g, and in the
midst of quite a little scene of excitement the new tent was put up for
the first time, that they had entered into possession of a new Eden,
where all was to be happiness and peace.

A fire was soon lit, and mutton steaks being frizzled, water was
fetched; the cattle driven to the river, and then to pasture, after the
wagons and carts had been disposed in a square about the tent. Then a
delicious meal was eaten, watch set, and the tired travellers watched
the creeping on of the dark shadows, till all the woodland about them
was intensely black, and the sky seemed to be one blaze of stars
glittering like diamonds, or the sea-path leading up to the moon.

It had been decided that all would go to rest in good time, so that they
might breakfast at dawn, and get well on in the morning before the sun
grew hot; but the night was so balmy, and everything so peaceful and
new, that the time went on, and no one stirred.

The fire had been made up so that it might smoulder all through the
night, and the great kettle had been filled and placed over it ready for
the morning; and then they all sat upon box, basket, and rug spread upon
the grass, talking in a low voice, listening to the _crop_, _crop_ of
the cattle, and watching the stars or the trees lit up now and then by
the flickering flames of the wood fire; till all at once, unasked, as if
moved by the rippling stream hard by, Ida began to sing in a low voice
the beautiful old melody of "Flow on, thou Shining River," and Hester
took up the second part of the duet till about half through, the music
sounding wonderfully sweet and solemn out in those primeval groves, when
suddenly Hester ceased singing, and sat with lips apart gazing straight
before her.

"Hetty," cried Ida, ceasing, "what is it?" Then, as if she had caught
sight of that which had checked her Cousin's singing, she uttered a wild
and piercing shriek, and the men and boys sprang to their feet, the
captain making a dash for the nearest gun.

CHAPTER FOUR.

"WHITE MARY 'GIN TO SING."

"What is it--what did you see?" was whispered by more than one in the
midst of the intense excitement; and just then German, who had been
collecting dry fuel ready to use for the smouldering embers in the
morning, did what might have proved fatal to the emigrants.

He threw half an armful of dry brushwood on the fire, with the result
that there was a loud crackling sound, and a burst of brilliant flame
which l