Produced by Al Haines
[Illustration: Cover art]
[Frontispiece: HIS FINGERS HIT UPON THE MUZZLE OF THE WEAPON _Page 343_]
A
Boy of the Dominion
A Tale of Canadian Immigration
BY
LT.-COLONEL F. S. BRERETON
Author of "Tom Stapleton, the Boy Scout" "With Shield and Assegai" &c.
_ILLUSTRATED BY WILLIAM RAINEY, R.I._
BLACKIE AND SON LIMITED
LONDON GLASGOW AND BOMBAY
1913
_Printed in Great Britain by_
_Blackie & Son, Limited, Glasgow_
BY LT.-COLONEL BRERETON
"F. S. Brereton is a famous hand with adventures of every sort."--_Morning Post_.
Colin the Scout: A Tale of Adventure Abroad. On the Field of Waterloo. With French at the Front: A Story of the Great European War down to the Battle of the Aisne. With Joffre at Verdun: A Story of the Western Front. Under Foch's Command: A Tale of the Americans in France. With the Allies to the Rhine: A Story of the Finish of the War. With Allenby in Palestine: A Story of the Latest Crusade. Under French's Command: A Story of the Western Front from Neuve Chapelle to Loos. The Great Airship: A Tale of Adventure. From the Nile to the Tigris: A Story of Campaigning from Western Egypt to Mesopotamia. A Boy of the Dominion: A Tale of Canadian Immigration. Under the Chinese Dragon: A Tale of Mongolia. A Sturdy Young Canadian: A Story of Modern Canada. John Bargreave's Gold: A Tale of the Caribbean. How Canada was Won: A Tale of Wolfe and Quebec. Tom Stapleton, the Boy Scout. Roger the Bold: A Tale of the Conquest of Mexico. Indian and Scout. The Rough Riders of the Pampas. In the King's Service: A Tale of Cromwell's Invasion of Ireland. With Shield and Assegai: A Tale of the Zulu War. With Rifle and Bayonet: A Tale of the Boer War. The Dragon of Pekin: A Tale of the Boxer Revolt. One of the Fighting Scouts: A Tale of Guerilla Warfare in South Africa. A Knight of St. John: A Tale of the Siege of Malta. The Great Aeroplane.
LONDON: BLACKIE & SON, LTD., 50 OLD BAILEY, E.C.
Contents
CHAP.
I. Finding a Profession II. An Ocean Voyage III. Volunteers called for IV. Joe Gathers Credit V. One of the Settlers VI. A Canadian Bad Man VII. Into the Backwoods VIII. Hank makes his Appearance IX. Lost in the Forest X. A Hand-to-hand Encounter XI. Investing Hard-Earned Dollars XII. The Canadian Winter XIII. A Co-operative Proposition XIV. Moose Hunting XV. Pursued by Unknown Enemies XVI. Choosing a Fortress XVII. Hurley's Conspiracy is Unfolded XVIII. On the Defensive XIX. Across the Snows for Safety XX. Back to the Farm
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: A Boy of the Dominion by F. S. Brereton
- 2: And some knowledge of mechanics and cycle fitting
- 3: Why shouldn't you why not emigrate
- 4: There's indipendence indipendence
- 5: That was the general opinion of the keeper of the cycle shop
- 6: He'll skid if he isn't careful
- 7: While the lusty drover brought a couple
- 8: The drover hauled in the slack of his rope
- 9: Who we will at once introduce by his correct name of Hubbard
- 10: Hubbard helped himself to cake
- 11: Hubbard insisted on doing this
- 12: Not that your turbine leads to much vibration
- 13: A small regiment of Scandinavians passed by
- 14: Following a habit on emigrant steamers
- 15: For he liked the look of this Sam Fennick
- 16: For the quartermaster hopped over the thwarts
- 17: Perhaps the sprays can't get at the stuff that's afire
- 18: And ask for three dozen towels
- 19: Turning when close to the hatchway
- 20: A head appeared in the opening of the hatchway
- 21: Gasping beneath the open hatchway
- 22: The young Marconi operator and Joe's friend
- 23: I've frequently sent a Marconi message
- 24: Rapidly did Joe get accustomed to the apparatus
- 25: People congregated in little bunches
- 26: And nowhere more than amongst the emigrant passengers
- 27: You and I will help the stewards
- 28: Operating the nozzle of the hose together
- 29: He sent a cascade downward now
- 30: Two days after the ship had brought them to Quebec
- 31: Jest so reward for pluck and fer gumption
- 32: We leaves here to morrow fer Sudbury that's beyond Ottawa
- 33: Late the following day the train pulled up at Sudbury
- 34: Joe was at a loss to understand
- 35: And found at the back a range of wooden pigsties which might
- 36: They would have kicked at doing that sty
- 37: And a sullen bully with it all
- 38: He called at one of the shacks
- 39: You'll give me the seeder first
- 40: Hurley gripped Joe round the shoulders
- 41: Hurley did not seem to feel the blows
- 42: For if ever a man looked murderous it was Hurley
- 43: That thar Hurley ain't quite beaten you
- 44: I've rung up the central station Sudbury
- 45: And saw Hurley whacking Tom here
- 46: Hurley took the rig and drove off
- 47: We ain't likely to cover the tracks left by Hurley
- 48: That thar Hurley's made tracks slick north
- 49: Hurley had been very much the master
- 50: Fennick just swears by the lad
- 51: So it war clear that extry hosses was needed
- 52: The chap as could stand up to Hurley are worth knowing
- 53: Hank ain't often done a thing like that before
- 54: Hurley barged through that 'ere place
- 55: Tracking aer a game that don't tire
- 56: While Hurley can't hardly keep his eyes open
- 57: Hank and Peter staying with them
- 58: In a measure he was sorry for Hurley
- 59: Hurley ain't the man that can put up with much loss of sleep
- 60: Ef this Hurley turned and fired in amongst us
- 61: At a little distance in the rear came Hank
- 62: Hurley aer closer than we thought
- 63: Ef it wasn't that Hurley might be over yonder
- 64: Hurley aer as cute as a hull bag o' monkeys
- 65: And was still well behind Hank
- 66: But of Hurley there was no sign
- 67: We will leave him in pursuit of Hurley
- 68: This is the dickens of a muddle
- 69: Frightfully tempting to funk the meeting
- 70: Illustration JOE SURPRISES HURLEY Hands up
- 71: His bullet tearing on through the undergrowth
- 72: Hurley was a man with an iron nerve
- 73: Hank aer the queerest little morsel as ever I set eyes on
- 74: And but for that long chase of Hurley
- 75: Hank and I are off into the woods prospecting
- 76: And his team drags him from shack to shack
- 77: He told Joe and Hank gleefully
- 78: With the advice of Hank and Peter
- 79: Guess we'll fill up at Sudbury
- 80: And there's tea and sichlike to prepare
- 81: I'm jest sorry that Hurley got clear
- 82: There's many as buys their snowshoes
- 83: But Hank stopped him with a merry guffaw
- 84: And Joe found that Hank was a splendid travelling companion
- 85: It aer snowin' a trifle harder
- 86: When Hank brought his companion to a stop
- 87: He aer fairly working hisself up fer a fight
- 88: Sometimes with their antlers locked
- 89: While Joe continued to dodge the angry moose
- 90: Almost reaching the bough on which Hank was seated
- 91: Hank had treated Joe in that way
- 92: While Joe and Hank looked keenly about them
- 93: If there's twenty shacks wanted
- 94: It aer bound to go with a bang
- 95: But he aer got the dollars to pay
- 96: Fennick should stay with Egan's wife and children
- 97: You watch these fellers cutting down their timber
- 98: That aer a ticklish job to tackle
- 99: But Jack aer a long legged man
- 100: They flashed round at Hank and then at Joe
- 101: And when there's a thaw it aer heavy work
- 102: And Beaver Jack aer going nearer so as to coax him
- 103: Guess Beaver Jack aer one of 'em
- 104: That 'ere bull aer fair bothered
- 105: Called Hank softly over his shoulder
- 106: As Hank repeated his question somewhat peremptorily
- 107: Perhaps even Hurley was already captured
- 108: Two sleighs stood out prominently
- 109: Hank had impressed him from the first
- 110: Hank had observed on one occasion
- 111: Guess you got the man aboard the leading sleigh
- 112: It aer clear that we can't climb over the ridge to our left
- 113: But There aer always a but
- 114: Then he turned his face downhill
- 115: He faced downhill without another word
- 116: For it aer natural for a man to put his heel down heavily
- 117: Seeing that the way lay downhill
- 118: Compared with the needs of the Redskins
- 119: Were the impressions of many snowshoes
- 120: Something seemed to go wrong with his snowshoes
- 121: He's seen that things aer all right
- 122: It aer jest the very thing for us
- 123: And it aer up to you to protect us and lead us
- 124: And there the cold aer wuss perhaps
- 125: Grateful for the warmth of their comrades
- 126: But Hank was an exceedingly practical fellow
- 127: Looking at Hurley at that moment
- 128: For Hurley it was a fascinating conspiracy
- 129: Aer they heading straight along here
- 130: Hurley would present himself in England
- 131: They moved the dummies slowly to and fro
- 132: But interrupted Hank hoarsely
- 133: He aer yet to larn what backwoods chaps and others kin do
- 134: We'll make tracks for the Fennicks
- 135: It aer been a proper tight little island
- 136: That there Hurley stole the letter
- 137: Aer more valuable than a letter
- 138: I ain't yet quite sure how things aer
- 139: Doubtless the sleeping Hurley had it in an inner pocket
- 140: Ef we don't win out I ain't Hank
- 141: Then you get a grip of that thar Hurley
- 142: Even Hurley himself had little more than an inkling
- 143: But it aer better'n bein' shot
- 144: Guess Hurley ha' got his eye in
- 145: Instead of being chased by Hurley now
- 146: You aer heard this proposition
- 147: We aer got to draw that Hurley cuss close up to us
- 148: But would Hurley have the document still
- 149: And the death of Hurley had alone put an end to it