ong before we commence to cut capers."

"Hear, hear!" from Walter.

"Hurrah!" from Roy.

Mr Stiff cleared his throat and began at once. The tune was so
dolorous, and the voice so unmusical, that in any other circumstances it
would have been intolerable, but there were lines in it touching upon
"good fellowship," which partially redeemed it, and in the last verse
there was reference made to "home," and "absent friends," which rendered
it a complete success, insomuch that it was concluded amid rapturous
cheering, so true is it, as Walter observed, that, "one touch of nature
covers a multitude of sins!"

"Let's drink to absent friends an' owld Ireland," cried Larry, filling
his cup and pushing the kettle round.

This was drunk with enthusiasm and was followed by a succession of
toasts and songs, which were drunk and sung not at the table, but round
the fire, to which the party withdrew in order to enjoy their pipes more
thoroughly. Then followed a number of anecdotes of stories--some true,
some doubtful, and some fabricated--which were listened to with deep
interest, not only by Roy and Nelly, but by the whole party, including
the Indians, who listened intently, with faces like owls, although they
did not understand a word that was said.

Many of these stories were so touching that poor Mrs Gore's eyes became
more inflamed and more oyster-like than ever. Nelly, too, became
sympathetic, and her eyes were similarly affected.

When the evening was pretty well advanced, the violin was sent for and
tuned, and Stiff turned out to be a very fair player of Scotch reels; so
the party laid aside their pipes, cleared the floor, and began to dance.

It was rough but hearty dancing. Each dancer composed his own steps on
the spur of the moment, but executed them with a degree of precision and
violence that would have caused civilised dancing masters to blush with
shame and envy. Mrs Gore and Nelly danced too, weeping the while with
joy, and so did the White Swan, but her performances were peculiar. She
danced with a slowness of manner and a rigidity of person that are
utterly indescribable. She looked as if all her joints had become
inflexible, except those of her knees, and her arms hung straight down
at her sides, while she pendulated about the floor and gazed at the
rafters in deep solemnity.

How they did keep it up, to be sure! Men of the backwoods find it no
easy matter to fatigue their muscles or exhaust their s