CHAPTER SEVEN. 

A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY TO THE FAR WEST PLANNED AND BEGUN. 

Three years passed away, during which period Mackenzie, being busily occupied with his arduous duties as a fur-trader, could not carry out the more noble purposes of discovery on which his heart was set. But a time at length arrived when circumstances permitted him to turn his eyes once more with a set purpose on the unknown wilderness of the West. Seated one fine morning about the beginning of spring, in his wooden residence at Fort Chipewyan, he observed Reuben Guff passing the window with an axe on his shoulder, that worthy, with his son and Swiftarrow, having engaged in the service of the fur-traders at the end of the late expedition. Opening the door, Mackenzie called him in. 

"Where are you bound for just now, Reuben?" 

"To dinner, monsieur." 

"Reuben," said Mackenzie, with a peculiar look, "has all your pioneering enthusiasm oozed out at your finger ends?" 

"No, monsieur," replied the man, with a slight smile, "but Lawrence and I have bin thinkin' of late that as Monsieur Mackenzie seems to have lost heart, we must undertake a v'yage o' diskivery on our own account!" 

"Good. Then you are both ready, doubtless, to begin your discoveries with a canoe journey of some extent on short notice?" 

"At once, monsieur, if it please you." 

"Nay, Reuben, not quite so fast as that," said Mackenzie, with a laugh; "you may have your dinner first. But to-morrow you shall become a genuine pioneer by preceding me towards the far west. You know the position of our most distant settlements on the Peace River?" 
Who did Mackenzie call to?
Was he about to eat?
How did he address Mackenzie?
How did he think Mackenzie was feeling?
How long had he been gone?
Doing what?
Was it what he wished to do?
Where did he want to go?
Did he invite Reuben?
Traveling by what?
Were they to leave immediately?
When then?
Where had Reuben been going?
Did he ever get to go?
What river would they travel?
Who else would be going?
Was he also concerned about Mackenzie?
What did they think he needed?
What will Reuben become?
When?
Reuben
Opening the door, Mackenzie called him in. 

"Where are you bound for just now, Reuben?"
Yes.
Where are you bound for just now, Reuben?" 

"To dinner, monsieur."
Monsieur.
Where are you bound for just now, Reuben?" 

"To dinner, monsieur.
That he lost heart.
but Lawrence and I have bin thinkin' of late that as Monsieur Mackenzie seems to have lost heart
Three years.
Three years passed away, during which period Mackenzie, being busily occupied with his arduous duties as a fur-trader,
Fur trading.
Three years passed away, during which period Mackenzie, being busily occupied with his arduous duties as a fur-trader
No.
 could not carry out the more noble purposes of discovery on which his heart was set
Far west.
 But to-morrow you shall become a genuine pioneer by preceding me towards the far west.
Yes.
Good. Then you are both ready, doubtless, to begin your discoveries with a canoe journey of some extent on short notice?
Canoe
Good. Then you are both ready, doubtless, to begin your discoveries with a canoe journey
No.
"Nay, Reuben, not quite so fast as that," said Mackenzie, with a laugh; "you may have your dinner first. But to-morrow you shall become a genuine pioneer 
to-morrow
you may have your dinner first. But to-morrow you shall become a genuine pioneer 
Dinner
Where are you bound for just now, Reuben?" 

"To dinner, monsieur.
Yes
Nay, Reuben, not quite so fast as that," said Mackenzie, with a laugh; "you may have your dinner firs
Peace River.
 You know the position of our most distant settlements on the Peace River?"
Lawrence
No, monsieur," replied the man, with a slight smile, "but Lawrence and I have bin thinkin'
"Yes
"No, monsieur," replied the man, with a slight smile, "but Lawrence and I have bin thinkin' of late that as Monsieur Mackenzie seems to have lost heart, 
a v'yage o' diskivery
, we must undertake a v'yage o' diskivery on our own account!" 
a genuine pioneer
But to-morrow you shall become a genuine pioneer 
Tomorrow.
 But to-morrow you shall become a genuine pioneer 