arly favorite dish, which every now and then he
insisted upon foisting upon his comrades; and from the way Eli's eyes
glistened whenever he saw the Virginia canoeist starting to make
preparations looking toward this compound it might be surmised that the
infliction was not unbearable and could be endured about every day in
the week.

He called it the Homeric kabab, and claimed that it had been handed down
from the days of the old Grecian writer and philosopher; which, if true,
proved that Homer knew a delicious thing when he tasted it.

It surely was a thing to conjure with.

Having made ready a glowing bed of coals, he set up two notched sticks
at either end, and across this hung a strong withe of willow or some
other wood, strung with inch pieces of meat, whether lamb, beef, venison
or rabbit it mattered not, since the state of the larder must decide
that matter; but it was of the utmost importance that alternating with
each bit of meat there should come a strip of eggplant or onion, or
both, if so fortunate as to have them.

This withe was to be kept turning, spit-fashion, until its weight of
provender was deliciously browned and sending forth an aroma that would
make the mouth of a wood nymph water. After that all that was needed was
to give thanks and partake.

When Owen has his first taste of this favorite canoeist's dish his eyes
told of the keenest enjoyment.

Plain fare had been his portion most of his life, and it was a question
of quantity more than quality with his folks; appetite made up for a
lack of delicacies, and doubtless with that as a background even common
corn pone may assume the properties of a Delmonico planked steak.

Eli had seemed to be as hungry as usual when they landed; but having
finished his task of erecting the tent he had picked up Cuthbert's
splendid repeating Marlin and said something about taking a little
stroll, with a hope that perchance he might sight game worthy of a shot.

Cuthbert had made no remark, for he knew that it was a weakness on the
part of his comrade to get off now and then with that gun, just for the
sake of handling it, and feeling for a short period that he owned the
whole world.

It afforded the Virginia lad great pleasure to know that he had it in
his power to bring joy to honest Eli's heart; and while he valued the
gun, even its loss would not have caused a single cloud to cross his
brow.

He was gifted with a splendid nature, and never so happy as