NIGHT IN THE FOREST. 179 



wary wolverine upon his guard, in case he skulked in 

 the neighbourhood. Pierre was even compelled to 

 forego the solace of his fragrant brier-root; and this 

 was the more vexatious as old Jake, who preferred 

 chewing the Nicotian weed to smoking it, chuckled as 

 he made up a plug of " raal James river " and inserted 

 it into his capacious mouth, remarking 



" I guess that pizenous critter '11 bust his nose afore 

 he'll sniff this nigger's pipe ! " 



Evening deepened into twilight, and twilight into 

 gloom. The centre of the lake reflected the diamonds 

 of the sky, while its borders were black with the heavy 

 shadows of the forest. From the darkness below, the 

 hunters could hear the swift footsteps of animals as 

 they came to the water, while the creatures themselves 

 were invisible. Frequent splashes in the lake told of 

 the activity of the beavers ; but these also were hidden 

 by the dense shadows. 



Presently a pale light streamed high towards the 

 zenith from beyond the eastern trees ; and soon from 

 behind the forest rose the full-faced moon, touching 

 with her silver gleam the ripples on the lake, glistening 

 along the western shore, and revealing the gambols of 

 the beavers, which could now be seen in great numbers, 

 some circling round their lodges, others proceeding 

 towards the shore, while some hopped towards the 

 woods, presumably to cut down timber. 



It was a lovely, peaceful scene, that quiet, gleaming 

 lake, set in a circle of dense shadows, hedged in by the 



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