A BUSY CAMP. 35 



to the lake; " and as he led the way two or three of us fol- 

 lowed. 



The boats were drawn from their hiding place down to 

 the water and launched, and found to be in good condition 

 and reasonably tight after their rest in the woods. Benson 

 and the Professor, the ardent fishermen of our company, 

 already equipped, stepped aboard, shoved from shore, and 

 proceeded to a point indicated by Wilkinson as likely to 

 respond to their skill. 



iMeanwhile, our camp was assuming a busy appearance. 

 The luggage had been unladen from the wagon; an open 

 tire, out of doors, had been built for cooking purposes; and 

 the smouldering fire of chips and leaves, making the inevi- 

 table smudge, had been duly inaugurated — destined to be 

 our pillar of cloud by day and of tire by night. Horace, 

 the silent, had found a modest and civil tongue, and with 

 nimble fingers was dissecting the baggage and j^reparing for 

 our snnple forest housekeeping, bestowing the supplies in 

 the cabin, and shaking out the blankets, and in fact, doing 

 almost everything, while at the same time watching the 

 colfee pot hung over the fire. George, the liig, strong, 

 noisy, good-natured fellow, could swing an oar like a walk- 

 ing beam all day, and compel the proudest forest king to 

 cast his crown to the ciU'th after a few moments of his vig- 

 orous assaults with the axe; but about camp he was pretty 

 nearly good for nothing. 



Horace, on this occasion, sent him into the nearest timber 

 to chop wood for 'the night, and this he did so faithfully, 



