In Paths of Peril: A Boy's Adventures in Nova Scotia

by J. Macdonald Oxley

  Produced by Al Haines

  [Frontispiece: "THE HEAVY ANIMAL TURNED TO FACE RAOUL." _p_. 22.]

  IN PATHS OF PERIL

  A Boy's Adventures in Nova Scotia

  BY

  J. MACDONALD OXLEY

  AUTHOR OF 'DONALBLANE OF DARIEN,' 'A BOY OF THE BANKS,' 'NORMAN'S NUGGET,' ETC.

  _WITH SIX ILLUSTRATIONS_

  TORONTO

  THE MUSSON BOOK COMPANY LIMITED

  1903

  CONTENTS

  IN PATHS OF PERIL

  CHAP.

  I. FROM THE OLD WORLD TO THE NEW II. THE GREAT BEAR HUNT III. SETTING A BAD EXAMPLE IV. OFF TO THE WOODS V. THE MOOSE HUNT VI. IN THE NICK OF TIME VII. AT CLOSE QUARTERS VIII. A PERILOUS ENTERPRISE IX. THE STOPPING OF THE SUPPLY SHIP X. ADVENTURE IN BOSTON XI. TRAITORS IN THE CAMP XII. A GLORIOUS VICTORY

  BEFRIENDED BY BRUIN

  ILLUSTRATIONS

  "THE HEAVY ANIMAL TURNED TO FACE RAOUL." . . . . . . _Frontispiece_

  "THE PARTY SET FORTH."

  "SUDDENLY, RAOUL RAISED HIMSELF UPON HIS KNEES."

  "JOE LED THE WAY."

  "RISING TO HIS FULL HEIGHT, JOE SWUNG THE PADDLE ABOVE HIS HEAD."

  "SHE POINTED THE FIRST CANNON WITH HER OWN HANDS."

  IN PATHS OF PERIL

  CHAPTER I

  FROM THE OLD WORLD TO THE NEW

  The defence of the city of La Rochelle by the Huguenots, when for morethan a year they defied the whole power of France under the leadershipof Cardinal Richelieu, must ever remain one of the most heroic andsoul-stirring chapters in history.

  For the sake of their faith these noble people endured the pangs ofhunger, the perils of battle, and the blight of pestilence, until atlast, their fighting men being reduced to a mere handful, with brokenhearts they were compelled to surrender. It was a terrible time forthe weak and the young. Nearly one-half of the population of the citydied during the siege, and those who survived formed a gaunt, haggard,miserable band, more like scarecrows than human beings.

  Among them were a maiden of twenty and a boy of twelve years of age,whose fortunes we shall follow in these pages. She was Constance deBernon, the only daughter of one of the most important families, andhe, Raoul de Bernon, her nephew, now an orphan, both his parents havingperished in the dreadful days of the siege.

  Not all the horrors she had witnessed, nor the sufferings she hadborne, in the least degree shook Constance's fidelity to her faith.She was of the stuff which makes martyrs, and would have died at thestake rather than renounce her religion. Right glad, therefore, wasshe when her parents succeeded in effecting their escape from oldFrance, where only persecution awaited Protestants, and making theirway across the Atlantic Ocean to the new France, where it was possibleto be true to one's belief without having to suffer for it.

  The de Bernons settled in what was then known as Acadia, now theProvince of Nova Scotia, and began life again amid the wildness of theland which the Micmac and Melecite Indians had hitherto held as theirhunting-ground. Raoul accompanied them. Since the loss of his parentshis whole heart had gone out to Constance. Never was aunt more belovedby nephew. It might indeed with truth be said that he fairlyworshipped her, and found in her companionship the chief solace for hisgreat bereavement.

  While to the older people the change from the comfort and security oftheir former life at La Rochelle to the crude and hard conditions oftheir new home could not help being a very trying one, Raoul, on thecontrary, was rather pleased with it. There was no going to school,nor learning of lessons, except when his aunt could now and then sparean hour to spend with him over the few books they had been able tobring. He lived out-of-doors for the most part, and had no difficultyin finding plenty to occupy his time.

  He was a sturdy lad, with a bright, strong countenance, which gave goodpromise for the future if only he kept in the right path; and he mademany friends, not only among the settlers, but also among the Indians,some of whose camps were always near at hand.

  "It seems to me you do not miss La Rochelle very much, Raoul," saidConstance to him as they sat at the door of the house in the quiet ofthe evening, when all the work of the day was over. "You are quitehappy here, are you not?"

  The colour came into the boy's face at his aunt's words, for althoughshe did not so mean it, her question seemed to imply that he wasforgetting his former home and the dear ones he had lost.

  "I do like it here," he replied, lifting his big brown eyes to hers."It is very different from La Rochelle, I know, but----" and here hehesitated so long that Constance with a smile took up the sentence.

  "But you'd rather live in the woods than in the city--that's it, isn'tit, Raoul? I quite understand, and I don't blame you in the least.You're fond of adventure, and you're glad to be where there's apt to beplenty of it. How would you like to go with me to Cape Sable?"

  "I'm ready to go with you anywhere, Aunt Constance!" was the prompt andhearty response. "But why are you going to Cape Sable?"

  It was now Constance's turn to blush, and very charming she looked asshe answered in a low tone with her face turned away:

  "I am to be married soon, Raoul, to Monsieur La Tour, and he is goingto take me to Cape Sable, where he has his fort."

  Raoul sprang to his feet excitedly. The idea of his beloved auntbelonging to somebody else hurt him cruelly. It filled his heart withjealousy, and he exclaimed in a tone of passion:

  "You're going to be married, Aunt Constance, and to leave us all! Whatis that for? Why couldn't you stay with us? We are so happy here."

  Constance smiled with pleasure at the vigour of his speech, and puttingher arm about his neck affectionately, said:

  "You surely would not have me live and die an old maid, would you,Raoul? And Monsieur La Tour will make such a good husband for me!"

  Raoul sighed as he warmly returned his aunt's caress. His protest wasfoolish, of course, and, after all, if she was going to take him withher to her new home, what would be the difference?

  "Oh, yes, I suppose so," he answered. "But I didn't know. Please tellme all about it."

  So Constance went into particulars, Raoul listening with profoundinterest.

  Charles de la Tour, who was also a Huguenot, had now been for a numberof years in Acadia, carrying on an extensive business in fishing andfur-trading, and had just built a strong fort at Cape Sable, which hecalled Fort St. Louis. Of this establishment he had invited Constanceto become the mistress, and she had given her consent. Yet, althoughshe loved de la Tour, who was a handsome, genial, daring man such aseasily win a woman's heart, she did not want to part with her nephew,and de la Tour made no objection to his accompanying her, especially ashe himself must needs be often absent from the fort on businessexpeditions for months at a time, and Raoul would then be good companyfor his wife.

  So in due time it all came about as was arranged, and Raoul foundhimself settled at Fort St. Louis with his new uncle, whom he greatlyadmired and respected. This fort, placed at the extreme south-eastpoint of what is now Nova Scotia, looked out over the restless watersof the Atlantic, and kept an eye upon the ships passing by to the Bayof Fundy or to the New England ports. It was very strongly built ofstone, and mounted many cannon which Raoul longed to see in use. Asnug harbour lay to the east, where de la Tour's vessels could anchorin safety from any storm, and inland stretched vast forests, whichfairly swarmed with game, from the lively rabbit to the gigantic moose.What with fishing, trapping and hunting, rowing, sailing and swimmingto his heart's content, Raoul was in no danger of finding the time hangheavy on his hands.