44 



THE SPORTSMAN'S PARADISE; 



spirits that morning than he had been at any time since 

 we left the camp near the barn. The attempt to deceive 

 us and bring us into quiet subjection had completely failed. 

 He fully realized at this moment that his original plan had 

 completely miscarried, and had recovered from the shock 

 arising from this disappointment. I walked to the lake 

 with John when he started out to find Dr. Pokorney. 



He placed the litde bark in the water, stepped lightly 

 into it, assumed a position on his knees, — the one which 

 is always taken by the Indian or backwoodsman who is to 

 paddle the canoe, — and was off with a light heart. After 

 an absence of three or four hours he returned to me with 

 the joyful intelligence that the old deer-hunter would be 

 with us in our camp within a few hours. He had found 

 him at his cabin, busied in stopping, with wood and mud, 

 the holes existing between the logs, which, in the summer, 

 were not objectionable, but which must be carefully closed 

 before the approach of the cold Canadian winter. In 

 accordance with the promise which the deer-hunter had 

 made to John, he was in our camp before three o'clock in 

 the afternoon. The object which had prompted me to seek 

 this interview was immediately stated to him. He replied, 

 'T am entirely at your service." I then informed him that 

 I had two companions who were now temporarily absent, 

 but who, I thought, would rejoin me in the evening and be 

 ready to participate with us in the hunt the next day. He 

 said, " I learned these facts from John to-day, and I will be 

 here to-morrow morning at six o'clock to start the hunt." 



The intelligence shown by Dr. Pokorney in this conver- 

 sation had greatly surprised me. John had spoken of him 



