nious little net," said Louis, who had watched her proceedings
with great interest. The girl shook her head, and laughed till she
showed all her white teeth, but quietly proceeded to commence a second
frame like the first.

Louis put it on his head. No: it could not be meant to be worn there,
that was plain. He turned it round and round. It must be intended for
some kind of bird-trap: yes, that must be it; and he cast an inquiring
glance at Indiana. She blushed, shook her head, and gave another of her
silent laughs.

"Some game like battledore and shuttlecock,"--and snatching up a light
bass-wood chip, he began tossing the chip up and catching it on the
netted frame. The little squaw was highly amused, but rapidly went on
with her work. Louis was now almost angry at the perverse little savage
persevering in keeping him in suspense. She would not tell him till the
other was done: then there were to be a pair of these curious articles:
and he was forced at last to sit quietly down to watch the proceeding of
the work. It was night before the two were completed, and furnished with
straps and loops. When the last stroke was put to them, the Indian girl
knelt down at Hector's feet, and binding them on, pointed to them with a
joyous laugh, and said, "Snow-shoe--for walk on snow--good!"

The boys had heard of snow-shoes, but had never seen them, and now
seemed to understand little of the benefit to be derived from the use
of them. The young Mohawk quickly transferred the snow-shoes to her own
feet, and soon proved to them that the broad surface prevented those
who wore them from sinking into the deep snow. After many trials Hector
began to acknowledge the advantage of walking with the snow-shoes,
especially on the frozen snow on the ice-covered lake. Indiana was well
pleased with the approbation that her manufactures met with, and very
soon manufactured for "Nee-chee," as they all now called Louis, a
similar present As to Catharine, she declared the snow-shoes made her
ancles ache, and that she preferred the mocassins that her cousin Louis
made for her. During the long bright days of February they made several
excursions on the lake, and likewise explored some of the high hills
to the eastward. On this ridge there were few large trees; but it was
thickly clothed with scrub oaks, slender poplars, and here and there
fine pines, and picturesque free-growing oaks of considerable size and
great age--patriarchs, they might be terme