upon a being thus
struck by God's power as especially under his care. I rejoice to hear
what you say, however, I rejoice to hear it; but as the sun is beginning
to turn towards the afternoon's sky, had we not better strike the trail
again, and make forward, that we may get an opportunity of seeing these
wonderful sisters?"

Harry March giving a cheerful assent, the remnants of the meal were
soon collected; then the travelers shouldered their packs, resumed their
arms, and, quitting the little area of light, they again plunged into
the deep shadows of the forest.

Chapter II.

"Thou'rt passing from the lake's green side,
And the hunter's hearth away;
For the time of flowers, for the summer's pride,
Daughter! thou canst not stay."

Mrs. Hemans, "Edith. A Tale of the Woods" II. 191-94

Our two adventurers had not far to go. Hurry knew the direction, as soon
as he had found the open spot and the spring, and he now led on with the
confident step of a man assured of his object. The forest was dark, as a
matter of course, but it was no longer obstructed by underbrush, and the
footing was firm and dry. After proceeding near a mile, March stopped,
and began to cast about him with an inquiring look, examining the
different objects with care, and occasionally turning his eyes on the
trunks of the fallen trees, with which the ground was well sprinkled,
as is usually the case in an American wood, especially in those parts of
the country where timber has not yet become valuable.

"This must be the place, Deerslayer," March at length observed; "here is
a beech by the side of a hemlock, with three pines at hand, and yonder
is a white birch with a broken top; and yet I see no rock, nor any of
the branches bent down, as I told you would be the case."

"Broken branches are onskilful landmarks, as the least exper'enced know
that branches don't often break of themselves," returned the other; "and
they also lead to suspicion and discoveries. The Delawares never trust
to broken branches, unless it is in friendly times, and on an open
trail. As for the beeches, and pines, and hemlocks, why, they are to be
seen on all sides of us, not only by twos and threes, but by forties,
and fifties, and hundreds."

"Very true, Deerslayer, but you never calculate on position. Here is a
beech and a hemlock--"

"Yes, and there is another beech and a hemlock, as loving as two
brothers, or, for that matter, more loving