avorite stopping-place
of the carmen who hauled in supplies for the gang of two hundred
road-builders. One rainy day near nightfall no less than eight carts
drew up at the old stable, and the rain-soaked drivers, after picketing
and feeding their horses, came down to our fire. We were away, and Joe
met us on our return with the unwelcome news. We kept open house so far
as the fire was concerned; but our roof was a narrow one at the best,
and one or two leaky spots made it still narrower.

"We shall probably sleep out-of-doors to-night," said my companion,
"unless we are a match for this posse of rough teamsters."

But the men proved to be much more peaceably disposed than the same
class at home; they apologized for intruding, pleading the inclemency
of the weather, and were quite willing, with our permission, to take up
with pot-luck about the fire and leave us the shanty. They dried their
clothes upon poles and logs, and had their fun and their bantering amid
it all. An Irishman among them did about the only growling; he invited
himself into our quarters, and before morning had Joe's blanket about
him in addition to his own.

On Friday we made an excursion to Great Lake Jacques Cartier, paddling
and poling up the river in the rude box-boat. It was a bright, still
morning after the rain, and everything had a new, fresh appearance.
Expectation was ever on tiptoe as each turn in the river opened a new
prospect before us. How wild, and shaggy, and silent it was! What
fascinating pools, what tempting stretches of trout-haunted water! Now
and then we would catch a glimpse of long black shadows starting away
from the boat and shooting through the sunlit depths. But no sound or
motion on shore was heard or seen. Near the lake we came to a long,
shallow rapid, when we pulled off our shoes and stockings, and, with
our trousers rolled above our knees, towed the boat up it, wincing and
cringing amid the sharp, slippery stones. With benumbed feet and legs
we reached the still water that forms the stem of the lake, and
presently saw the arms of the wilderness open and the long deep blue
expanse in their embrace. We rested and bathed, and gladdened our eyes
with the singularly beautiful prospect. The shadows of summer clouds
were slowly creeping up and down the sides of the mountains that hemmed
it in. On the far eastern shore, near the head, banks of what was
doubtless white sand shone dimly in the sun, and the illusion that
ther