.
I had that moment caught sight of the grinning countenances of Jacques
and Tom over the rushes, and guessed that the former was playing off one
of his tricks.

When Mike saw me, he exclaimed, "Run, Masther Roger, run! sure, don't
you hear the shrieks of the Indians? They will have the scalps off our
heads, if we don't show them our heels, before many minutes are over."

I burst out laughing, and pointed to our two companions, who, however,
at that moment bobbed down and hid themselves among the rushes.

Mike now began to suspect that a trick had been played him; but nothing
ever made him angry, so, laughing as I was doing, he exclaimed--

"Come out of that, ye spalpeens! It will be many a day before you get
me to go fishing with you again."

Jacques, having had his joke, recovered the nets, and being well
experienced in the style of sport, in a short time caught half a dozen
fine fish, with which we returned to the camp. I was glad to roll
myself up in my blanket, and go to sleep under the shelter of our
lean-to; but the rest of the party sat up cooking and eating one of our
prizes.

I was awoke before long by the sound of loud growlings, which made Uncle
Mark and several of the party start to their feet, with guns ready to
receive the bear from whom they expected an attack. Recollecting
Jacques' propensity to practical joking, I lay quiet; and I heard my
uncle come back soon afterwards, growling almost as much as the supposed
bear, and observing that the brute had got off, though it must have been
close to the camp. I said nothing, though I suspected who had performed
the part of the bear. The next morning I looked about, but could
discover no traces of such an animal. Jacques, if he had represented
it, kept his own counsel; and after we had started I heard him
complaining that his night's rest should have been so disagreeably
disturbed.

Lily and Dora had been awakened, but they, trusting to the vigilance of
their protectors, had wisely gone to sleep again, being very sure that,
did any savage animal approach the camp, we should soon give a good
account of it.

We had a long paddle up the river, and had again to encamp, but no event
worthy of mention occurred; and the next day, late in the evening, we
reached the settlement. Lily and Dora and Reuben went to their
respective homes; and after we had paid a visit to Uncle Stephen and
Aunt Hannah, to convince them that we were still alive notwithstandi