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FORM NO. 609: 7.31.36: SOOM.
SILVER LAKE
Silver Lake.
SILVEE LAKE;
LOST IN THE SNOW.
R. M. BALLANTYNE,
AtrXHOK OF "JARWIN AND CUFl'Y," ETC.
i
mUb ailU6tratlon6.
GEKTiovi- i-IB-
LONDON :
FEEDERICK WARNE AND CO.
AND NEW YORK.
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y/^'H
J^ c^fyvo'
?11
•Bills,
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CONTENTS,
CHAPTER L
THE HUNTEB3 . . . . * 'i f > 1
CHAPTER IL
THE STARVED INDIAN .... , . 8
CHAPTER IIL
PREPARATIONS FOB A IBAST ...•-, i7
CHAPTER IV.
LOST IN THE SNOW 23
CHAPTER f.
CARRIED on , • • 81
CHAPTER VI.
THE CAMP, THE ATTACK, AND THE ESCAPE . • « • 88
CHAPTER VII.
THE ENCAMPMENT ON SILVER LAKE 45
CHAPTER VIII.
HUNTING, AND OTHER MATTERS, ON SILVER LAKE . . 53
VI CONTENTS.
CHAPTER IX.
PAOB
FlSHIiTG EXTKAOIIDINARY 60
CHAPTER X.
CHAKfGEB, SLIDING, PISHING, ETC. . . t • 67
CHAPTER XL
A CHANGE IN THE WEATHER — RABBITS AND BEARS APPBAB 75
CHAPTER XII.
sot's dbeam ......••• 82
CHAPTER XIII.
"shooskin"' .... , , , 89
CHAPTER XIV.
TUB JOURNEY HOME BESUMED AND INTEBRUPTED . , 95
CHAPTER XV.
THE HASSAOBB « • 103
CHAPTER XVI.
VENGEANOE • • 112
CHAPTER XVII.
THE PURSUIT * 117
CHAPTER XVIII.
INTREESTING THOUGH PUZZMNG DISCOVERIES , . . 122
CHAPTER XIX.
SHOET ALLOWANCE. AND A SURPRISE .... 131
CONTENTS. ^i
chaptp:r XX.
MOB
ITOBB BtJRPRISING DISCOVERIES ..... ISft
CHAPTER XXI.
A OLADSOMK MEETINO . . . . , 146
CHAPTER XXII.
AT SILVER LAKE ONCE MORE ..... , 162
CHAPTER XXIIL
THE HAPPIEST MEETING OF ALL 161
CHAPTER XXIV.
OOHOLUSIOV « . , 16?
SILVER LAKE;
OR, LOST IN THE SNOW.
CHAPTER L
THE HUNTERS.
It was on a cold winter morning long ago, that
Robin Gore, a bold hunter af the backwoods ol
America, entered his parlour and sat him down
to breakfast.
Robin's parlour was also his dining-room, and
his drawing-room, besides being his bed-room
and his kitchen. In fact, it was the only room
in his wooden hut, except a small apartment,
opening off it, which was a workshop and lum-
ber-room.
Robin's family consisted of himself, and his
wife, and his son Roy, who was twelve years of
age — and his daughter Nelly, who was eight, or
thereabout. In addition to these, his household
comprised a nephew, Walter • and an Irishman,
A
Z SILVER LAKE.
Larry O'Dowd. The former was tall, strong,
fearless, and twenty. The latter was stout, short,
powerful, and forty.
The personal history of Robin Gore, to the
point a^ which we take it up, runs briefly
thus : —
He had been born in a backwood's settlement,
had grown up and married in the little hamlet
in which he had been born, and hunted around
it contentedly until he was forty years of age.
But, as population increased, he became restive.
He disliked restraint ; resolved to take his wife
and family into the wilderness, and after getting
his nephew and an Irish adventurer to agree to
accompany him, carried his resolution into
effect.
He travelled several hundreds of miles into
the woods — beyond the most remote settlement
— built three wooden huts, surrounded them
with a tall stockade, set up a flagstaff in the
centre thereof, and styled the whole affair, " Fort
Enterprise."
" I'm sorry to bring you to such a lonesome
spot, Molly, my dear," said Robin, as he sat on the
trunk of a fallen tree on the afternoon of the day
on which he arrived at the scene of his future
home ; " it '11 be rayther try in' at first, but you '11
soon get used to it, and we won't be bothered
hereaway wi' all the new-fangled notions o'
settlement folk. We '11 dwell in the free wilder-
THE HUNTERS. 3
ness, \\here there are no tyrannical laws U
hamper a man, an' no nonsensical customs to
fix the fashion of his coat an' leggins. Besides,
you '11 have Roy an' Nelly an' Walter an' Larry
to keep you company, lass, not to mention our
neighbours to look in upon now and again."
" Very true, Robin," replied the wife, ^' I
have no doubt it will be quite cheery and home-
like in course of time."
She looked out upon the broad bosom of the
lake which lay before the site of their forest
home, and sighed. It was evident that Mrs
Gore had a strong partiality for the laws and
customs which her husband abhorred.
The '^ neighbours " to whom Robin referred
lived in a leather tent twenty miles distant from
the Fort. They were, an Indian, named " The
Black Swan," his wife, named ^^ The White
Swan," and a half-caste trapper, whose proper
name was unknown to all save himself. His
cognomen in the wilderness was " Slugs," a name
fvhich originated in his frequent use of clipped
pieces of lead instead of shot in the loading of
his gun.
But to return to the point from which we
started : —
It was on a cold winter morning that Robin
Gore entered his parlour and sat him down to
breakfast.
It was not only cold — very cold ; colder than
SILVER LAKE.
ever was experienced in our favoured British
isles — but it was also very dark. Robin had
risen before daybreak in order to visit his traps,
and shoot some game as early in the day as
possible. The larder chanced to be nearly empty
that day, a fact which was all the more to be
regretted that it was New Year's day, and, as
Robin remarked, " that day didn't occur more
than once in the year." This statement Larry
O'Dowd disputed, afiGlrming that it occurred " at
laste twice ivery year — wance at the beginnin'
an' wance at the ind of it ! "
" Come along, lad," said Robin, trimming the
candle as his nephew Walter entered, " we '11 ha
to make the most of our time to-day, for we
dine at sharp five p.m., an' our dinner — ^least-
wise the most of it — is at this moment alive an*
kickin*, if it 's not sleeping in the forest, and has
got to be found and shot yet. Hallo ! boy, where
are you bound for ? ^'
*' For the woods, father, with you and Walter/^
replied his son Roy, sitting down and coolly
helping himself to a portion of bear's meat with
which the hunter was regaling himself.
"Nonsense, boy," said Robin, somewhat
gruffly.
"You'll not be able to keep up with us,"
added Walter, " for we Ve little time before us,
an' a long way to go."
" If I break down I can turn back," retorted Roy.
IHE HITNTERS. O
" Yery good ; please yourself," said Robin ia
a tone of indifference, although his glance seemed
to indicate that he was not sorry to see his boy
determined to attempt an expedition which he
knew from experience would be very trying to a
lad of his years.
Breakfast over, the three hunters clothed
themselves in habiliments suitable to the climate
— ^leathern coats and trousers which where im-
pervious to the wind ; cloth leggings to keep the
snow from the trousers ; leather mocassins, or
shoes with three pairs of blanket socks inside of
them ; far-caps with ear-pieces ; leather mittens
with an apartment for the fingers and a separate
chamber for the thumb, powder-horns, shot-
pouches, guns, and snow-shoes. These latter
were light wooden frames, netted across with
deer-skin threads, about five feet long and up-
wards of a foot wide. The shoes were of this
enormous size, in order that they might support
the wearers on the surface of the snow, which was,
on an average, four feet deep in the woods. They
were clumsy to look at, but not so difficult to
walk in as one might suppose.
In silence the three hunters entered the dark
woods in front of Fort Enterprise. Robin went
first and beat the track, Walter followed in his
footsteps, Roy brought up the rear. The father
sank about six inches at every step, but the
snow which fell upon his snow-shoes was so fine
O SILVER r,AKE.
and dry, owing to the intense frost, that it fell
through the net-work of the shoes like dust.
Walter and Eoy, treading in the footsteps, had
less labour in walking, but Walter, being almost
as strong as his uncle, took his turn at beating
the track every two hours.
Through the woods they went, over mound
and hollow, across frozen swamp and plain,
through brush and break, until near noon, when
they halted for rest and refreshment. While
Walter cut firewood, Robin and Roy cleared
away the snow, using their snow-shoes as shovels,
and prepared their meal. It was simple; a few
mouthfuls of dried meat and a tin can of hot tea
— the backwoodsman's greatest luxury, next to
his pipe. It was short, too. Half an hour
sufficed to prepare and consume it.
"Let's see, now, what we have got," said
Robin, counting the game before resuming the
march,
" More than enough," said Walter, lighting
his pipe for a hurried whiff, " ten brace of
white grouse, four rabbits, six red foxes and
a black one, and two wolves. We can't eat all
that."
" Surely we won't eat the foxes and wolves ! '
cried Roy, laughing.
'' Not till we 're starvin'," replied his father.
** Come, let's go on — are ye tired, lad ? "
" Fresh as Walter," said the boy, proudly.
THl. HUNTERS. 7
" Well, we won't try you too much. We '11
just take a sweep round by the Wolf's Glen, an'
look at the traps there — after which make for
home and have our New Year's dinner. Go
ahead, Walter, and beat the track ; it is your
turn this time."
Without speakino', Walter slipped his feet into
the lines of his snow-shoes, extinguished his
pipe, and led the way once more through the
pathless forest.
SILVER LAKE.
CHAPTER II.
THE STARVED INDIAN.
In the depths of the same forest, and not far
from the locality to which we have introduced
our reader, a Red Indian was dragging his limbs
wearily along over the untrodden snow.
The attenuated frame of this son of the soil,
his hollow cheeks and glaring eye-balls, his belt
drawn with extreme tightness round his waist,
to repress the gnawings of hunger, as well as his
enfeebled gait, proved that he was approaching
the last stage of starvation.
For many weeks Wapaw had been travelling
in the woods, guided on his way by the stars, and
by those slight and delicate signs of the wilder-
ness — such as the difference of thickness in the
bark on the north, from that on the south side
of a tree — which are perceptible only to the keen
eye of an Indian, or a white man whose life has
been spent in the wilderness.
But Wapaw was a very different man when he
quitted his tribe from what he was at the time
we introduce him to our reader. Strong, wiry,
upright, and lithe as a panther, he left his
THE STARVED INDIAN. 9
wigwam and his wife, and turned his face towards
the rising sun ; but the season was a severe one,
and game was scarce ; from the very beginning
of his journey he had found it difficult to supply
himself with a sufficiency of food. Towards the
middle of it he was on short allowance, and much
reduced in strength ; and now, near its termina-
tion, he was, as we have said, almost in the last
stage of starvation.
Fort Enterprise was Wapaw's goal. He had
never been there before, but from the description
of the place and its locality, given by those of his
kindred who had visited Robin Gore, he was
able to direct his march with unerring certainty
towards it. Of course, as he drew near to it he
could not ascertain his exact distance — whether
he was a day or several days' journey off — but
from the tracks of Robin's snow-shoes, which he
crossed more than once, he guessed that he waa
nearing the Fort, and pushed on with renewed
hope and energy.
Robin, however, was an active hunter. He
ften made long and rapid marches from his
lonely dwelling — sometimes staying away a week
or two at a time even in winter ; so that "Wapaw
thought himself nearer Fort Enterprise than he
really was when he first discovered the bold hun-
ter's tracks. When, at length, he did arrive at less
than a day's journey from the Fort, he was not
aware of its close proximity, and, having tasted
10 SILVER LAKE.
nothing whatever for two days, he felt the ap-
proach of that terrible state of exhaustion which
precedes death.
It was a somewhat stormy day when the poor
Indian's strength finally broke down. Hitherto
he had pushed forward with some degree of hope,
but on the morning of this day a broken branch
caught his snow-shoe and tripped him. At any
other time the fall would have been a trifle, but
in his weak condition it acted like the last straw
which breaks the camel's back. Wapaw rose
with difficulty, and brushing the snow from his
eyes, looked earnestly at his snow-shoes, well
knowing that if they had been broken in the fall
his power of advancing would have been taken
away and his fate sealed, for he had neither
strength nor energy left to repair them. They
were uninjured, however ; so he once more at-
tempted to stagger on.
A slight rising ground lay before him. To
ascend this was a labour so great that he almost
sank in the midst of it. He reached the top,
however, and gazed eagerly before him. He
had gazed thus at the top of every rising ground
that he had reached during the last two days, in
the hope of seeing some sign of the Fort.
A deep sigh escaped him as he rested his
hands on the muzzle of his gun, and his grave
countenance was overspread with a look of pro-
found melancholy* For the first time in his
THE STAKVED INDIAN. 11
life, the once stout and active Wapaw had
reached the point of giving way to despair. A
wide open plain stretched out before him. The
cold wind was howling wildly across it, driving
the keen snowdrift before it in whirling clouds.
Even a strong man might have shrunk from
exposing himself on such a plain and to such a
blast on that bitter arctic day. Wapaw felt that
in his case to cross it would be certain death ;
so, with the calm philosophy of a Red Indian,
he made up his mind to lay him down and die !
His manner of preparing for his end was
somewhat singular. Turning aside into the
woods, he set about making an encampment
with as much vigour as he could summon up.
Clearing away the snow from the roots of a
large spreading pine-tree, he strawed branches
on the ground, and thus made a rude couch.
On this he spread his blanket. Then he cut
some firewood with the axe that hung at his
side, and soon kindled, by means of flint, steel,
and tinder, a good fire. Seating himself before
the warm blaze, the exhausted man rested
avv^hile, with his legs drawn together anc' his
head resting on his knees.
He sat so long thus that he nearly fell asleep.
Presently he roused himself, and proceeded to
make a close examination of his wallet and fire-
bag — the latter being a beautifully ornamented
pouch, which Indians and fur-traders wear at
12 SILVER LAKE.
their belts, for the purpose of containing the
materials for producing fire, besides pipes and
tobacco.
Poor Wapaw had already searched his wallet
and fire-bag twice, without finding a crumb of
food or a morsel of tobacco. He knew well that
they were empty, yet he tm-ned them inside out,
and examined the seams and corners with as
much earnestness as if he really expected to find
relief from his sufi"erings there.
There was no expression of pain un the red
man's face — only a look of profound melan-
choly.
He laid aside the fire-bag after a little while,
and then quietly drew his knife, and cut a piece
of leather from the skirt of his hunting coat.
The leather had been dried and smoked, and
contained no substance whatever that could sus-
tain life. Wapaw was aware of this — neverthe-
less he singed a portion of it until it was reduced
almost to ashes, and mingling a little snow with
this, ate it greedily.
Then, raising his eyes to the sky with a long
earnest gaze, he sat immovable, until the sinking
fire and the increasing cold recalled his wander-
ing faculties.
There was a wild, glassy look about the Indian's
eyes now, which probably resulted from exhaus-
tion. He seemed to struggle several times to
rouse himself before he succeeded ; shuddering
THE STARVED INDIAN. 13
with intense cold, he crept to the little pile of
firewood, and placed several billets on the fire,
which speedily blazed up again, and the dying
man cowered over it, regardless of the smoke
which ever and anon wreathed round his droop-
ing head.
In a few minutes "Wapaw started up as if new
energy had been infused into him. He placed
his gun, axe, fire-bag, and powder-horn by
themselves on the ground; then he wrapped
nimself in his blanket and laj'- slowly down
beside them with his feet towards the fire. For
a few minutes he lay on his back, gazing
earnestly upwards, while his lips moved slowly,
but no sound issued from them. Then he turned
wearily on his side, and, covering his head with
the blanket and turning his face towards the
ground, he resigned himself to death.
But God had ordained that, at that time, the
red man should not die.
About the time when he lay down, our hunters
emerged upon the plain which had caused the
Indian to despair.
"It's of no use goin' farther,'* observer
Robin, as he and his companions stood at the
edge of the forest and looked across the plain;
" the wind blows too hard, and the drift is keen ;
besides there ain't much to be got hereaway, even
in seasons of plenty.''
"Father! is that smoke risin' over the bluff
14 SILVER LAKE.
yonder ? " asked Roy, pointing with his finger as
he spoke.
^^No doubt of it, lad."
'^ Indians, may be," said Walter.
Robin shook his head. " Don't think so,"
said he, ^^for the red-skins don't often come to
see me at this time o' the year. But we '11 go
see ; an' look to your primin', lads — if it's a war
party we '11 ha' to fight, mayhap, if we don't run."
The three hunters crossed the plain in the
teeth of the howling drift, and cautiously ap-
proached the blufi" referred to by Roy, and from
behind which the smoke ascended.
*'It's a camp fire," whispered Robin, as he
glanced back at his companions, " but I see no
one there. They must have just left the place."
There was a shade of anxiety in the hunter's
voice as he spoke, for he thought of Fort Enter-
prise, its defenceless condition, and the possibility
of the Indians having gone thither*
^' They can't have gone to the Fort," said
Walter, " else we should have seen their tracks
on the way hither."
" Come," said Robin, stepping forward quickly,
" we can see their tracks now, anyhow, and
follow them up, and if they ]*iad to the
Fort"
The hunter did not finish his sentence, for at
that moment he caught sight of tb<^ recumbent
form of Wapaw in the camp
TnE STAF.VED INDIAN. 15
*' Hist I A rek-skin alone, and asleep ! Well,
I never did 'xpect to see that.''^
" Mayhap, he 's a decoy-duck," suggested
Walter. ^^ Better look sharp out.
Robin and Roy heeded not the caution. They
at once went forward, and the father lifted the
blanket from the Indian's head.
" Dead ! " exclaimed Roy, in a solemn tone.
^'Not yet, lad! but I do b'lieve the poor
critter 's a'most gone wi' starvation. Come,
bestir you, boys — rouse np the fire, and boil the
kettle."
Walter and Roy did not require a second
bidding. The kettle was ere long singing on a
blazing fire. The Indian's limbs were chafed
and warmed ; a can of hot tea was administered,
and Wapaw soon revived sufiiciently to look up
and thank his deliverers.
" Now, as good luck has it, I chanced to leave
my hand-sled at the Wolf's Glen. Go, fetch it,
Roy," said Robin.
The lad set off at once, and, as the glen was
uot far distant, soon returned with a flat wooden
pledge, six feet long by eighteen inches broad,
Dn which trappers are wont to pack their game in
winter. On this sledge Wapaw was firmly tied,
and dragged by the hunters to Fort Enterprise.
'' Hast got a deer, father? " cried little Nelly,
as she bounded in advance of her mother to meet
the returning party.
16 SILVER LAKfc.
" No, Nelly— 'tis dearer game than that."
^^ What? a red-skin ! " exclaimed Dame Grore
in surprise ; ^' is he dead ? "
" No, nor likely to die," said Robin, " he 's in
a starvin' state though, an' '11 be none the worse
of a bit of our New Year's dinner. Here is game
enough for one meal an' more ; come, lass, get it
ready as fast as may be."
So saying the bold hunter passed through the
Fort Gate, dragging the red man behind him.
PREPARATIONS FOR A FEAST. 17
CHAPTER III.
PREPARATIONS FOR A FEAST.
" Why so grave, Robin ? " inquired Mrs Gore,
when her husband returned to the parlour after
seeing Wapaw laid in a warm corner of the
kitchen, and committed to the care of Larry
O'Dowd.
" Molly, my dear, it 's of no use concealin'
things from you, 'cause when bad luck falls we
must just face it. This Injun — Wapaw, he calls
himself — tells me he has com'd here a-purpose, as
fast as he could, to say that his tribe have resolved
to attack me, burn the Fort, kill all the men, and
carry you off into slavery."
" God help me ! can this be true ? "
^^ True enough, I don't doubt, 'cause Wapaw
has the face of an honest man, and I believe in
faces. He says some of the worst men of his
tribe are in power just now ; that they want the
contents of my store without paying for them ;
that he tried to get them to give up the notion, but
failed. On seeing that they were bent on it, he
said he was going off to hunt, and canjj^'&traight
here to warn me. He says they talked of start-
ing for the Fort two days after he did, and that
18 SILVER LAKE.
he pushed on as fast as he could travel, so it 'g
not likely tliey '11 be here for two or three days
yet. I '11 get ready for them, hows'ever, and
when the reptiles do come they '11 meet with a
warm reception, I warrant them ; meanwhile, do
you go and get dinner ready. We won't let
such varmints interfere with our New Year's
feast."
While Robin's wife went to her larder, his
childreii were in the kitchen tending the Indian
with earnest solicitude, and Larry was preparing
a little soup for him.
'' Do you like rabbit soup ? " asked Nelly,
kneeling beside the pallet of pine-branches on
which Wapaw lay.
The Indian smiled, and said something in his
native tongue.
'^ Sure he don't onderstan' ye," exclaimed
Larry, as he bustled in an energetic way amongst
his pots and pans.
" Let me try him with Cree," said Roy, kneel-
ing beside his sister, '' I know a little — a very
little— Cree."
Roy tried his " very little Cree," but without
success.
" It 's o' no use," he said, " father must talk
to him, for he knows every language on earth, I
believe,"
Roy's idea of the number of languages " o^
earth " was verv ""^'mite^
PREPARATIONS FOR A FEASl. 19
" Och I don't bother him, see, here is a lingo
that every wan onderstan's," cried Larry, carry-
ing a can of hot soup towards "Wapaw.
*^ Oh, let me ! do let me ! " cried Nelly, jump-
ing up and seizing the can.
'* Be all manes," said Larry, resigning it.
The child once more knelt by the side of the
Indian and held the can to him, while he con-
veyed the soup to his lips with a trembling,
unsteady hand. The eyes of the poor man
glittered as he gazed eagerly at the food, which
he eat with the avidity of a half- famished wolf.
His nurses looked on with great satisfaction,
and when Wapaw glanced up from time to
time in their faces, he was advised to continue
his meal with nods and smiles of goodwill.
Great preparations were made for the dinner
of that New Year's Day. Those who *' dwell at
home at ease " have no idea of the peculiar feel-
ings with which the world's wanderers hail the
season of Christmas and New Year. SmTounded
as they usually are by strange scenes, and ignor-
ant as they are of what friends at home are
doing or thinking, they lay hold of this season
as being ne point at least in the circle of the
year m which they can unite with the home
circle, and, at the mme time^ commemorate with
them the birth of the blessed Saviour of man-
kind, and think with them of absent friends.
Much, therefore., as the " happy " season is made
20 SILVER LAKE.
of in the *^ old country," it is made more of, if
possible, in the colonies ; especially on the out-
skirts of the world, where the adventurous and
daring have pitched their tents.
Of course Robin Gore and his household did
not think of the " old country," for they were
descendants of settlers ; but they had imbibed
the spirit of the old country from their fore-
fathers, and thought of those well-remembered
friends whom they had left behind them in the
settlements.
Notwithstanding the delay caused by the con-
veying of Wapaw to the Fort, the hunters had
walked so fast that there was still some time to
spare before dinner should be ready.
Roy resolved to devote this time to a ramble
in the woods with his sister Nelly. Accordingly
the two put on their snow-shoes, and, merely
saying to their mother that they were going to
take a run in the woods, set forth.
Now, it must be known that Mrs Gore had
looked forward to New Year's Day dinner with
great interest and much anxiety. There was a
general feeling of hilarity and excitement among
the male members of the self-exiled family that
extended itself to the good woman, and induced
her to resolve that the entire household should
have what Walter styled a ^' rare blow-out ! "
During the whole morning she had been busy
with the preparation of the various dishes, among
PREPARATIONS FOR A FEAST. 21
which were a tart made of cloudberry jam, a salt
goose, and a lump of bear's ham, besides the
rabbits and ptarmigan which had been shot that
day.
^^ That's the way to do it, Molly," cried
Robin, as he opened the door and peeped in up-
on his wife during the height and heat of her
culinary labours ; " keep the pot bilin', my dear,
and don't spare the butter this day. It only
comes once a year, you know."
^' Twice," muttered Larry in a low voice, as he
stirred the contents of a large pot which hung
over the fire.
*^ And see that you look after Wapaw," con-
tinued Robin. '^ Don't give him too much at
first, it'll hurt him."
^^ No fear of that," replied Larry, " he 's got
so much a'ready that he couldn't howld another
morsel av he was to try."
^'AYell, well, take care of him, anyhow," said
Robin, with a laugh ; " meanwhile I '11 go see
after the defences o' the Fort, and make all
snug."
By dint of unwearied perseverance the dinner
was cooked, and then it occurred to Robin to ask
where the children were, but no one could tell,
so the hunter remarked quietly that they would
*' doubtless make their appearance in a short
while."
Gradually the dinner reached that interesting
£2 SILVER LAKE.
point which is usually styled ^' ready to dish."
Whereupon Eobin again asked where the children
were. Still no one could tell, so he said he
would go out and hail them. Loudly and long
did the hunter call, but no one answered ; then
he made a rapid search in and about the Fort,
but they were not to be found. Moreover, a snow-
storm had begun to set in, and the drift rendered
it difficult to distinguish tracks in the snow.
At last the day's labours were brought to a
close. Dinner was served, and smoked invitingly
on the table. The party only awaited the return
of Robin with the childi-en. In a few minutes
Robin entered hastily.
" Molly," said he, in a tone of anxiety, ^^ the
foolish things have gone into the woods, I think.
Come, lads, we must hunt them down. It 's
snowin' hard, so we 've no time to lose."
Walter and Larry at once put on their capotes,
fur caps, and snow-shoes, and sallied forth,
leaving Mrs Gore seated alone, and in a state of
deep anxiety, by the side of her untasted New
Yeai's Day dinner.
LOST IN THE SNOW, 23
CHAPTER IV.
LOST IN THE SNOW.
When Roy and Nelly set out for a ramble, they
had at first no intention of going beyond their
usual haunts in the woods around the Fort ; but
Roy had been inspirited by his successful inarch
that day with his father and Walter, and felt in-
clined to show Nelly some new scenes to which
they had not, up to that time, dared to penetrate
together.
The snow-storm, already referred to, had com-
menced gradually. When the children set forth
on their ramble only a few flakes v/ere falling,
but they had not been away half an hour when
snow fell so thickly that they could not see dis-
tinctly more than a few yards ahead of them.
There was no wind, however, so they continued
to advance, rather pleased than otherwise with
the state of things.
" Oh, I «J^ like to see falling snow," cried Nelly,
with a burst of animation.
" So do I," said Roy, looking back at his
sister with a bright smile, '^ and I like it best
24 SILVER LAKE.
when it comes down thick and heavy, in big
flakes, on a very calm day, don't you ? "
" Yes, oh it 's so nice," responded Nelly sym-
pathetically.
They paused for a few minutes to shake some
of the snow from their garments, and beat their
hands together, for their fingers were cold, and
to laugh boisterously, for their hearts were
merry. Then they resumed their march, Roy
beating the track manfully and Nelly following
in his footsteps.
In passing beneath a tall fir-tree, Roy chanced
to touch a twig. The result was literally over-
whelming, for in a moment he was almost buried
in snow, to the unutterable delight of his sister,
who stood screaming with laughter as the un-
fortunate boy struggled to disentomb himself.
In those northern wilds, where snow falls fre-
quently and in great abundance, masses are con-
stantly accumulating on the branches of trees,
particularly on the pines, on the broad flat
branches of which these masses attain to
considerable size. A slight touch is generally
sufficient to bring these down, but, being soft,
they never do any injury worth mentioning.
When Roy had fairly emerged from the snow
be joined his sister in the laugh, but suddenly
he stopped, and his face became very grave.
"- What's the matter? " asked Nelly, with an
anxious look.
LOST IN THE SNOW. 25
" My snow-shoe 's broken/' said Roy.
There was greater cause for anxiety on account
of this accident than the reader is perhaps aware
of. It may be easily understood that in a coun-
try where the snow averages four feet in depth,
no one can walk half-a-mile without snow-shoes
without being thoroughly exhausted ; on the
other hand, a man can walk thirty or forty miles
a day by means of snow-shoes.
*^ Can't you mend it? " asked Nelly.
Roy, who had been carefully examining the
damaged shoe, shook his head.
" I've nothing here to do it with ; besides, it's
an awful smash. I must just try to scramble
home the best way I can. Come, it 's not very
far, we '11 only be a bit late for dinner."
The snow-shoe having been bandaged, after a
fashion, with a pocket-handkerchief, the little
wanderers began to retrace their steps ; but this
was now a matter of extreme difficulty, owing
to the quantity of snow which had fallen and
almost obliterated the tracks. The broken
shoe, also, was constantly giving way, so that
ere long the children became bewildered as well
as anxious, and soon lost the track of their out-
ward march altogether. To make matters worse,
the wind began to blow clouds of snow-drift into
their faces, compelling them to seek the denser
parts of the forest for shelter.
They wandered on, however, in the belief that
26 SILVER LAKE.
they were drawing nearer home every step, and
Roy, whose heart was stout and brave, cheered
up his sister's spirit so much that she began to
feel quite confident their troubles would soon be
over.
Presently all their hopes were dashed to the
ground by their suddenly emerging upon an open
space, close to the very spot where the snow-mass
had fallen on Roy's head. After the first feeling
of alarm and disappointment had subsided, Roy
plucked up heart and encouraged Nelly by point-
ing out to her that they had at all events re-
covered their old track, which they would be
very careful not to lose sight of again.
Poor Nelly whimpered a little, partly from
cold and hunger as well as from disappointment,
as she listened to her brother's words ; then sh^.
dried her eyes and said she was ready to begin
again. So they set off once more. But the
difficulty of discerning the track, if great at first,
was greater now, because the falling and drifting
snow had well nigh covered it up completely.
In a very few minutes Roy stopped, and, con-
fessing that he had lost it again, proposed to
return once more to their starting point to try to
recover it. Nelly agreed, for she was by this
time too much fatigued and alarmed to have any
will of her own, and was quite ready to do what-
ever she was told without question.
After wandering about for nearly an hour Id
LOST IN THE SNOW. 27
this state of uncertainty, Roy at last stopped,
and, putting his arm round his sister's waist,
said that he had lost himself altogether I Poor
Nelly, whose heart had been gradually sinking,
fairly broke down; she hid her face in her
brother's bosom, and wept.
" Come now, don't do that, dear Nell," said
Roy, tenderly, '^ I'll tell you what we shall do
— we '11 camp in the snow ! We have often done
it close to the house, you know, for fun, so we '11
do it now in earnest."
" But it 's so dark and cold," sobbed Nelly,
looking round with a shudder into the dark
recesses of the forest, which were by that time
enshrouded by the gathering shades of night ;
" and I 'm so hungry too I Oh me ! what shall
we do?"
'' Now donH get so despau-ing," urged Roy,
whose courage rose in proportion as his sister's
sank ; ^^ it 's not such an awful business after all,
for father is sure to scour the woods in search of
us, an' if we only get a comfortable encampment
made, an' a roarin' fire kindled, why, we '11 sit
beside it an' tell stories till they find us. They '11
be sure to see the fire, you know, so come — let 's
to work."
Roy said this so cheerfully that the child felt
a little comforted, dried her eyes, and said she
\yould ^' help to make the camp."
Ibis matter of making an encampment in the
28 SILVER LAKE.
snow, although laborious work, was by no means
a novelty to these children of the backwoods.
They had often been taught how to do it by
Cousin Walter and Larry O'Dowd, and had made
^* playing at camps " their chief amusement in
fine winter days. When, therefore, they found
themselves compelled to '' camp out " from
necessity, neither of them was at a loss how to
proceed. Roy drew a circle in the snow, about
three yards in diameter, at the foot of a large
tree, and then both set to work to dig a hole in
this space, using their snow-shoes as shovels.
It took an hour's hard work to reach the ground,
and when they did so the piled-up snow all round
raised the walls of this hole to the height of
about six feet.
"Now for bedding," cried Roy, scrambling
over the walls of their camp and going into the
woods in search of a young pine-tree, while Nelly
sat down on the ground to rest after her toil.
It was a dark night, and the woods were so
profoundly obscured, that Roy had to grope
about for some time before he found a suitable
tree. Cutting it down with the axe which
always hung at his girdle, he returned to camp
with it on his shoulder, and cut off the small
soft branches, which Nelly spread over the ground
to the depth of nearly half a foot. This " pine-
brush," as it is called formed a soft elastic
couch.
LOST IN THE SNOW. 29
Tlie fire was the next business. Again Hoy
went into the bush and gathered a large bundle
of di-y branches.
^'Now, Nelly, do you break a lot of the small
twigs," said Eoy, " and I '11 strike a light."
He pulled his firebag from his belt as he spoke,
and drew from it flint, steel, and tinder. No one
ever travels in the wilds of which we write with-
out such means of procuring fire. Roy followed
the example of his elder companions in carrying
a firebag, although he did not, like them, carry
tobacco and pipe in it.
Soon the bright sparks that flew from the flint
caught on the tinder. This was placed in a
handful of dry grass, and whirled rapidly round
until it was fanned into a flame. Nelly had pre-
pared another handful of dry grass with small
twigs above it. The light was applied, the fire
leaped up, more sticks were piled on, and at last
the fire roared upward, sending bright showers
of sparks into the branches overhead, lighting
the white walls of the camp with a glow that
caused them to sparkle as with millions of gems,
and filling the hearts of the children with a sen-
sation of comfort and gladness while they stood
before the blaze and warmed themselves, rubbing
their hands and laughing with glee.
No one, save those who have experienced it,
can form any conception of the cheering effect of
a fire in the heart of a dark wood at night. Roy
30 SILVER LAKE.
and Nelly quite forgot their lost condition for a
short time in the enjoyment of the comforting
heat and the bright gladsome blaze. The brother
cut firewood until he was rendered almost breath-
less, the sister heaped on the wood until the fire
roared and leaped high above their heads. Strange
though it may appear to some, the snow did not
melt. The weather was too cold for that ; only
a little of that which was nearest the fire melted
— fhe snow walls remained hard frozen all round.
Koy soon sat down to rest, as close to the fire
as he could without getting scorched ; then Nelly
seated herself by his side and nestled her head in
his breast. There they sat, telling stories and gaz-
ing at the fire, and waiting for ^^ father to come."
Meanwhile Robin and his comrade ranged the
forest far and near in desperate anxiety. But it
was a wide and wild country. The children had
wandered far away; a high ridge of land hid
their fire from view. Moreover, Eobin, know-
ing the children's usual haunts, had chanced to
go off in the wrong direction. When night set
in the hunters returned to Fort Enterprise to
procure ammunition and provisions in order to
commence a more thorough and prolonged search.
Poor Mrs Gore still sat beside the cold and un-
tasted feast, and there the hunters left her, while
they once more plunged into the pathless wilder-
ness to search for the lost ones oa ih^^- luckless
New Year's D&>%
CABBIED OFF. ^1
CHAPTER V.
CARraED OFF.
While Robin Gore and his companions were
anxiously searching the woods around Fort En-
terprise for the lost children, a war-party of
savages was making its way swiftly towards the
Fort.
A chief of the Indians, named Hawk, who
was a shrewd as well as a bad man, had sus-
pected Wapaw's intentions in quitting the camp
of his people alone and in such unnecessary
haste. This man had great influence over his
fellows, and easily prevailed on them to set off
on their murderous expedition against the Fort
of the " pale-faces " without delay.
Being well supplied with food, they travelled
faster than their starving comrade, and almost
overtook him. They finally encamped within a
short distance of the Fort the day after Wapaw's
arrival, and prepared to assault it early next
morning.
" K the wicked skunk has got there before us,*'
Baid Hawk to his fellows, as they prepared to set
32 SILVER LAKE.
out before daybreak, " the pale-faces will be
ready for us, and we may as well go back to our
wigwams at once ; but if that badger's whelp has
been slow of foot, we shall hang the scalps of the
pale-faces at our belts, and eat their food this
day."
The polite titles above used by Hawk were
meant to refer to Wapaw.
Indians are not naturally loquacious. No
reply was made to Hawk's remark, except that
one man with a blackened face, and a streak of
red ochre down the bridge of his nose, said,
" Ho ! " and another with an equally black face,
and three red streaks on each of his cheeks, said,
" Hum ! " as the war-party put on their snow-
shoes and prepared to start.
They had not gone far when Hawk came to a
sudden paupe, and stood transfixed and motion-
less like a dark statue. His comrades also
stopped abruptly and crouched. No question
was asked, but Hawk pointed to a spark of fire,
which every Indian in the band had observed the
instant their leader had paused. Silently they
crept forward, with guns cocked and arrows
fitted to the bowstrings, until they all stood
round an encampment where the fire was still
smouldering, and in the centre of which lay a
little boy and girl, fast asleep and shuddering
with cold.
Poor Eoy and Nelly had told each other stories
Roy and Nelly discovered by the Indians.
CARRIED OFF. 33
antil their eyes would not remain open ; then
they fell asleep, despite their efforts to keep
awake, and, as the fire sank low, they began to
shiver with the cold. Lucky was it for them
that the Indians discovered them, else they had
certainly been frozen to death that night.
Hawk roused them with little ceremony. Roy,
by an impulse which would appear to be natural
to those who dwell in wild countries, whether
young or old, seized his axe, which lay beside
him, as he leaped up. Hawk grinned, and took
the axe from him at once, and the poor boy, see-
ing that he was surrounded by dark warriors,
offered no resistance, but sought to comfort
Nelly, who was clinging to him and trembling
with terror.
Immediately the savages sat down in the en-
campment, and began an earnest discussion,
which the children watched with great eager-
ness. They evidently did not agree, for much
gesticulation and great vehemence characterised
their debate. Some pointed towards the Fort, and
touched their tomahawks, while others pointed
to the woods in the direction whence they had
come, and shook their heads. Not a few drew
their scalping knives partially from their sheaths,
and, pointing to the children, showed clearly
that they wished to cut their career short with-
out delay, but several of the more sedate mem-
bers of the party evidently objected to this.
34 SILVER LAKE.
Finally, Hawk turned to Roy, and said some-
thing to liim in the Indian tongue.
Roy did not understand, and attempted to say
so as well as he could by signs, and the use of
the few words of the Cree language which his
father had taught him. In the course of his
speech (if we may use that term), he chanced to
mention Wapaw's name.
^^ Ho ! ho ! ho ! " said one and another of the
Indians, while Hawk grinned horribly.
A variety of questions were now put to poor
Roy, who, not understanding, of course could
not answer them. Hawk, however, repeated
Wapaw's name, and pointed towards the Fort
with a look of inquuy, to which Roy replied by
nodding his head and repeating '^ Wapaw " once
or twice, also pointing to the Fort ; for he began
to suspect these must be Wapaw's comrades,
who had come to search for him. He therefore
yolunteered a little additional information by
means of signs ; rubbed his stomach, looked
dreadfully rueful, rolled himself as if in agony
on the ground, and then, getting up, pretended
to eat and look happy! By all of which he
meant to show how that Wapaw had been on
the borders of starvation, but had been happily
saved therefrom.
Indians in council might teach a useful lesson
to our members of parliament, for they witnessed
this rather laughable species of pantomime with
CARRIED OFF. 35
profound gravity and silence. When Roy con-
cluded, they nodded their heads, and said, '^ Hoi
ho ! " which, no doubt, was equivalent to ^' Hear !
hear ! "
After a little more discussion they rose to de-
part, and made signs to the children to get up
and follow. Roy then pointed out the broken
state of his snow-shoe, but this difficulty was
overcome by Hawk, who threw it away, and
made him put on his sister's snow-shoes. A
stout young warrior was ordered to take Nelly
on his back, which he did without delay, and
the whole party left the encampment, headed by
their chief.
The children submitted cheerfully at first,
under the impression that the Indians meant to
convey them to the Fort. Great, however, was
their horror when they were taken through the
woods by a way which they knew to be quite in
the opposite direction.
When Roy saw this he stopped and looked
back, but an Indian behind him gave him a
poke with the butt of his gun which there was
no resisting. For a moment the lad thought of
trying to break away, run home, and tell his
father of Nelly's fate ; but a second thought
convinced him that this course was utterly im-
practicable. As for Nelly, she was too far from
her brother in the procession to hold converse
with him ; and, as she knew not what to do, say,
36 SILVER LAKE.
or think, she was reduced to the miserable con-
solation of bedewing with her tears the shoulders
of the young warrior who carried her.
The storm which had commenced the day be-
fore still continued, so that, in the course of a
few hours, traces of the track of the war-party
were almost obliterated, and the chance of their
being followed by Robin and his friends was
rendered less and less likely as time ran on.
All that day they travelled without halt, and
when they stopped at night to encamp, Roy was
nearly dead from exhaustion. '' My poor Nell,"
said he, drawing his sobbing sister close to him,
as they sat near the camp fire, after having
eaten the small quantity of dried venison that
was thrown to them by their captors, " don't
despair ; father will be sure to hunt us down, if
it's in the power of man to do it."
" I don't despair," sobbed Nelly ; " but oh !
^hat will darling mother do when she finds that
we 're lost, and I 'm so afraid they'll kill us."
" No fear o' that, Nell ; it 's not worth their
while. Remember, too, what mother often told
us — that — that — what is it she used to read se
often out of the Bible ? I forget."
'* I think it was, * Call upon Me in the time
of trouble, and I will deliver thee.' I've been
thinkin' of that, Roy, already."
*^ That's right, Nell; now, come, cheer up I
Have you had enough to eat ? "
CARRIED OF^. S7
" Yes," said Nelly, with a loud yawn, which
she did not attempt to check.
Roy echoed it, as a matter of course (who ever
did see any one yawn without following suit?),
and then the two lay down together, spread over
themselves an old blanket which one of the
Indians had given them, and fell asleep at once.
Day succeeded day, night followed night, and
weeks came and went, yet the Indians continued
their journey through the snow-clad wilderness.
Roy's snow-shoes had been picked up and re-
paired by one of the savages, and Nelly was
made to walk a good deal on her own snow-
shoes ; but it is justice to the Indians to say that
they slackened their pace a little for the sake of
the children, and when Nelly showed symptoms
of being fatigued, the stout young warrior who
originally carried her took her on his shoulders.
At length the encampment of the tribe was
reached, and Nelly was handed over to Hawk's
wife to be her slave. Soon after that the tents
were struck, and the whole tribe went deeper
into the northern wilds. Several gales arose
and passed away, completely covering their foot-
prints, so that no tracks were left behind them.
38 SILVER LAKE
CHAPTER VI.
It were vain to attempt a description of the
varied condition of mind into which the brother
and sister fell when they found themselves actu-
ally reduced to a state of slavery in an Indian
campj and separated from their parents, as they
firmly believed, for ever.
Nelly wept her eyes almost out of their sockets
at first. Then she fell into a sort of apathetic
state, in which, for several days, she went about
her duties almost mechanically, feeling as if it
were all a horrible dream, out of which she
would soon awake, and find herself at home
with her '' darling mother " beside her. This
passed, however, and she had another fit of
heart-breaking sorrow, from which she found
relief by recalling some of the passages in God's
Word, which her mother had taught her to re-
peat by heart ; especially that verse in which it
is said, '' that Jesus is a friend who sticketh
closer than a brother." And this came to the
poor child's mind with peculiar power, because
her own brother Roy was so kind, and took such
THE CAMP, THE ATTACK, AND THE ESCAPE. 39
pains to comfort her, and to enter into all her
girlish feelings and sympathies, that she could
scarcely imagine it possible for any one to stick
closer to her in all her distress than he did.
As for Roy, he was not given to the melting
mood. His nature was bold and manly.
Whatever he felt, he kept it to himself, and he
forgot more than half his own sorrow in his
brotherly efforts to assuage that of Nelly.
Both of them were active and willing to
oblige, so that they did not allow their grief to
interfere with their work, a circumstance which
induced their captors to treat them with for-
bearance, and even kindness. Nelly sobbed and
worked ; gradually, the sobbing decreased, and
the work was carried on with vigour, so that she
soon became quite expert at skinning rabbits,
boiling meat, embroidering mocassins, smoking
deer-skins, chopping firewood into small pieces,
and many other details of Indian household
economy ; while Roy went out with the hunters,
and became a very Nimrod, insomuch that he
soon excelled all the lads of his own age, and
many of those who were older, in the use of the
bow, the snow-shoes, the spear, the axe, and the
gun. But all this, and what they did and said
in the Indian camp during that winter, and
what was said and done to them, we do not
mean to write about, having matter of deeper
interest to tell.
40 SILVER LAKE.
Winter passed away, and spring came. Ah I
little do those who dwell in England know of
the enchantment of returning spring in the
frozen wilderness of North America. The long,
long winter, seems as though it would never
pass away. The intense frost seals up all the
sweet odours of the woods for so many months,
that the nostrils become powerfully sensitive,
and, as it were, yearn for something to smell.
The skin gets so used to frost, that a balmy
breeze is thought of as a thing of the past, or
well nigh forgotten.
Spring in those regions comes suddenly. It
came on our wanderers with a gush. One night
the temperature rose high above the freezing
point ; next day all the sights and sounds of
Nature's great awakening were in full play.
The air fanned their cheeks like a summer
breeze ; the strange unwonted sound of tinkling
and dropping water was heard; scents, as of
green things, were met and inhaled greedily.
As the thirsty Bedouin drinks from the well in
the oasis, so did Eoy and Nelly drink in the
delicious influences of melting nature. And
they thought of those words which say, that the
wilderness shall rejoice and blossom as the rose.
The rejoicing had commenced, the blossoming
would soon follow.
But warlike and wicked men were even then
preparing to desecrate the beautiful land. A
THE CAMP, THE ATTACK, AND THE ESCAPE. 43
war party of enemies had come down upon the
tribe with whom they dwelt. Scouts had brought
in the news. All was commotion and excite-
ment in the camp. Goods and chattels were
being packed up. The women and children
were to be sent off with these, under an escort,
to a place of greater security, while the Braves
armed for the fight.
In the middle of all the confusion, Koy took
Nelly aside, and, with a look of mystery, said —
'' Nell, dear, I 'm goin' to run away. Stay, now,
don't stare so like an owl, but hold your sweet
tongue until I have explained what I mean to
do. You and I have picked up a good deal of
useful knowledge of one sort or another since
we came here, and I 'm inclined to think we are
quite fit to take to the woods and work our way
back to Fort Enterprise."
^^ But isn't it an awful long way?" said
Nelly.
" It is, but we have an awful long time to
travel ; haven't we all our lives before us ? If
our lives are long, we '11 manage it ; if they are
short, why, we won't want to manage it, so we
need not bother our heads about that? "
" But the way home," suggested Nelly, *^ do
you know it? "
" Of course I know it; that is to say, I know,
from that ugly thief Hawk, that it lies some-
where or other to the south-west o' this place,
42 SILVER LAKE.
some hundreds of miles oif; how many hundreds
does not much matter, for we have got the whole
of the spring, summer, and fall before us."
" But what if we don't get home in the fall ? "
" Then we shall spend the winter in the woods,
that's all."
Nelly laughed, in spite of her anxieties, at the
confident tone in which her brother spoke ; and,
being quite unable to argue the matter farther,
she said that she was ready to do whatever Roy
pleased, having perfect confidence in his wisdom.
^'That's right, Nell; now, you get ready to
start at a moment's notice. When the Injuns
attack the camp, we '11 give 'em the slip. Put
all you want to take with you on a tobogan,*
and meet me at the crooked tree when the camp
moves."
That night the camp was struck, and the
women and children departed, under a strong
escort. Almost at the same time the enemy
came down on their prey, but they met men pre-
pared for them. In the dark, Nelly crept to the
crooked tree, dragging the tobogan after her.
She was met by Roy, who took the sledge-line
and her hand and led her into the dark forest,
while the savages were fighting and yelling like
fiends in the camp. There let us leave them to
* A small Indian sledge, dragged on the snow, either by hand
or by dogs, with loops at the sides for lacing the loading of the
sledge upon it.
THE CAMP, THE ATTACK, AND THE ESCAPE. 43
fight it out. Enough for us to know that their
warfare prevented any pursuit of the young fugi-
tives.
Weeks passed, and Roy and Nelly wandered
on ; all fear of pursuit soon left them. Ducks,
geese, and other waterfowl, came in myriads
with the spring. Roy had brought with him
his gun (the one he was wont to use in hunt-
ing), and bow and quiver. They fed on the fat
of the land. Summer advanced, and game be-
came less plentiful ; still, there was more than
sufficient to supply them with abundance of food.
Autumn approached; the wild fowl that had
passed northward in spring, began to return
southward, and again the wants of the young
wanderers were superabundantly supplied.
The pole-star was Roy's guide. At night he
laid his course by it ; and by the sun during the
day, making constant allowance, of course, for
the sun's rate of travelling through the sky, and
taking advantage of all prominent landmarks on
the way.
Time sped on ; many weary miles were tra-
velled, but no sign of Fort Enterprise was to be
seen. Day after day, week after week, month
after month they wandered, and still found them-
selves in the heart of an unknown wilderness.
Occasionally they observed signs of Indians, and
carefully kept out of sight at such times, as you
may easily believe.
44 SILVER LAKE.
At last there came a day when hard frost set
in. It was the first touch of another winter.
Roy and Nelly did not betray their feelings to
each other, but their hearts sank as they thought
of what lay before them. The frost was short-
lived, however; towards noon the air became
delightfully warm, and their spirits revived.
On reaching the summit of an eminence, up
which they had toiled for several hours, they
beheld a small lake, in which the silvery clouds
were clearly reflected. The day was calm ; the
sun unusually brilliant; the autumnal foliage
most gorgeous in colour. It was like a scene in
fairy-land ! "
" Splendid ! " exclaimed Roy, sitting down
beside his sister on the trunk of a fallen tree.
*' Oh ! how beautiful," cried Nelly.
^^ It's so like silver," said Roy.
" Silver Lake," murmured Nelly.
Roy seemed to think the name appropriate,
for he echoed the words, ^^ Yes, Silver Lake."
And there brother and sister sat, for a long time,
on the fallen tree, in silent admiration of the
scene.
THE ENCAMPMENT ON SILVER LAKE. 45
CHAPTER VII
THE ENCAMPMENT ON SILVER LAKE.
When Roy and Nelly sat down to gaze in ad-
miration on Silver Lake, they little thouglit how
long a period they should have to spend on its
shores.
The lake was a small sheet of water not more
than half a mile broad, embosomed among low
hills, which, though not grand, were picturesque
in outline, and wooded to their tops. It occu-
pied the summit of an elevated region or height-
of-land — a water-shed, in fact — and Roy after-
wards discovered that water flowed from both
the north-east and south-west sides of the table-
land, in the midst of which it lay. These foun-
tain-heads, separated by little more than half a
mile from each other, were the sources of streams,
which, flowing in opposite directions through
hundreds of miles of wild, beautiful, and unculti-
vated wilderness, found their way, on the one
hand, into Hudson's Bay, on the other hand,
into the Atlantic through the great rivers and
lakes of Canada.
The waters of the lake were strikingly clear
46 SILVER LAKE.
and pellucid. When the young wanderer first
came upon the scene, not a zephyr stirred the
leaves of the forest ; the blue sky was studded
with towering masses of white clouds which
glowed in sunshine, and these reflected in the
glassy water — as if far, far down in its unfathom-
able depths — ^produced that silvery effect which
prompted Nelly to utter the name which we
have adopted.
Small though the Silver Lake was, it boasted
two islets, which like twin babes lay side by side
on their mother's fair breast, their reflected
images stretching down into that breast as if
striving to reach and grasp its heart I
" Couldn't we stay here a short time? " asked
Nelly, breaking the silence in a tone that indi-
cated anxiety, hope, and enthusiasm, " only for
a very little time," she added, coaxingly.
Roy looked grave and sagacious. Boys as
well as men like to be leant upon and trusted by
the fair sex — at least in things masculine — and
Relly had such boundless faith in her brother's
capacity to protect her and guide her through
the forest, that she unwittingly inspired him
with an exuberant amount of courage and self-
reliance. The lad was bold and fearless enough
by nature. His sister's confidence in him had
the effect of inducing him to think himself
fit for anything ! He affected, therefore, at
times, a look of grave sagacity, befitting, aa
THE ENCAMPMENT ON SILVER LAKE. 47
he thought, so important and responsible a
character.
" I 've just been thinking," said he,
" Oh ! don't think^ but say yes ! " interrupted
Nelly.
"' Well, I'm going to say yes, but I meant to
give you my reasons for sayin' so. In the first
place, my powder and shot is gettin' low. You
see I did not bring away very much from the
Injun camp, and we 've been using it for so
many months now that it won't last much
longer, so I think it would not be a bad plan to
stop here awhile and fish and shoot and feed up
— for you need rest, Nelly — and then start
fresh with a well-loaded sledge. I '11 save some
powder by using the bow we made the othei
day."
^^ But you forget it 's broken."
"So it is — never mind, we can make another
— there 's a tree that will make a first-rater down
in the hollow, d'ye see it, Nell ? "
" Where — oh yes — just by the grassy place
where the rock juts out into the water with the
sun shining on it ? what a nice place to build a
hut!"
" Just so," said Roy, smiling at the girl's
enthusiasm, "that's the spot, and that's the
very thought that jumped bang into my brain
as you spoke. By the way, does a thought jump
into a man's brain or out of it, I wonder ? "
48 SILVER LAKE.
" Out of it, of course," cried Nelly, with a
laugh.
" I 'm not so sure of that, Nell. I send it
rather slowly out through my mouth, but I think
it Ju7nps into my brain. I wonder how it gets
in; whether by the eyes, or eais, or mouth-
perhaps it goes up the nose."
" What stuff you do talk ! " cried Nelly.
*^ D'ye think so," said Roy with a grin,
"well, that bein' the case, let's go and ^x our
camp, for the sun is not given to sitting up all
night in these parts, so we must work while it
shines."
With hurried steps and eager looks (for Boy,
despite his affected coolness, was as enthusiastic
about the new plan as his sister) they descended
to the margin of Silver Lake, and began to make
their encampment on the sunny spot before re-
ferred to.
It turned out to be most suitable for their pur-
pose, having a g^.ntle slope towards the margin of
the lake, which was fringed with a beach of pure
white pebbles, and being well sheltered in the
rear by umbrageous trees. The point of rocks
close at hand formed a natural jetty, which,
Roy observed, would be useful as a landing-
place when he got his raft under way; the
turf was soft, a matter of some importance, as it
was to form then- couch at night, and a small
stream trickled down from one of the numerous
THE ENCAMPMENT ON SILVER LAKE. 49
springs wliicb welled up at the foot of the nearest
hill.
Solitary and remote from the usual haunts of
men as this lake was, there was no feeling of
solitude about it at the time we write of. The
entire region was alive with wild fowl of many-
kinds. Wild geese trumpeted their advent as
they came from the far north, en route for the
far south, and settled on the bosom of Silver
Lake to take a night's lodging there. Ducks, from
the same region, and bound for the same goal —
though with less stately and regular flight — flew
hither and thither with whistling wrings, ever
and anon going swash into the water as a tempt-
ing patch of reeds invited them to feed, or a whim
of fancy induced them to rest. Wild swans
occasionally sailed in all their majesty on its
waters, while plover of every length of limb and
bill, and every species of plaintive cry, waded
round its margin, or swept in clouds over the
neighbouring swamps. Sometimes deer would
trot out of the woods and slake their thirst on
its shore, and the frequent rings that, broke its
smooth surface told of life in the watery depths
below.
The whole air was filled with gushing sounds
of wild melody, as though bird and beast were
uniting in a hymn of praise to the beneficent
Creator who had provided the means of, and
given the capacity for, so much enjoyment.
50 SILVER LAKE.
Having decided on a suitable spot for their
temporary resting-place, Roy's first care was to
construct a hut. This was neither a work of
time nor difficulty. In a couple of hours it was
finished. He commenced the work by felling
about a dozen young fir-trees not much thicker
than a man's wrist, from which he chopped the
branches, thus leaving them bare poles about
nine feet long. While liS was thus employed,
his sister cleared the spot on which their dwell-
ing was to stand, and, having an eye to the
picturesque, so arranged that the opening of the
hut should command an uninterrupted view of
the lake. On going into the ^^ bush " to the
place where Roy was at work, she found him
cutting down his sixth tree, and the ground was
strewn with the flat branches of those already
cut.
" Come along, Nelly — how hot I am — carry
these branches into camp, lass, an' go ahead, for
I've got supper to kill yet."
Nelly made no direct reply, but muttered to
herself something that sounded very like, ^' Oh,
what fun!" as she filled her tiny arms with
pine branches, and, hugging them to her heav-
ing breast, staggered to the camp. When she
had carried all the branches, Roy had cut all the
poles, so he proceeded to set them up. Tying
three poles together at the top, and using the
pliaat roots of a tree for the purpose^ he set them
THE ENCAMPMENT ON SILVER LAKE. 51
Up in the form of a tripod. Against these three
all the other poles were piled, crossing each other
at the top J and spreading out at the base so as to
enclose a circle of about six feet in diameter.
Being numerous, the poles were pretty close
together, thus affording good support to the
branches which were afterwards piled on them.
Pine branches are flat, spreading, and thick, so
that when laid above each other to a depth of
several inches they form a very good shelter
from dew and light rain. The hut was entirely
covered with such branches, which were kept in
their places by other poles leaning upon and
pressing them down. The floor of the hut waa
also covered with pine ^' brush."
^^ Now for supper, Nelly," said Eoy, seizing
his bow, when the hut was completed, and splic-
ing its broken part with a strip of deerskin cut
from the lines of the sledge.
^^ Get a goose, Roy, and pick out a nice fat
one," cried Nelly, laughing, " I '11 have the fire
ready when you come back."
'^ I '11 try," said Roy, and he did try, but tried
in vain. Although a good shot, he was not
sufficiently expert with the bow to shoot wild
fowl on the wing, so he returned to the hut
empty-handed.
^' We must make a new bow, Nell," said he,
sitting down by the fire, ^' I can do nothin' wi'
this, and it won't do to use the gun for any-
62 SILVER LAKE.
thin' but deer. Meanwhile let's have the re-
mains of our dinner for supper. Come, cheer
up, old 'ooman ; we shall feast on the fat of the
land to-morrow!'*
The stars were shining in the sky, and wink-
ing at their reflections down in the depths of
Silver Lake, and the lake itself lay, as black as
ink, under the shadow of the hills, when the
brother and sister spread their blanket above
them that night, and sank, almost immediately,
into profound slumber.
mmTING, AND OTHER MATTERS. 53
CHAPTER yilL
HUNTING, AND OTHER MATTERS, ON SILVER LAKE.
Sunrise is a gladsome event almost at all times ;
we say " almost," because there are times when
sunrise is not particularly gladsome. In the
arctic regions of Norway, for instance, we have
seen it rise only twenty minutes after it set, and
the rising and setting were so much mingled,
that no very strong feelings of any kind were
awakened. Moreover, we were somewhat de-
pressed at the time, in consequence of having
failed to reach those latitudes where the sun
does not set at all for several weeks in summer,
but shines night and day. To the sick, sunrise
brings little comfort; too often it is watched
for with weariness, and beheld, at last, with a
feeling of depression at the thought that another
day of pain has begun. But to the healthy, and
especially to the young, sunrise is undoubtedly,
on most occasions, a gladsome event.
At least Nelly Gore thought so when she
awoke and beheld, from the floor of the hut
where she lay, a flood of yellow glory gushing
through a valley, turning Silver Lake into gold,
54 SILVEK LAKE.
tipping the trees with fire, and blazing full in
Boy's face, which was at that moment turned
up to the sky with the mouth open, and the nose
snoring.
" Oh, how beautiful !" screamed Nelly, in the
exuberance of her delight.
^^ Hallo ! murder ! come on, ye black var-
mints," shouted Roy, as he sprang up and seized
the axe which lay at his side. ^^ Oh, it's only
y(?M, what a yell you do give, Nelly ! why, one
would think you were a born Injun ; what is 't
all ^dlit, lass ? Ye-a-ow ! how sleepy I am —
too late to have another nap, I suppose, eh?"
^^Oh yes, lazy thing! get up and come out
quick!" cried the other, as she sprang up and
ran out of the hut to enjoy the full blaze of the
sunshine, and the fresh morning air.
That morning Nelly could do little but ramble
about in a wild sort of fashion, trying to imagine
that she was queen of the world around her I
She sobered down, however, towards noon, and
went diligently about the work which Roy had
given her to do. She had the internal arrange-
ments of the hut to complete and improve, some
pairs of mocassins to mend, and several arrows
to feather, besides other matters.
Meanwhile Roy went out to hunt.
Determined not to use his fast-diminishing
ammunition, except on large game, and anxious
to become more expert with the bow, he set to
HUNTING, AND OTHER MATTERS. 00
work the first thing that day, and made a new
bow. Ai'med with this and a dozen arrows, he
sallied forth.
Some of his arrows were pointed with ivory,
some with iron, and some had no points at all,
but blunt heavy heads instead. These latter
were, and still are, used by Indians in shooting
game that is tame and easily killed. Grouse of
various kinds, for instance, if hit with full force
from a short range by a blunt-headed arrow, will
be effectually stunned, especially if hit on the
head. ^ %
At first Roy walked along the shores of the
lake, but was not very successful, because the
ducks and geese were hid among reeds, and
rose suddenly with a distracting whirr^ usually
flying off over the water. To have let fly at
these would have cost him an arrow every shot,
so, after losing one, he wisely restrained himself.
After a time, he tm'ned into the woods, re-
solving to try his fortune where his arrows were
not so likely to be lost. He had not gone far,
when a tree-grouse sprang into the air and
settled on a neighbouring pine.
Eoy became excited, for he was anxious not to
return to the hut empty-handed a second time
He fitted a sharp-headed arrow to the string,
and advanced towards the bird cautiously.
His anxiety to make little noise was so great,
that he tripped over a root and fell with a
06 SILVER LAKE.
hideous crash into the middle of a dead bush,
the branches of which snapped like a discharge
of little crackers. Poor Roy got np disgusted,
but on looking up found that the grouse was
still sitting there, filled apparently with more
curiosity than alarm. Seeing this he advanced
to within a few yards of the bird, and, substi-
tuting a blunt arrow for the sharp one, dis-
charged it with vigour. It hit the grouse on
the left eye, and brought it to the ground like a
stone.
" Good, that 's ' number one,' muttered the
lad as he fastened the bird to his belt; ^'hope
' number two ' is not far off."
^' Number two" was nearer than he imagined,
for four other birds of the same kind rose a few
yards ahead of him, with all the noise and flurry
that is characteristic of the species.
They settled on a tree not far off, and looked
about them.
^^ Sit there, my fine fellows, till I come up,"
muttered Roy. (The lad had a habit of speak-
ing to himself while out hunting.)
They obeyed the order, and sat until he was
close to them. Again was the blunt arrow fitted
to the string; once more it sped true to its
mark, and '^ number two " fell fluttering to the
ground.
Now, the grouse of North America is some-
limes a very stupid creature. It literally sits
57
still to be shot, if the hunter is only careful to
fire first at the lowest bird of the group. If
he were to firo at the topmost one, its fluttering
down amongst the others would start them off.
Roy was aware of this fact, and had aimed at
the bird that sat lowest on the tree. Another
arrow was discharged, and '' number three " lay
sprawling on the ground. The blunt arrows
being exhausted, he now tried a sharp one, but
missed. The birds stretched their necks, turned
their heads on one side, and looked at the lad,
as though to say, ^' It won't do, — try again ! "
Another shaft was more successful. It pierced
the heart of " number four," and brought it
down like a lump of lead. '' Number five '
seemed a little perplexed by this time, and
made a motion as though it were about to fly
off, but an arrow caught it in the throat, and
cut short its intentions and its career. Thus
did Roy bag, or rather belt, ^ve birds conse-
cutively.*
Our hero was not one of those civilised sports-
men who slaughter as much game as they can.
He merely wanted to provide food for a day or
two. He therefore turned his steps homeward
— if we may be allowed the expression — being
anxious to assist his sister in making the hut
comfortable.
* The author has himself, in the backwoods, taken four birds
in succession off a tree in this fashion with a fowling-piece.
58 SILVER LAKJE.
A.S he walked along, his active mind ran riot
in many eccentric channels. Those who take
any interest in the study of mind, know that it
is not only the mind of a romantic boy that
does this, but that the mind of man generally
is, when left to itself, the veriest acrobat, the
most unaccountable harlequin, that ever leaped
across the stage of fancy.
Roy's mind was now in the clouds, now on the
earth. Anon it was away in the far-off wilder-
ness, or scampering through the settlements,
and presently it was deep down in Silver Lake
playing with the fish. Roy himself muttered a
word or so, now and then, as he walked along,
which gave indication of the whereabouts of his
mind at the time.
" Capital fun," said he, " only it won't do to
stay too long. Poor mother, how she'll be
wearin' for us ! Hallo ! ducks, you 're noisy
coons, wonder why you get up with such a bang.
Bang ! that reminds me of the gun. No more
banging of you, old chap, if my hand keeps id
so well with the bow. Eh! duck, what's wrong?'
This latter question was addressed to a small
duck which seemed in an anxious state of mind,
to judge from its motions. Presently a head,
as if of a fish, broke the surface of the lake, and
the duck disappeared !
" Oh the villain," exclaimed Roy, " a fish has
bolted him!"
HUNTING, Amy OTHER MATTERS. 59
After this the lad walked on in silence, look-
ing at the ground, and evidently pondering
deeply.
" Nelly," said he, entering the hut and throw-
ing the grouse at her feet, *'here is dinner,
supper, and breakfast for you, and please get
the first ready as fast as you can, for I 'm fam-
ishing."
*^ Oh, how nice ! how did you get them ? "
" I '11 tell you presently, but my head 's full of
a notion about catching ducks just now."
" Catching ducks, Roy, what is the notion ? "
" Never mind, Nelly, I han't scratched it out
o' my brain yet, but I '11 tell 'ee after dinner,
and we '11 try the plan to-morrow mornin'. "
60 SILVER LAKE.
CHAPTER IX,
FISHING EXTRAORDINARY.
Early on the following morning, Roy and
Nelly rose to try the new style of duck-hunt-
ing which the former had devised.
" I wonder if it will do," said the little girl,
as she tripped along by her brother's side in the
direction of a marshy bay, which had been
selected as the scene of their experiments.
'' How clever of you to invent such a funny
plan ! "
^' Well, I didn't exactly invent it, lass. The
fact is, that I remembered father havin' told me
he had read it in a book before he left the settle-
ments. I wish we had some books. Pity that
we 've got no books."
"So it is," assented Nell, with a touch of
sadness in her tone.
Both Roy and his sister were good readers,
having been taught by their mother out of the
Bible — the only book that Robin Gore had
brought with him from the settlements. Robin
could read, but he did not care much for reading
— neither did Walter nor Larry O'Dowd. In-
FISHING EXTRAORDINARY. 61
deed the latter could not read at all. Mrs Gore
had wanted to take a few books with her into
the wilderness, but her husband said he thought
the Bible was enough for her ; so the library at
Fort Enterprise was select and small ! One
good resulted from this — the Bible was read, by
all who could read, a great deal more than would
have been the case had there been other books
at hand. But the young people longed earnestly
for books containing fairy tales, such as was
told to them by their mother ; and wild adven-
tures, such as Walter could relate or invent by
the hour.
It might have been observed that Roy carried
on his shoulder a remarkable object — something
like a clumsy basket made of reeds, and about
twice the size of a man's head. This had been
made by Nelly the night before. The use to
which it was to be put was soon shown by Roy.
Having reached the spot where the experiment
was to be tried, and having observed that there
were many ducks, large and small, floating
about among the reeds, he got Nelly to hold
the basket, if we may so call it, as high as she
could raise it. There was a hole in the bottom
of it. Through this Roy thrust his head, so that
the machine rested on his shoulders, his head
being inside and completely concealed.
" Now, Nelly, what think you of my helmet?'*
" Oh I it is splendid ! " cried the girl, laugh-
62 SILVER LAKE.
ing in a subdued voice. ^^ It *s so awfully
absurd looking, but can you see? for I don't
see a bit of your face."
^^ See ? ay, as well as need be. There 's lots
of small boles which I can peep through in all
directions. But come, I '11 try it. Keep close,
Nell, and don't laugh too loud, for ducks ain't
used to laughing, d'ye see, and may be fright-
ened by it."
So saying Roy crept on his hands and knees
to the edge of the lake, being concealed by
bushes, until he got into the water. Here a few
steps took him into the reeds which clustered so
thickly at that spot, and grew so tall that he
was soon hidden from sight altogether.
He had not taken off much of his dress, which,
we may remark in passing, was of the simplest
at all times — consisting of a pair of trousers, a
striped cotton shirt, and a grey cloth capote
with a hood to it. His capote and cap were left
in charge of his sister. As for the shirt and
trousers, they could be easily dried again.
Nelly watched the place where her brother
had disappeared with breathless interest. As
he did not reappear as quickly as she had ex-
pected, she became greatly alarmed. In a few
minutes more she would certainly have rushed
into the lake to the rescue, regardless of conse-
quences and of ducks, had not Hoy's strange
head-dress come suddenly into view at the out-
FISHING EXTRAOKDINARY. 63
ward verge of the reeds. The lad had waded in
up to his neck, and was now slowly — almost im-
perceptibly — approaching a group of ducks that
were disporting themselves gaily in the water.
'' They'll never let him near them," thought
Nelly.
She was wrong, for at that moment an ex-
tremely fat and pert young duck observed the
bundle of reeds, and swam straight up to it, ani-
mated, no doubt, by that reckless curiosity which
is peculiar to young creatures. Had its mother
known what was inside of the bundle, she would
no doubt have remonstrated with her head-strong
child, but, old and sagacious though that mother
was, she was completely deceived. She was not
even astonished when her duckling suddenly dis-
appeared beneath the water, thinking, no doubt,
that it had dived. Soon the bundle of reeds
drew near to the mother, and she, too, disap-
peared suddenly below the water. Whatever
her astonishment was at feeling her legs seized
from below, she had not time to express it be-
fore her voice was choked. Nelly observed
these disappearances with intense amazement,
and delight stamped every lineament of her little
visage.
When the bundle moved towards the father of
the duck-family, that gentleman became agitated
and suspicious. Probably males are less trusting
than females, in all conditions of animal life.
C4 SILVER LAKE.
At all events lie sheered off. The bundle waxed
impatient and made a rush at him. The drake
missing his wife and child, quacked the alarm.
The bundle made another rush, and suddenly
disappeared with a tremendous splash, in the
midst of which a leg and an arm appeared I
Away went the whole brood of ducks with im-
mense splutter, and Nelly gave a wild scream of
terror, supposing — and she was right — that her
brother had fallen into a hole, and that he would
be drowned. In the latter supposition, however,
she was mistaken, for E-oy swam ashore in a few
moments with a duck in each hand I
^^ Koy ! ain't you cold ? " inquired Nelly,
as she helped him to squeeze the water out of
his garments.
" Y-y-ye-es," said Roy, trembling in every
limb, while his teeth rattled like small casta-
nets, "I'm very c-c-c-cold, but I'm in luck,
for I've g-g-g-got to-night's s-s-s-supper, any-
how."
This was true, but as he could not hope to pro-
cure many more suppers in the same fashion at
that season of the year, he and his sister went
off without delay to try the fishing.
They had brought a fishing-line and a few
hooks, among other small things, from the
Indian camp. This line was now got out, over-
hauled, and baited with a bit of the young duck's
breast. From the end of the point of rocks,
FISHIKG EXTRAORDINARY. 65
whicli had been named the Wharf, the line was
cast, for there the lake was deep.
"^' Take the end of the line, Nell ; I want you
to catch the first fish."
'* How (Tje know we shall catch — oh ! oh-ooo ! "
The fish in Silver Lake had never seen a bait
or felt a hook in their lives before that day.
They actually fought for the prize. A big
bully — as is usually the case in other spheres of
life — gained it, and found he had " caught a
Tartar." He nearly pulled Nelly into the lake,
but Roy sprang to the rescue, and before the
child's shout of surprise had ceased to echo
among the clifi's, a beautiful silvery fish, about
a foot and a half long, lay tumbling on the
strand.
" Hurray ! " cried Roy. ^' Try again."
They did try again, and again, and over again,
until they had caught two dozen and a half of
those peculiar '' white-fish " which swarm in
most of the lakes of North America. Then they
stopped, being somewhat exhausted, and having
more than enough for present use.
Before sitting down to supper that night, they
preserved their fish in the sim^ple but effective
manner which is practised among the fur-traders
in cold weather, and which they had learned
while with the Indians. Each fish was split
open and cleaned out, and then hung up by the
tail to dry.
66 SILVER LAKE.
"What a jolly time we shall have of it!"
gaid Roy, with his mouth full, as he sat beside
Nelly and toasted his toes that night at supper.
" Yes," said Nelly — " if — if we were only a
little nearer home."
This reply made them both silent and sad for
a time.
" Never mind," resumed Roy, cheerily, as
he began another white-fish — having already
finished one fish and the duckling — " cheer up,
Nell, we '11 stay here long enough to get up a
stock o' dried meat, and then set off again. I
only wish it would come frost, to make our fish
keep."
Roy's wish was gratified sooner than he ex-
pected, and much more fully than he desired.
CHANGES, SLIDING, i'lSHING, ETC 67
CHAPTER X
CHANGE^.^ (SLIDING, FISHING, ETC.
That niglit King Frost spread his wings over
the land with unwonted suddenness and rigour,
insomuch that a sheet of ice, full an inch thick,
sealed up the waters of Silver Lake.
Eoy and Nelly had feasted heartily, and had
piled wood on the fire so high that the hut was
comparatively warm, and they slept soundly till
morning : but, about sunrise, the fire having
died out, they both awoke shivering with cold.
Being very sleepy, they tried for some time to
drop off again in spite of the cold. Failing in
this, Roy at last jumped up with vigour and
said he would light the fire, but he had scarcely
issued from the hut, when a shout brought
Nelly in alarm and haste to his side.
If Silver Lake was worthy of its name before,
it was infinitely more worthy of it now. The
sun had just over-topped the opposite ridge, and
was streaming over a very world of silver. The
frozen lake was like a sheet of the purest glass,
which reflected the silvery clouds and white roll-
ing mists of morning as perfectly in their form
68 SILVER LAKE,
as the realities that floated in the blue sky.
Every tree, every twig, seenied made of silver,
being encased in hoarfrost, and as these moved
very gently in the calm air — for there was no
breeze — millions of crystalline points caught the
sun's rays and scattered them around with daz-
zling lustre. Nature seemed robed in cloth of
diamonds ; but the comparison is feeble, for
what diamonds, cut by man, can equal those
countless crystal gems that are fashioned by
the hand of G-od to decorate, for an hour or two,
the spotless robe of a winter morning ?
Had Roy been a man and Nelly a woman, the
two would probably have cast around a linger-
ing glance of admiration, and then gone quietly
about their avocations ; but, being children,
they made up their minds, on the spot, to en-
joy the state of things to the utmost. They ran
down to the lake and tried the ice. Finding
that it was strong enough to bear them, they
advanced cautiously out upon its glassy surface ;
then they tried to slide, but did not succeed
well, owing to their soft mocassins being ill
adapted for sliding. Then they picked up stones,
and tried how far they could make them skim
out on the lake.
" How I wish we could slide I " exclaimed
Nelly, pausing in the midst of her amusement.
Roy also paused, and appeared to meditate for
a minute.
CHANGES, SLIDING, FISHING, ETC. 69
" So you shall," said he quickly. " Come
and let us breakfast, and I '11 make you a pair
of sliders."
" Sliders ! what are they ? "
^^ You shall see : get breakfast ready, a man 's
fit for nothing without grub."
While breakfast was preparing, Roy began to
fashion wooden soles for his sister's feet and his
own. These he fixed on by means of strips of
deerskin, which were sunk into grooves in the
under part of the soles to prevent them from
chafing. Rough and ready they were, never-
theless they fitted well and tightly to their feet ;
but it was found that the want of a joint at the
instep rendered it difficult to walk with these
soles on, and impossible to run. Roy's in-
genuity, however, soon overcame this difficulty.
He cut the soles through just under the instep,
and then, boring two holes in each part, lashed
them firmly together with deerskin, thus pro-
ducing a joint or hinge. Eager to try this new
invention, he fastened on his own " sliders "
first, and, running down to the lake, made a
rush at the ice and sent himself ofi" with all his
force. Never was boy more taken by surprise ,
he went skimming over the surface like a stone
from a sling. The other side of the lake seemed
to be the only termination of his j ourney. ' ' What
if it should not be bearing in the middle ! " His
delight was evinced by a cheer. It was echoed,
70 SILVER LAKE.
with the addition of a laugh by Nell, who stood
in rapt admiration on the shore. Roy began
well, with his legs far apart and his arms in the
air; then he turned round and advanced the
wrong way, then he staggered — tried to recover
himself, failed, shouted, cheered again, and fell
flat on his back, and performed the remainder of
the journey in that position !
It was a magnificent slide, and was repeated
and continued, with every possible and con-
ceivable modification, for full two hours, at the
end of which time Nelly said she couldn't take
another slide to save her life, and Roy felt as if
every bone in his body were going out of joint.
" This is all very well," said Roy, as they
went up to the hut together, ^^but it won't do
much in the way of getting us a supply of meat
or fish."
" That's true," assented Nelly.
'' Well, then," continued Roy, " we '11 rest a
bit, and then set to work. It 's quite plain that
we can have no more wading after ducks, but
the fish won't object to feed in cold weather, so
we '11 try them again after having had a bit
to eat."
In pursuance of this plan the two went to the
wharf, after having refreshed themselves, and
set to work with the fishing line. NeUy baited
the hook, and Roy cut a hole in the ice with his
axe. Having put in the ^ook, and let it down
CHANGES, SLIDDTG, FISHING, ETC. Tl
to tlie bottom, they stood at the edge of the hole
— expectant !
'' Frost seems to spoil their appetite," said
Roy, in a tone of disappointment, after abont
five minutes had elapsed.
A fish seemed to have been listening, for be-
fore I^elly could reply, there came a violent tug
at the line. Eoy returned a still more violent tug,
and, instead of hauling it up hand over hand, ran
swiftly along the ice, drawing the line after him,
until the fish came out of the hole with a flop
and a severe splutter. It was above four pounds
weight, and they afterwards found that the deeper
the water into which the line was cast the larger
were the fish procured. White-fish were the kind
they caught most of, but there were a species of
trout, much resembling a salmon in colour and
flavour, of which they caught a good many above
ten and even fifteen pounds weight. All these
fish, except those reserved for immediate use,
they cleaned and hung up in the manner already
described.
Thus they occupied themselves^ for several
days, and as the work was hard, they did not
wander much from their hut, but ate their meals
with appetite, and slept at nights soundly.
One night, just as they were about to lay
down to rest, Roy went out to fetch an armful
of firewood. He returned with a look of satis-
faction on his face.
72 SILVER LAKE.
'^ Look hp.re, Nell, what call ye that ? " point-
ing to a few specks of white on his breast and
arms.
" Snow ! " exclaimed Nelly.
^^ Ay — snow 1 it 's come at last, and I am glad of
it, for we have far more than enough o' grub now,
and it 's time we were off from this. You see,
lass, we can't expect to find much game on a
journey in winter, so we must carry all we can
with us. Our backs won't take so much as the
sled, but the sled can't go loaded till there 's
snow on the ground, so the moment there is
enough of it we'll set off. Before starting,
hows' ever, I must go off and try for a deer, for
men can't walk well on fish alone ; and when
I'm away you can be getting the snow-shoes
repaired, and the sled-lashings overhauled. We
will set about all that to-morrow."
" But isn't to-morrow Sabbath?" said Nelly.
" So 'tis ! I forgot ; well, we can put it off
till Monday."
It may be well here to remark that Mrs Gore,
being a sincere Christian, had a great reverence
for the Sabbath-day, and had imbued her chil-
dren with some of her own spirit in regard to it.
During the troubles and anxieties of the period
when the children were lost in the snow and
captured by the Indians, they had lost count of
the days of the week. Roy was not much
troubled about this, but his sister's tender con-
73
science caused her much uneasiness ; and when
they afterwards ran away from the Indians, and
could do as they pleased, they agreed together
to fix a Sabbath-day for themselves, beginning
with the particular day on which it first occurred
to them that they had not kept a Sabbath ^^ for
a long, long time."
" We can't find out the right day now, you
know," observed Nelly, in an apologetic tone.
'' Of course not," said Roy ; '' besides, it don't
matter, because you remember how it is in the
Ten Commandments : ' Six days shalt thou
labour and do all thy work, but the seventh day
is the Sabbath.' We will keep to-day^ then;
work six days, and then keep the seventh day."
We have elsewhere observed that Roy was a
bit of a philosopher. Having reasoned the
matter out thus philosophically, the children
held to their resolve ; they travelled six days,
and observed every seventh day as the Sabbath.
The particular Sabbath-day about which we
are writing turned out to be a memorable one,
as we shall see.
Roy and Nelly lay down that night, side by
side, as was their wont, with their separate
blankets wrapped around them, and their feet
pointing towards the fire. Of course they never
undressed at night on this journey, but washed
their underclothing as they found time and op-
portunity.
74 SILVER LAKE.
Soon they were sound asleep, and their gentle
breathing was the only sound that broke the
stillness of the night. But snow was falling
silently in thick heavy flakes, and it soon lay
deep on the bosom of Silver Lake. Towards
morning the wind arose, and snow-drift began to
whirl round the hut, and block up its low door-
way.
Still the brother and sister slumbered peace«
fully, undisturbed by the gathering storm.
A CHANGE IN THE WEATHER. 75
CHAPTER XL
A CHANGE IN THE WEATHER. — RABBITS AND
BEARS APPEAR.
<^Hi! Hallo! I say, Nelly, what's all this?"
There was good cause for the tone of surprise in
which Roy uttered these words when he awoke,
for the fireplace and the lower half of his own,
as well as his sister's, blanket were covered with
at least half a foot of snow. It had found its
way in at the hole in the roof of the hut, and
the wind had blown a great deal through the
crevices of the doorway, so that a snow-wreath
more than a foot high lay close to Nelly's elbow.
This was bad enough, but what made it worse
was that a perfect hurricane was blowing outside.
Fortunately the hut was sheltered by the woods,
and by a high cliff on the windward side; but
this Cliff, although it broke the force of the gale,
occasioned an eddy which sent fearful gusts and
thick clouds of snow ever and anon full against
the doorway.
" Roy ! what shall we do ? " said Nelly, m
an anxious tone.
*^ Don't knowj" said Roy, jumping up and
76 SILVER LAKE.
tightening his belt; '*you never can know
what's got to be done till you've took an obser-
vation o' what 's goin' on, as daddy used to say.
Hallo ! hold on. I say, if it goes on like this
it'll blow the hut down. Come, Nelly, don't
whimper; it's only a puff, after all, an' if it did
capsize us, it wouldn't be the first time we had a
tumble in the snow. Seems to me that we 're
goin' to have a stormy Sabbath, though. Rouse
up, lass, and while you 're clearin' off the snow,
I '11 go get a bundle o' sticks, and light the fire.
Boy stooped to pass under the low doorway,
or, rather, hole of the hut, and bending his head
to the blast passed out ; while Nelly, whose heart
was cheered by her brother's confident tone more
than by his words, set about shovelling away the
snow-drift with great activity.
Presently Roy returned, staggering under a
heavy load of firewood.
" Ho ! Nell," he cried, flinging down the wood
with a clatter, "just you come an' see Silver
Lake. Such a sight it is you never saw ; but
come slick off — never mind your belt ; just roll
your blanket round you, over head and ears —
there," said he, assisting to fasten the rough
garment, and seizing his sister'*^ hand, " hold on
tight by me."
" Oh, what a storm I " gasped the little girl,
as she staggered out and came withini the full
force of the gale.
A CHANGE IN THE WEATHE';. 77
It was indeed a storm, such as would have
appalled the hearts of youngsters less accus-
tomed to the woods than were our hero and hero-
ine. But Roy and Nelly had been born and
bred in the midst of stormy backwoods' elements,
and were not easily alarmed, chiefly because they
had become accustomed to estimate correctly the
extent of most of the dangers that menaced them
from time to time. A gale of the fiercest kind
was blowing. In its passage it bent the trees
until they groaned and creaked again ; it tore
off the smaller twigs and whisked them up into
the air ; it lifted the snow in masses out of the
open spots in the woods, and hurled them in
cloud-like volumes everywhere; and it roared
and shrieked through the valleys and round the
mountain tops as if a thousand evil spirits were
let loose upon the scene.
Silver Lake was still silvery in its aspect, for
the white drift was flying across it like the waves
of a raging sea; but here, being exposed, the
turmoil was so tremendous that there was no
distinguishing between earth, lake, and sky,
" Confusion, worse confounded " reigned every,
where, or rather, appeared to reign ; for, in point
of fact, there is no confusion whatever in the
works and ways of God. Common sense, if
unfallen, would tell us that. The Word reveals
it, and science of late years has added its testi
mony thereto.
78 SILVER LAKE.
Roy and Nelly very naturally came to tlie con-
clusion that things were in a very disordered
state indeed on that Sa,bbath morning, so they
returned to their hut, to spend the day as hest
they might.
Their first care was to kindle the fire and pre-
pare breakfast. While Nelly was engaged in
this, Roy went out and cut several small trees,
with which he propped the hut all round to pre-
vent it from being blown down. But it was
discovered, first, that the fire would hardly
kindle, and, second, that when it was kindled it
filled the whole place with smoke. By dint of
perseverance, however, breakfast was cooked and
devoured, after which the fire was allowed to go
out, as the smoke had almost blinded them.
'' Never mind, Nell, cheer up," said Roy, on
concluding breakfast; "we'll rig up a tent to
keep the snow off us."
The snow, be it understood, had been falling
into the fire, and, more or less, upon themselves,
through the hole in the roof; so they made a
tent inside the hut, by erecting two posts with
a ridge-pole at a height of three feet from the
ground, over which they spread one of their
blankets. Under this tent they reclined with
the other blankets spread over them, and chatted
comfortably during the greater part of that day.
Of course their talk was chiefly of home, and
of the mother who had been the sun and the joy
A CHANGE IN THE WEATHER. 79
of their existence up to that sad day when they
were lost in the snow, and naturally they con-
versed of the Bible, and the hymns which their
mother had made the chief objects of their con-
templation on the Sabbaths they had spent at
Fort Enterprise.
Monday was as bad as Sunday in regard to
weather, but Tuesday dawned bright and calm, so
that our wanderers were enabled to resume their
avocations. The snow-shoes were put in order,
the sled was overhauled and mended, and more
fish were caught and hung up to dry. In the
evening Roy loaded his gun with ball, put on
his show-shoes, and sallied forth alone to search
for deer. He carried with him several small
pieces of line wherewith to make rabbit snares ;
for, the moment the snow fell, innumerable tracks
revealed the fact that there were thousands of
rabbits in that region. Nelly, meanwhile, busied
herself in putting the hut in order, and in repair-
ing the mocassins which would be required for
the journey home.
Lest any reader should wonder where our
heroine found materials for all the mending and
repairing referred to, we may remark that the
Indians in the wilderness were, and still are,
supplied with needles, beads, cloth, powder and
shot, guns, axes, &c., &c., by the adventurous
fur-traders, who penetrate deep and far into the
wilderness of North America; and when Nellj^
80 SILVER LAKE.
and Hoy ran away from tlieir captors they took
care to carry with them an ample supply of such
things as they might require in their flight.
About half a mile from the hut Roy set several
snares. He had often helped his father in such
work, and knew exactly how to do it. Selecting
a rabbit-track at a spot where it passed between
two bushes, he set his snare so that it presented
a loop in the centre of the path. This loop was
fastened to the bough of a tree bent downwards,
and so arranged that it held fast to a root in the
ground ; when a rabbit should endeavour to leap
or force through it, he would necessarily pull
away the fastening that held it down, and the
bough would spring up and lift the hapless
creature by the neck off the ground.
Having set half-a-dozen such snares, Roy
continued his march in search of deer-tracks.
He was unsuccessful, but to his surprise he came
suddenly on the huge track of a bear! Being
early in the season this particular bruin had not
yet settled himself into his winter quarters, so
Roy determined to make a trap for him. He
had not much hope of catching him, but resolved
to try, and not to tell Nelly of his discovery
until he should see the result.
Against the face of a cliff he raised severa'
huge stones so as to form a sort of box, or cave,
or hole, the front of which was open, the sides
being the stones referred to, and the back the
A CMA>?JE IN THE WEATHER. 81
cliff. Then lie felled a tree as thick as his waist,
which stood close by, and so managed that it fell
near to his trap. By great exertions, and with the
aid of a wooden lever prepared on the spot, he
rolled this tree — when denuded of its branches
— close to the month of the trap. Next he cut
three small pieces of stick in such a form that
they made a trigger — something like the figure
4 — on which the tree might rest. On the top
1. The trigger. 2. The bait, 3. The tree-stem.
of this trigger he raised the tree-stem, and on
the end of the trigger, which projected into the
trap, he stuck a piece of dried fish, so that when
the bear should creep under the stem and touch
the bait, it would disarrange the trigger, set it
off, and the heavy stem would fall on bruin's
back. As he knew, however, that bears were
very strong, he cut several other thick stems,
and piled them on the first to give it additional
weight.
All being ready, and the evening far advanced,
he returned to the hut to supper.
88 SILVER LAKS.
CHAPTER XII.
hoy's dream.
" Nelly, ye-a-a-o-w ! " exclaimed Roy, yawning
as he awoke on the following morning from a
dream in which bears figm-ed largely; ^'what
a night I 've had of it, to be sure — fightin' like
a mad buffalo with"
Here Roy paused abruptly.
" Well, what were you fighting with?" asked
Nell, with a smile that ended in a yawn.
'' I won't tell you just now, lass, as it might
spoil your appetite for breakfast. Set about
getting that ready as fast as you can, for I want
to be off as soon as possible to visit my snares.
I guess we shall have rabbits for dinner to-day."
*^ What are you going to do with the sled?"
inquu'ed Nelly, observing that her brother was
overhauling the lashings and drag-rope.
" Well, I set a lot o' snares, an' there 's no
sayin' how many rabbits may have got into 'em.
Besides, if the rabbits in them parts are tender-
hearted, a lot o' their relations may have died o'
grief, so I shall take the sled to fetch 'em all
homel"
boy's dream. 83
After breakfast Roy loaded his gun with ball,
and putting on his snow-shoes, sallied forth with
an admonition to his sister to '^ have a roarin' fire
ready to cook a rare feast ! "
Nelly laughingly replied that she would, and
so they parted.
The first part of Roy's journey that day led him
through a thickly-wooded part of the country.
He went along with the quick, yet cautious and
noiseless, step of a hunter accustomed to the
woods from infancy. His thoughts were busy
within him, and far away from the scene in which
he moved; yet, such is the force of habit, he
never for a moment ceased to cast quick, in-
quiring glances on each side as he went along.
Nothing escaped his observation.
"Oh, if I could only get a deer this day,"
thought he, " how scrumptious it would be ! "
What he meant by " scrumptious " is best
known to himself, but at that moment a large
deer suddenly — perhaps scrumptiously I — ap-
peared on the brow of a ridge not fifty yards
in advance of him. They had been both walking
towards each other all that forenoon. Roy,
having no powers of scent beyond human powers,
did not know the fact, and as the wind was
blowing from the deer to the hunter, the former —
gifted though he was with scenting powers — ^was
also ignorant of the approaching meeting.
One instant the startled deer stood in be-
84 SILVER LAKE.
wildered surprise. One instant Roy paused in
mute amazement. The next instant the deer
wheeled round, while Roy's gun leaped to his
shoulder. There was a loud report, followed by
reverberating echoes among the hills, and the
deer lay dead on the snow.
The young hunter could not repress a shout
of joy, for he not only had secured a noble stag,
but he had now a sufficiency of food to enable
him to resume his homeward journey.
His first impulse was to run back to the hut
with the deer's tongue and a few choice bits, to
tell Nelly of his good fortune ; but, on second
thoughts, he resolved to complete the business
on which he had started. Leaving the deer
where it fell he went on, and found that the
snares had been very successful. Some, indeed,
had been broken by the strength of the boughs
to which they had been fastened, and others
remained as he had set them; but above two-
thirds of them had each a rabbit hung up by the
neck, so that the sled was pretty well loaded
when all the snares had been visited.
He had by this time approached the spot where
the bear-trap was set, and naturally began to
grow a little anxious, for, although his chance
of success was very slight, his good fortune that
morning had made him more sanguine thao
usual.
There is a proverb which asserts that
ROY S DREAM. 85
raiDS but it pours." It would seem to be a com-
mon experience of mankind that pieces of good
fortune, as well as misfortunes, come not singly.
Wiietlier the proverb be true or no, this experi-
ence was realised by Roy on that day, for he
actually did find a bear in his trap ! Moreover
it was alive, and, apparently, had only just been
caught, for it struggled to free itself with a
degree of ferocity that was terrible to witness.
It was an ordinary black bear of considerable
size and immense strength. Heavy and thick
though the trees were that lay on its back and
crushed it to the earth, it caused them to shake,
leap, and quiver as though they had been en-
dowed with life. Roy was greatly alarmed, for
he perceived that at each successive struggle the
brute was ridding itself of the superincumbent
load, while fierce growls and short gasps indi-
cated at once the wrath and the agony by which
it was convulsed.
Roy had neglected to reload his piece after
shooting the deer — a most unhunter-like error,
which was the result of excitement. Thinking
that he had not time to load, he acted now on
the first suggestion of his bold spirit. Resting,
his gun against a tree, he drew the small axe
that hung at his belt and attacked the bear.
The first blow was well delivered, and sank
deep into bruin's skull ; but that skull was thick,
and the brain was not reached. A roar and a
86 SILVER LAKE.
furious struggle caused Roy to deliver his second
blow with less effect, but this partial failure
caused his pugnacity to rise, and he immediately
rained down blows on the head and neck of the
bear so fast and furious that the snow was
speedily covered with blood. In proportion as
Roy strove to end the conflict by vigorous and
quick blows, the bear tried to get free by furious
efforts. He shook the tree-stem that held him
down so violently that one of the other trees
that rested on it fell off, and thus the load was
lightened. Roy observed this, and made a
desperate effort to split the bear's skull. In his
haste he misdirected the blow, which fell not on
the head but on the neck, in which the iron head
of the axe was instantly buried — a main artery
was severed, and a fountain of blood sprang forth.
This was fortunate, for the bear's strength was
quickly exhausted, and, in less than two minutes
after, it sank dead upon the snow.
Roy sat down to rest and wipe the blood from
his hands and garments, and then, cutting off
the claws of the animal as a trophy, he left it
there for a time. Having now far more than if:
was possible for him to drag to the hut, he rei
solved to proceed thither with the rabbits, and
bring Nelly back to help him to drag home th^
deer. i
" Well done, Roy," cried Nelly, clapping he|
hands, when her brother approached with the
87
sled-load of rabbits, " but you are covered with
blood. Have you cut yourself? "
She became nervously anxious, for she well
knew that a bad cut on a jonrney costs many a
man his life, as it not only disables from con-
tinuing the journey but from hunting for pro-
visions.
" All right, Nell, but I 've killed a deer — and
— and — something else ! Come, lass, get on
your snow-shoes and follow me. We '11 drag
home the deer, and then see what is to be done
with the "
^^ Oh, what is it? do tell ! " cried Nell, eagerly.
'' Well, then, it 's a bear ! "
^' Nonsense ! — tell me true, now."
^^ That 's the truth, Nell, as you shall see, and
here are the claws. Look sharp, now, and let '
off."
Away went these two through the snow until
they came to where the deer had been left. It
was hard work to get it lashed on the sled, and
much harder work to drag it over the snow, but
by dint of perseverance and resolution they got
it home. They were so fatigued, however, that
it was impossible to think of doing the same
with the bear. This was a perplexing state of
things, for Eoy had observed a wolf-track when
out, and feared that nothing but the bones would
be left in the morning.
'^ What 18 to be done ? " said Nelly, with that
88 SILVER LAKE.
pretty air of utter helplessness whicli slie was
wont to assume wlien she felt that her brother
was the proper person to decide.
Koy pondered a few moments, and then said
abruptly, " Camp-out, Nelly."
^^ Camp-out?"
" Ay, beside the bear — keep it company all
night with a big fire to scare away the wolves.
We '11 put everything into the hut, block up the
door, and kindle a huge fire outside that will
burn nearly all night. So now, let 's go about
it at once."
Although Nelly did not much relish the idea
of leaving their comfortable hut, and going out
to encamp in the snow beside the carcase of a
dead bear, she was so accustomed to regard her
brother's plans as perfect, and to obey him
promptly, that she at once began to assist in the
necessary preparations. Having secured everj^-
thing safely in the hut, and kindled a fire near
it, which was large enough to have roasted an
ox, they set off for the bear-trap, and reached it
in time to scare away a large wolf which was
just going to begin his supper on bruin.
An encampment was then made in the usual
vay, close to the bear-trap, a fire as large as
could be conveniently made was kindled, and
the brother and sister wrapped themselves in
their blankets and lay comfortably down beside
it to spend the night there.
"shooskin'.'' 89
CHAPTER XIII.
" shooskin'. "
Next day Roy and Nelly rose with the sun, and
spent the forenoon in skinning and cutting up
the bear, for they intended to dry part of the
meat, and use it on their journey. The after-
noon was spent in dragging the various parts to
the hut. In the evening Roy proposed that they
should go and have a shoosk. Nelly agreed, so
they sallied forth to a neighbouring slope with
their sledge.
Shoosking, good reader, is a game which is
played not only by children but by men and
women ; it is also played in various parts of the
world, such as Canada and Russia, and goes by
various names ; but we shall adopt the name
used by our hero and heroine, namely " shoosk-
ing." It is very simple, but uncommonly vio-
lent, and consists in hauling a sledge to the top
of a snow-hil] or slope, getting upon it, and
sliding down to the bottom. Of course, the ex
fcent of violence depends on the steepness of the
slope, the interruptions that occur in it, and the
nature of the ground at the bottom. We once
90 SILVER LAKE.
shoosked with an Indian down a wood-cntter*s
track, on the side of a steep hill, which had a
sharp tnrn in it, with a pile of firewood at the
turn, and a hole in the snow at the bottom, in
which were a number of old empty casks. Our
great dilBficulties in this place were to take the
turn without grazing the firewood, and to stop
our sledges before reaching the hole. We each
had separate sledges. For some time we got on
famously, but at last we ran into the pile of fire-
wood, and tore all the buttons ofi* our coat, and
the Indian went down into the hole with a hide-
ous crash among the empty casks ; yet, strange
to say, neither of us came by any serious dam-
age !
^^ There 's a splendid slope," said Roy, as they
walked briskly along the shores of Silver Lake,
dragging the sledge after them, "just beyond
the big cliff, but I 'm afraid it 's too much for
*^ Oh, I can go if you can," said Nell,
promptly.
" You 've a good opinion of yourself. I guess
I could make you sing small if I were to try."
" Then don't try," said Nelly, with a laugh.
" See," continued Roy, " there 's the slope .
you see it is very steep ; we 'd go down it like a
streak of greased lightnin'; but I don't like to
try it."
"Why not? It seems easy enough to me.
" shooskin'." 91
I 'm sure we have gone down as steep places be-
fore at home."
'' Ay, lass, but not with a ronnd-backed drift
like that at the bottom. It has got such a curve
that I think it would make us fly right up into
the air."
Nelly admitted that it looked dangerous, but
suggested that they might make a trial.
" Well, so we will, but I '11 go down by my-
self first," said Roy, arranging the sledge at
the summit of a slope, which was full fifty feet
high.
" Now, then, pick up the bits tenderly, Nell,
if I 'm knocked to pieces ; here goes, hurrah ! "
Roy had seated himself on the sledge, with
his feet resting on the head of it, and holding
on to the side-lines with both hands firmly. He
pushed off as he cheered, and the next moment
was flying down the hill at railway speed, with
a cloud of snow-drift rolling like steam behind
him. He reached the foot, and the impetus sent
him up and over the snow-drift or wave, and far
out upon the surface of the lake. It is true he
made one or two violent swerves in this wild
descent, owing to inequalities in the hill, but by
a touch of his hands in the snow on either side,
he guided the sledge, as with a rudder, and
reached the foot in safety.
*^ May I venture, Roy?" inquired Nell,
eagerly, as the lad came panting up the hill.
92 SILVER LAKE.
" Venture I Of course. I rose off the top o*
the drift only a little bit, hardly felt the crack at
all ; come, get you on in front, and I '11 sit at
yer back an' steer."
Nelly needed no second bidding. She sat down
and seized the side-lines of the sledge with a
look of what we may call wild expectation ; Roy
sat down behind her.
" Now, lass, steady, and away we go ! "
At the last word they shot from the hill-top
like an arrow from a bow. The cloud of snow
behind them rolled thicker, for the sledge was
more heavily laden than before. Owing to the
same cause it plunged into the hollow at the foot
of the hill with greater violence, and shot up the
slope of the snow-drift and over its crest with
such force that it sprung horizontally forward
for a few feet in the air, and came to the ground
with a crash that extracted a loud gasp from
Eoy, and a sharp squeak from Nelly. It was
found to be so delightful^ however, that they
tried it again and again^-, each time becoming
more expert, and therefore more confident.
Excessive confidence, however, frequently en-
genders carelessness. Roy soon became reck-
less ; Nelly waxed fearless. The result was that
the former steered somewhat wildly, and finally
upset.
Their last " shoosk " that evening was under-
taken just as the sun's latest rays were shooting
93
between tlie hills on the opposite side of Silver
Lake, and casting a crimson glow on the hut
and the surrounding scenery. Koy had fixed a
snow-shoe on the outer ridge of the snow-drift,
to mark the distance of their last leap from its
crest, and had given the sledge an extra push on
the way down to increase its impetus. This
extra push disconcerted him in steering ; he
reached the hollow in a side-long fashion, shot
up the slope of the drift waveringly, and left its
crest with a swing that not only turned the
sledge right round, but also upside down. Ot
course they were both thrown off, and all three
fell into the snow in a condition of dire con-
fusion. Fortunately, no damage was done be-
yond the shock and the fright, but this accident
was sufficient to calm their spirits, and incline
them to go home to supper.
" Well, it 's great fun, no doubt, but we must
turn our minds to more earnest work, for our
journey lies before us," said Roy, with the gravity
of an Iroquois warrior, as he sat beside the fire
that night discussing a bear-steak with his sister.
** We have more than enough of fish and meat,
you see ; a day or two will do to turn our deer
and bear into dried meat; the snow-shoes are
mended, the sledge is in good order, as to-night V
work has proved, and all that we 've got to do is
to start fresh with true hearings and — hey I for
ho
94 SILVER LAKE.
" I wish I was there," said Nelly, laying down
a marrow-bone with a sigh.
" Wishin' ain't enough, Nell."
" I know that, an' I'm ready to work," said
Nelly, resuming the bone with a resolute air,
<' When shall we set out?"
^' When we are ready, lass. We shall begin
to dry the meat to-morrow, an' as soon as it 's
fixed — off we'll start. I only hope the cold
weather will last, for if it came warm it would
go hard with your little feet, Nell. But let's
turn in now. Hard work requires a good sleep,
an' it may be that we 've harder work than we
think before us."
THE JOURNEY HOME INTERRUPTED. 95
CHAPTER XIV.
THE JOURNEY HOME RESUMED AND INTERRUPTED.
Three days more and our young friends bade
farewell to Silver Lake.
Short though their stay had been, it had proved
very pleasant, for it was full of energetic labour
and active preparation, besides a great deal of
amusement, so that quite a home feeling had
been aroused in their minds, and their regret at
leaving was considerable.
But after the first few miles of their journey
had been accomplished, the feeling of sadness
with which they set out wore away, and hopeful
anticipations of being home again in a few weeks
rendered them cheerful, and enabled them to
proceed with vigour. The weather at starting
was fine, too, so that the night encampments in
the snow were comparatively agreeable, and the
progress made during the first few days was
satisfactory.
After this, however, the good fortune of our
adventurers seemed to desert them. First of all
one of Nelly's snow-shoes broke down. This
necessitated a halt of half a day, in order to
96 SILVER LAKE.
have it repaired. Then one of Roy's snow-shoes
gave way, which caused another halt. After
this a heavy snow-storm set in, rendering the
walking very difficult, as they sank, snow-shoes
and all, nearly to the knees at each step. A
storm of wind which arose about the same time,
effectually stopped their farther advance, and
obliged them to take to the shelter of a dense
part of the woods and encamp.
During three days and three nights the hurri-
cane raged, and the snow was blown up in the
air and whirled about like the foam of the roaring
sea; but our wanderers did not feel its effects
much, for they had chosen a very sheltered spot
at the foot of a large pine, which grew in a
hollow, where a cliff on one side and a bluff of
wood on the other rendered the blast powerless.
Its fierce howling could be heard, however, if not
felt; and as the brother and sister lay at the
bottom of their hole in the snow, with their toes
to the comfortable fire, fchey chatted much more
cheerily than might have been expected in the
midst of such a scene, and gazed upward from
time to time with comparative indifference at
the dark clouds and snow-drifts that were rush-
ing madly overhead.
On the fourth day the gale subsided almost as
quickly as it had arisen, and Roy announced
that it was his intention to start. In a few
minutes e very thin f^ ^as nacked up and ready.
THE JOURNEY HOME INTERRUPTED. 97
*^I say, Nell," said Roy, just as they were
about to leave the camp, " don't the sled look
smaller than it used to ? "
" So it does, Roy ; but I suppose it 's because
we have eaten so much during the last three days.' '
Roy shook his head, and looked carefully round
the hole they were about to quit.
" Don't know, lass ; it seems to me as if some-
thin' was awantin'. Did ye pack your own
bundle very tight ? "
" Yes ; I think I did it tighter than usual,
but I'm not very sure."
^^ Hum — that's it, no doubt — -we've packed
the sled tighter, and eaten it down. Well, let 's
off now."
So saying, Roy threw the lines of the sledge
over his shoulder and led the way, followed by
his sister, whose only burden was a light blanket,
fastened as a bundle to her shoulders, and a
small tin can, which hung at her belt.
The country through which they passed that
day was almost destitute of wood, being a series
of undulating plains, with clumps of willows and
stunted trees scattered over it like islets in the
sea. The land lay in a succession of ridges, or
steppes, which descended from the elevated region
they were leaving, and many parts of these
ridges terminated abruptly in sheer precipices
from forty to sixty feet high.
The sun shone with dazzling brilliancy, inso-
9
98 SILVER LAKE.
much that the travellers' eyes became slightly
affected by snow-blindness. This temporary
blindness is very common in these regions, and
ranges from the point of slight dazzlement to
that of total blindness ; fortunately it is curable
by the removal of the cause — the bright light of
the sun on pure snow. Esquimaux use "goggles "
or spectacles made of wood, with a narrow slit in
them as a preventive of snow blindness.
At first neither Roy nor Nelly felt much in-
convenience, but towards evening they could not
see as distinctly as usual. One consequence of
this was, that they approached a precipice with
out seeing it. The snow on its crest was so like
to the plain of snow extending far below, that it
might have deceived one whose eyesight was not
in any degree impaired.
The first intimation they had oi their danger
was the giving way of the snow that projected
over the edge of the precipice. Roy fell over
headlong, dragging the sledge with him. Nelly,
who was a few feet behind him, stood on the ex-
treme edge of the precipice, with the points of
her snow-shoes projecting over it. Roy uttered
a cry as he fell, and his sister stopped short. A
shock of terror blanched her cheek and caused
her heart to stand still. She could not move or
cry for a few seconds, then she uttered a lood
shriek and shrank backwards.
There chanced to be a stout bush or tree grow-
THE JOURNEY HOME INTERRUPTED.* 99
ing on the face of the cliff, not ten feet l)elow
the spot where the snow wreath had broken off.
Roy caught at this convulsivel}^, and held on.
Fortunately the line on his shoulder broke, and
the sledge fell into the abyss below. Had this
not happened, it is probable that he would have
been dragged from his hold of the bush. As it
was, he maintained his hold, and hung for a few
seconds suspended in the air. Nelly's shriek re -
vived him from the gush of deadly terror that
seized him when he fell. He grasped the boughs
above him, and was quickly in a position of com-
parative security among the branches of the bush.
" All right, Nell," he gasped, on hearing her
repeat her cry of despair. " I 'm holdin' on quite
safe. Keep back from the edge, lass — there 's no
fear o' me."
^' Are you sure, Roy ? " cried Nelly, trembling
very much, as she stretched forward to try to
catch sight of her brother.
^'Ay, quite sure; but I can't get up, for
there 's six feet o' smooth rock above me, an'
nothin' to climb up by."
" Oh ! what shall I do ! " cried Nelly.
" Don't get flurried — that 's the main thing,
lass. Let me think — ay, that 's it — you 've got
your belt?"
"Yes."
*^ Well, take it off and drop the end over to
me; but lie down on your breast, and be careful."
100 SILVER LAKJB.
Nelly obeyed, and in a few seconds the end of
the worsted belt that usually encircled her waist
was dangling almost within reach of her brother.
This belt was above five feet long. Eoy wore
one of similar material and length. He untied
it, and tlien sought to lay hold of the other.
With some difficulty and much risk of falling
he succeeded, and fastened his own belt to it
firmly.
^^Now, ISTell, haul up a little bit — hold I
enough."
" What am I to do now? " asked Nell, pite-
ously ; ^^ I cannot pull you up, you know."
^^ Of course not; but take your . snow-shoe
and dig down to the rocks — you '11 find some-
thin', I dare say, to tie the belts to. Cheer up,
lass, and go at it."
Thus encouraged, the active little girl soon
cleared away the snow until she reached the
ground, where she found several roots of shrubs
that seemed quite strong enough for her pur-
pose. To one of these she tied the end of her
belt, and Roy, being an athletic lad, hauled
himself up, hand over hand, until he gained a
place of safety.
*^ But the sledge is gone," cried Nelly, paus-
ing suddenly in the midst of her congratula-
tions.
" Ay, and the grub," said Roy, with a blank
look.
THE JOURNEY HOME INTERRUPTED. 101
This was indeed too true, and on examination
it was found that things were even worse than
had been anticipated, for the sledge had fallen
on a ledge, half way down the precipice, that
was absolutely inaccessible either from above or
below. An hour was spent in ascertaining this,
beyond all doubt, and then Eoy determined to
return at once to their last encampment to
gather the scraps they had thrown away or left
behind as useless.
That night they went supperless to rest.
Next morning, they set out with heavy hearts
for the encampment of the previous day. On
reaching it, and searching carefully, they found
that one of the bundles of dry meat had been
forgotten. This accounted for the lightness of
the sledge, and, at the same time, revived their
drooping spirits.
^' What is to be done now? " inquired Nelly.
^^ Return to Silver Lake," said Roy, j)romptly.
" We must go back, fish and hunt again until we
have another supply o' grub, and then begin our
journey once more."
Sadly and slowly they retraced their steps.
Do what he would Eoy could not cheer up his
sister's spirits. She felt that her back was
turned towards her father's house — her mother's
home — and every step took her farther from it.
It was a lovely evening, about sunset, when
they reached Silver Lake, and found the hut as
102 SILVER LAKE.
they had left it, and enough of old scraps of
provisions to afford a sufficient meal.
That night they ate their supper in a more
cheerful frame of mind. Next day they break-
fasted almost with a feeling of heartiness, and
when they went out to resume their fishing, and
to set snares and make traps, the old feeling of
hopefulness returned. Ere long, hope became
again so strong in their ardent young hearts,
that they laughed and talked and sported as
they had done during the period of their first
residence there.
At first they were so anxious to make up the
lost quantity of food that they did little eke but
fish, hunt, and dry their provisions when ob-
tained ; but after a few days they had procured
such an ample supply that they took to shoosk-
ing again — having succeeded in making a new
sledge. But a thaw came suddenly and spoiled
all their fish. A wolf carried off the greater
part of their dried meat one day while they were
absent from the hut. After this the frost set
in with extreme violence, game became more
scarce, and fish did not take the bait so readily,
so that, although they procured more than
enough for present consumption, they were slow
in accumulating a travelling store ; and thus it
came to pass that November found Roy and
Nelly still toiling wearily, yet hopefully, on the
shores of Silver Lake.
THE MASSACRE. 103
CHAPTER XV.
THE MASSACRE.
We must return now to Robin Gore and his
wife, who, on the morning on which we reintro-
duce them to the reader, were standing in the
trading store of Fort Enterprise, conversing
earnestly with Black Swan, the Indian, who has
been already mentioned at the beginning of our
tale. The wife of the latter — the White Swan —
was busily engaged in counting over the pack of
furs that lay open on the counter, absorbed, ap-
parently, in an abstruse calculation as to how
many yards of cloth and strings of beads they
would purchase.
" Well, I'm glad that 's fixed, anyhow," said
Robin to his wife, as he turned to the Indian
with a satisfied air, and addressed him in his
native tongue, '' It's a bargain, then, that you
an' Slugs go with me on this expedition, is 't
so?"
^^ The Black Swan is ready," replied the
Indian, quietly, ^' and he thinks that Slugs will
go too — but the white hunter is self-willed ; he
has a mouth — ask himself."
104 SILVER LAKE.
" Ay, ye don't like to answer for him/' said
Bobin, with a smile ; " assm-edly Slugs has his
own notions, and holds to 'em ; but I '11 ask him.
He is to be here this night, with a deer, I hope,
for there are many mouths to fill."
Black Swan, who was a tall, taciturn, and
powerful Indian, here glanced at his wife, who
was, like most Indian women, a humble-looking
and not very pretty or clean creature. Turning
again to Robin, he said, in a low, soft voice —
" The White Swan is not strong, and she is
not used to be alone."
" I understand you," said Robin ; ^' she shall
come to the Fort, and be looked after. You
won't object to take her in, Molly, when we 're
away?"
'' Object, Robin," said Molly, with a smile,
which was accompanied by a sigh, ^* I '11 only
be too ^lad to have her company."
" Well, then, that 's settled ; and now. Black
Swan, I may as well tell you what coorse I mean
to follow out in this sarch for my child' n. You
know already that four white men — strangers —
have come to the Fort, an' are now smokin' their
pipes in the hall, but you don't know that one
on 'em is my own brother Jefferson ; Jeff I 've bin
used to call him. Jeff's bin a harem-scarem
feller all his life — active and able enough, an'
good natur'd too, but he never could stick to
nothin', an' so he's bin wanderin' about the
THE MASSACRE. 105
worJd till grey hairs have begun to show on him,
without gettin' a home or a wife. The last thing-
he tried was stokin' a steamboat on the Missis-
sippi ; but the boat blew up, pitched a lot o' the
passengers into the water, an' the rest o' them
into the next world. Jeff was always in luck
with his life ; he 's lost everythin' over an' over
again but that. He was one o' the lot as was
blowed into the water, so, when he come up he
swamed ashore, an' come straight away here to
visit me, bringin' three o' the blowed-up pas-
sengers with him. The three are somethin' like
himself, good for nothin' ; an' I 'd rather have
their room than their company at most times.
Hows'ever, just at this time I'm very glad
they've come, for I'll leave them in charge o'
the Fort, and set off to look for the child' n in
two days from this. I '11 take Walter and Larry
wi' me, for brother Jeff is able enough to manage
the trade if redskins come ; he can fight too, if
need be. The Gore family could always do that,
so ye needn't be afraid, Molly."
" I '11 not be afraid, Eobin, but I '11 be anxious
about ye."
^^ That's nat'ral, lass, but it can't be helped.
Well, then," continued Robin, ^^the five of us
will start for the Black Hills. I 've bin told hy
a redskin who comed here last week that he an'
his tribe had had a scrimmage with Hawk an'
the reptiles that follow him. He says that there
106 SILVER LAKE.
was a white boy an' a white girl with Hawk's
party, an' from his account of 'em I 'm sartin
sure it's my Roy and Nelly. God help 'em!
^ but,' says he, ' they made their escape durin'
the attack, an' we followed our enemies so far
that we didn't think it worth while to return to
look for 'em ; ' so I 'm convinced they made for
the Black Hills, nigh which Hawk was attacked,
an' if we follow 'em up there we may find 'em
alive yet, maj'hap."
Poor Robin's voice became deeper and less
animated as he spoke, and the last word was
uttered with hesitation and in a whisper.
" Robin, Robin ! " exclaimed Mrs Gore,
throwing her arms suddenly round her husband's
neck, and hiding her sobbing face in his breast,
" d'ye think they can still be alive? "
*^ Come, Molly," said Robin, commanding his
feelings with a great effort, "" han 't ye often read
to me that wi' God all things is possible ? "
The poor woman thanked God in her heart,
for up to that day Robin had never once quoted
Scripture in his efforts to comfort her.
" Was Wapaw with Hawk when they were
attacked ? " inquired the Black Swan.
" Wapaw is dead," said a deep voice, as the
huge form of a western hunter darkened the
little doorway, and the next moment Slugs strode
into the store, and quietly seated himself on the
counter.
THE MASSACRE. 107
*^ Dead ! " exclaimed Robin, as he shook the
hunter's proffered hand.
" Ay, dead ! Have ye no word of welcome for
a chmn after a month's absence ? " said Slugs,
holding out his horny hand to the Black Swan,
who gravely grasped and shook it.
^' You redskins are a queer lot," said Slugs,
with a grin, " yer as stiff as a rifle ramrod to
look at, but there 's warm and good stuff in 'ee
for all that."
^^ But what about Wapaw?" inquired Mrs
Gore, anxiously; " surely he 's not dead."
^' If he 's not dead he 's not livin', for I saw
Hawk himself, not four weeks ago, shoot him
and follow him up with his tomahawk, and then
heard their shout as they killed him. Where did
he say he was goin' when he left you ? "
" He said he would go down to the settlements
to see the missionaries, an' that he thought o'
lookin' in on the fur traders that set up a fort
last year, fifty miles to the southward o' this."
*^ Ay, just so," said Slugs ; ^' I was puzzled to
know what he was doin' thereaway, and that
explains it. He 's dead now, an' so are the fur
traders he went to see. I '11 tell ye all about it
if you '11 give me baccy enough to fill my pipe.
I ran out o't three days agone, an' ha' bin
smokin' tea-leaves an' bark, an' all sorts o'
trash. Thank 'ee; that's a scent more sweet
nor roses."
108 SILVER LAK8.
As he said this the stout hunter cut up the
piece of tobacco which Robin at once handed to
him, and rolled it with great zest between his
palms. When the pipe was :fi^led and properly
lighted, he leaned his back against an unopened
bale of goods that lay on the counter, and draw-
ing several whiffs, began his narrative : —
" You must know that I made tracks for the
noo furtradin' post when I left you. Black Swan,
about a month ago. I hadn't much of a object ;
it was mainly cooriosity as took me there. I got
there all right, an' was sittin' in the hall chattin'
wi' the head man — Macdonell they called him —
about the trade and the Injuns. Macdonell's
two little child'n was playin' about, a boy an' a
girl, as lively as kittens, an' his wife — a good-
lookin' young 'ooman — was look in' arter 'em,
when the door opens, and in stalks a long-legged
Injun. It was Wapaw. Down he sat in front
o' the fireplace, an' after some palaver an' a pipe
— for your Injuns '11 never tell all they 've got
to say at once — he tells Macdonell that there was
a dark plot hatchin' agin' him — that Hawk, a
big rascal of his own tribe, had worked upon a
lot o' reptiles like hisself, an' they had made up
their minds to come an' massacre everybody at
the Fort, and carry off the goods.
" At first Macdonell didn't seem to believe the
Injun, but when I told him I knowed him, an'
that he was a trustworthy man, he was much
THE MASSACRE. 109
troubled, an' in doubt what to do. Now, it's
quite clear to me that Hawk must have some-
how found out or suspected that Wapaw was
goin' to 'peach oj^ him, an' that he had followed
his trail close up ; for in less than an hour arter
Wapaw arrived, an' while we was yet sittin'
smokin' by the fire, there was a most tremen-
dous yell outside. I know'd it for the war-
whoop o' the redskins, so I jumped up an'
cocked my rifle. The others jumped up too,
like lightnin' ; an' Mrs Macdonell she got hold
o' her girlie in her arms an' was runnin' across
the hall to her own room, when the door was
knocked off its hinges, and fell flat on the floor.
Before it had well-nigh fallen I got sight o'
somethin', an' let di ve. The yell that follered
told me I had spoilt ' omebody's aim. A volley
was poured on us ne t moment, an' a redskin
jumped in, but Wapa v's tomahawk sent him
out again with a split skull. Before they could
reload — for the stupid fools had all fired to-
gether — I had the door up, and a heavy table
shoved agin it. Then I turned round to load
agin ; while I was doin' this, I observed poor
Macdonell on his knees beside his wife, so I
went to them an' found that the wife an' girl
were stone dead — both shot through the heart
with the same ball.
'' As soon as Macdonell saw this he rose up
quietly, but with a look on his face sich as I
110 SILVER LAKE.
never see in a man 'xcept when he means to
stick at nothin'. He got hold of his double-
barrelled gun, an^ stack a scalpin' knife au' an
axe in his belt.
" ' Git on my back, Tommy,' says he to his
little boy, who was cryin' in a corner.
^' Tommy got up at once, an' jumped on his
dad's back. All this time the redskins were
yellin' round the house like fiends, an' batterin'
the door, so that it was clear it couldn't stand
long.
" ' Friends,' said he, turnin' to me an' Wapaw,
an' a poor terrified chap that was the only one
o' his men as chanced to be in the house at the
time, ' friends, it 's every man for himself now ;
I '11 cut my way through them, or ' . He
stopped short, an' took hold o' his axe in one
hand, an' his gun in the other. ^ Are ye ready?'
says he. We threw forward our rifles an' cocked
'em, Macdonell — he was a big, strong man —
suddenly upset the table ; the savages dashed in
the door with sich force that three or four o' 'em
fell sprawlin' on the floor. We jumped over
these before they could rise, and fired a volley,
which sent three or four o' the reptiles behind
on their backs. We got into the bush without
a scratch, an' used our legs well, I can tell 'ee.
They fired a volley after us, which missed us
all except poor Tommy. A bullet entered his
brain, an' killed him dead. For some time his
THE MASSACRE. Ill
father would not drop him, though I told him
he was quite dead ; but his weight kept him
from runnin' fast, an' we heard the redskins
gainin' on us, so at last Macdonell put the boy
down tenderly under a bush. Me and Wapaw
stopped to fire an' keep the reptiles back, but
they fired on us, and Wapaw fell. I tried to
lift him, but he struggled out o' my arms. Poor
fellow ! he was a brave man ; and I 've no doubt
did it a purpose, knowin' that I couldn't run
fast enough with him. Just then I saw Hawk
come jumpin' and yellin' at us, followed by two
or three dozen redskins, all flourishin' their
tomahawks. Macdonell and me turned to die
fightin' alongside o' our red comrade, but Wa-
paw suddenly sprang up, uttered a shout of
defiance, an' dashed into the bush. The Injuns
were after him in a moment, and before we could
get near them a yell of triumph told us that it
was too late, so we turned and bolted in difi'erent
directions.
" I soon left them behind me, but I hung
about the place for a day or two to see if Mac-
donell should turn up, or any of his men. I
even went back to the Fort after the reptiles
had left it. They had burned it down, an' I saw
parts o' the limbs o' the poor wife and child
lyin' among the half-burned goods that they
weren't able to carry away with them.
11^ JSILVEK LAKE,
CHAPTER XYI.
VENGEANCE.
The terrible tale which was related by Slags had
the effect of changing Robin Gore's plans. He
resolved to pursue the murderers, and inflict
summary punishment on them before setting off
on the contemplated search for his lost children,
and he was all the more induced to do this that
there was some hope he might be able to obtain
a clue to their whereabouts from some of the
prisoners whom he hoped to seize.
It might be thought by some a rash step for
him to take — the pm'suit of a band of about fifty
savages with a party of six men. But backwood
hunters were bold fellows in those days, and
Indians were by no means noted for reckless
courage. Six stout, resolute, and well-armed
men were, in Robin's opinion, quite a match for
fifty redskins !
He could not muster more than six, because
it was absolutely necessary to leave at least three
men to guard Fort Enterprise. Robin therefore
resolved to leave his brother Jeff to look after it,
with two of the strangers ; and Jeff accepted the
VENGEAJSCE. Il3
charge with pleasure, saying he " would defend
the place agin a hundred red reptiles.'' The
third stranger — a man named Stiff — he resolved
to take with him.
The war-party, when mustered, consisted of
Robin Gore, his nephew Walter, Larry O'Dowd,
the Black Swan, Slugs the hunter, and Stiff the
stranger. Armed to the teeth, these six put on
their snow-shoes the following morning, and set
forth on their journey in silence.
Now this change of plans was — all unknown
to Robin — the means of leading him towards,
instead of away from, his lost little ones. For
Roy and Nelly had travelled so far during their
long wanderings from the Black Hills — the
place where they escaped from the Indians — that
they were at that time many long miles away
from them in another direction. In fact, if
Robin had carried out his original plan of search,
he would have been increasing the distance
between himself and his children every step he
took !
Not knowing this, however, and being under
the impression that each day's march lessened
his chance of ultimately finding his lost ones,
he walked along, mile after mile, and day after
day, in stern silence.
On the third day out, towards evening, the
party descried a thin line of blue smoke rising
above the tree-tops. They had reached an
H
Il4 SILVER LA.KE.
elevated and somewhat hilly region, so that
the ground favoured their approach by stealth,
nevertheless, fearing to lose their prey, they re-
solved to wait till dark, and take their enemies,
if such they should turn out to be, by surprise.
Soon after sunset Eobin gave the word to
advance. Each man of the party laid aside his
blanket, and left his provisions, &c., in the en-
campment, taking with him his arms only.
" I need not say that there must be no speak-
ing, and that we must tread lightly. You're
up to redskin ways as well as me, except may-
hap our friend Stiff here."
Stiff, who was a tall Yankee, protested that
he could " chaw up his tongue, and go as slick
as a feline mouser."
On nearing the fire, they made a detour to exa-
mine the tracks that led to it, and found from
their number and other signs that it was indeed
Hawk's party.
Robin advanced alone to reconnoitre. On
returning, he said —
^^ It 's just the reptiles ; there 's forty of 'em if
there 's one, an' they 've got a white man bound
with 'em ; no doubt from what you said of him,
Slugs, it 's Macdonell ; but I don't see Wapaw.
I fear me that his days are over. Now, then,
lads, here 's our plan : we '11 attack them from
six different points at once. We '11 all give the
war-whoop at the same moment, takin' the word
VENGEANCE. 115
from Walter there, who 's got a loud pipe of his
own, then when the varmints start to their feet
' — for I don't like the notion o' firin' at men off
their guard — Walter, Larry, an' Stiff will fire.
Black Swan, Slugs, an' I will reserve our fire
while you reload; the reptiles will scatter, of
course, an' we '11 give 'em a volley an' a united
yell as they cut stick, that'll keep 'em from
waitin' for more."
The plan thus hastily sketched was at once
carried out. Advancing stealthily to their
several stations, the six men, as it were, sur-
rounded the savages, who, not dreaming of pur-
suit, had neglected to place sentinels round the
camp. When Walter's loud " halloo I " rang in
their ears, the whole band sprang to their feet,
and seized their arms, but three shots laid three
of them dead on the ground. As they fled right
and left the reserve fired, and shot three others,
among whom was Hawk himself. Black Swan
had picked him out, and shot him through the
head. Before they were quite out of shot, the
three who had first fii-ed had reloaded and fired
again with some effect, for blood was afterwards
observed on the snow.
Slugs now made a rush into the camp to un-
bind Macdonell, but to his horror he discovered
that a knife was plunged up to the handle in his
breast, and that he was almost dead. Hawk had
evidently committed this cowardly deed on the
116 SILYER LAKE.
first alarm, for tbe knife was known to be his.
Macdonell tried liard to speak, but all that be
was able to say was, '^ Wapaw, wounded, escaped
— follow." Then bis bead fell back, and be died.
From tbe few words tbus uttered, bowever, tbe
pursuers concluded tbat Wapaw was not dead,
but wounded, and tbat be bad escaped.
'^ If tbat be so," said Walter, " tben tbey
must bave been on Wapaw's tracks, an' if we
searcb we sball find 'em, an' may follow 'em
up."
" True," said Slugs, " and tbe sooner we 're
away from tbis tbe better, for tbe reptiles may
return, and find us not so strong a band as tbey
tbink."
Acting on tbis advice, tbe wbole party set off
at once. Wapaw's track was soon discovered,
being, of course, a solitary one, and in advance
of bis enemies, wbo were in pursuit. Following
tbe track witb untiring vigour, tbe party found
tbat it led tbem out of tbe lower country into **
region higb up amongst tbe bills.
THE PURSUIT, 117
CHAPTER XYII.
THE PURSUIT.
" "Wapaw must have worked hard, for we should
have overhauled him hy this time," said Walter
to his uncle on the evening of the next day, as
they plodded steadily along through the snow.
" I would give up the pursuit," said Eobin,
somewhat gloomily, '^ for it's losin' time that
might be better spent on another search ; but it
won't do to leave the crittur, for if he 's badly
wounded he may die for want o' help."
'' Guess he can't be very bad, else he 'd niver
travel so fast," observed Stiff, who, now that the
chief murderer was punished, did not care much
to go in search of the wounded Indian.
^' When a man thinks a band o' yellin' red-
skins are follerin' up his trail," said Slugs, ^^ he's
pretty sure to travel fast, wounded or not
wounded — leastways if he 's able. But I don't
think we '11 have to go much farther now, for
I 've noticed that his stride ain't so long as it
was, and that 's a sartin sure sign that he 's
failin'; I only hope he won't go under before
we find him, "
118 SILVER LAKE.
" Mver a fear o' that," said Larry O'Dowd,
with a grin. ^^ I 've seed him as far gone as any-
one iver I corned across, wi' starvation ; but the
vay that fellow walked into the grub when he
got the chance was wonderful to behold ! I
thought he 'd ait me out o' the house entirely ;
and he put so much flesh on his bones in a week
or two that he was able to go about his business,
though he warn't no fatter when he began to ait
than a consumptive darnin' needle. True for ye
— it's naither walkin', starvin', nor cowld, as '11
kill Wapaw."
" What does the Black Swan think ? " in-
quired Robin.
" We shall see Wapaw when the sun is low
to-morrow," replied the Indian.
"Mayhap we shall," quoth Robin, "but it
behooves us to get the steam up for to-morrow :
so, comrades, as there 's a good clump o' timber
here away, we '11 camp."
Robin threw down his bundle as he spoke, and
his example was at once followed by the others,
each of whom set to work vigorously to assist in
preparing the encampment.
They had all the requisite implements for this
purpose, having returned, after the attack on the
Indians, for the things they had left behind
them.
" It 's a pity that we shall have to keep watch
to-night," said Walter ; " one of us will have to
THE PURSUIT. 119
do it, I faucy ; for though I don't believe these
murder in' redskins have pluck to attack us, it
would not do to trust to that."
Slugs, to whom this remark was addressed,
lowered the axe with which he was about to fell
a neighbouring tree for firewood.
" That 's true," said he, looking round him in
all directions ; '^ hold on, comrades, yonder 's a
mound with a bare top, we 'd better camp there.
Makin' a big blaze on sitch a place '11 show the
red reptiles we don't care a gunflint for them,
and they '11 not dare to come near, so we won't
have to watch."
" Arrah ! an' a purty spot it '11 be for the
blackyirds to shoot us all aisy as we 're sottin'
at supper," exclaimed Larry O'Dowd.
'' Doubtless there 's a hollow on it," rejoined
Slugs, ^' for the top is flat."
" Humph ! maybe," growled Larry, who still
seemed to object ; but, as the rest of the party
were willing to adopt the suggestion, he said no
more, and they all went to the top of the little
mound, which commanded a clear view of the
surrounding country.
As Slugs had surmised, there was a slight hol-
low on the summit of the mound, which effectu-
ally screened the party from any one who might
wish to fire at them from below ; and as there
was no other mound in the immediate neighbour-
hood, they felt quite secui-e. Huge logs were cut
120 SILVER LAKE.
and carried to the top of the mound, the snow
was cleared out of the hole, pine branches were
spread over it, the fire was kindled, the kettle
put on and filled with snow, and soon Larry
O'Dowd was involved in the heat, steam, smoke,
and activities of preparing supper, while his
comrades spread out their blankets and lay down
to smoke with their arms ready beside them.
The fire roared up into the wintry sky, causing
the mound to resemble the cone or crater of a
volcano, which could be seen for miles round.
Ever and anon, while supper was being eaten,
the Black Swan or Slugs would rise, and going
stealthily to the edge of the mound would peep
cautiously over, to make sure that none of their
enemies were approaching.
Immediately after supper, they all lay down to
sleep, but, for a time, each motionless form that
Jay rolled tightly in its blanket like an Egyptian
mummy, sent a series of little pufi^s from its head.
At last the stars came out, and the pipes dropped
from each sleeper's lips. Then the moon rose —
a circumstance which rendered their position still
more secure — and the fire sank low. But Slugs
was too cautious a hunter to trust entirely to the
alleged cowardice of the savages. He knew well
that many, indeed most of the redskins, bad as
well as good, had quite enough of mere brute
courage to make them dare and risk a good deal
for the sake of scalping a v/hite hunter ; so he
•• Tlij fii-e i-oiireu up into the wintry sky, causing the mound to resemble the cone
or ci-ater of a volcano, v.hich could be seen for miles round. '
THE PURSUIT. 121
rose once or twice during the night to replenish
the fire and take a look round ; and as often as
he rose for these purposes, so often did he observe
the glittering eye of the Black Swan glaring
round the encampment, although its owner never
once moved from his recumbent posture.
Thus the night was spent. The first glimmer
of daylight found the whole party up and
equipped for the journey.
They did not breakfast before setting out, as
they preferred to take their morning meal later
in the day. Few words were spoken. At that
early hour, and in the sleepy condition which
usually results from a very early start, men arc
seldom inclined to talk. Only one or two mono-
syllables vfere uttered as each man rolled up his
blanket with his share of the provisions in it,
and fastened on his snow-shoes. A few minutes
later Robin led the way down the slope, and the
whole party marched off in single file, and re-
entered the woods.
122 SILVER LAKE.
CHAPTER XVIII.
INTERESTING THOUGH PUZZLING DISCOVERIES.
About eight o'clock they halted for breakfast,
which Larry O'Dowd prepared with his accus-
tomed celerity, and assisted to consume with hia
wonted verocity.
'^There's nothin' like aitin' when yer hungry,"
observed Larry, with his mouth full.
'^'Xcept di'inking when you're dry," said
Stiff, ironically.
" Now I don't agree with ye," retorted Larry;
*^ I used to think so wance, before I left the owld
country — my blissin' rest on it. I used to think
there was nothin' like drink, an' sure I was
right, for there niver was anythin' like it for
turnin' a poor man into a baste; but when I
corned into the woods here I couldn't get drink
for love or money, an' sure I found, after a while,
I didn't need it, and got on better widout it, an'
enjoyed me life more for want of it. Musha I
it's little I care for drink now; but och! I've
a mortal love for aitin' ! "
It needed not Larrv's assurance to convince his
INTERESTING THOUGH PUZZLING DISCOVERIES. 123
hearers of the fact, for he consiuned nearly twice
as much dried meat as any of his comrades.
" Well, if ye don't drink gin-sling or cocktail,"
said Stiff, " you're mighty hard on the tea."
" True for ye, Stiff, it was the fav'rite tipple o'
me owld mother, an' I 'm fond of it on that score,
not to mention other raisins of a private natur\"
"Couldn't ye make these reasons public?"
said Walter.
" Unpossible ! " said Larry, with much gravity,
as he helped himself to another can of tea.
" Come, time's up," said Robin abruptly, as
he rose to put on his snow-shoes.
Larry swallowed the tea at a draught, the
others rose promptly, and in a few minutes more
they were again on the march.
Towards noon they issued out of the woods
upon a wide undulating country, which extended,
as far as the eye could see, to faint blue moun-
tains in the distance. This region was varied in
character and extremely beautiful. The undula-
tions of the land resembled in some places the
waves of the sea. In other places there were
clumps of trees like islets. Elsewhere there were
hollows in which lakelets and ponds evidently
existed, but the deep snow covered all these with
a uniform cai'pet. In some parts the ground was
irregular and broken by miniature hills, where
there were numerous abrupt and high precipices.
The party were approaching one of the latter
124 SILVER LAKE.
in the afternoon, wlien Robin suddenly paused
and pointed to a projecting ledge on the face of
one of the cliffs.
" What would ye say yonder objic' was ?" he
inquired of Slugs.
The hunter shaded his eyes with his hand,
and remained silent for a few seconds.
^^ It looks like a sled/' said he, dropping his
hand, " but how it got thar' would puzzle even
a redskin to tell, for there 's no track up to that
ledge."
" It is a sled," said Black Swan, curtl5\
"An' how came it there?" asked Robin.
" It fell from the top," replied the Indian.
"Right, lad, yer right!" said Slugs, who had
taken another long look at the object in ques-
tion ; "I see some thin' like a broken tree near
the top o' the precipice. I hope Wapaw hain't
gone an' tumbled over that cliff."
This supposition was received in silence and
with grave looks, for all felt that the thing
was not impossible, but the Indian shook his
head.
" Come, Black Swan," said Walter, " you
don't agree with us — what think ye ? "
" Wapaw had no sled with him," replied the
Indian.
" Right again ! " cried Slugs ; " I do believe
my sense is forsakin' me ; an Injun baby might
have thought of that, for his tracks are plain
INTERESTING THOUGH PUZZLING DISCOVERIES. 125
enough. Hows'ever, let 's go see, for it 's o' no
use standin' here guessin'."
The party at once advanced to the foot of the
precijDice, and for nearly an hour they did their
utmost to ascend to the ledge on which the
sledge lay, but their efforts were in vain. The
rock was everywhere too steep and smooth to
afford foot-hold.
" It won't do," said Larry, wiping the per-
spiration from his brow ; ^^ av we had wings we
might , but we hain't got 'em, so it 's o' no
manner o' use tryin'."
" We shall try from the top now," said Kobin.
" If anybody has tumbled over, the poor crittur
may be alive yet, for all we know."
They found their efforts to descend from the
top of the precipice equally fruitless and much
more dangerous, and although they spent a long
time in the attempt, and taxed their wits to the
utmost, they were ultimately compelled to leave
the place and continue their journey without at-
taining their object.
One discovery was made, however. It was
ascertained by the old marks in the snow at the
edge of the precipice that, whatever members of
the party who owned the sledge had tumbled
over, at least two of them had escaped, for their
track— faint and scarcely discernible — was traced
for some distance. It was found, also, that Wa-
paw's track joined this old one. The wounded
126 SILVER LAKE.
Indian liad fallen upon it not far from the preci-
pice, and, supposing, no doubt, that it would
lead him to some encampment, he had followed
it up. Robin and his men also followed it — in-
creasing their speed as much as possible.
Night began to descend again, but Wapaw
was not overtaken, despite the Black Swan's
prophecy. This, however, was not so much
owing to the miscalculation of the Indian, as to
the fact that a great deal of time had been lost
in their futile endeavour to reach the sledge that
had fallen over the precipice.
About sunset they came to a place where the
track tm^ned suddenly at a right angle and
entered the bushes.
" Ha ! the first travellers must have camped
here, and Wapaw has followed their example,"
said Eobin, as he pushed aside the bushes.
^* Just so, here 's the place, but the ashes are
cold, so I fear we are not so near our Injan
friend as we could wish."
'' Well, it can't be helped," cried Stiff, throw-
ing down his bundle; "we've had plenty o'
walkin' for one day, so I vote for supper right
ofP."
" I second the motion," said Walter, seizing
his axe, " seein' that the camp is ready made to
hand. Now, Larry, get your pot ready."
" Sure it 's stuffed full a'ready — an' I only
wish I was in the same state," said the Irish-
INTERESTING THOUGH PUT^/LING DISCOVERIES. 127
man, as he pressed the snow tightly into a tin
kettle, and hung it over the fire, which Slugs
had just kindled.
The supper scene of the previous night was,
in most of its details, enacted over again ; but
it was resolved that each of the party should
keep watch for an hour, as, if the Indians had
followed, there was a possibility of their hav-
ing gained on them during the delay at the
precipice.
Before the watch was set, however, and while
all the party were enjoying their pipes after
supper, the Black Swan suddenly exclaimed,
" Ho ! " and pointed with his finger to some-
thing which peeped out of the snow at Larry's
elbow, that volatile individual having uncovered
it during some of his eccentric movements.
^^It's only an owld mocassin," said Larry,
plucking the object from the snow as he spoke;
'^ some Injun lad has thi'ow'd it away for
useless."
" Hand it here," said Robin, re-lighting his
pipe, which had gone out.
Larry tossed the mocassin to his leader, who
eyed it carelessly for a moment. Suddenly he
started, and, turning the mocassin over, exa-
mined it with close and earnest attention.
Then he smiled, as if at his passing anxiety,
and dropped it on the ground.
*^ It reminded me," said he to Walter, '' of
128 SILVER LAKE.
my Nelly, for it has sometliing of the same
shape that she was fond of, an' for a moment I
was foolish enough to think it might ha' belonged
to the dear child, but — — . Come, Larry, have
'ee got any more tea there ? "
"Is it tay ye want ? faix, then, it 's little more
nor laves that's remainin'," said Larry, draining
the last drops into a pannikin; "well, there's
about half a mugfull, afther all ; it 's wonderful
what can be got out o' it sometimes by squaazin*
the pot."
" Hand it over, that's enough," said Robin,
" thank 'ee, lad — here's luck."
He di'ained the pannikin as though it had been
a glass of rum, and, smacking his lips, proceeded
leisurely to refill his pipe.
" Are ye sure it's not one of Nelly's old mo-
cassins ? " asked Walter, as he eyed the little
shoe earnestly.
" Sure enough, nephy , I would know her
mother's make among ten thousand, an' al-
though that one is oncommon like it in some
respec's, it ain't one o' hers^
" But Nelly might have made it herself,"
suggested Walter, " and that would account for
j+^.« bein' like her mother's in the make."
Robin shook his head. "Not likely," said
he, " The child didn't use to make mocassins.
I 'm not sure if she could do it at all ; besides
she was last heard of miles and miles away from
INTERESTING THOUGH PUZZLING DISCOVERIES. 129
here in another direction. No, no, Walter lad,
we mustn't let foolish fancies bother us. How-
e'ever, the sight o' this has fixed me to push on
to-morrow as hard as I can lay my legs to it, for
if Wapaw 's alive we can't fail to come up wi'
him afore sundown ; and I 'm keen to turn about
an' go after my children. I '11 push on by my-
self if ye don't care to keep up wi' me."
This latter remark was made to Stifi", whose
countenance indicated that he had no desii-e to
undertake a harder day's march than usual. The
effect of the remark was to stir up all the
Yankee's pride.
" I'll tell 'ee what it is, Mister Gore," said
he, tartly; " you may think yourself an oncom-
mon hard walker, but Obadiah Stiff is not the
man to cave in to any white man alive. I don't
care to go trampin' over the country day after
day, like the Wandering Jew, after a redskin,
as, I '11 go bound, ain't no better than the rest
o' his kind ; but if ye want to see which of our
legs is the best pair o' compasses, I '11 walk with
ye from here to hereafter, I guess, or anywhar
else ye choose ; if I don't, then my name ain't
Stiff."
** It would be well av it worn't Stiff, for ye've
no reason to be proud o't," observed Larry
O'Dowd, with a grin ; " don't spake so loud,
man, but shut up yer potatie trap and go to
roost. Ye '11 need it all if ye wouldn't like to
I
130 SILVER LAKE.
fall behind to-morrow. There now, don*t reply ;
ye 've no call to make me yer father confessor,
and apologise for boastin' ; good night, an' go
to slape ! "
The rest of the party, who had lain down,
/aughed at this sally, and Stiff, on considera-
tion, thought it best to laugh too. In a few
minutes every one in the encampment was sound
asleep, with the exception of Eobin Gore, who
took the first hour of watching, and who sat
beside the sinking fire like a man in earnest
meditation, with his eyes resting dreamily on
the worn-out mocassin.
gHORT ALLOWANCE, AND A SURPRISE. 131
CHAPTEii XIX.
AND A SURPRISE.
Once again we return to Silver Lake ; but here
we do not find affairs as we left them. True,
Roy and Nelly are still there, the hut is as snug
as it used to be, and the scenery as beautiful, but
provisions have begun to fail, and an expression
of real anxiety clouds the usually cheerful counte-
nance of Boy, while reflected anxiety sits on the
sweet little face of Nell. The winter is far ad-
vanced, and the prospect of resuming the journey
home is farther off than ever.
One morning Roy entered the hut with a slow-
step and a sad countenance.
"Nell," said he, throwing down a small fish
which he had just caught, " things look very bad
now ; seems to me that we '11 starve here. Since
we broke the long line I Ve only caught little
things like that; there 's no rabbits in the snares
— I looked at every one this mornin' — and, as
for deer, they seem to have said good-bye for the
winter. I thought of goin' out with the gun this
forenoon, but I think it a'nt o' no use, for I waa
132 SILVER LAKE.
out all yesterday without seeing a feather or a
hoof-print."
The tone in which Roy said this, and the
manner in which he flung himself down on the
ground beside the fire, alarmed his sister greatly,
so that she scarcely knew what to say.
" Don't know what 's to be done at all," con-
tin aed Roy somewhat peevishly.
This was so unlike himself that lie little girl
felt a strong tendency to burst into tears, but she
restrained herself. After a short silence, she said
somewhat timidly —
" Don't you think we might try to pray ? "
"What's the use," said Roy quickly; "I'm
sure I 've prayed often and often, and so have
you, but nothin's come of it."
It was quite evident that Roy was in a state
of rebellion. This was the first time Nelly had
suggested united prayer to her brother ; she did
it timidly, and the rebuff caused her to shrink
within herself.
Roy's quick eye observed the shrinking; he
repented instantly, and, drawing Nelly to him,
laid her head on his breast.
"Forgive me, Nell, I shouldn't have said it;
for, after all, we 've had everything given to us
here that we have needed up to this time. Come,
I will pray with you."
They both got upon their knees at once, but,
strive as he might, not a word would cross Roy's
SHORT ALLOWANCE, AND A SURPRISS. 133
lips for several minutes. Nelly raised her head
and looked at him.
'' God help us ! " he ejaculated.
" For Jesus' sake," murmured Nelly.
They both said ^*Amen" to these words, and
these were all their prayers.
Boy's rebellion of heart was gone now, but his
feelings were not yet calmed. He leaped up,
and, raising his sister, kissed her almost vio-
lently.
" Now, lass, we have prayed, and I do believe
that God will answer us ; so I '11 take my gun
and snow-shoes, an' off to the woods to look for
a deer. See that you have a roarin' fire ready to
roast him three hours hence."
Nelly smiled through her tears and said she
would, while Koy slipped his feet through the
lines of his snow-shoes, threw his powder-horn
and bullet-pouch over his shoulder, seized his
gun, and sallied forth with a light step.
When he was gone, Nelly began actively to
prepare for the fulfilment of her promise. She
took up the axe which Roy had left behind him,
and went into the forest behind the hut to cut
firewood. She was very expert at this laborious
work. Her blows were indeed light, for her
little arms, although strong for their size, were
not strong for such labour ; but she knew exactly
where to hit and how to hit. Every stroke fell
on the right spot, with the axe at the right
134 <5ILVER LAKE.
angle, bo that a chip or two flew off every time.
She panted a good deal, and grew uncommonly
warm, bnt she liked the work; her face glowed
and her eyes sparkled, and it was evident that
she was not exhausted by it. In little more than
an hour she had cut enough of dry wood to make
a fire that would have roasted an entire sheep.
Then she carried it to the hut, after which she
sat down to rest a little.
While resting, she gathered carefully together
all the scraps of food in the hut, and found that
there was still enough for two good meals ; so
she ate a small piece of dried fish, and began to
wish that Roy would return. Suddenly she was
startled by a loud fluttering noise close to the
hut, and went out to see what it could be.
It might be supposed that a little girl in such
solitary and unprotected circumstances would
have felt alarmed, and thought of wolves or
bears ; but Nelly was too well accustomed to
the dangers and risks of the backwoods to be
much troubled with mere fancies. She was well
aware that wolves and bears, as a rule, shun
the presence of human beings, and the noise
which she had heard was not of a very alarming
character.
The first sight that greeted her was a large
bird of the grouse species, sitting on a tree not
three yards from the hut. She almost felt that
by springing forward she could seize it with her
135
hands, and her first impulse was to throw the axe
at it; but, checking herself, she went noiselessly
back into the hut, and quickly reissued with the
bow and a couple of arrows.
Fitting an arrow to the string, she whispered
to herself, ^^ Oh, how I do hope I won't miss
it ! " and took a careful aim. Anxiety, however,
made her hand unsteady, for, the next moment,
the arrow was quivering in the stem of the tree
at least three inches below the bird.
A look of deep disappointment was mingled
with an expression of determination as she
pursed her little mouth and fitted the second
arrow to the string. This time she did not take
so careful an aim, but let fly at once, and her
shaft entered the bird's throat and brought it to
the ground. With a cry of delight she sprang
upon her prize, and bore it in triumph into the
hut, where she speedily plucked it. Then she
split it open, and went down to the lake and
washed it quite clean and spread it out flat. Her
next proceeding was to cut a short stick, about
two feet in length, which she pointed at both
ends, making one point thinner than the other.
This thin point she thrust through the bird, and
stuck it up before the fire to roast, placing a
small dish, made of birch bark, below it to catch
the dripping.
^^ I hope ke won't come back till its ready,"
^he muttered, a- the skin of the bird began to
136 SILVER LAKE.
brown and frizzle, while a delicious odour began
to fill the hut.
Just as the thought was uttered, a footstep
was heard outside, the covering of the doorway
was raised, a tall figure stooped to enter, aiid the
next instant a gaunt and half-naked savage
stood before her.
Nelly uttered a faint cry of terror, but she
was so paralysed that she could make no effort
to escape, even had escape been possible.
The appearance of the Indian was indeed cal-
culated to strike terror to a stouter heart than
that of poor Nelly ; for besides being partially
clad in torn garments, his eyes were sunken and
bloodshot, and his whole person was more or less
smeared with blood.
As the poor child gazed at this apparition in
horror, the Indian said ^' Ho ! " by way of salu-
tation, and stepping forward, took her hand
gently and shook it after the manner of the
white man. A gleam of intelligence and sur-
prise at once removed the look cf fear fi-om
Nelly's face.
" Wapaw I " she exclaimed breathlessly.
*^Ho!" replied the Indian, with a nod and
a smile, as he laid aside his gun and snow-
shoes, and squatted himself down before the
fire.
There was not much to be gathered from
" ho ! " but the nod and smile proved to Nelly
SHORT ALLOWANCE, AND A SURPRISE. 137
that the intruder was indeed none other than
her old friend Wapaw.
Her alarm being now removed, she perceived
that the poor Indian was suffering both from
fatigue and wounds — perhaps from hunger too ;
but this latter idea was discarded when she ob-
served that several birds, similar to the one she
had just killed, hung at the Indian's belt. She
rose up quickly, therefore, and, running down
to the lake, soon returned with a can of clear
water, with which she purposed bathing Wa-
paw's wounds. Wapaw seized the can, however,
and emptied the contents down his throat, so
she was constrained to go for a second supply.
Having washed the wounds, which were chiefly
on the head and appeared to her to be very severe,
although, in reality, they were not so, she set the
roasted bird before him and desired him to eat.
Of course she had put a great many questions
to Wapaw while thus occupied. Her residence
with the Indians had enabled her to speak and
understand the Indian tongue a little, and,
although she had some difficulty in under-
standing much of what Wapaw said in reply,
sne comprehended enough to let her know
that a number of white men had been killed
by the savages, and that Wapaw was fleeing for
his life.
On first hearing this a deadly paleness over-
spread her face, for she imagined that the white
138 SILVER LAKE.
people killed must be her own kindred; but
Wapaw quickly relieved her mind on this point.
After this he devoted himself entirely to the
roasted bird, and Nelly related to him, as well
as she could, the particulars of her own and
Roy's escape from the Indians,
MORE SURPRISING DISCOVERIES. 139
CHAPTER XX.
MORE SURPRISING DISCOVERIES.
While they were thus occupied, a cry was heard
to ring through the forest. The Indian laid his
hand on his gun, raised his head, which he
turned to one side in a listening attitude, and
sat as still as a dark statue. The only motion
that could be detected in the man was a slight
action in his distended nostrils as he breathed
gently.
This attitude was but momentary, however,
for the cry was repeated (" Hi I Nelly, hi! ") in
clear silvery tones, and Wapaw smiled as he re-
cognised Roy's voice, and quietly resumed his
former occupation.
Nelly bounded up at once, and ran out to re-
ceive her brother, and tell him of the arrival of
their old friend.
She slipped on her snow-shoes, and went off
in the direction of the cry. On rounding the
foot of a cliff she discovered Roy, standing as if
he had been petrified, with his eyes glaring at
the snow with a mingled look of surprise and
alarm.
140 SILVER LAKE.
Nelly's step aroused him.
" Ho ! Nell," lie cried, giving vent to a deep
sigh of relief, I'm thankful to see you — ^but
look here. What snow-shoe made this track?
I came on it just this moment, and it pulled me
up slick, I can tell ye."
Nelly at once removed Roy's alarm, and in-
creased his surprise by telling him of the new
arrival, who, she said, was friendly, but she did
not tell him that he was an old friend.
" But come, now, what have you got for dinner,
Roy ? " said Nelly, with an arch smile, " for oh I
I 'm so hungry."
Roy's countenance fell, and he looked like a
convicted culprit.
'' Nell, I haven't got nothin' at all."
" What a pity! we must just go supperless to
bed, I suppose."
'' Come, lass, I see by the twinkle in your eye
that you've got grub somehow or other. Has
the redskin brought some'at with him ? "
" Yes, he has brought a little ; but the best
fun is that I shot a bird myself, and had it all
ready beautifully cooked for your supper, when
Wap "
'' Well, what d'ye mean by Wap ? " inquired
Roy, as Nelly stopped short.
^' Nothing. I only meant to say that the
Indian arrived suddenly, and ate it all up."
" The villain I Well, I '11 pay him off by eatin'
MORE SURPRISING DISCOVERIES. 141
np some o' his grub. Did he say what his name
was, or where he came from? " inquired Roy.
'^ Never mind, you can ask him yourself,"
said Nelly, as they drew near to the hut ; " he
seems to me to have been badly wounded by his
enemies."
They stooped and entered the hut as Nelly
spoke. The Indian looked up at her brother,
and, uttering his wonted ^* Ho ! " held out his
hand.
" Good luck to ye ! " cried Roy, grasping it
and shaking it with a feeling of hearty hospi-
tality. '' It 's good to see yer face, though it is
a strange un ; but — hallo ! — I say — yer face ain't
BO strange, after all ! — what ! — why, you 're not
Wap — Wap — Wapaw ! "
The Indian displayed all his teeth, which were
very numerous and remarkably white, and nodded
his head gently.
^' Well now, that beats everything ! " cried
Roy, seizing the Indian's hand again and shak-
ing it violently; then, turning to Nelly, he said,
^' Come, Nell, stir yer stumps and pluck two o'
them birds : I '11 split 'em, an' wash 'em, an'
roast 'em, an' we '11 all eat 'em — Wapaw '11 be
ready for more before it 's ready for him. Jump,
now, an' see if we don't have a feast to-night, if
we should starve to-morrow. But I say, Wapaw.
don't ye think the redskins may be after yon
yet?"
142 SILVER LAKE.
The first part of this speech was uttered in
wild glee, but the last sentence was spoken more
earnestly, as the thought occurred to him that
Wapaw might have been closely pursued, for
Nelly had told him of the Indian having been
wounded by enemies and obliged to fly.
Wapaw shook his head, and made his young
friend understand as well as he could that there
was little chance of that, as he had travelled
with the utmost speed in order to distance his
pursuers, and induce them to give up the
chase.
" Well, it may be as you say, friend," observed
K,oy, as he sat down before the fire and pulled
off his hunting mocassins and socks, which he
replaced by lighter foot-gear more suited to the
hut ; " but I don't much like the notion o' givin'
them a chance to come up and cut all our throats
at once. It's not likely, however, that they'll
be here to-night, considerin' the pace you say
you came at, so we '11 make our minds easy, but
with your leave we '11 cut our sticks to-morrow,
an' make tracks for Fort Enterprise. We han't
got much in the way o' grub to start wi', it is
true, but we have enough at least for two days'
eatin', and for the rest, we have our guns and
you to be our guide."
This plan was agreed to by Wapaw, who there-
upon advised that they should all lie down to
sleep without delay. Roy, who was fatigued
MORE SURPRISING DISCOVERIES. 143
with his day's exertions, agreed, and in less than
half an hour the three were sound asleep.
Next morning they arose with the sun, much
refreshed ; and while Wapaw and Nelly collected
together and packed on their new sledge the few
things that they possessed, Roy went for the last
time to cast his line in Silver Lake. He was
more fortunate than usual, and returned in an
hour with four fine fish of about six pounds'
weight each.
With this acceptable, though small, addition
to their slender stock of provisions, they left the
hut about noon, and commenced their journey,
making a considerable detour in order to avoid
meeting with any of the Indians who might
chance to have continued the pursuit of Wapaw.
That same evening, towards sunset, a party
of hunters marched out of the woods, and stood
upon the shores of Silver Lake, the tracks about
which they began to examine with particular
interest. There were six of the party, five of
them being white hunters, and one an Indian.
We need scarcely add that they were our friend
Robin and his companions.
*^ I tell 'ee what it is," cried Robin, in an ex-
cited tone, "that's my Nelly's fut; I'd know
the prints o't among a thousand, an' it 's quite
plain Roy is with her, an' that Wapaw has come
on 'em, for their tracks are clear."
" Sure it looks like it," observed Larry O'Dowd,
l44 SILVER LAKE.
scratching his head as if in perplexity, " but
the tracks is so mixed up, it ain't aisy to foUer
em."
^' See, here's a well-beaten track goin' into
the wood ! " cried Walter, who had, like his com-
panions, been searching among the bushes.
Every one followed Walter, who led the way
towards the hut, which was finally discovered
witli a thin, scarcely perceptible line of smoke
still issuing from the chimney. They all stopped
at once, and held back to allow Robin to advance
alone. The poor man went forward with a beat-
ing heart, and stopped abruptly at the entrance,
where he stood for a few seconds as if he were
unable to go in. At length he raised the curtain
and looked in ; then he entered quickly.
" Gone, Walter, they 're gone ! " he cried ;
^^ come in, lad, and see. Here 's evidence o' my
dear children everywhere. It's plain, too, that
they have left only a few hours agone."
"True for ye, the fire's hot," said Larry,
lighting his pipe from the embers in testimony
of the truth of his assertion.
" They can't be far off," said Slugs, who was
examining every relic of the absent ones with
the most minute care. " The less time we lose
in follerin' of 'em the better — what think ye,
lad?" The Black Swan Lodded his approval of
the sentiment.
"What! without sleep or supper?" cried
MORE SURPRISING DISCOVERIES. 115
Stiff, wliose enthusiasm in the chase had long
ago evaporated.
"Ay," said Robin sternly, "7 start nmv.
Let those stop here who will."
To do Stiff justice^ his objections were never
pressed home, so he comforted himself with a
quid of tobacco, and accompanied Robin and his
men with dogged resolution when they left the
hut. Plunging once more into the forest, they
followed up the track all night, as they had
already followed it up all day.
146 SILYEB LAKE.
CHAPTER XXI.
A GLADSOME MEETING.
Some hours before dawn Robin Gore came to an
abrupt pause, and looking over his shoulder,
held up his hand to command silence. Then he
pointed to a small mound, on the top of which a
faint glow of light was seen falling on the boughs
of the shrubs with which it was crowned.
The moon had just set, but there was suffi-
cient light left to render surrounding objects
pretty distinct.
"That's them," said Robin to Walter, in a
low whisper, as the latter came close to his side ;
" no doubt they 're sound asleep, an' I 'm puzzled
how to wake 'em up without givin' 'em a
fright."
" Musha ! it 's a fright that Wapaw will give
us, av we start him suddenly, for he 's murtherin'
quick wi' his rifle," whispered Larry.
"We'd better hide and then give a howl,"
suggested Stiff, " an', after they 're sot up, bring
'em down with a familiar hail."
A GLADSOME MEETING. 147
The deliberations of the party were cut short
apd rendered unnecessary, however, by Wapaw
himself. That sharp-eared red man had been
startled by the breaking of a branch which Larry
O'Dowd chanced to set his foot on, and, before
Robin had observed their fire, he had roused
Roy and Nelly and hurried with them to the
summit of a rocky eminence, from which strong-
hold they now anxiously watched the proceedings
of the hunters. The spot to which they had fled
for refuge was almost impregnable, and might
have been held for hours by a couple of resolute
men against a host of savages.
Robin, after a little further consultation, re-
solved to send the Black Swan in advance to
reconnoitre. This he did, contrary to his wonted
custom of taking the lead in everything, because
of an unaccountable feeling of dread lest he
should not find his children there.
Black Swan at once stepped cautiously forward
with his rifle, ready cocked, in the hollow of his
left arm, and his finger on the trigger-guard.
Step by step he moved towards the encampment
without making the slightest noise, and with so
little motion that he might easily have been mis-
taken for a dark shadow. Raising his head over
the edge of the encampment he gazed earnestly
info it, then he advanced another pace or two,
finally he stepped into it, and, standing erect,
148 SILVER LAKE.
looked around him. With a wave of his hand
he summoned his comrades to advance. Robin
Gore's heart beat hard as he approached, followed
by the others.
Meanwhile they were closely watched by Koy
and Wapaw. When the Black Swan's head
appeared, Roy exclaimed in a whisper, "An
Injun — d'ye know him, Wapaw? "
^^ He is one of our tribe, I think," replied the
Indian, in the same low voice, " but I know hini;
not; the light of the fire is not strong."
" If he 's one o' your tribe," said Roy, " it *s
all up with us, for they won't be long o' findin'
us here. Keep close to me, Nell. I '11 stick by
you, lass, don't fear."
Wapaw's brows lowered when he saw the Black
Swan step into the encampment, and make the
signal to his comrades to advance. He raised
his rifle, and took deliberate aim at his heart.
*^ Roy," he whispered, "get an arrow ready,
aim at the next man that steps into the light and
let fly ; I '11 rot fire till after you, for the smoke
would blind you."
Roy obeyed with a trembling hand. Notwith-
standing the rough life he had led in those wild
woods of the West, he had never yet been called
on to lift his hand against a human being, and
the thought of taking life in this deliberate and
almost murderous way caused him to shudder ;
Wapaw's brow lowered when he saw the Black Swan step into the
encampment "
A GLADSOME MEETING. i49
still he felt that their case was desperate, and he
nerved himself to the deed.
Another moment, and Robin stood beside the
Black Swan. Roy tried to raise his bow, but
his heart failed him. Wapaw glanced at him,
and said sternly —
<* Shoot first."
At that moment Obadiah Stiit stepped into
the encampment, and, stirring the embers of the
fire with a piece of stick, caused a bright flame
and showers of sparks to shoot upwards. This
revealed the fact that some of the party were
white men, so Wapaw lowered his rifle. A
single glance of his practised eye told him who
they were. Laying his hand suddenly and
heavily on Roy's shoulder he pressed him down.
*' Come, let us go," he said quickly ; *^ I must
see these men alone, and you must keep close —
you must not looh^^
He said the latter words with emphasis ; but
in order to make sure that they should not have
a chance of looking, he led his young com-
panions to a point whence the encampment could
not be seen, and left them there with strict in-
junctions not to quit the spot until he should
return.
In a few seconds Wapaw stepped into the
circle of light where Robin and his party were all
assembled, and so rapid and noiseless had his
150 (SILVER LAKE.
movements been, that he was iu the midst of
them almost before they were aware of his aji-
preach.
"Wapaw!" exclaimed Walter iu sm-prise,
"why, you seem to have dropped from the
clouds."
" Sure it 's a ghost ye must be,*' cried Larry.
The Indian took no notice of these remarks,
but turned to Robin, who, with a look of deep
anxiety, said —
" Have 'ee seed the childer, Wapaw?*'
" They are safe," answered the Indian.
" Thank God for that ! " cried Eobin, while a
sigh of relief burst from him: "I believe ye,
Wapaw, yer a true man an' wouldn't tell me a
lie, would ye?"
The tone in which the hunter said this implied
that the statement was scarcely a true index to
his feelings, and that he would be glad to hear
Wapaw assure him that he was indeed telling
the truth. But this Indian was a man of truth-
fulness, and did not deem it necessary to repeat
his assertion. He said, however, that he would
go and fetch the children, and immediately
quitted the camp. Soon after he returned with
Eoy and Nelly ; he had not told them, however,
who the strangers were.
When Roy first caught sight of his father he
gave a shout of surprise, and stood still as if he
A GLADSOME MEETING.
151
were bewildered. Nelly uttered a wild scream,
and rushed forward with outstretched arms.
Robin met her more than half way, and the
next moment folded his long-lost little one to
\na bosom.
152 SILVER LAKB.
CHAPTER XXIL
AT SILVER LAKE ONCE MORE.
It were needless to detail all that was said and
done during the remainder of that night, or,
rather, morning, for day began to break soon
after the happy meeting narrated in the last
chapter. It would require more space than we
can afford to tell of all that was said and done ;
how Robin embraced his children over and over
again in the strength of his love, and thanked
God in the fervom' of his gratitude ; how Roy
and Nelly were eager to relate all that had be-
fallen them since they were carried away into
captivity, in a much shorter time than such a
long story could by any possibility be told ; how
Walter rendered the telling of it much more
difficult by frequent interruptions with eager
questions, which induced divergencies from
which the tale-tellers forgot to return to the
points where the interruptions occurred ; how
Larry O'Dowd complicated matters by some-
times volunteering anecdotes of his own illus-
trative of points similar to those which were
being related ; how Slugs always cut these anec-
dotes short with a facetious poke in the ribs,
AT SILVER LAKE ONCE MORE. 153
which caused Larry to howl ; how Stiff rendered
confusion worse confounded by trying to cook
some breakfast, and by upsetting the whole
affair into the fire j and how the children them-
selves broke in on their own discourse continu-
ally with sudden and enthusiastic questions as
to the health of their mother and the welfare of
the live stock at Fort Enterprise.
All this cannot be described, therefore we
leave it to the vivid imagination of the reader.
" Now, comrades," said Kobin, after the sun
had risen, after breakfast had been recooked
and eaten, after every incident had been related
at least twice over, and after every conceivable
question had been asked four or ^ye times —
*^ now, comrades, it remains for us to ^ what
we '11 do."
<^ To the Fort," said Larry O'Dowd abruptly.
" Ay — home ! " cried Walter.
^* Oh yes — home — home! " exclaimed Roy and
Nelly in the same breath.
'' Ditto," observed Obadiah Stiff.
Slugs and the Black Swan, being men of few
words, said nothing, but nodded approval,
" Well, it's quite plain that we 're all of one
mind," resumed Robin; ^' nevertheless, there are
one or two points to which I ax yer attention.
In the first place, it 's now near the end of No-
vember. Fort Enterprise, in a straight line,
more nor three weeks' march from hereaway.
154 SILVER LAKE.
Our provisions is low. When I left the Fort
provisions was low there too, an' if my brother
Jeff ha'nt had more nor his usual luck in
huntin' they '11 be lower yet before long. Now,
I think it would be better to go back to Silver
Lake for a week or so, hunt an' fish there till
we Ve got a good supply, make noo sleds, load
'em chock full, an' then — ho ! for home. What
say ye to that, comrades ? "
As every one assented readily to this plan,
they proceeded at once to carry it into execu-
tion. At first, indeed, Nelly looked a little dis-
appointed, saying that she wanted to get to her
darling mother without delay ; but, on Walter
pointing out to her that it would only delay
matters a week or so, and that it would enable
the whole party to rest and recruit, and give
Wapaw time to recover thoroughly from his
wounds, she became reconciled, and put on hei
snow-shoes to return to Silver Lake with some
degree of cheerfulness ; and when, in the course
of that day's walk, she began to tell her father of
all the beauties and wonders of Silver Lake, she
was not only reconciled but delighted to return.
" father I" said she, as they walked briskly
through the forest, " you 've no notion what a
be-utiful place Silver Lake is. It 's so clear, and
so — so — oh ! I don't know how to tell you ; so
like the fairy places Walter used to tell us of, with
clear water and high cliffs, and the clouds shin-
AT SILVER LAKE OKCE MORE. 155
ing np at the clouds shining down, and two suns
- — one below and another above. And then the
hut! we made it all ourselves."
^^What! made the trees and all ? " said Robin,
with a smile.
" No, of course not the trees ; but we cut the
trees and piled 'em up, and spread the brush-
wood, and — and — then the fish I we caught such
big ones."
"How big, Nelly?"
" Oh, ever so big!"
"How big may that be?"
" Well, some were so long (measuring off the
size on her arm), an' some near as long as my
leg — an' they were good to eat too — so good!
you 've no notion ; but you '11 see and taste 'em
too. Then there 's the shooskin' I Did you ever
shoosk, father?"
" No, lass — ^leastways I don't remember, if I
did."
" But you know what it is ? "
"To be sure, Nelly ; ha'nt I seed ye do it
often on the slopes at Fort Enterprise?"
" Well, the shooskin' here is far, far better.
The firjt time Roy did it he said it nearly banged
all his bones to pieces — yes, he said he felt as if
his backbone was shoved up into his brain ; and
I sometimes thought it would squeeze all my
ribs together. Oh, it is so nice ! You shall try
it, father."
156 SILVER LAKE.
Eobin laughed heartily at this, and remarked
that he would be very glad to try it, though he
had no particular desire to have his ribs squeezed
together, or his backbone shoved up into his
brain I
Then Nelly went on with great animation and
volubility to tell of the trapping of the bear, and
the snaring of rabbits, and the catching of fish,
and of Roy's peculiar method of wading into the
lake for ducks, and many other things.
Roy, meanwhile, entertained Walter and Larry
O'Dowd with a somewhat similar account of
their doings during the months of their residence
in that wild region ; and thus the journey was
beguiled, so that the time seemed to pass on
swallows' wings.
Towards evening the party approached the
spot where Silver Lake had first burst upon the
enraptured gaze of the wandering pair. As they
drew near, Roy and Nelly hurried on in advance,
and, mounting the fallen tree on which they had
formerly rested, waved to the others to come on,
and shouted for glee. And well might they
shout, for the evening happened to be brighter
and calmer, if possible, than the one on which
they first saw the lake. The rolling clouds were
whiter, too, and the waters looked more silvery
than ever.
The exclamations of delight, and the looks of
admiration with which the glorious scene was
AT SILVER LAKE ONCE MORE. 157
greeted by the hunters when they came up,
gratified the hearts of Roy and Nelly very much.
" Oh, how I wish mother was here to see it ! "
cried Nelly.
"Ain't that a place for a king to live in,
daddy?" said Roy, enthusiastically.
" So 'tis, lad, so 'tis — leastwise it's a goodish
spot for a hunter. How say you. Slugs ? "
Slugs smiled grimly, and nodded his head.
" Would the red man like to pitch his wigwam
there ? " said Robin, addressing the Black Swan.
" He has pitched his wigwam here before,"
replied the Black Swan softly. " When he first
took the White Swan home to be his mate, he
came to hunt here."
" Och ! is it the honeymoon ye spint here ? "
broke iL Larry. " Faix, it's a purty spot for
courtin', and no mistake. Is that a beehive over
there ? " he added, pointing across the lake.
"Why that's our hut — our 2^alace,^^ cried
Nell, with gleeful look.
" Then the sooner we get down to it, and have
supper, the better," observed Walter, " for we '11
have to work hard to-morrow."
" Come along, then,'' cried Robin, " an' go
you ahead, Roy; beat the track, and show us
the way."
Roy accepted the position of honour. Nelly
followed him, and the whole band marched off
in single file along the shores of Silver Lake.
158 SILVER LAKE.
They soon readied the hut, and here again Nelly
found many interesting points to dilate upon.
She poured her words into willing and sympa-
thetic ears, so that she monopolised nearly all
the talk during the time that Larry O'Dowd was
preparing supper.
When that meal was being eaten the conver
sation became more general. Plans were dis-
cussed as to the intended procedure on the mor-
row, and various courses of action fixed. After
that, as a matter of course, the pipes came out,
and while these were being smoked, only the
talkative members of the party kept up the con-
versation at intervals. Roy and Nelly having
exhausted all they had to say, began to feel
desperately sleepy, and the latter, having laid
her head oji her father's knee, fell sound asleep
in that position. Soon the pipes were smoked
out, the fire was replenished, the blankets un-
rolled; and in a very brief period of time the
whole party was in a state of happy unconscious-
ness, with the exception of poor Wapaw, whose
wounds made him rather restless, and the Black
Swan, whose duty it was to take the first watch ;
for it was deemed right to set a watch, lest by
any chance the Indians should have followed the
hunters' tracks, though this was not probable.
Next morning Robin aroused the sleepers
somewhat abruptly by shooting a gray hen with
his rifle £com the tent door.
AT SILVER LAKE ONCE MORE. 1 59
^' There 's breakfast for you and me, Nelly, at
any rate,'' remarked the hunter, as he went down
to the lake to secure his bird.
^^ An' won't there be the bones and feathers
for the rest of us ? " observed Larry, yawning,
" so we won't starve this day, anyhow."
In a few minutes every man was actively en-
gaged in work of some sort or other. Robin and
Walter prepared fishing-lines from some pieces
of buckskin parchment ; Black Swan and Slugs
went out to cut wood for making sledges ; Stiff
repaired the snow-shoes of the party, or rather
assisted Nelly in this operation ; and Larry at-
tended to the preparation of breakfast. Wapaw
was the only one who lay still, it being thought
better to make him rest, and get strong for the
approaching journey.
During the course of the day the lines were
tried, and a good number of fish caught. Slugs
also went off in search of deer, and returned in
the evening with a large stag on his broad
shoulders. This raised the spirits of the party
greatly, and they feasted that night, with much
rejoicing, on venison, marrowbones, and broiled
fish I
Thus they spent their time for several days.
One party went regularly every morning to fish
in the ice-holes ; another party roamed the woods,
and returned with grouse, or rabbits, and some-
times with deer ; while some remained, part of
160 SILVER LAKE.
the day at least, in the hut, mending snow-shoes
and moccasins, and making other preparations.
In the midst of all this busy labour, the shoosk-
ing was not forgotten. One day Robin said to
his little daughter, at breakfast, that as they had
got nearly enough of provisions for the journey
they would take a holiday and go and have a
shoosk. The proposal was hailed with delight,
and the whole party went off with the new
sledges, and spent the forenoon in sliding and
tumbling down the hills like very children.
At last everything was ready for a start. The
provisions were tightly fastened on the sledges,
which were to be drawn by each of the men in
turn. Snow-shoes were put on, guns and bows
looked to and shouldered, and on a bright, frosty
December morning the hunters left the hut,
struck into the woods, and set out for Fort
Enterprise.
At the top of the slope, beside the fallen tree,
they stopped with one consent and gazed back ;
and there Nelly took her last sad look at Silver
Lake, and sorrowfully said her last farewelL
THE HAPPIEST MEETING OF ALL. 161
CHAPTER XXIIL
THE HAPPIEST MEETING OF ALL.
The snow was driving througli the forests and
over the plains of the North American wilder-
ness ; the wind was shrieking among the tree-
tops, and whirling the drift in great clouds high
up into the frosty air ; and the sun was setting
in a glow of fiery red, when, on the last day of
the year, Robin Gore and his followers came to
an abrupt halt, and, with one consent, admitted
that ^* the thing was impossible."
^' We can't do it, boys," said Robin, resting
his rifle against a tree ; '^ so it 's o' no use to
try. The Fort is good ten miles off, an' the
children are dead beat "
" No they ain't," interrupted Roy, whose tone
and aspect, however, proved that his father's
statement was true; " at least I^m not beat
yet — I 'm game for two or three hours more."
'' Well, lad, p'raps ye are, but Nelly ain't ; so
we '11 camp here, an' take 'em by surprise in the
morning early."
Nelly, who had been carried on the backs of
those who had broadest shoulders during the last
162 SILVER LAKE.
dozen miles, smiled faintly when spoken to, and
said she was " ve-y s'eepy ! "
So they set to work in the usual style, and
were soon comfortably seated in their snowy en-
campment.
Next morning before dawn Robin awoke them.
" Ho ! " he cried, " get up, lads, look alive I
A. happy New Year to 'ee all, young an' old, red
an' white. Kiss me, Nell, dear — a shake o' yer
paw, Roy. An' it 's a good New Year's day, too,
in more ways than one, praise the Almighty for
that."
The whole party was astir immediately, and
that feeling of kindly brotherhood whicli usually
pervades the hearts of men on the first day of a
new year, induced them to shake hands heartily
all round.
'' You '11 eat your New Year's dinner at home,
after all," said Walter to Nelly.
" Sure, an' it 's a happy 'ooman yer mother '11
be this good day," said Larry, as he stirred up
the embers of the fire, and blew them into a
flame.
The kettle was boiled, and a good breakfast
eaten, because, although it is usually the custom
for hunters to start on their day's journey, and
accomplish a good many miles of it before break-
fast, they had consideration for Roy and Nelly,
both of whom were still sufiering a little from
the fatigue of the previous day. They hoped to
THE HAPPIEST MEETING OF ALL. 163
be at Fort Enterprise in about four hours, and
were anxious to arrive fresh.
The sun was rising when they reached the top
of a ridge, whence they could obtain a distant
view of the Fort.
'• Here we are at home, Nelly," said Robin,
stooping down to kiss his child on the forehead.
'' Darling, darling mother I " was all that
poor Nelly could say, as she tried in vain to see
the Fort through the tears which sprang to her
eyes.
" Don't you see it, Nell ? " said Roy, passing
his arm round his sister's waist.
" No, I don't," cried Nelly, brushing the tears
away ; " oh, do let us go on ! "
Robin patted her on the head, and at once
resumed the march.
* * * ♦
That morning Mrs Grore rose from her bed
about the saddest woman in the land. Her
mind flew back to the last New Year's day,
when her children were lost to her, as she
feared, for ever. The very fact that people are
usually more jocose, and hearty, and happy,
on the first day of the year, was sufficient to
make her more sorrowful than usual ; so she
got up and sighed, and then, not being a woman
of great self-restraint, she wept.
In a few minutes she dried her eyes, and took
up her Bible, and, as she read its blessed Dages,
161 SILVER LAKE.
she felt comfort — such as the world can neither
give nor take away — gradually stealing over
her soul. When she met her kinsman and
his friends at breakfast she was comparatively
cheerful, and returned their hearty salutation
with some show of a reciprocal spirit.
^^Jeff," said Mrs Gore, with a slight sigh,
^4t's a year, this day, since my two darlings
were lost in the snow."
^^D'ye say so?" observed Jeff, as he sat
down to his morning meal, and commenced eat-
ing with much voracity.
Jeff was not an unkind man, but he was very
stupid. He said nothing more for some time,
but, after consuming nearly a pound of venison
steak, he observed suddenly —
'^ Wall, I guess it wor a bad business that —
worn't it, missus?"
'' It was," responded Mrs Gore; and, feeling
that she had no hope of meeting with sympathy
from Jeff, she relapsed into silence. After a
time, she said —
" But we must get up a feast, Jeff. It won't do
to let New Year's day pass without a good dinner."
^^ That's true as gosp'l," said Jeff. ^^ Feed-
up is my motto, always. It don't much matter
wot turns up, if ye don't feed up yer fit for
nothin' ; but, contrairy-wise, if ye do feed up,
why yer ready for anythin' or nothin', as the
case may be."
THE HAPPIEST MEETING OF ALL. 165
Having given vent to this sentiment, Jeff
finished his meal with a prolonged draught of tea.
'' Wall, now," said he, filling his pipe,
" we 've got enough o' deer's meat an' other
things to make a pretty fair feast, missus, but
my comrades and we will go an' try to git some-
thin' fresh for dinner. If we git nothin' else
we '11 git a appetite and that's worth a good long
march any day; so, lads, if"
Jeff's speech was interrupted here by a sudden
and tremendous outburst of barking on the part
of the dogs of the establishment. He sprang
up and hastened to the door, followed by his
companions and Mrs Gore.
*^ Injuns, mayhap ; see to your guns, boys, we
can niver be sure o' the reptiles."
^^ They're friendly," observed one of Jeff's
friends, as they stood at the Fort gate ; " ene-
mies never come on in that straightforward
fashion."
"Not so sure o' that," said Jeff. "I've
seen redskins do somethin' o' that kind when
they meant mischief; but, if my eyes ain't tell-
ing lies, I'd say there were white men there."
" Ay, an' young folk, too," remarked one of
the others.
" Young folk ! " exclaimed Mrs Gore, as she
shaded her eyes from the sun with her hand,
and gazed earnestly at the band which was ap-
proaching.
1:66 SILVER LAKE.
Suddenly one of them ran a little in ad-
vance of the rest, and waved a handkerchief.
The figure was a small one. A faint cheer was
heard in the distance. It was followed, or
rather accompanied, by a loud, manly, and
well-known shout.
Mrs Gore grew pale, and would have fallen to
the ground had not Jeff caught and supported
her.
^' Why, I do declare it 's Robin — an' — eh I if
there beant the children wi' 'im ! "
The advancing party broke into a run as he
spoke, another loud cheer burst forth, and in a
few seconds ISTelly was locked once more in her
dear mother's arms.
coKOLusioiii; i67
CHAPTER XXiy,
CONCLUSION.
It is not necessary to say that there was joy
— powerful, inexpressible — ^within the wooden
walls of Fort Enterprise on that New Year's
morning, and a New Year's hymn of praise
welled up continually from the glad mother's
heart, finding expression sometimes in her voice,
but oftener in her eyes, as she gazed upon the
faces of her dear ones, the lost and found.
The flag at Fort Enterprise, which had not
flaunted its red field from the flagstaff since the
sad day — that day twelve months exactly — when
the children were lost, once more waved gaily in
the frosty air, and glowed in the beams of the
wintry sun. The sound of joyful revelry, which
had not been heard within the walls of the Fort
for a long, long year, once again burst forth
with such energy that one might have been led
to suppose its being pent up so long had inten-
sified its power.
The huge fireplace roared, and blazed, and
crackled, with a log so massive that no other
Yule log in the known world could have held a
168 SILVER LAKE.
candle to it; and in, on, and around that fire
were pots, pans, and goblets innumerable, all of
which hissed, and spluttered, and steamed at
Larry O'Dowd, as if with glee at the sight of
his honest face once again presiding over his
own peculiar domain. And the parlour of Fort
Enterprise — that parlour which we have men-
tioned as being Robin's dining-room and draw-
ing-room, besides being his bedroom and his
kitchen — was converted into a leafy bower by
means of pine branches and festooned evergreens,
and laid out for a feast the like of which had
not been seen there for many a day, and which
was transcendently more magnificent than that
memorable New Year's day dinner which had
been cooked, but not eaten, just three hundred
and sixty-five days before.
In short, everything in and about Fort Enter-
prise bore evidence that its inmates meant to
rejoice and make merry on that first day of a
new year, as it was meet they should do under
such favourable chxumstances.
Jeff Gore had shot a deer not many days
before, and one of its fat haunches was to be
the great dish of the feast ; but Robin said that
it was not enough : so, after the first congratu-
lations were over, he and Walter, and Slugs,
and Black Swan, set off into the forest, and ere
long returned with several brace of grouse, and
a few rabbits. Roy, with a very sly look, had
CONCLUSION. 169
asked leave to go and have a walk on snow-shoes
In the woods with Nelly before dinner, but his
father threatened to lock him up in the cellar,
so he consented to remain at home for that day
and assist his mother.
'' Now, Nelly, you and Roy will come help me
to prepare the feast," said Mrs Gore, whose eyes
were swollen with joyful weeping till they looked
like a couple of inflamed oysters ; '^ not that
there 's much to do, for, now that Larry is come
back, we '11 leave everything to him except the
pl-plum-poo-poo-ding — oh ! r/^^/ darling ! "
Here Mrs Gore broke down for the fifteenth
time, and, catching Nelly to her bosom, hugged
her.
" Darling mother ! " sighed Nelly.
^^ Och ! but it 's a sight good for sore eyes,
anyhow " exclaimed Larry, looking up from his
occupation among the steaming pots and pans.
Wapaw, who was the only other member of
the party who chose to remain in the house dur-
ing the forenoon of that day, sat smoking his
pipe in the chimney corner, and regarded the
whole scene with that look of stoical solemnity
which is peculiar to North American Indians.
^^ Come, I say, this '11 never do, mother,"
cried Roy, going to the flour-barrel which stood
in a corner. " If we 're to help you wi' that 'ere
poodin', let 's have at it at once."
Thus admonished, Mrs Gore and her recovered
170 SILVER LAKE.
progeny set to work and fabricated a plum-
pudding, which was nearly as hard, almost as
heavy as, and much larger than a sixty-four
pound cannon ball. It would have killed with
indigestion half a regiment of artillery, but it
could not affect the hardened frames of these
men of the backwoods !
In course of time the board was spread, the
viands smoked upon it, and the united p?rty set
to work. Mrs Gore sat at the head of the table,
with Nelly on one side and Roy on the other.
Robin sat at the foot, supported by the White
Swan on his right, and Wapaw on his left.
Ranged between these were Walter, Slugs, the
Black Swan, Jeff Gore, Obadiah Stiff, the two
other strangers who came with Jeff, and Larry
O'Dowd — for Larr}^ acted the part of cook only,
and did not pretend to " wait." After he had
placed the viands on the table, he sat down with
the rest. These backwoodsmen ignored waiters.
They passed their plates from hand to hand, and
when anything was wanted by any one he rose to
fetch it himself.
After the plates were cleared away, the tea-
kettle was put on the table. In some parts of
the backwoods spirits are (fortunately) so diffi-
cult to procure, that hunters and trappers live
for many months without tasting a drop, and get
into the habit of doing entirely without intoxi-
cating drink of any kind. Robin had no spirits
CONCLUSION. 171
except animal spirits, but lie had plenty of tea.
When it was poured out into huge cups, which
might have been styled small slop-basics^ and
sweetened and passed round, Robin applied his
knuckles to the table to command silence.
" Friends," said he, ^^ I niver wos much o' a
speechifier, but I could always manage to blurt
out my meanin' somehow. Wot I 've got to say
to you this day is, I 'm thankful to the Almighty
for givin' me back my cliilder, an' I 'm right glad
to see ye all under my roof this Noo Year's day,
and so 's the wife, I know — ain't ye, Molly, my
dear?"
To this appeal Mrs G. replied with a hysterica'
ye-es, and an application of her apron to the in-
flamed oyster?. Robin continued —
^^ Well, I'm sorry there ain't nothin' stronger
in the fort to give 'ee than tea, but for my part
I find it strong enough to keep up my spirits,
an' yer all heartily welcome to swig buckets-full
o' that. There 's an old fiddle in the store. If
any o' ye can scrape a tune, we '11 have a dance.
If not, why we '11 sing and be jolly."
This speech was followed up by another from
Obadiah Stiff, who, with a countenance of the
deepest solemnity, requested permission to make
a few brief observations.
'^ Friends," said he, turning the quid of
tobacco which usually graced his right cheek
into his left, " it's not every day a man's got a
172 SILVER LAKE.
cHance o' — o' wot I was agoin' to obsarve is, that
men who are so much indebted to their much-
respected host as — as (Nelly happened to sneeze
at this point, and distracted Stiff's attention) as
— yes, I guess we ha'nt often got the chance to
chase the redskins, and — and. In short, with-
out makin' an onnecessair}^ phrase about it — I 'm
happy to say that / can play the fiddle, so here 's
luck."
Mr Stiff sat down abruptly and drained his
cup at a draught.
" Pr'aps," said Larry, with a twinkle in his
eye, " Mister Stiff would favour the company wi'
a song before we commence to cut capers."
'^ Hear, hear I " from Walter.
^' Hurrah I " from Roy.
Mr Stiff cleared his throat and began at once.
The tune was so dolorous, and the voice so un-
musical, that in any other circumstances it would
have been intolerable, but there were lines in it
touching upon ^^ good fellowship " which par-
tially redeemed it, and in the last verse there was
reference made to " home," and ^'absent friends,"
which rendered it a complete success, insomuch
that it was concluded amid rapturous cheering,
so true is it, as Walter observed, that ^* one
touch of nature covers a multitude of sins I "
"Let's drink to absent friends an' owld Ire-
land," cried Larry, filling his cup and pushing
the kettle round.
CONOLUSION. 173
This was drunk with enthusiasm, and was fol-
lowed by a succession of toasts and songs, which
were drunk and sung not at the table, but ''ound
the fire, to which the party withdrew in order to
enjoy their pipes more thoroughly. Then fol-
lowed a number of anecdotes of stories — some
true, some doubtful, and some fabricated — which
were listened to with deep interest, not only by
Roy and Nelly, but by the whole party, in-
cluding the Indians, who listened intently, with
faces like owls, although they did not understand
a word that was said.
Many of these stories were so touching that
poor Mrs Gore's eyes became more inflamed and
more oyster-like than ever. Nelly, too, became
sympathetic, and her eyes were similarly affected.
When the evening was pretty well advanced,
the violin was sent for and tuned, and Stiff
turned out to be a very fair player of Scotch
reels ; so the party laid aside their pipes, cleared
the floor, and began to dance.
It was rough but hearty dancing. Each
dancer composed his own steps on the spur of
the moment, but executed them with a degree of
precision and violence that would have caused
civilised dancing masters to blush with shame and
envy. Mrs Gore and Nelly danced too, weeping
the while with joy, and so did the White Swan,
but her performances were peculiar. She danced
with a slowness of manner and a rigidity of
174 SILVER LAKE.
person that are utterly indescribahle. She loc)ked
as if all her joints had become inflexible, except
those of her knees, and her arms hung straight
down at her sides, while she pendulated about
the floor and gazed at the rafters in deep
solemnity.
How they did keep it up, to be sure ! Men of
the backwoods find it no easy matter to fatigue
their muscles or exhaust their spirits, so they
danced all night, and a considerable portion of
next morning too. Long before they gave in,
however, the females were obliged to retire.
They lay down on their rude couches without
taking the trouble to undress, and in a few
moments after were sound asleep — Nelly locked
in her mother's arms, with their two cheeks touch-
ing, their dishevelled hair mingling, and a few
tears welling from their inflamed eyes, and
mixing as they flowed slowly down their united
noses. Sleeping thus, the mother dreamed of
home, and Nelly dreamed of Silver Lake.
Reader, our tale is told. We have not space
to tell of what befell Robin Gore and his family
in after life, but we may remark, in conclusion,
that although Robin stoutly refused to go back
to civilisation, in the course of a few years
civilisation considerately advanced to him, and
the wild region, which was once a dense forest
CONCLUSIOlr.
175
around Fort Enterprise, finally became (to Mrs
Gore's inexpressible joy) a flourishing settle-
ment, in which were heard the sounds of human
industry, and the tinkle of the Sabbath bell.
li- M. Ballantyne,
Boston Public Library
Central Library, Copley Square
Division of
Reference and Research Services
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