one to expect a spring. But the motion which precedes the actual
spring is always emphatic. It may not be violent; it may be as slight as
all the previous motions, but there is that in it which tells irresistibly,
somehow, of a fixed purpose. So is it, doubtless, with tigers; so was it
with Jack Robinson. His first remark to the men was a prowl; his order
to Rollo was a pause, with an intention; his "you hear?" softly said, had
a something in it which induced Rollo to accord instant obedience!
On returning to the hall, Jack paced up and down indignantly. "So there
are two bullies in the camp," he soliloquised; "I must cure them
both;--but softly, Jack. It won't do to fight if you can secure peace by
other means. Let blows be the last resource. That's my motto. He'll
walk me blind! Well, we shall see, to-morrow!"
CHAPTER FOUR.
TAMING A BULLY.
The morrow came, and Jack Robinson rose with the sun. Long before
his men were astir he had inspected the few books and papers of the
establishment, had examined the condition of the fur and goods store,
and had otherwise made himself acquainted with the details of the fort;
having gone over its general features with Teddy the day before.
When the "lieutenant" arose, he found indications of his new master
having been everywhere before him, and noted the fact! As Teddy was
by no means a man of order--although a good and trustworthy
man--there was enough to be done before breakfast. Jack purposely put
Rollo into the kitchen to prepare the morning meal, this being
comparatively light work. He himself worked with the other men in the
stores. There was necessarily a great deal of lifting and shifting and
clearing, in all of which operations he took the heaviest part of the

work, and did his work better and more thoroughly than any of the
others. Teddy observed this also, and noted the fact!
At breakfast there was naturally a good deal of talk among the men,
and special mention was of course made of the energy of their master.
Breakfast over, Jack assembled the men and apportioned to each his
day's work.
"I myself," said he, "mean to walk down to the fishery to-day, and I
leave O'Donel in charge; I shall be back to-morrow. Rollo, you will
prepare to accompany me."
"Yes, sir," answered the man, not knowing very well how to take this.
The others glanced at each other intelligently as they departed to their
work.