164 WITH GUN AND GUIDE 



haps, cut down the two or three trees on the rock and 

 out of them make a raft with which to reach the shore. 

 We may be sure Anita slept little that night, although 

 she went to her tent very early after seeing that 

 the canoes and the pirogue were all afloat in the 

 water, so that in the morning there would be no 

 scraping of the canoes when their cables were cast off. 

 At about eleven o'clock a rather brisk wind commenced 

 to blow across the lake. Oh ! if it would only change, 

 she thought, and waft the canoes down the lake all 

 would be well, and for this Frank on the land and 

 Anita on the rock were both praying. Twelve o'clock 

 came and every one was sleeping soundly. One 

 o'clock brought a flurry of rain and a sharp puff of 

 wind. Anita softly slipped down to the water's edge 

 with her precious freight. Her father heard her and 

 whispering to her, asked what was the matter. She 

 replied that she was looking after her canoe to see if it 

 was securely fastened. Satisfied with the answer, he 

 was soon wrapt in slumber again. The call of the great 

 horned owl, " To-whoot-to-who-to-whoo" from the near 

 shore of the lake broke into the stillness. It was Frank's 

 call to Anita. She now loosened the pirogue and all 

 the canoes, one by one, excepting her own, and let them 

 drift away into the inky darkness while with bated 

 breath and straining ears she awaited the arrival of her 

 lover. The embers of their camp-fire, which were even 

 yet sputtering and smoking in the rain, would be a guid- 



