the last time this luxury of nestling down among the sleigh
robes, and being carried silently and swiftly forward, with nothing to
disturb the dreamy, fanciful mood of the moment! She was actually
crying, letting large heavy tears drop quietly down upon her
furs--crying with the first premonitory attack of homesickness--when the
village came in sight, and she had to rouse herself and dry her eyes,
lest her mother should turn round and see her.

By-and-by they turned down the road to the steamboat wharf, and found
themselves among a little group of people. The boats only stopped here
when they were signalled to do so; but to-night there happened to be
other passengers going, and Mr. Bellairs advised Mrs. Costello to remain
in the sleigh till the 'Reindeer,' which was just in sight, should
arrive. They sat still, accordingly, while he stood beside them talking;
and when the boat had stopped at the landing, they went on board and
straight down to the ladies' cabin. It was by this time growing dusk; in
the low cabin, with its small windows, there was but a faint glimmer of
daylight remaining, and as soon as the boat was again under way, the
hanging lamps were lighted and people who had till then lingered on deck
began to come down by twos and threes. Mrs. Costello and Lucia took
possession of a sofa; their voyage was to end about ten o'clock, and for
the few hours it would last they were disposed to keep quiet and avoid
observation. It happened that the number of passengers was large, the
last boat having been detained at some of the Lake ports, and the
continuance of navigation at that time of year being so uncertain; and
the greater part of the women on board having come from places much
further west than Cacouna, formed a crowd of strangers, among whom two
veiled and muffled figures easily passed unnoticed.

The cabin had grown very quiet, and the dull monotonous noise of the
paddles had lulled Lucia almost to sleep, when she was startled by the
touch of her mother's hand upon her arm.

"It is very nearly time we were there," Mrs. Costello said. "If it is a
fine night we ought to be able to see the island."

They drew their cloaks closely round them and went up on deck. The night
was brilliantly clear and starlight, though there was no moon, and
already the lights of the small American town of Claremont, where they
were to land, were in sight, with their bright reflection shining in the
river below them. To the left a