10 A MONtH IN THE FORESTS OF FRANCE. 



the last berth on his side, wistfully, I said, in a sort 

 of bantering tone, " What, caitit you make up your 

 mind ? " 



He faced about, regarded me intently for a moment, 

 and then, as if catching my humour, replied : " I Ve 

 not much to make up my mind upon, the berths are 

 all taken. Your legs are down ; if you '11 permit 

 me, I '11 sit a while by you." 



" I shall be most happy," I replied, for I liked his 

 look of intelligence as well as his general bearing ; 

 and in a few moments we were in conversation as if 

 we had been acquainted for years. He was the cap- 

 tain of an American trader, — so I was right as to his 

 ** sea legs ; " and, having found that out, I discussed 

 with him the wild sports of his country, — what was 

 best to hunt, and what to eat, — and discovered that 

 bull-frogs and canvass-backed ducks were the greatest 

 delicacies. He said, at first he hated the idea of 

 eating frogs, the same as I did ; but, having once 

 tasted them, the repugnance to the reptile vanished. 



" Well," I continued, " and now tell me what is 

 your opinion as to slavery ? " 



" I am an Abolitionist," he replied, setting his 

 keen inquisitive eyes full on mine. 



^' The deuce you are ! I should not have thought 

 that. The abolition of slavery and the infraction of 



