efully measuring the stranger, now spoke. 'I
thank you for your advice, as to your help we do not need it, for, as
you see, we are strong in ourselves.' The Englishman, for such he was,
grew angry. 'You unmannerly Scot, you will have cause to regret scorning
my services. I never had such a reception, for in the poorest shanty
they greet you with a cup of welcome.' So saying he disappeared. In
telling Jabez of him next day, he said the master had done well to come
out squarely. Bees had grown to be a nuisance and a loss. When they
heard of one, drinkers would travel ten miles to attend and others came
just for the sport of the day. The settler would run in debt to lay in a
stock of food and whisky. Out of the crowd that would come several would
not do a hand's turn, but drink and eat; part would work during the
forenoon and then, after dinner, join in the talk and drinking; while
the remainder would put in a faithful day's labor. It often happened
that bees ended in quarrels, sometimes in fights. A settler, Jabez said,
would do better to use the cost of drink and food in hiring labor.

In the afternoon the women began writing letters to Scotland, using the
tops of chests to rest the paper on. The sheets were crossed and
recrossed, for postage was high, fifty cents the half ounce. Allan and I
walked into the bush to see what it was like. The trees were all large
and well set apart with little underbrush. Fallen trees and decaying
logs abounded. Whether it was jumping or going round these that caused
us to lose our way I cannot say, but after a long walk we failed to
sight the pond. We made a fresh start and tried another direction
without success. 'We are lost, for sure,' exclaimed Allan. Putting his
hands to his mouth he let out a yell that startled the crows from a
tree-top. We listened, there was no answering sound. Then he whistled
long and sharp. Again no answer. Jabez had pointed out to me that the
north could always be known by more moss growing on that side of trees,
and I decided we had been travelling in that direction. If we could have
got a glimpse of the sun we would have known for sure the points of the
compass, but the foliage of the tree-tops prevented a ray getting
through. We walked smartly, as we thought southwards, when Allan again
yelled with all his might. Strange to say, an hillo came from the woods
on our left and quite close to us. We hurried in the direction of the
sound and came out on a small cl