338 AMERICAN KINDNESS. 



tree to tree close to my ambulance, and three squirrels 

 which Martin had hit through the middle as usual with 

 his rifle, a nice, respectable, and very old man came 

 from a little cabin in sight, and, sitting down, entered 

 into conversation with me, and the more he talked the 

 better I liked his method and his manner. When he 

 arose to go, I asked him if he had any milk, as I saw a 

 cow or two about his door, and he replied that he had, 

 and two or three new-laid eggs, which he would gladly 

 offer to my gratuitous acceptance. Turning round to 

 Mr Canterall, I remarked " that he had taken much 

 trouble as usual to obey my orders," and then called to 

 one of the men to attend the settler to his cabin, and bring 

 back the milk and eggs ; at the same time to carry with 

 him in return for the present a couple of my newly-killed 

 wild-fowl. 



Having hastily eaten my dinner, I took Wallace with 

 me to the banks of the lake, the part nearest to my 

 camp that had been used by the wild geese, and, going 

 out as far as we could on the mud, I made Wallace bring 

 some boughs of trees to conceal me. We then thatched 

 ourselves and Brutus well over, and awaited the event. As 

 soon as it was dark, " Cackle, cackle ! caw, caw ! " came 

 the distant sounds of geese returning from the direction 

 in which I had seen them go nearer and nearer they 

 came, but, alas ! inclining to the contrary side of the lake. 

 I let them wheel round several times to ascertain their in 

 tention, and then becoming aware that they would ap 

 proach no nearer, when they again came round I took a 

 long shot, but all in vain. After this it became pitch dark, 

 so, sending Wallace to walk up the lake for the chance of 

 his driving anything to me, Brutus and myself continued 

 our vigil. Nothing then could be more still than the night ; 



