fresh air somewhat revived her; and on opening
her eyes and seeing the little girl, she stretched out her arms for her.
`Lilias! my little Lily! she's saved,' she whispered, as she pressed
her lips to the child's brow. `May Heaven reward you!'

"It was the final effort of exhausted nature, and in a few minutes she
breathed her last.

"The flames, meantime, had gained the mastery over the building, and we
saw that it was impossible to save it.

"But it's time to turn in, Roger," said Uncle Mark. "I'll tell you more
about the matter to-morrow."

As Uncle Mark always meant what he said, I knew that there would be no
use in trying to get him to go on then, eager as I was to hear more of
what had, as may be supposed, so deeply interested me. I accordingly
turned into my bunk, and was soon asleep.

I dreamed of shrieking Indians and burning villages; and more than once
I started up and listened to the strange unearthly sounds which came
from the depths of the forest.

These noises, I may here say, were caused by the wolves; for the savage
brutes occasionally came near the settlement, attracted by the sheep and
cattle which the inhabitants had brought with them. A bright look-out
being kept, however, it was seldom that any of our stock was carried
off. Bears also occasionally came into the neighbourhood; and we had
already shot two, whose skins supplied us with winter coats. Our
intention was to kill as many more as we could meet with, that their
skins might serve us for other purposes--especially as coverlets for our
beds. And, besides, their flesh was always a welcome addition to our
larder.

Next morning we went about our usual work. My uncle with his bright axe
commenced felling the trees round our hut--working away from sunrise to
sunset, with only an hour's intermission for dinner. I aided him, as
far as my strength would allow, for a certain number of hours daily.
But my uncle encouraged me to follow the bent of my inclination, which
was to get away and observe the habits of the creatures dwelling in the
surrounding forest.

I had been a naturalist from my earliest days. The study had been my
poor father's hobby--so my uncle told me--and I inherited his love for
it. It had, moreover, been developed and encouraged by a visit we had
received, some few years back, from a scientific gentleman, who had come
over to America to make himself acquainted with the feathered tribes,
the quadrupeds, and the rept