sible that they should ever discover a way out of it.

As Has-se kept the canoe to its course, never for an instant hesitating
as to which way he should turn, they startled from their resting-places
myriads of water-fowl and strange birds, that flew away with harsh
notes of alarm. These were answered from the distant forest by the
melancholy howlings of wolves and the cries of other night-prowling
wild beasts, that sounded very fearful to Rene's unaccustomed ears.

At length their craft was run ashore at the foot of a small shell mound
that formed quite an elevation amid the wide levels of the marshes, and
Has-se said they would rest there until sunrise. After hauling the
canoe well up out of the water, he led the way to a small hut, thatched
with palmetto-leaves, that stood half-way up the side of the mound. In
it was piled a quantity of long gray moss, that formed a most
acceptable bed to the tired boys; and throwing themselves down on it,
they were in a few minutes fast asleep.

It seemed to Rene that he had but just fallen asleep when he was
awakened by a light touch upon his forehead. Springing to his feet, he
found Has-se standing smiling beside him, and saw that the sun had
already risen. Running down to the beach, he bathed his face in the
cool salt-water, used a handful of moss as a towel, and turned to the
breakfast that Has-se had spent an hour in preparing.

When Rene saw what a luxurious repast the ingenuity of the young Indian
had provided, he opened his eyes wide in astonishment. He knew that a
bag of parched corn and several gourds of fresh water had been brought
along, and upon this simple fare he had expected to break his fast.
Now, in addition to the parched corn, he saw fish, oysters, eggs, and a
vegetable, all smoking hot, cooked to a nicety, and temptingly spread
on some freshly cut palm-leaves.

The fish were mullet, that Has-se had speared from the canoe as they
swam in the clear water. He had cleaned them, wrapped them in fresh,
damp leaves, raked aside a portion of the fire that he had kindled when
he first arose, buried them in the hot sand beneath it, and covered the
spot with live coals.

The oysters had also come from the water, in a great bunch that Has-se
had just been able to lift and carry to the fire. To cook them he had
simply placed the entire bunch on the coals, where they had roasted in
their shells, which now gaped wide open, offering their contents to be
eaten.

T