," said the leader, turning quickly to his
steersman, "I had almost forgot that, it wass so long ago since we met
them. Both Nazinred and Mozwa said something about meetin' us, if we
came to settle, though I paid little attention at the time. But are ye
sure, Bartong, that this is the lake?"

"I know not. It is not unlikely. If it is the lake, it is small, and
we will soon come to the end of it. If it is not the lake, an' turns
out to be big, we can camp on the shore. The night will be fine."

"Go ahead then, boys," cried the leader, "we will try."

The oars were dipped at once, and the men pulled with a will, encouraged
by the conversation, which seemed to indicate the approaching end of
their voyage.

The lake over the bosom of which they were soon sweeping proved to be a
small one, as they had hoped, but whether it was the one referred to by
the Indians remained to be seen. A sharp look-out was kept for the
smoke of wigwams, but nothing of the kind was seen on either side, and
the end of the lake was finally reached without any sign of the presence
of natives being observed.

"No doubt Mozwa has forgotten, or it may be that he iss away to seek for
his frund Nazinred among the Eskimos. No metter. We will camp here,
whatever, for the night. I think on the other side o' that point will
be a goot campin' ground."

He pointed in the direction indicated, and there was just daylight
enough left to enable Mowat to steer into a narrow creek.

There is something calming, if not almost solemnising, in the quietude
with which a boat glides ashore, on a dark night, under the overhanging
trees of a wilderness lake. The oars are necessarily stopped, and the
voices hushed, while the bowman, standing erect, with a long pole in
hand, tries to penetrate the thick mysterious darkness that seems to be
the very gate of Erebus. Bartong stood ready to thrust the head of the
boat off any rocks that might suddenly appear in their course, or give
the order to "back all" should the water become too shallow. But no
obstacles presented themselves, and the boat forged slowly ahead until
it lay alongside a ledge of rock or natural jetty. Then the spell was
broken as the men leaped ashore and began to unload the things that were
required for the night's bivouac.

Still, the voices were moderated, for it is not easy to shake off the
tranquillising effect of such a scene at such an hour, and it was not
till the camp-fire was lig