leness.
The instinct of defense and protection to everything weak and dependent
was strong within the lawyer; and Benedict affected him like a woman. It
was easy for the two to become friends, and as Mr. Balfour grew familiar
with the real excellences of his new acquaintance, with his intelligence
in certain directions, and his wonderful mechanical ingenuity, he
conceived just as high a degree of respect for him as he could entertain
for one who was entirely unfurnished with those weapons with which the
battles of life are fought.

It was a great delight to Jim to see his two friends get along so well
together, particularly as he had pressing employment on his hands, in
preparing for the winter. So, after the first day, Benedict became Mr.
Balfour's guide during the fortnight which he passed in the woods.

The bright light of Monday morning was the signal for the beginning of
their sport, and Thede, who had never thrown a fly, was awake at the
first day-light; and before Jim had the breakfast of venison and cakes
ready, he had strung his tackle and leaned his rod against the cabin in
readiness for his enterprise. They had a day of satisfactory fishing,
and brought home half-a-hundred spotted beauties that would have
delighted the eyes of any angler in the world; and when their golden
flesh stood open and broiling before the fire, or hissed and sputtered
in the frying-pan, watched by the hungry and admiring eyes of the
fishermen, they were attractive enough to be the food of the gods. And
when, at last, the group gathered around the rude board, with appetites
that seemed measureless, and devoured the dainties prepared for them,
the pleasures of the day were crowned.

But all this was comparatively tame sport to Mr. Balfour. He had come
for larger game, and waited only for the nightfall to deepen into
darkness to start upon his hunt for deer. The moon had passed her full,
and would not rise until after the ordinary bed-time. The boys were
anxious to be witnesses of the sport, and it was finally concluded, that
for once, at least, they should be indulged in their desire.

The voice of a hound was never heard in the woods, and even the "still
hunting" practiced by the Indian was never resorted to until after the
streams were frozen.

Jim had been busy during the day in picking up pine knots, and digging
out old stumps whose roots were charged with pitch. These he had
collected and split up into small pieces, so that ev