Part 17 (1/2)

”The day was, Masther Roger, when you and I would have been very happy to have fallen in with as ht,” observed Mike tothe head and tail At laste, the Ridskins hold to that notion”

I was, I confess, very thankful that we had not been coer ht have induced me to do

As we paddled on, Uncle Mark asked Lily and Dora to sing They were not girls to offer excuses, and declare that they were out of voice

”What shall it be?” said Lily

”Anything you like,” replied Dora; and ih I had heard it before, sounded very sweet on the calm water

Reuben and I joined in chorus; and the ht, applauded heartily Then one of the, in which they all joined As soon as they ceased, Lily and Dora gave us a third; and so ent on, singing and paddling over the calm water

”Och! but it's a sad pity that theot iving you all a tune!

Sure, if I do not recover it I will be breaking me heart intirely”

He said this in so melancholy and yet co We reminded him that our Indian friend had prorees he regained his spirits

The weather continued fine, and the water sazed over the vast expanse spread out on our left, I could scarcely fancy h it was coht, too, of hoould appear should a stor billows by the furious wind Our canoe, with sides not much thicker than a few sheets of brown paper, would have been a frail bark for navigating the lake under such circuh we had paddled on all day we could not as yet see the mouth of the river, near which we intended to caain it during daylight

The sun had almost reached the watery horizon to the west, e espied a clump of tall trees whichour course Having rounded a point, we ran into a bay with a grass-covered shore; and here ere able to land without difficulty

We unloaded the canoe, and carried our packages up to a grassy spot underneath the trees The men imwa ourselves with a lean-to, which would afford us protection frohted, and as ere all very hungry, no ti supper As soon as it was over Lily and Dora retired to their abode, as they had been up and ready to start so yarns, as the sailors say, and singing songs We were speaking of the necessity of trying to get some more fresh fish, as our stock was nearly exhausted, and Mike had told the party how successful we had been till our hooks were bitten off

”But there is a place not far from here where we can catch fish without hooks,” was the answer

”Sure, and I should like to see it!” exclaimed Mike ”But how is it to be done?”

”Why, with nets, to be sure,” said the canoeman ”And if you like to come with reed to the proposal

Hearing that some nets which would suit the purpose had been left _en cache_ with other articles close at hand, Reuben and I and another reed to accompany the fellow, and fond of practical joking It struck me at the tirave a face, and spoke so earnestly, thatthe cache, which was close to the ca in the forer We were also provided with a lantern containing a thick tallow candle

”You see how to use these nets!” said Jacques ”We put them into the water, and then hold the candle at the further end When the fish see the light, they swiht”

The plan seeht it was aa supper

We were to fish in twos; one reed to accompany Mike, and I was to take the other man; while Jacques said he would superintend operations, pro us an abundance of sport if ould follow his directions

Going on for half a round, we reached a marsh which was connected with the lake