CUPID IN THE WILDERNESS 21 



Now these guides, while they know how to paddle, 

 know quite as well how to tattle, and tattle, in truth, 

 they do 



Of the doings and the wooings, 



Of the billings and the cooings, 

 Of the kissings and the huggings of the pair ; 



Of the lovings, of the scoldings, 



Of the rapturous enf oldings — 

 Ob, Paradise with lots of fun to spare ! 



Of course, the guides are only mortals, and, as all 

 this takes place within their easy eye-and-ear-shot, 

 they would be more than mortals — or less — if they 

 didn't tattle. Bless your heart, the amount of it they 

 have retailed to me might fill a book the size of Web- 

 ster's Unabridged. You shall have the benefit of it 

 some day, as I intend to pick out a few of the best, 

 the very best, of their stories and print them. Then, 

 look out for something rich and racy ; but not now. 

 We will first allow these turtle doves time to mate and 

 settle in their nest. 



A new crowd of visitors had appeared in the Maine 

 woods and waters — visitors who were bent on killing 

 the succulent deer, the solitude-loving caribou and 

 the lordly moose — the noblest Koman of them all. 



These visitors, by the force of circumstances, were 

 obliged to have guides whose particular policy it is to 

 speed the parting "sport" and welcome the coming 

 one. In the various places where these guides meet 

 — Qreen villa, Kineo, Northeast Carry, Chesuncook 



