, and a quantity of very fine turnips and carrots. Beans had
not thriven: he learned that the climate is considered unfavourable for
them. The pumpkins planted between his rows of Indian corn had swelled
and swelled, till they lay huge golden balls on the ground, promising
abundant dishes of 'squash' and sweet pie through the winter.

'How is it that everything thrives with you, Wynn?' young Armytage said
one afternoon that he found the brothers busy slitting rails for the
fencing of the aforesaid fall-wheat. 'I should say the genius of good
luck had a special care over Cedar Creek.'

'Well, nature has done three-fourths of it,' answered Robert, driving
in a fresh wedge with his beetle; 'for this soil reminds me of some
poet's line--"Tickle the earth with a straw, and forth laughs a yellow
harvest." The other quarter of our success is just owing to hard work,
Armytage, as you may see.'

'I can't stand that,' said the young man, laughing: 'give me something
to do at once;' and he began to split rails also. Linda, coming from the
house, found them thus employed--a highly industrial trio.

'I recollect being promised wild plums to preserve,' said she, after
looking on for a little. 'Suppose you get out the canoe, Bob, and we go
over to that island where we saw such quantities of them unripe? Now
don't look so awfully wise over your wedges, but just consider how I am
to have fruit tarts for people, if the fruit is never gathered.'

Whether the motive was this telling argument, or that his work was
almost finished owing to the additional hand, Robert allowed the beetle
to be taken from his fingers and laid aside. 'You imperious person! I
suppose we must obey you.'

The day was one of those which only Canada in the whole world can
furnish--a day of the 'pink mist,' when the noon sun hangs central in a
roseate cup of sky. The rich colour was deepest all round the horizon,
and paled with infinite shades towards the zenith, like a great blush
rose drooping over the earth. Twenty times that morning Linda went from
the house to look at it: her eyes could not be satiated with the beauty
of the landscape and of the heavens above.

Then, what colours on the trees! As the canoe glided along through the
enchanted repose of the lake, what painted vistas of forest opened to
the voyagers' sight! what glowing gold islets against an azure background
of distant waters and purple shores! what rainbows had fallen on the
woods, and steep