On May 1st we left for Fort Rouille. Our first obstacle was going across the river. A lumber raft was coming down the river and gave us a ride across.
We followed the Outauoais south to the grand river going west. We followed this river for several days camping at night.
In the mornings before we started out for the day the men would fish for our dinner for that night. They would keep the fish in a barrel until we stopped for the night then they would fillet them and cook them.
John, Paddy, Quinn and Liam would do the fishing. Lizzy, Missy, Colleen and Shannon would gather dry wood. Gen, Melissa and Darin would put out the fires and start packing up the wagons. Shaun, William, Brian and I would scout ahead to our next rest stop.
We stopped at a small Fort along the river. The people there called it Fort Levis. We stayed a night at the Fort. It was not very big. We stayed outside in a small clearing. We were gone early the next morning.
Five days later we arrived at Fort Cataraqui. It was named after the northbound river. We stayed a night at the Fort meeting many soldiers and fellow travellers.
There was a group of soldiers sitting at a table beside us. One of them turned and tapped Paddy on the shoulder. "Excuse me Sir. I was wondering where you are headed?" The soldier spoke with slight French accent.
"We are going to Fort Rouille to do some trading." Paddy said with a slight southern accent.
"How are you travelling?"
"By wagon."
"Mon Dieu! Why not take one of the boats that travel down the St. Laurent?"
"The St. Laurent?"
"Oui the river." The soldier pointed towards the grand river.
"We wish to travel by land. My sister becomes very ill when on a boat." Paddy told him.
"Oh I understand. It is much better to travel on land then."
"Have you been to the trading post here Sir?" One of the other soldiers asked.
"No I did not know you had one here. We will go there before we leave in the morning. Thank you."
"You are quite welcome."
We left after our meal and went back to our wagons to sleep. John, Quinn, Darin and Liam went for a walk around the Fort when they came back John and Quinn were upset. "Dad there is a man following John and I. He was using some kind of object. He kept repeating 'See I told you it works.'"
Paddy looked past his sons. "Is that him?"
They turned to look. "Yes Sir."
Paddy, Quinn, Shaun, Liam and Darin went to see what this man was up to.
The man did not see them coming he was looking at something in his hand.
"Benoit see it is showing me that they are very close."
"Who is very close Sir?" Shaun asked.
"Why the va ... vagabonds Sir." The man said when he looked up to see who he was talking to.
"What are vagabonds?" Shaun asked. He knew the man had changed what he was going to say.
"Vagabonds are performing travellers." The man lied.
"What do they perform?"
"Play at times, sometimes they sing and dance depending on the audience."
"I see." Shaun said. "Good night Sir."
"And to you."
We all went to bed like tired mortals. The next morning we ate our breakfast at our wagons some cheese and bread we purchased from the tavern the night before.
The man that Shaun talked to the previous night was scratching his head. He was looking at an object in his hand then at us then at his hand.
His friend Benoit came staggering out of their tent. "I told you it does not work."
"It worked last night."
"It probably only works at night." Benoit looked at us. "They are eating food and sitting in the sunlight. You have a piece of rubbish Marcel."
We finished eating then packed up our wagons. We stopped at the trading post for a few minutes. There was nothing that interested us.
The small road along the river was just wide enough for our wagons. The rest of us on horseback followed behind.
Once we were out of sight of the Fort Shaun, Quinn, Paddy and John flew ahead to see where we would be stopping that night.
Ten days later we arrived at Fort Rouille.
We could see many ships out in the harbour Gen and Melissa were finally becoming excited.
We could see that it was also taking a toll on Melissa and Darin.
"Oh Mom there is a lot of trading posts to see here." Gen said excitedly.
"Yes my dear and we will see them all." Colleen answered.
"Good I am anxious to see what they have here."
We found a nice inn with a stable. Shaun told the innkeeper that we would be here for a week or more.
Shannon and Colleen took Melissa and Gen to a few trading posts the first day. The next day we all went down to the harbour to watch the ships come in. Melissa and Darin were quite excited about the ships. Darin had never seen so many. Melissa remembered the voyage over. "Oh Mama, it brings back so many fond memories."
"Yes it does."
Melissa and Darin spent the rest of our time at Fort Rouille watching the ships. The rest of us went for the bargains at the trading posts and farmers' markets.
Everyday when Melissa and Darin came back from the harbour. They tried different food from all around the world.
"Mm Mom this is delicious. What is it?" Melissa asked.
"The fisherman called it Lobster. He told me how to cook it and what was the best parts to eat."
"It is very good." Melissa said licking her fingers.
Paddy and I were sitting in front of the fireplace in the common area of the inn later that night when the man Marcel walked in with his friend Benoit.
"See I told you I would find them again." Marcel told his friend.
"That is amazing." Benoit said. "But those men are not in here Marcel."
"No but they are." Marcel pointed to us.
"Are you sure that thing is tracking the right people?" Benoit asked.
We did not hear the answer we ran upstairs to our rooms Paddy knocked on Shaun's door. "Yes." Shaun said from inside his room. We went in. "What is it?"
"Those men from Fort Levis are here." Paddy told him.
"The ones with that strange pocket watch."
"Yes Sir."
"What does that pocket watch do Shaun?" I asked.
"I am not sure but I almost positive he was going to say vampire not vagabonds that night."
"I thought so too Dad." Paddy said.
"But he was tracking John and Quinn not Kylie."
"Well we will find out. We are leaving in the morning if they follow us we will confront them."
"All right Dad. Good night."
"Good night."
The next day we were up and ready to go by dawn. The two men were in their room sleeping. We stopped to have breakfast a few hours later.
