THE ADIEONDACKS 79 



gently headed around, and silently we glided back 

 into the clasp of that strange orbit. Slight sounds 

 were heard as before, but nothing that indicated the 

 presence of the game we were waiting for; and we 

 reached the point of departure as innocent of veni- 

 son as we had set out. 



After an hour's delay, and near midnight, we 

 pushed out again. My vigilance and susceptibility 

 were rather sharpened than dulled by the waiting ; 

 and the features of the night had also deepened and 

 intensified. Night was at its meridian. The sky 

 had that soft luminousness which may often be ob- 

 served near midnight at this season, and the " large 

 few stars" beamed mildly down. We floated out 

 into that spectral shadow-land and moved slowly on 

 as before. The silence was most impressive. Now 

 and then the faint yeap of some traveling bird 

 would come from the air overhead, or the wings of 

 a bat whisp quickly by, or an owl hoot off in the 

 mountains, giving to the silence and loneliness a 

 tongue. At short intervals some noise in-shore 

 would startle me, and cause me to turn inquiringly 

 to the silent figure in the stern. 



The end of the lake was reached, and we turned 

 back. The novelty and the excitement began to 

 flag; tired nature began to assert her claims; the 

 movement was soothing, and the gunner slumbered 

 fitfully at his post. Presently something aroused 

 me. "There 's a deer," whispered the guide. The 

 gun heard, and fairly jumped in my hand. Listen- 

 ing, there came the cracking of a limb, followed by 



