Madame Casgrainie and her daughter comforted Bolax, promising to have him at their house as often as the Brothers would permit. "After all, Bo," said Leon, "you are better off than most boys, even if you are a thousand miles from home; you have your uncle, Monsieur Le Curé, so cheer up and let us have a race on this hard beach. Whoever wins shall have the biggest peach in the basket." (Peaches are a rarety in Quebec, and its environs and are very costly.)