FOREST, LAKE, AND RIVER 



Brissette scrutinized everything very closely 

 without saying a word, but it required only an in- 

 different mind-reader to see that he was not favor- 

 ably impressed. 



Taking our places in the boat, he finally said : 



" Ver' nice dat tings, ver' nice. He don't fool 

 lunge, plobly, don't he, hein ? " 



Feeling entirely confident of giving him a sur- 

 prise, I was content to make answer, 



" Well, we '11 see, Brissette." 



The oars were in the hands of a master. The 

 boat moved as smoothly as a swan upon the sur- 

 face of the water. The speed was just right, — 

 neither too fast nor too slow. Seventy-five yards 

 of line were slowly paid out. Every nerve was 

 tense and anxiety waited upon expectation. 

 Slowly the miles were covered, but no pirate of 

 the waters seized the tempting lure. 



My faith in the burnished gold-and-silver spoon 

 weakened after going a few miles, and I asked 

 Brissette to desist from rowing until I mounted a 

 phantom minnow. 



" Looks lak he no wants de jewelry mek on de 

 Stait, hein?" 



" Well, Brissette, your lunge may not be so 

 highly educated as ours ; but all the same I think 

 I will tempt one yet." 



18 



