it had been twined out of silk. At all events, it
was soon to have a trial--for the moment it was finished the sinkers
were attached to it, and it was carried down to the edge of the water.

The three "Southerners" had never seen a net set under ice--for in their
country ice is an uncommon thing, and indeed never freezes of sufficient
thickness to carry the weight of a man. They were therefore very curious
to know how the thing was to be done. They could not conceive how the
net was to be stretched under the ice, in such a manner as to catch the
fish. Norman, however, knew all about it. He had seen the Indians, and
had set many a one himself. It was no new thing for him, and he set
about it at once.

He first crept out upon the ice to the distance of about twenty or
thirty yards from the shore. He proceeded cautiously, as the ice creaked
under him. Having arrived at the place where he intended to set the net,
he knelt down, and with his knife cut several holes in the ice, at the
distance of about six feet from each other, and all in one line. He had
already provided himself with a straight sapling of more than six feet
in length, to one end of which he had attached a cord. The other end of
this cord was tied to the net, at one of its corners. He now thrust the
sapling through the first hole he had made, and then guided it so as to
pass directly under the second.

At this hole he took a fresh hold of the stick, and passed it along to
the next, and so on to the last, where he pulled it out again, and of
course along with it the string. The net was not drawn into the first
hole, and by means of the cord already received through, was pulled out
to its full length. The sinkers, of course, fell down in the water, and
drew it into a vertical position. At both its upper corners the net was
made fast above the ice, and was now "set." Nothing more could be done
until the fish came into it of their own accord, when it could be drawn
out upon the ice by means of the cord attached; and, of course, by the
same means could easily be returned to its place, and set again.

All of them now went back to the fire, and with hungry looks sat around
it, waiting the result. They had made up their minds, should no fish be
caught, to get once more into the canoe and attempt breaking their way
to the shore. Summoning all their patience, therefore, they waited for
nearly two hours, without examining the net. Then Norman and Basil
crawled back