SPECKLED TROUT. 131 



your hook," said he, " and if there is a big fish in 

 the creek he is bound to have it." But the darts 

 were not easily found ; the big fish, I concluded, had 

 cleaned them all out ; and, then, it was easy enough 

 to supply our wants with a fin. 



Declining the hospitable offers of the settlers, we 

 spread our blankets that night in a dilapidated shin- 

 gle-shop on the banks of the Biscuit Brook, first 

 flooring the damp ground with the new shingle that 

 lay piled in one corner. The place had a great- 

 throated chimney with a tremendous expanse of fire- 

 place within, that cried " More " at every morsel of 

 wood we gave it. 



But I must hasten over this part of the ground, 

 nor let the delicious flavor of the milk we had that 

 morning for breakfast, and that was so delectable 

 after four days of fish, linger on my tongue, nor yet 

 tarry to set down the talk of that honest, weather- 

 worn passer-by who paused before our door, and 

 every moment on the point of resuming his way, yet 

 stood for an hour and recited his adventures hunting 

 deer and bears on these mountains. Having replen- 

 ished our stock of bread and salt pork at the house 

 of one of the settlers, midday found us at Reed's 

 shanty, one of those temporary structures erected 

 by the bark jobber, to lodge and board his " hands " 

 near their work. Jim not being at home, we could 

 gain no information from the " women folks " about 

 the way, nor from the men who had just come in to 

 dinner ; so we pushed on, as near as we could, ac- 



