A ROMANCE OF "OUR LAKE" 171 



canoes in which were Anita's father and brothers and 

 Kasota. As no time was to be lost, the canoe pushed 

 on up the brook to the head of the letter " S," Charley 

 Nicholas posting himself as before on the lookout point. 

 In twenty minutes the two canoes swept into view and 

 rapidly passed the mouth of the brook. Hounding 

 the corner into the lake and not seeing Frank's canoe, 

 the men evidently came to the conclusion that he had 

 slipped into the mouth of the brook. They turned 

 back and pushed into the opening, and so close were 

 they to where Charley Nicholas lay concealed that 

 he could easily hear their every word. Kasota was 

 strongly advising them to push on without wasting 

 time in searching the mouth of every brook, and they 

 would be sure to overtake the runaways at Mud Pond 

 Carry, a portage of two and one-half miles over one of 

 the worst roads on the continent. Joe Sebattis advised 

 a close search in the mouth of every brook, but as no 

 suspicious signs were discovered in Churchill Brook, he 

 gave the word to turn about and make for Mud Pond 

 Carry. Their departure was very welcome to Nicholas 

 and more so to Anita, who had overheard a portion 

 of the conversation. When the two canoes were out of 

 sight, the now happy trio told and retold the story 

 of the wedding, of the long flight up the St. Johns, 

 how they were nearly overtaken in the " Nigger " rapids 

 because of the breaking of Anita's paddle, how they 

 providentially met a passing canoe and from it ob- 



