here with
sparkling snow-wreaths, the fields streaked everywhere with long
shadows. Little winding lines of a grey colour which radiated from the
hamlet indicated the tracks where the settlers drove their sleighs and
wood-sledges. Many of these were seen moving along the far-off tracks
like insects, while the tinkle of the sleigh-bells floated upwards like
fairy music.

"Yes, I shall take up my abode there," murmured Redding, as he gazed in
rapt admiration on the beautiful scene.

"Monsieur?" said his companion.

"I say that I should like to dwell there," answered Redding. "It is a
splendid country, and will be better known in days to come."

"Vraiment, truly, a magnifircent kontry," returned Le Rue, "gorgeows,
magnifique! I vould giv moche, ver moche, to have leetil cottage, an
vife, an cow, an pigs dere."

As Redding had been thinking of something similar, he laughed, and
commenced the descent of the zigzag track that led to the hamlet.

They had proceeded only a few yards when, turning round a cluster of
pines, they suddenly discovered some travellers in difficulty--a man
whose horse had shied or stumbled off the narrow track and was embedded
up to the girths in the soft snow, and two females, whose furry
garments, all besprinkled with snow, showed that they had just emerged
from the sledge, which lay on its side behind the horse. The driver's
chief anxiety seemed to be to quiet and restrain his horse, which being
high-spirited, was plunging in vain and frantic efforts to extricate
himself, to the great danger of shafts and harness.

To run up and aid the man was of course the instant impulse of our
travellers.

"Ah! good luck to 'ee," exclaimed the driver, in tones that were
unmistakably Irish, "here, howld 'is head till I get the sled clear."

"All right," cried the Englishman, seizing the reins near the mouth of
the terrified animal and holding its head forcibly down, while Le Rue
assisted the owner to unharness.

In a few minutes the vehicle was righted, and the horse released.

While the driver was busy readjusting the harness, he accompanied the
operation with a running fire of grateful expressions, such as--"there
now, ain't ye in luck, Rooney? Arrah! gentleman, it's my blissin' I
bestow on yez. Och! but I'd have bin lost intirely widout ye. Well
well, it's always the way. I'm no sooner in a scrape than I'm sure to
get out of it. It's meself is a favoured man. Now thin, ladies, git
in,