Part 3 (1/2)

”By turning our eyes from the bare ht fancy that suain,” said Philip; ”the Indian summer at all events Should to- up D'Arcy It's so that we got tired of him with his visit here, poor fellow”

”Oh! don't let him think that,” exclaimed Sophy, earnestly

”No, that I will not,” said Philip ”Who'll go? A little recreation will do soood, and we'll work all the better e co to be of the party, but her younger sisters jumped at the proposal

”I know that you are carefulness itself, Philip,” said Mrs Ashton; ”but I entreat you to have but very little sail set”

”Indeed, mother, I will carry only what is absolutely necessary,”

answered Philip ”We need be in no hurry--if the breeze holds, we shall have a soldier's wind, fair each way”

The breeze did not hold, and towards evening a thick fog ca sound was heard, and when daylight returned, the whole lake appeared frozen over The entire household was soon on foot and braving the keen frosty air, to observe the change which a few short hours had wrought There must have been a perfect calm when the ice took, for the entire surface of the lake was smooth as a polishedtrees and every shrub and blade of grass to be seen was covered with a coating of the purest white Suddenly the sun rose above the wooded hill to the east, and the whole side of the lake on which its beaeht breeze waved the branches to and fro, and now they flashed and shone with increased brilliancy, fresh colours bursting into sight till not a geeous display of ”nature's jewel-box,” as Harry called it

”Well, fanny,” he exclaio to court, for I am very certain that all the duchesses, and countesses, and lady mayoresses to boot, couldn't make such a display as that”

As the waran to drip, and the lovely spectacle vanished by noon

”We need not regret it, for beautiful as it was, I believe that we ,” said Mr Ashton ”Ah! little do our pitying friends at houess the ample amends which nature s we enjoyed in England; but, after all, we have only exchanged them for others which our beneficent Maker has bestowed on us of equal value”

The ice, though bearing in some places, could not be trusted, and of course the expedition to D'Arcy's clearing was given up for the present; but in the evening, as over, skates were unpacked, cleared of rust, and fitted to shoes All hands set to ith increased vigour to fell the trees, that they ht be burnt off before the snow should ht like the last, and I verily believe wehis hands to restore the circulation of which the cold had deprived them

”Look out for frost-bites, ed s to see that you kept your hands and feet warm”

The ladies of the fa flaps for their ears, and inmittens and comforters

One point they had not discovered, and had to learn by experience, the uselessness of English boots and shoes, however thick, for the bush in winter, and that nothing can surpass, and scarcely any foot-gear equal, a light shoe or slipper, with a very thick ribbed worsted sock over it, put into an india-rubber golosh, which is kept on by a high spring gaiter [See Note 1] There was no longer any doubt about the ice bearing, and so, having worked hard all the , Philip, Harry, and Charley set off with skates on feet, the two latter in high glee at the thought of going so great a distance over the ice They had been practising for the last three days in a shallow bay near the house, and had no one alone, or at all events, with Harry only; but Charley begged go hard to be allowed to accompany them that he did not like to refuse him They expected not to be more than three hours away at the utmost The skates were fixed fir two or three outside edge circles and figures of eight ”Are you ready, boys?

Follow your leader, and ae go” Away they went Right leg--left leg--resting for fifteen seconds or so on each--their bodies now slightly inclined to one side, now to the other, like shi+psexercise Their spirits rose to the highest pitch as they glided on--they shouted and laughed with glee--Charley ed to keep up, but as sport to his brothers, was rather hard work to hi thes began to ache They had heard Philip say that they were not likely to have h there would be no want of ice, it would be soon so covered with snow, that it would be iht easily, to be sure, sweep a space in the ice clear of snow, but that would be very ta overCharley, therefore, would not, if he could help it, ask his brothers to stop At last he found hi behind

With his utmost exertions he could not keep up with the whether he should call out, his foot struck so (it was the thick part of a branch which had been floating when the lake froze), and down he came

”O, Harry, Harry!” he cried out Harry heard hi round, skated back to his assistance Philip had gone so his brothers' voices, he swept round on a half circle to ask them why they had become so suddenly dull What was his dismay to find that they were not near hith, as it seemed, on the ice, at a considerable distance As he turned he was conscious of a cracking noise, which seemed to pass from one end of the lake to the other Still he must reach his brothers, or atte way every stroke heway!” cried Charley; but though the cracking sound increased, Philip did not perceive any other sign of this being the case

”What is the matter with you, Harry?” he asked

”Oh, I went to help Charley, and tu which capsized hi way, and certainly the water does look terribly near to it” Such, indeed, was the case Philip, fro kept his eyes fixed on the land-, had not observed this so much as Harry now did, with his nose close down to it Wisely keeping at a little distance, he advised them to craay from the spot where they had fallen, and then, a little apart froet on their feet and proceed

Once more they were on their course, but Philipat a less speed than before It was nervous work, though, for the cracking noise increased in loudness till it rivalled that of thunder--seehtness of tread was everything For himself Philip had no fear

He dreaded only lest Charley should again fall, and so did his best to keep up his spirits, and to banish the nervousness fro As they neared the shore the noises ceased and their spirits rose, though they were not sorry to see D'Arcy standing on the beach to receive the you for some time, and did I own a pair of skates I should have come out to an to forh to push off to your assistance, in case any one of you should have been hurt, when I observed that you were all on theon with it, I sent in Terry to cook so fly”

The dinner was the usual bush fare--pork and potatoes (foran, and a duuests were first descried in the distance The young er time over it than they intended They had plenty to say, about their own experiences especially; and when the young Ashtons compared notes with D'Arcy, they had reason to consider their own trials far less than his He had been left alone to fight the battle of life, or rather with aon him After a once fine property which he had nominally inherited had been sold in the Irish Incumbered Estates Court, he had found himself with the merest pittance on which to support them With a s a home for those he loved so well There were nuhbourhood and in different parts of the province--not all, however, doing equally well--some were successful, and they were the sober, industrious, and judicious; others were in a bad way, mostly for the best of reasons, because they were idle, and had taken to drinking--not hard drinking, perhaps