A SUMMERS OUTING— AN EPISODE. 



Harvey M. Harper. 



It was in the summer of '86. Our 

 party, known as the " K. K. K.," 

 composed of some 20 odd men 

 and women, boys and girls, had been 

 for three weeks encamped on the shores 

 of Little Bay de Noquette. 



Mainly for our own glorification, but 

 incidentally to supply a failing larder, 

 my tent mate and I resolved to try 

 for a deer at a little lake which we 

 had discovered a day or two before, 

 some two miles distant from camp. 



We set out with the lightest possible 

 outfit, as it was our intention to attempt 

 making camp after the fashion beloved 

 of Nessmuk, of whose writings we had 

 long been diligent readers. 



Accordingly, we built a lean-to of 

 poles, covered them with browse, also 

 making a thick bed of the same fragrant 

 material on the ground underneath. 



Night at length came, and taking the 

 paddles, rifle and lantern, we stole si- 

 lently as possible to the edge of the 

 water, where we had previously found 

 two batteaux hidden in the bushes. 



One of the boats was gone ; some 

 one was there ahead of us. We were at 

 once in great distress, lest if we ven- 

 tured out on the water we might be mis- 

 taken for a deer and thereby, perhaps, 

 meet with an untimely end. 



Finally, our enthusiasm got the bet- 

 ter of our fears, and we concluded to 

 risk it. 



Suddenly, as we were rounding, we 

 ran full into the glare of our rival's 

 light. Not a word was spoken. The 

 splash of a wandering beaver alone 

 broke the stillness of the night. The 

 stranger slowly approached our boat, 

 and, as soon as he came alongside, we 

 discovered him to be a most remarkable 

 object. A shaggy head of hair topped 

 with an immense fur cap; a wooden leg, 

 seemingly fashioned out of a cedar fence 

 post ; a crazy, old smooth bore musket, 

 tied up with wire and strings and covered 

 as to the stock with innumerable brass 

 nails, wonderfully disposed in circles, 

 squares and lines, comprised the salient 

 features of the singular apparition which 

 confronted us. 



In broken French-English he averred 

 that we were out much too early, and, 

 taking his advice in a friendly spirit, we 

 paddled back, leaving him in full pos- 

 session of the lake for the time being. 



The following night, however, we had 

 everything our own way. It was per- 

 fection itself for jacking. The air was 

 still and close, caused by an impending 

 thunder storm. 



At the landing we jumped a deer, 

 which disappeared unharmed in the 

 darkness. A hundred yards farther 

 along one was heard, just within the 

 bushes, stamping and nipping the twigs, 

 but ungraciously refusing to come out 

 into view and be shot. 



