e loss of their friends. For an Indian he was a
good-looking young man, and decked with his war paint and feathers he
had a picturesquely savage appearance.

VOLUME TWO, CHAPTER THREE.

The winter came--we did not feel the cold so much as we expected--it
passed on and spring approached. We were looking forward to the
pleasures of summer and to a buffalo hunt which we had promised
ourselves, when, after finding the heat unusually great at night, on
rising in the morning, loud cracks in the ice were heard, and we
discovered that a thaw had commenced. We were surprised at the rapidity
with which the snow melted, and the low shrubs and the green grass
appeared, and long dormant Nature seemed to be waking up to life. "How
jolly," exclaimed Malcolm; "we shall soon be able to paddle about in our
canoe; we may as well have a look at her to see that she is in order."

We had a supply of gum with which to cover up the seams as the Indians
do, and our canoe was soon fit for launching.

"We must look to the plough and our spades," remarked our father; "we
shall speedily be able to get in our seeds."

Perhaps Sam Dawes thought more of his fishing lines and nets and guns.

The next day an Indian coming up from the lake told us that there was an
extraordinary accumulation of ice at the mouth of the river, which had
begun to swell, with an impetuous torrent, carrying vast masses along
with it. Speedily it rose higher and higher, the waters came up the
bank and then filled the narrow gully which usually discharged water
into it after rain, but now carried its waters backward into the plain.

"It will soon subside," observed our father. "That current will soon
carry away the barriers at the month." So we all went as usual to bed.

The next morning when we looked out we were on an island. The water
covered our field and the greater part of the garden round the house.
Between us and the house of the nearest settler to the south was one
sheet of water, while to the north not an habitation was visible. We
made out at the distance of a mile our neighbour and his family crossing
in a large boat to the hills on the east. "We may possibly have to
follow his example," observed our father; "but I hope that the waters
may decrease before that becomes necessary."

The sheep and cows were now collecting of their own accord in the
garden, and we had to drive up the pigs, whose stye was threatened with
submersion. The scene was