he days when it was executed. But
the modern photographist could hardly have produced a picture so
exquisitely truthful as well as lovely.

CHAPTER XVII.

THE DEER HUNT.

Early in the morning, John Lansdowne, having donned his hunting suit
and taken a hasty breakfast, seized his rifle and joined Micah,
already waiting for him on the lawn in front of the house.

He was equipped in a tunic-like shirt of dressed buckskin, with
leggings and moccasins of the same material, each curiously
embroidered and fringed. The suit was a present from his
mother,--procured by her from Canada. His head was surmounted by a
blue military cap and his belt adorned with powder pouch and
hunting-knife. Micah with a heavy blanket coat of a dingy, brown
color, leggings of embroidered buckskin, skull cap of gray fox skin,
and Indian moccasins; wore at his belt a butcher knife in a scabbard,
a tomahawk, otter-skin pouch, containing bullets and other necessaries
for such an expedition.

In the dim morning light they walked briskly to a little cove in the
river, where Micah's birchen canoe lay, and found it already stored
with supplies for the excursion. There were bags of provisions,
cooking utensils, a small tent, neatly folded, Micah's old Dutch
rifle, fishing tackle, and other articles of minor account.

"Ever traviled much in a canoo?" inquired Micah.

"None at all", replied John.

"Well, then I'll jest mention, yeou needn't jump into it, like a
catameount rampagin' arter fodder. Yeou step in kinder keerful and set
deown and don't move reound more'n ye ken help. It's a mighty crank
little critter, I tell ye. 'Twould be tolable unconvenient to upset
and git eour cargo turned into the stream".

"It would indeed!" said John. "I'll obey orders, Mummychog".

John entered the canoe with tact, apparently to Micah's satisfaction
and soon they were gliding down the river, now, owing to the
long-continued drought, considerably shrunk within its banks.

Just as night gave its parting salute to the advancing day, the
voyagers passed into a region densely wooded down to the water's edge.
Oaks, elms, and maples, birches of different sorts, willows and
cranberry, grew in wild luxuriance along the margin, tinged with the
rich hues of autumn. A thousand spicy odors exhaled from the
frostbitten plants and shrubs, filling the senses with an intoxicating
incense. When the rising sun shot its level rays through the trees,
the clear stream qui