After they had travelled for several miles down the river, Has-se
turned the bow of the canoe into a sluggish bayou, that wound, with
innumerable turnings, amid vast limitless expanses of salt-marsh. This
stream led into others that formed such a maze that it seemed to Réné
impossible that they should ever discover a way out of it.

As Has-se kept the canoe to its course, never for an instant hesitating
as to which way he should turn, they startled from their resting-places
myriads of water-fowl and strange birds, that flew away with harsh
notes of alarm. These were answered from the distant forest by the
melancholy howlings of wolves and the cries of other night-prowling
wild beasts, that sounded very fearful to Réné's unaccustomed ears.

At length their craft was run ashore at the foot of a small shell mound
that formed quite an elevation amid the wide levels of the marshes, and
Has-se said they would rest there until sunrise. After hauling the
canoe well up out of the water, he led the way to a small hut, thatched
with palmetto-leaves, that stood half-way up the side of the mound. In
it was piled a quantity of long gray moss, that formed a most
acceptable bed to the tired boys; and throwing themselves down on it,
they were in a few minutes fast asleep.

It seemed to Réné that he had but just fallen asleep when he was
awakened by a light touch upon his forehead. Springing to his feet, he
found Has-se standing smiling beside him, and saw that the sun had
already risen. Running down to the beach, he bathed his face in the
cool salt-water, used a handful of moss as a towel, and turned to the
breakfast that Has-se had spent an hour in preparing.

When Réné saw what a luxurious repast the ingenuity of the young Indian