“Let us descend to the shore,” whispered Marmaduke, “or there will
soon be ill-blood between them. Benjamin is a fearless boaster; and
Kirby, though good-natured, is a careless son of the forest, who
thinks one American more than a match for six Englishmen. I marvel
that Dickon is silent, where there is such a trial of skill in the
superlative!”

The appearance of Judge Temple and the ladies produced, if not a
pacification, at least a cessation of hostilities. Obedient to the
directions of Mr. Jones the fishermen prepared to launch their boat,
which had been seen in the background of the view, with the net
carefully disposed on a little platform in its stern, ready for
service. Richard gave vent to his reproaches at the tardiness of the
pedestrians, when all the turbulent passions of the party were
succeeded by a calm, as mild and as placid as that which prevailed
over the beautiful sheet of water that they were about to rifle of its
best treasures.

The night had now become so dark as to render objects, without the
reach of the light of the fire, not only indistinct, but in most cases
invisible. For a little distance the water was discernible,
glistening, as the glare from the fire danced over its surface,
touching it here and there with red quivering streaks; but, at a
hundred feet from the shore, there lay a boundary of impenetrable
gloom. One or two stars were shining through the openings of the
clouds, and the lights were seen in the village, glimmering faintly,
as if at an immeasurable distance. At times, as the fire lowered, or
as the horizon cleared, the outline of the mountain, on the other side
of the lake, might be traced by its undulations; but its shadow was
cast, wide and dense, on the bosom of the water, rendering the