THE HALCYON IN CANADA. 245 



to pay. Late in the afternoon we saw a lonely 

 pedestrian laboring up a hill far ahead of us. When 

 he heard us coming he leaned his back against the 

 bank, and was lighting his pipe as we passed. He 

 was an old man, an Irishman, and looked tired. He 

 had come from the farther end of the road, fifty miles 

 distant, and had thirty yet before him to reach town. 

 He looked the dismay he evidently felt, when in an- 

 swer to his inquiry we told him it was yet ten miles 

 to the first house, La Chance's. But there was a 

 roof nearer than that, where he doubtldss passed the 

 night, for he did not claim hospitality at the cabin of 

 La Chance. We arrived there betimes, but found the 

 " spare bed " assigned to other guests ; so we were 

 comfortably lodged upon the hay -mow. One of the 

 boys lighted us up with a candle and made level 

 places for us upon the hay. 



La Chance was one of the game wardens, or con- 

 stables appointed by the government to see the game 

 laws enforced. Joe had not felt entirely at his ease 

 about the duck he was surreptitiously taking to town, 

 and when, by its " quack, quack," it called upon La 

 Chance for protection, he responded at once. Joe 

 was obliged to liberate it then and there, and to hear 

 the law read and expounded, and be threatened till 

 he turned pale beside. It was evident that they 

 follow the home government in the absurd practice 

 of enforcing their laws in Canada. La Chance said 

 he was under oath not to wink at or permit any vio- 

 lation of the law, and seemed to think that made a 

 difference. 



