Small game was plentiful. Rabbits scurried across
the trail, and partridges rose and whirred among the trees. But the
travellers never paused in their onward march. Although they had been
on the way since early morning, they showed no sign of fatigue. Their
strong athletic bodies, bent somewhat forward, swayed in rythmic
motion, and their feet beat a silent tatoo upon the well-worn trail.

For over an hour they kept up this swinging gait, and only slowed down
when at length the trail led them out of the thick forest into a great
open portion of the country. This was marshland, and it spread out
before them miles in extent. To the right were rugged wooded hills,
while far away to the left the cold steel glitter of the Bay of Fundy
could be distinctly seen.

For a few minutes they stopped to rest on this commanding elevation,
Dane's whole soul athrill at the wonderful panorama thus suddenly
presented to view. His eyes glowed, and he eagerly inhaled great
draughts of the invigorating tang wafted in from the far distant sea.

"My, that's fine!" he ejaculated, giving a deep sigh of satisfaction.
"That puts new life into one, eh, Pete?"

The Indian's mind, however, was not upon the marvellous things of
nature. He was gazing intently down toward the marshland where
something had attracted his attention.

"Plenty duck down dere," he replied. "Me get 'em bimeby."

Dane smiled, picked up his musket, and looked quizzically at his
companion.

"Can't you see anything but ducks, Pete? What do you think of all
that?" and he waved his hand to the left. "Isn't it great!"

"Umph!" the Indian grunted, "me see only duck; stummick say only
'duck.'"

"Come on, then, Pete," the young man ordered. "The sooner we get
through with our business, the sooner you can come back for your ducks.
One of those fat fellows would go well for supper."

Turning somewhat to the right, they followed the trail over the rugged
hills, where through breaks in the trees they could catch occasional
glimpses of the marsh and the water beyond. The way here was rough,
and their progress somewhat slow. But steadily they plodded on,
knowing that their destination was now not far off.

After crossing an exceptionally bad piece of ground, they came out upon
a pleasant little lake lying like a gem among the hills. At its outlet
was a small saw-mill, but now idle, and with no one in sight. Here
they paused for a few minutes, and when they were