266 



THE ADIRONDACK. 



" Come, let us have those peas to-day." So while he 

 was taking some observations down by the lake, the 

 old hunter and the young graduate prepared the din- 

 ner. After a while (the professor told me) he no- 

 ticed an unusual chuckling between the student and 

 the backwoodsman. Suspecting some trickery, he 

 strolled quietly up towards the fire, as if endeavoring 

 to get a new point of observation, but in fact to watch 

 narrowly their proceedings. Supposing that the profes- 

 sor was deep in equations and angles and mathemati- 

 cal lines, they relaxed their caution, and he observed 

 that they were making wooden spoons with their pen- 

 knives. All at once it flashed' on him that he and 

 they had nothing but penknives to eat the peas with, 

 and that here was a conspiracy to rob him of his 

 share. Saying nothing, he walked back to the lake 

 shore, and picking up one of those large muscle shells 

 which are found in all our fresh water lakes and 

 rivers, and will hold more than an ordinary spoon, he 

 fitted a split stick to it for a handle, and clapped 

 them both in his pocket. Then sauntering back in 

 order to prevent them making. very extensive prepara* 

 tions, he kept around, until the dinner was cooked 

 His presence restricted very much their operations, and 



