86 ADIRONDAC. 



transport me to such a realm ! Indeed, had I not com- 

 mitted some fatal mistake and left that trusty servant 

 behind, and had not some wizard of the night stepped 

 into his place ? A slight splashing in-shore broke the 

 spell and caused me to turn nervously to the oarsman : 

 " Musquash," said he, and kept straight on. 



Nearing the extreme end of the pond, the boat 

 gently headed around, and silently we glided back into 

 the clasp of that strange orbit. Slight sounds were 

 heard as before, but nothing that indicated the pres- 

 ence of the game we were waiting for ; and we reached 

 the point of departure as innocent of venison as we 

 had set out. 



After an hour's delay, and near midnight, we pushed 

 out again. My vigilance and susceptibility were rather 

 sharpened than dulled by the waiting ; and the features 

 of the night had also deepened and intensified. Night 

 was at its meridian. The sky had that soft luminous- 

 ness which may often be observed near midnight at this 

 season, and the " large few stars " beamed mildly down. 

 We floated out into that spectral shadow-land and 

 moved slowly on as before. The silence was most im- 

 pressive. Now and then the faint yeap of some travel- 

 ling bird would come from the air overhead, or the 

 wings of a bat whisp quickly by, or an owl hoot off in 

 the mountains, giving to the silence and loneliness a 

 tongue. At short intervals some noise in-shore would 

 startle me, and cause me to turn inquiringly to the 

 silent figure in the stern. 



