about the size of a blackbird's, the shell of which is tough and soft, like
a snake's egg. The old tortoise buries these in the loose sand near the
water's edge, and leaves them to be hatched by the heat of the sun. The
little tortoise, when it comes out of the shell, is about as big as a large
spider--it is a funny-looking thing. I have heard some of the Indians say
that they dive into the water, and swim, as soon as they are hatched; but
this I am not sure of. I saw one about the size of a crown-piece that was
caught in a hole in the sand; it was very lively, and ran along the table,
making a rattling noise with its hard shell as it moved. An old one that
one of my brothers brought in he put under a large heavy box, meaning to
feed and keep it; but in the morning it was gone: it had lifted the edge of
the box and was away, nor could he find out how it had contrived to make
its escape from the room. This is all that I know about the Canadian
land-tortoise."




CHAPTER XIII.

ELLEN AND HER PET FAWNS--DOCILITY OF FAN--JACK'S DROLL TRICKS--
AFFECTIONATE WOLF--FALL FLOWERS--DEPARTURE OF LADY MARY--THE END.


One day Lady Mary came to seek her nurse in great haste, to describe to
her a fine deer that had been sent as a present to her father by one of
his Canadian friends. She said the great antlers were to be put up over
the library-door.

"Papa called me down to see the poor dead deer, nurse, and I was very