200 FLY-FISHING IN MAINE LAKES. 



" Reaching the wagon, it took me but a moment 

 to satisfy myself that the so-called accident was no 

 accident at all, but a wilful breakdown on their 

 part, arranged undoubtedly the night before. I 

 was on the alert in a moment, but said nothing. 

 Covering the stores with boughs to shield them in 

 case of a storm, we unhitched the mules, and 

 started for the cabin, which we found to be but a 

 short distance away. 



" It was deserted, apparently having been un- 

 occupied for some little time. Near it was another 

 rough-looking shanty, which proved of great service 

 to me in the end, for it contained a dilapidated 

 forge : though it had evidently not been used for 

 months, yet, with some tinkering, I saw that it 

 could be made available for our repairs. 



" The cabin was desolate enough. It contained 

 three rooms, two of which had evidently been used 

 for sleeping, and the other as a kitchen : in the 

 centre of this was a large stove, with three wooden 

 benches drawn up about it ; on the floor were sev- 

 eral pieces of broken crockery, and the remains of 

 two or three clay pipes well colored. I saw enough 

 to convince me that the place had been occupied 

 by some outlawed band, most likely for no good 

 purpose. 



"In each of the sleeping-rooms was a sort of 



