There were other journeys to be taken also, which, but for the portages, might have been regarded as pleasure trips pure and simple.

But the portage work was hard, and by the time Katherine and Phil had tramped three times over a mile and a half of portage, laden with sugar, bacon, and flour, returning the fourth time for the birchbark, they were mostly too tired to regard the journey as anything but very hard work indeed.
Yet in spite of this it was lovely to be out in the fresh air and the sunshine.

When Katherine heard the long, laughing chuckle of the ptarmigan, or saw the trailing flights of geese headed northward, she could have shouted and sung from sheer lighthearted joy at the coming of spring.

But, however high her spirits rose as the weather grew better and finer, there was always the cold dread in her heart because of what the summer must bring.

Of course, if her father remained in his present condition he would feel and understand nothing of the embarrassment which must fall alone upon her in meeting Mr.Selincourt.