--<€ TO CARIBOO AND BACK }— flanked by creamy piles of Mary’s feather- - weight biscuits. Even prettier was the rosy gleam of mounds of cranberry jelly, and when the time for them came, the blue leaping flames of six immense plum puddings which were brought in from the kitchen spouting fire. A shout of applause greeted these masterpieces of Mary’s cookery as at this stage of the pro- ceedings the little woman herself made her appearance and walked all the way round the . double boards to wish the men a Merry Christ- mas and satisfy herself that they had been satisfactorily stuffed. “Sure and did yez like the game pies?” she inquired of them. ‘‘And was the cranberry jell swate enough for your taste? ’Tis lucky me boy Jim found a swamp where the berries grow and was able to get me a couple of sacks!” A woman, one so small and feminine yet commanding as the Little General, filled the miners with respectful delight. Woman were searce at Quesnel, and there was not another one like Mary all the way up and down the river. All claimed the privilege of shaking hands with her and they drank her health in a specially prepared lemon toddy. Real lemons! [201]