custom, to be spending half the day in naps, they
accordingly took it. Nevertheless, it was an exceedingly secret affair,
for Mas'r Henry had always strictly forbidden his daughter to leave his
own grounds without fit escort.

This expedition seemed to Flor such a proud and gratifying confidence,
that in her pleasure she forgot to think; she only danced round about
her mistress, with a return of her old exuberance, till the more quiet
path of the latter resembled a straight line surrounded by an arabesque
of fantastic flourishes. But, in fact, the young patrician, unaccustomed
to exertion, was well wearied before they reached the river-bank. They
had yet the long border of the swamp to skirt, and there towered Longfer
Hill. Why could they not go across, she wondered. They would sink, Flor
answered her; and then the moccasins! But there were all those green
hummocks,--skipping from one to another would be mere play,--and there
were no moccasins for miles. And before Flor could gainsay her, she had
sprung on, keeping steadily ahead, in a determination to have her own
way; and with no other course left her, Flor followed, though, at every
spring, alighting on the hummocks that Miss Emma had trodden, the water
splashed up about her bare ankles, and her heart shook within her at the
thought of fierce runaways haunting these inaccessible hollows, and the
myths of the deeper district. Before long, she had overtaken her young
mistress, and they paused a moment for parley. Miss Emma was convinced,
that, if it were no worse than this, it would be delightful. Flor
assured her that she did not know the way any longer, for their winding
path between the tall cypresses veiled in their swinging tangles of
funereal moss had confused her, and she could only guess at the
direction of Longfer Hill. This, then, was an adventure. Miss Emma took
the responsibility all upon herself, and plunged forward. Miss Emma must
know best, of course, concerning everything. Nothing loth, and gayly,
Flor plunged after.

The hummocks on which they went were light, spongy masses of greenery.
Their footprints filled at once behind them with clear dark water; there
were glistening little pools everywhere about them; the ground was so
covered with mats of brilliant blossoms that what appeared solid for the
foot was oftenest the most treacherous place of all; and at last they
stayed to take breath, planting themselves on the trunk of a fallen tree
so twisted