cessary duty.

CHAPTER THREE.

BESANCON'S ADVENTURE IN THE SWAMPS.

The prairie traveller never sleeps after daybreak. He is usually astir
before that time. He has many "_chores_" to perform, unknown to the
ordinary traveller who rests in the roadside inn. He has to pack up his
tent and bed, cook his own breakfast, and saddle his horse. All this
requires time, therefore an early start is necessary.

We were on our feet before the sun had shown his disc above the
black-jacks. Lanty had the start of us, and had freshened up his fire.
Already the coffee-kettle was bubbling audibly, and the great frying-pan
perfumed the camp with an incense more agreeable than the odours of
Araby.

The raw air of the morning had brought everybody around the fire.
Thompson was pruning and cleansing his nails; the Kentuckian was cutting
a fresh "chunk" from his plug of "James's River;" the doctor had just
returned from the stream, where he had refreshed himself by a "nip" from
his pewter flask; Besancon was packing up his portfolios; the zoologist
was lighting his long pipe, and the "Captain" was looking to his
favourite horse, while inhaling the fragrance of an "Havannah." The
guides stood with their blankets hanging from their shoulders silent and
thoughtful.

In half an hour breakfast was over, the tents and utensils were restored
to the waggon, the horses were brought in and saddled, the mules
"hitched up," and the expedition once more on its way.

This day we made not quite so good a journey. The roads were heavier,
the country more thickly timbered, and the ground more hilly. We had
several small streams to ford, and this retarded our progress. Twenty
miles was the extent of our journey.

We encamped again without any of us having killed or seen game.
Although we had beaten the bushes on both sides of our course, nothing
bigger than the red-bird (scarlet tanager, _Pyranga rubra_), a screaming
jay, or an occasional flight of finches, gratified our sight.

We reached our camp somewhat disappointed. Even old Ike and Redwood
came into camp without game, alleging also that they had not met with
the sign of a living quadruped.

Our second camp was also on the bank of a small stream. Shortly after
our arrival on the ground, Thompson started out afoot, taking with him
his gun. He had noticed a tract of marsh at no great distance off. He
thought it promised well for snipe.

He had not been long gone, when two repor