A STIFF BREEZE. 167 



sence caused Joe to stroke his chin, and remain for 

 a moment lost in thought. 



"What does it mean, Tomah?" 



" Ugh ! look there," pointing to the spot where 

 we left the canoe. 



" Well, I see nothing there but a pile of chips." 



" Don't you see ? Somebody make paddle ; and 

 see here, moccasin-track : that's Gabrielle (Joe's 

 brother) ; only he round here now wear mocca- 

 sin." 



"Well, what do you think?" 



" Gabrielle, his birch up 'bove dam ; I think he 

 and Mr. Clark, they take walk down stream ; fish 

 Big Falls, then walk down here to fish from bank ; 

 see our canoe, make paddle, catch our fish." 



And, sure enough, the to-be legislator was right ; 

 for just at that moment the birch appeared round 

 a bend in the stream, glided up to the shore, and 

 the " two thieves," our friend from Umbagog and 

 Gabrielle, stepped out upon the bank with half a 

 dozen salmon which I had arranged for. 



Candor compels me to say that we hardly en- 

 joyed the joke as much as they : our feelings were 



more of 



"That stern joy which warriors feel 

 In foemen worthy of their steel." 



After some little pleasant sparring between Mr. 



