the water with the sun shining on it? what a _nice_ place to build a
hut!"

"Just so," said Roy, smiling at the girl's enthusiasm, "that's the spot,
and that's the very thought that jumped bang into my brain as you spoke.
By the way, does a thought jump _into_ a man's brain or _out_ of it, I
wonder?"

"Out of it, of course," cried Nelly, with a laugh.

"I'm not so sure of that, Nell. I send it rather slowly out through my
mouth, but I think it jumps _into_ my brain. I wonder how it gets in;
whether by the eyes, or ears, or mouth--perhaps it goes up the nose."

"What stuff you do talk!" cried Nelly.

"D'ye think so," said Roy with a grin, "well, that bein' the case, let's
go and fix our camp, for the sun is not given to sitting up all night in
these parts, so we must work while it shines."

With hurried steps and eager looks, (for Roy, despite his affected
coolness, was as enthusiastic about the new plan as his sister,) they
descended to the margin of Silver Lake, and began to make their
encampment on the sunny spot before referred to.

It turned out to be most suitable for their purpose, having a gentle
slope towards the margin of the lake, which was fringed with a beach of
pure white pebbles, and being well sheltered in the rear by umbrageous
trees. The point of rocks close at hand formed a natural jetty, which,
Roy observed, would be useful as a landing-place when he got his raft
under way; the turf was soft, a matter of some importance, as it was to
form their couch at night, and a small stream trickled down from one of
the numerous springs which welled up at the foot of the nearest hill.

Solitary and remote from the usual haunts of men as this lake was, there
was no feeling of solitude about it at the time we write of. The entire
region was alive with wild fowl of many kinds. Wild geese trumpeted
their advent as they came from the far north, _en route_ for the far
south, and settled on the bosom of Silver Lake to take a night's lodging
there. Ducks, from the same region, and bound for the same goal--though
with less stately and regular flight--flew hither and thither with
whistling wings, ever and anon going swash into the water as a tempting
patch of reeds invited them to feed, or a whim of fancy induced them to
rest. Wild swans occasionally sailed in all their majesty on its
waters, while plover of every length of limb and bill, and every species
of plaintive cry, waded round its margin, or swept