at this, and remarked that he would be very glad
to try it, though he had no particular desire to have his ribs squeezed
together, or his backbone shoved up into his brain!

Then Nelly went on with great animation and volubility to tell of the
trapping of the bear, and the snaring of rabbits, and the catching of
fish, and of Roy's peculiar method of wading into the lake for ducks,
and many other things.

Roy, meanwhile, entertained Walter and Larry O'Dowd with a somewhat
similar account of their doings during the months of their residence in
that wild region; and thus the journey was beguiled, so that the time
seemed to pass on swallows' wings.

Towards evening the party approached the spot where Silver Lake had
first burst upon the enraptured gaze of the wandering pair. As they
drew near, Roy and Nelly hurried on in advance, and, mounting the fallen
tree on which they had formerly rested, waved to the others to come on,
and shouted for glee. And well might they shout, for the evening
happened to be brighter and calmer, if possible, than the one on which
they first saw the lake. The rolling clouds were whiter, too, and the
waters looked more silvery than ever.

The exclamations of delight, and the looks of admiration with which the
glorious scene was greeted by the hunters when they came up, gratified
the hearts of Roy and Nelly very much.

"Oh, _how_ I wish mother was here to see it!" cried Nelly.

"Ain't _that_ a place for a king to live in, daddy?" said Roy,
enthusiastically.

"So 'tis, lad, so 'tis--leastwise it's a goodish spot for a hunter. How
say you, Slugs?"

Slugs smiled grimly, and nodded his head.

"Would the red man like to pitch his wigwam there?" said Robin,
addressing the Black Swan.

"He has pitched his wigwam here before," replied the Black Swan softly.
"When he first took the White Swan home to be his mate, he came to hunt
here."

"Och! is it the honeymoon ye spint here?" broke in Larry. "Faix, it's a
purty spot for courtin', and no mistake. Is that a beehive over there?"
he added, pointing across the lake.

"Why that's our hut--our _palace_," cried Nell, with gleeful look.

"Then the sooner we get down to it, and have supper, the better,"
observed Walter, "for we'll have to work hard to-morrow."

"Come along, then," cried Robin, "an' go you ahead, Roy; beat the track,
and show us the way."

Roy accepted the position of honour. Nelly followed him, and the whole
band marched