hour, for the newness of the season and the shortness of
the days rendered it an object that they should be on
the accustomed haunt as soon as possible. They had left
the Fort at daylight, passing Heywood's farm at the moment
when, for the purpose of foddering the cattle on the
opposite bank, he, with the boy Wilton, was crossing to
the very canoe in which Ephraim Giles afterwards made
his escape--the latter with the Canadian, being engaged
in felling trees higher up the river.

Arrived at the little bay to which we have just adverted,
the boat was fastened to the gnarled trunk of a tree,
which projected over the deep water at the nearest point,
and the party, taking with them their fishing rods, baits,
and haversacks, but leaving their spears and muskets in
the boat, dispersed themselves at short distances along
the curve that formed the bay, which, however, was not
more than three hundred yards in extent, from point to
point.

When they first cast their lines into the water, the
sun's rays were clearly visible through the thick wood
in their rear. The early morning, too, had been cold--almost
frosty--so much so, that the wild ducks, which generally
evinced a good deal of shyness, NOW, seemingly emboldened
by the briskness of the atmosphere, could be seen gliding
about in considerable numbers, about half a mile below
them; while the fish, on the contrary, as though
dissatisfied with the temperature of their element,
refused to do what the men called "the amiable," by