ts of America it is known as the "service-berry," although
several other names are given to it in different districts. Lucien
informed his companions, while they were crushing its sweet purplish
fruit between their teeth, that its botanical name is _Amelanchier_.

"Now," remarked Francois, "if we only had a cup of coffee and a glass of
wine, we might say that we had dined in fashionable style."

"I think," replied Lucien, "we are better without the wine, and as for
the other I cannot give you that, but I fancy I can provide you with a
cup of tea if you only allow me a little time."

"Tea!" screamed Francois; "why, there's not a leaf of tea nearer than
China; and for the sugar, not a grain within hundreds of miles!"

"Come, Frank," said Lucien, "nature has not been so ungenerous here,--
even in such luxuries as tea and sugar. Look yonder! You see those
large trees with the dark-coloured trunks. What are they?"

"Sugar-maples," replied Francois.

"Well," said Lucien, "I think even at this late season we might contrive
to extract sap enough from them to sweeten a cup of tea. You may try,
while I go in search of the tea-plant."

"Upon my word, Luce, you are equal to a wholesale grocery. Very well.
Come, Basil, we'll tap the maples; let the captain go with Luce."

The boys, separating into pairs, walked off in different directions.
Lucien and his companion soon lighted upon the object of their search in
the same wet bottom where they had procured the _Heracleum_. It was a
branching shrub, not over two feet in height, with small leaves of a
deep green colour above, but whitish and woolly underneath. It is a
plant well-known throughout most of the Hudson's Bay territory by the
name of "Labrador tea-plant;" and is so called because the Canadian
voyageurs, and other travellers through these northern districts, often
drink it as tea. It is one of the _Ericaceae_, or heath tribe, of the
genus _Ledum_--though it is not a true heath, as, strange to say, no
true heath is found upon the continent of America.

There are two kinds of it known,--the "narrow-leafed" and
"broad-leafed;" and the former makes the best tea. But the pretty white
flowers of the plant are better for the purpose than the leaves of
either variety; and these it was that were now gathered by Lucien and
Norman. They require to be dried before the decoction is made; but this
can be done in a short time over a fire; and so in a short time it was
don