166 WITH GUN AND GUIDE 



pronounced opposition to her marrying one of her own 

 race. She thought of the scene that would ensue when 

 they found their canoes gone, of their anger when the 

 telltale letter would be discovered, and their chagrin to 

 know that her future husband was to be Frank Tal- 

 munt, who was well known to them by reputation. 



What was Frank doing the while ? He was captur- 

 ing the drifting pirogue and the four canoes, stringing 

 them out into a tow-line and doing so without making 

 noise enough to cause alarm. When his task was done, 

 he was soon alongside of Anita's canoe, and being now 

 out of sight and hearing of her kindred, he clasped her to 

 his breast. While thus locked in each other's arms and 

 drifting with wind and stream, the waning hours of 

 the early morning but too soon fled away. When 

 Aurora flecked the eastern sky with rosy blushes, they 

 were even then at the outlet of the lake. Before enter- 

 ing the river, Frank hid and secured the canoes and the 

 pirogue behind a mass of rank vegetation on the right- 

 hand side. Knowing that Anita was an expert in the 

 use of the paddle, he considered it best to descend the 

 river with the two canoes rather than one. Leading 

 the way, he started down the rapid and tortuous 

 stream. Having a good "pitch" of water, they ran 

 down to Red Bank, twelve miles from the mouth, be- 

 fore stopping for refreshment. Here Anita took her 

 fishing-tackle to catch trout for breakfast and Frank 

 cut wood and built a fire, brought water from the 



