t intended to purchase a quarter part of the
supplies which were now piled in the middle of the store. It was five
miles to the lake, and no two men in the universe could have carried
them that distance.

The matter was one of so much importance, and the articles obtained with
so much greater facility than he expected, that he had been tempted to
procure this large stock. But the pile was so large that he began to
repent of the act, and to wish that half his money was in his pocket
again. To remedy the difficulty he began to bluster, and told the
storekeeper that he must get a team and tote the goods down to the lake
for him.

The man objected; but he at last consented to procure his neighbor's
mule team and help them out. For this service Dan paid him two dollars
more, which entirely collapsed his exchequer. The stores were safely
deposited in the bateau, and the man drove off, apparently as well
satisfied with his morning's work as the other party to the transaction.

As soon as he was out of sight and hearing, Quin could contain himself
no longer, and vented his satisfaction at the success of the enterprise
in the most violent and extraordinary manner. He laughed till his eyes
were filled with tears, and had nearly upset the overloaded boat by his
extravagant demonstrations.

"What's the matter, Quin?" demanded Dan, astonished at the conduct of
his usually prudent and sedate companion.

"Bress de Lo'd, we's got all de tings," exclaimed Quin.

"Don't crow till you get out of the woods."

"Dar's de hard bread, and de salt, and de butter--golly, Massa Dan, you
done do dat ting bery fine."

"Wait till we get back to the camp before you say any thing. We are not
out of danger yet."

"But we's got de tings, Dan--de coffee, de sugar, and de salt."

"Take your oar now, and when we get back we'll have a jolly time."

"Bress de Lo'd, yes, Dan," said the delighted Quin, as he grasped the
oar.

Prosperity makes men careless and reckless. The bateau was so crowded
with stores that the rowers had but little space to use the oars. Their
progress was necessarily very slow. They wanted to get back to the camp
before night, and instead of keeping under the lee of the land, where
the boat would not be likely to attract attention, they proceeded by the
shortest route. When they reached the upper end of the lake, and were
within five miles of the camp, they were startled to see a boat put out
from one of the small islands,