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They had been joined by another neighbor, Madame Ganeau and her daughter Delisse, and her daughter's lover, a gay young fellow. "He will have hard work," declared Jacques. "I tried. Not a canoe or a pirogue or a flat boat. I wish him the joy of success." "Then we will have to paddle ourselves," said Jeanne. "Or float, Marie. I can float beautifully when the tide is serene."
"Sing," said the lover when they had gone down a little ways, for most of the crafts were given over to melody and laughter. He had a fine voice. Singing was the great delight of those days, and nothing was more beguiling than the songs of the voyageurs. Delisse joined and Marie's soft voice was like a lapping wave. Madame Ganeau talked low to Pani about the child.
Take care in the buying of the Hertfordshire Turnips, for they are all white; but they require a longer boiling than the red-ringed Turnips: the red-rings are soft presently, when they are good, and the others are near an Hour in boiling, and, even then, feel hard to the Spoon. Viper-Soup. From Mr. Ganeau.
"I would not dare it for a hundred golden louis d'or," interposed Delisse. "But Jeanne dares everything. Do you remember when she climbed the palisade? When one has a lover " and Marie sighed a little. "One comes to her senses and is no longer a child," said Madame Ganeau with a touch of sharpness in her voice. "The saints alone know what will become of that wild thing.
I'll be sure of that," with an assumption of mannishness. "And a great boat load of finery comes in to Dupree's from Quebec. M. Ganeau has ordered many things. Oh, I wish I was old enough to be some one's lover!" "I must go and see Marie. And oh, Pierre, I have seen the great general who fought the Indians and the British so bravely." Pierre nodded.
Pani was a good listener and Madame Ganeau loved to talk when there was no one to advance startling ideas or contradict her. Her life had been prosperous and she took the credit to herself. Jean Ganeau had been a good husband, tolerably sober, too, and thrifty. The two older girls chatted when they were not singing. It was seldom Marie had a holiday, and this was full of delight.
He must make his adieus to several friends. Madame Ganeau must be congratulated on so fine a son-in-law, the De Bers must have an opportunity to wish him bon voyage. Pani sat out on the cedar plank that made the door-sill, and she was cutting deerskin fringe for next winter's leggings. "Jeanne," she called, "Louis has come to say good-by."
"Why they seem right for the men to know," laughed Jeanne. "How else could they be bartering and counting money? And it is said that Madame Ganeau goes over her husband's books every week since they found Jules Froment was a thief, and kept wrong accounts, putting the money in his own pocket." Jeanne raised her voice triumphantly. "Oh, here they are!" cried Cecile followed by a string of girls.
The river was an equal pleasure. Pani filled her pail with plums, Jeanne her arms with flowers. The new house of Delisse Ganeau became a great source of interest. It had three rooms, which was considered quite grand for a young couple. Jacques Graumont had a bedstead, a table, and a dresser that had been his mother's, a pair of brass candlesticks and some dishes.
Agreement," he subjoined; "that is right," with a decisive nod. "I hate it," with a vicious swish in the water. "But when your way is wrong " "My way is for myself," with dignity. "But if you have a lover, Jeanne?" "I shall never have one. Madame Ganeau says so.
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