as awful.

"Take it and go," she said, without turning. "Take it and go."

From the crackling of leaves and twigs we judged that he had come out
and got the brand, and when he spoke again it was from farther back in
the woods.

"You know," he said, "I don't like this any more than you do. I've got
forty-two mosquito bites on my left arm."

He waited, as if for a reply; but getting none he evidently retreated.
The sound of rustling leaves and crackling twigs grew fainter, fainter
still, died away altogether. We turned then with one accord and gazed
through the dark arches of the forest. A glowing star was retreating
there--a smouldering fire, that seemed to move slowly and with an
appearance of dejection.

It was the second time Aggie and I had seen fire thus carried through
the wood; but whereas about the kettle there had been a glow and
radiance that was almost triumphant, the brand we now watched seemed
smouldering, dejected, ashamed. Even Tish felt it.

"The wretch!" she exclaimed. "Daring to come here like that! No wonder
he's ashamed."

But Aggie, who is very romantic, sat staring after the distant torch.

"Mr. Wiggins suffered so from mosquitoes," she said softly.

IV

The next morning we found more fish awaiting us, and on the smooth sand
of the beach was a message written with a stick:--

If you will leave a wire hairpin or two on this stone I can get
bigger fish. What do you mean to do with all those rabbit skins?

(Signed) P.

Tish was touched by the fish, I think. She smoothed off the sand
carefully and wrote a reply:--

Here are the hairpins. Thank you. Do you want the rabbit skins?

L.C.

All day we were in a state of expectancy. The mosquitoes were very bad,
and had it not been for the excitement of the P---- person I should have
given up and gone home. I wanted mashed potatoes and lima beans with
butter dressing, and a cup of hot tea, and muffins, and ice--in fact,
I cannot think of anything I did not want, except rabbits and fish and
puffballs and such blackberries as the birds did not fancy. Although we
were well enough--almost too well--the better I felt the hungrier I got.

Tish thought the time had now come to rest and invite our souls. She
set the example that day by going out on a flat rock in the lake and
preparing to think all the things she'd been waiting most of her life
to consider.

"I am ready to form my own opinions about some things," she said.