188 



THE ADIRONDACK. 



confused I grew ; while to add to my bewilderment, 

 suddenly the dim outlines I was struggling to make 

 out, began to vanish as if melting away in the dark- 

 ness. At first, I thought the whole had been a struc- 

 ture of mist, and was dissolving in my sight, but 

 casting my eyes beneath me, I saw we were receding 

 over the stars. Then I understood it all. Mitchell, 

 without making a sound, had drawn the boat slowly 

 backwards, causing the objects before me to fade thus 

 strangely from my sight. He knew the ground per- 

 fectly well, and could enter every bay and inlet as 

 accurately as in broad daylight. 



Pursuing our way up the channel, I was at length 

 startled by a low " hist !" The next moment I 

 caught the tread of a deer on shore, when the light 

 canoe shot along the surface till I could hear the 

 low ripple of the water around the bow. " Light 

 up !" said Mitchell in a whisper. As quietly as possi- 

 ble, I kindled a match, and lighting a candle, put it in 

 a lantern made to fit the head like a hat, and clapping 

 it in the place of my cap, cocked my rifle and leaned 

 forward. The bright flame flared out upon the sur- 

 rounding gloom, and all was hush as death. But as 

 we advanced towards where the deer was standing, 



