170 WITH GUN AND GUIDE 



the valley and screened so effectually from it by its 

 curtain of white wood and fir trees that the smoke and 

 light from an evening fire cannot be seen from be- 

 low. In such a secluded location no one would ever 

 think of looking for any sign of civilized life. Here 

 game of all kinds was abundant at the time about 

 which I am writing, and the two brooks and the 

 lake were full of square-tailed trout. Charley Nicholas 

 had discovered this cul-de-sac when he had been run- 

 ning a line of traps some years previously, and he 

 and Frank had planned that the place should be their 

 future home. 



After finishing the rude house and a shed in 

 which to hang game and prepare skins for market, 

 Nicholas made his way across country to head off 

 Frank, if possible. When he arrived at the mouth of 

 Churchill Brook, which empties into Amsuzkis Lake, 

 he found a place from which he could scan the lake for 

 a long distance. Here he waited and watched, and on 

 the second day he was rewarded by seeing a canoe 

 coming up with a man and a woman in it, both pad- 

 dling with might and main. When they were within 

 hearing, Charley beckoned them to turn into the mouth 

 of the brook, which was like the letter " S " in shape, 

 while a piece further on, the lake made an abrupt turn 

 to the right. 



As may be surmised, the canoe contained the newly 

 married ones, who were being closely followed by two 



