ich to store the lading of the
waggons, Philip arranged to take the family across in the boat, with
their bedding and other necessary articles, and to return at once for
the remainder. "I am sure that if D'Arcy knew it he would help, but we
shall have a full moon up presently, and I would rather get the work
done now than wait for day, when the heat on the lake will be
considerable," he observed.

Mr Judson undertook to watch the luggage. "Not that there's much need
of that," he remarked, "for the Injuns about here is honest fellows, and
there isn't a white settler who'd touch as much as a ha'porth of baccy,
'cept maybe a newly-arrived Irishman, who hasn't learnt the ways of the
country."

The boat was of good size, calculated for the waters of Lake Huron, and
fitted with mast and sails, though these were not now used. The lake
was smooth as glass, reflecting the bright stars from the clear sky, and
broken only by the fish which here and there rose to the surface,
showing their size by the loud sound of the splashes they made. The
irregular borders of the lake rose clear and well-defined on every side
a-head, appearing to be of considerable height, almost mountains, in the
doubtful light of morning. Philip, with Harry, and Charley, and Peter,
with a lad they had hired, pulled, while Mr Ashton steered. "Row,
brothers, row," sang out Harry. "Our home is a-head, and daylight is
past. I am glad that the rapids are not near, though, for with our
well-freighted craft it would be a ticklish job running them, I guess."

The moon soon rose large and clear, a brilliant globe floating in aether
rather than the pale-coloured disc which it appears in England. As it
shot upward in the clear sky it shed a silvery light over the scene,
which became perfectly fairy-like in its beauty. "It is well worth
leaving all the glare and bustle of London for the sake of enjoying such
a scene as this," said Sophy, and her sisters echoed the sentiment. "I
remember just such an one on Como," observed Philip, who had made a tour
on the Continent during the last long vacation. "But even if the scene
we have left equalled this in beauty, I should prize this far more,"
replied his sister. "I will tell you why. I feel that this is our own;
we are at home here, and may admire it without regret, because we know
that we may enjoy it over and over again."

"Hillo! what boat is that?" shouted a voice from some distance, and a
dark object gli