n from
generation to generation of anglers; and this spell we had come to
break, by finding the particular fly that would be irresistible to
those secret epicures and the psychological moment of the day when they
could no longer resist temptation. We tried all the flies in our books;
at sunset, in the twilight, by the light of the stars and the rising
moon, at dawn and at sunrise. Not one trout did we capture with the fly
in Green Lake. Nor could we solve the mystery of those reluctant fish.
The boy made a scientific suggestion that they got plenty of food from
the cloudy water, which served them as a kind of soup. My guess was
that their sight was impaired so that they could not see the fly. But
Sam said it was "jest pure cussedness." Many things in the world happen
from that cause, and as a rule it is best not to fret over them.

[Illustration: On such a carry travel is slow.]

The trail from Green Lake to Campbell Lake was easily found; it
followed down the outlet about a mile. But it had been little used for
many years and the undergrowth had almost obliterated it. Rain had been
falling all the morning and the bushes were wetter than water. On such
a carry travel is slow. We had three trips to make each way before we
could get the stuff and the canoes over. Then a short voyage across the
lake, and another mile of the same sort of portage, after which we came
out with the last load, an hour before sundown, on the shore of the Big
Sabeo. This lake was quite different from the others; wide and open,
with smooth sand-beaches all around it. The little hills which
encircled it had been burned over years ago; and the blueberry pickers
had renewed the fire from year to year. The landscape was light green
and yellow, beneath a low, cloudy sky; no forest in sight, except one
big, black island far across the water.

The place where we came out was not attractive; but nothing is more
foolish than to go on looking for a pretty camp-ground after daylight
has begun to wane. When the sun comes within the width of two
paddle-blades of the horizon, if you are wise you will take the first
bit of level ground within reach of wood and water, and make haste to
get the camp in order before dark. So we pitched our blue tent on the
beach, with a screen of bushes at the back to shelter us from the wind;
broke a double quantity of fir branches for our bed, to save us from
the midnight misery of sand in the blankets; cut a generous supply of