silvery strain poured out without stint upon that unlistening solitude.
I was half persuaded I had heard him before on first entering the
woods.

We nooned again at No Man's Inn on the banks of a trout lake, and fared
well and had no reckoning to pay. Late in the afternoon we saw a lonely
pedestrian laboring up a hill far ahead of us. When he heard us coming
he leaned his back against the bank, and was lighting his pipe as we
passed. He was an old man, an Irishman, and looked tired. He had come
from the farther end of the road, fifty miles distant, and had thirty
yet before him to reach town. He looked the dismay he evidently felt
when, in answer to his inquiry, we told him it was yet ten miles to the
first house, La Chance's. But there was a roof nearer than that, where
he doubtless passed the night, for he did not claim hospitality at the
cabin of La Chance. We arrived there betimes, but found the "spare bed"
assigned to other guests; so we were comfortably lodged upon the
haymow. One of the boys lighted us up with a candle and made level
places for us upon the hay.

La Chance was one of the game wardens, or constables appointed by the
government to see the game laws enforced. Joe had not felt entirely at
his ease about the duck he was surreptitiously taking to town, and
when, by its "quack, quack," it called upon La Chance for protection,
he responded at once. Joe was obliged to liberate it then and there,
and to hear the law read and expounded, and be threatened till he
turned pale beside. It was evident that they follow the home government
in the absurd practice of enforcing their laws in Canada. La Chance
said he was under oath not to wink at or permit any violation of the
law, and seemed to think that made a difference.