An Etcher s Voyage of Discovery. 273 



CHAPTER III. 



THE etching which illustrated the end of our last 

 chapter was done on the copper from Nature at 

 a little place that seemed convenient for lunch. A few 

 square yards of firm sand-bank lay between the dense 

 underwood and a deep pool, and this sand-bank was 

 covered with short grass. The canoe was drawn up 

 here, and her owner took out the materials for luncheon, 

 and made what would have been a solitary meal, if Tom 

 had not come up in great glee, doubly delighted at find- 

 ing his master on terra firma, and all the signs of a 

 festival spread out around him. Tom loves his master 

 dearly, but his affection for beef and mutton is at least 

 equally strong ; and it is probable that the happiest 

 hours of Tom's existence are such hours as this, when, 

 in addition to the excitement of travel, and the free ex- 

 penditure of his immense energy, he has the satisfaction 

 of dining with his master on terms of something like 

 equality. All the little boys had now been left behind 

 except one, and he, unfortunately for his own interest, 

 was on the other side of the stream. I wanted to get 

 him over and invite him to lunch, and crossed for the 

 purpose in the canoe ; but the canoe only held one per- 

 son, and the youth did not sit steadily, so that before we 

 were two yards from the shore a capsize seemed inevita- 

 ble, and I put back. After luncheon the voyage was re- 



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