IN A LOG-HUT. 75 



should bo made till a favorite neighborhood was reached, 

 alike beautiful in summer or winter. Moreover, here we 

 should find a log-hut, erected two seasons previously, and 

 which we had every reason to believe would be in a thor- 

 ough state of repair. In due course of time we arrived at 

 our rendezvous ; the snow was cleared out of the structure, 

 and, considering all things, the two Penobscot Indians who 

 accompanied us succeeded in making our temporary resi- 

 dence look more than inviting. The first night passed in 

 the usual manner ; we each pledged the other's health more 

 than once, and again and again requited our pipes with 

 tobacco. Still we slept soundly, and day had well broken 

 before either turned out. A hurried cup of coffee and a 

 few morsels of cold meat and biscuit sufficed for breakfast, 

 so that ere the sun had risen over the neighboring hill we 

 were en route for the scene of action. The country that 

 we traversed was covered, but not densely crowded, with 

 hard wood so open, in fact, that a fair shot would severe- 

 ly have punished woodcock which had taken shelter in a 

 similar locality. After tramping three miles, the Indians 

 leading, and I causing much amusement by a succession of 

 catastrophes from one snow-shoe overlapping the other, 

 a halt was made, and the expression of the guide spoke 

 plainly of the vicinity of game ; without questioning, we 

 turned off to the left, still following in single file. Stoop- 

 ing low and slowly advancing for some moments, we came 

 upon a yard but, alas ! deserted ; but such had not been 

 long the case. Our dark-skinned companions were jubilant ; 

 visions of moose -meat floated before them, and straight 

 they directed their steps to the place of exit, for the occu- 

 pants had winded us earlier than expected. To a novice 

 but one track appeared, yet the Indians held up four fin- 

 gers to indicate that number of inmates. Soon we found 

 their information correct ; for, after a pursuit of an hour 



