arts were so
full, that they retired to their beds without further exchange of words
than receiving his blessing, and wishing each other good-night.

CHAPTER IX.

The party were so refreshed by once more sleeping upon good beds, that
they were up and dressed very early, and shortly after seven o'clock
were all collected upon the rampart of the fort, surveying the
landscape, which was indeed very picturesque and beautiful. Before them,
to their left, the lake was spread, an inland sea, lost in the horizon,
now quite calm, and near to the shores studded with small islands
covered with verdant foliage, and appearing as if they floated upon the
transparent water. To the westward, and in front of them, were the
clearings belonging to the fort, backed with the distant woods: a herd
of cattle were grazing on a portion of the cleared land; the other was
divided off by a snake fence, as it is termed, and was under
cultivation. Here and there a log-building was raised as a shelter for
the animals during the winter, and at half a mile's distance was a small
fort, surrounded with high palisades, intended as a place of retreat and
security for those who might be in charge of the cattle, in case of
danger or surprise. Close to the fort, a rapid stream, now from the
freshets overflowing its banks, poured down its waters into the lake,
running its course through a variety of shrubs and larches and
occasional elms which lined its banks. The sun shone bright--the
woodpeckers flew from tree to tree, or clung to the rails of the
fences--the belted kingfisher darted up and down over the running
stream--and the chirping and wild notes of various birds were heard on
every side of them.

"This is very beautiful, is it not?" said Mrs. Campbell; "surely it can
not be so great a hardship to live in a spot like this?"

"Not if it were always so, perhaps, madam," said Colonel Forster, who
had joined the party as Mrs. Campbell made the observation. "But Canada
in the month of June is very different from Canada in the month of
January. That we find our life monotonous in this fort, separated as we
are from the rest of the world, I admit, and the winters are so long and
severe as to tire our patience; but soldiers must do their duty, whether
burning under the tropics or freezing in the wilds of Canada. It can not
be a very agreeable life, when even the report of danger near to us
becomes a pleasurable feeling from the excitement it causes