THINGS SEEN AND UNSEEN. — OUR CABIN, 31 



was tired, although we trudged and climbed and plunged 

 and floundered and trudged again, — on a bread and milk 

 dinner — for five hours, when at last a gleam of water 

 appeared through the trees, and behold, Jock's Lake ! 



How often since have I caught that silver gleam of water 

 through the trees, when tramping through the forest ! At 

 first there is a little light through the density of the foliage, 

 and on a nearer approach, the glimmer of water; — no shores 

 appearing, — just simplj^ beautiful, clear water shining 

 through the green leaves and the branches. If the sun is 

 bright, the effect is as delightful as au}^ thiug seen in the 

 woods. 



AVe emerged from the forest into an opening sloping- 

 down to the shore, of perhaps a half acre in extent, where 

 the trees had all been cut away, years before, and tlie 

 native grass had obtained root-hold and made a very prettj^ 

 welcome as we threw ourselves down upon the turf bed, 

 thoroughly tired. 



A small bark-roofed log hut, built for parties like our 

 own, stood in the center of the clearing, well awaj^ from 

 an}^ large trees that in a high wind might take a fancy to 

 fall in our direction. Its dimensions were very modest, 

 the entire structure being but about fourteen feet long and 

 ten or eleven wide, and only high enough near the sides for 

 a tall man to stand upi'ight. One end was devoted to the 

 purposes of a bed room, its limits being designated b}^ a 

 small log running across the cabin, a man's length from the 

 end opposite the door; while the remainder was kitchen, 

 store-room, dining-room and parlor. The bed (soon con- 



