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"That bank is always a beautiful sight; but wait until you have seen the rhododendrons on the long portage." "Where is that at Astor M'Kree's?" asked the young man, whose time was too much occupied to admit of much exploration of the neighbourhood. "No, four miles farther up the river, and the portage is a mile and a half long. Phil and I call it the backache portage," replied Katherine.
"It looks uncommonly like part of an old boat. Well, if it is Astor M'Kree's work, it would seem as if I have got a man who will make the best use of the materials at hand," Mr. Selincourt replied, in a tone of satisfaction.
M'Kree's house was very short after all, though Katherine was thankful indeed for the cup of tea awaiting her there, and much too grateful for the kindness to be fastidious about its overdrawn condition. As a matter of fact, the tea had been gently on the boil for more than two hours, but this was a minor detail in the comfort of people who had an outdoor life and worked hard from dawn to dark.
Then she broke out again: "I wonder what Katherine can be doing out-of-doors at this time of the night, and Miles too?" "Perhaps they are gone to a surprise party. Don't you remember there was one at Astor M'Kree's last winter?" suggested Phil, whose tumble had dispelled some of his sleepiness, although he still talked in a drowsy tone, and rumpled his hair wildly all over his head.
"Do you remember the day we went up to Astor M'Kree's with the last mail which came through before the waters closed?" he said abruptly, and again Katherine shivered, knowing for a certainty that her father's trouble was proving too big for him alone. "Yes, I remember," she replied very softly,
"I I am afraid that I had no faith at all," she said with an effort, and never guessed how complete was her self-betrayal. He looked at her keenly, was apparently satisfied with what he saw, then said cheerfully: "Will you row me up to Astor M'Kree's, or, rather, permit me to row you? I want to go and assure him that the Mary is quite safe, and the soundest boat that ever sailed the Bay.
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