92 SPORT IN NORTH AMERICA. 



and I arrived about two o'clock in the morning 

 thoroughly fagged, but delighted with our torch- 

 fishing expedition — I especially, who had never taken 

 part in anything of the kind before. 



The reader will easily believe that the remainder 

 of the time I spent at Wyaconda Bottom slipped 

 by very pleasantly. Every morning, I started off 

 upon some shooting or fishing expedition, some- 

 times alone, but usually accompanied by my host; 

 and in the evening we resumed the strange sport 

 of shooting the game which came to seek us, with- 

 out ever stirring from the side of the fire. 



" Well," said Mr. Bergeron," when he had 

 brought me back to Chicago, "youVe not been 

 too much bored at my forest hut.'^ 



'' By no means,'' was my reply, " and I have to 

 return my best thanks for your hospitality .'' 



" Nay, 'tis I who am obliged to you, my good 

 friend, for you've helped to kill a great many of 

 those confounded brutes who eat up so much of my 

 sugar ; besides, I don't mind telling you, my friend, 

 that the harvest has not been a bad one, and the 

 result in cash not to be despised." 



" Would it be a rude question to ask what may 

 be the average produce of the crop at Wyaconda 

 Bottom ? " 



" Certainly not ; I make no secret of it. That 

 farm, which don't cost a penny to keep, brings me 

 in a clear income of about 1,500/., and that without 



