gs, so that the
true character of the land was not known until the present century; its
grand interior was not systematically explored till only a few years
ago, and thus it comes to pass that even at the present day one of the
finest islands belonging to the British Crown--as regards vast portions
of its interior--still remains a beautiful wilderness unused by man.

But with this we have nothing at present to do. Our business is, in
spirit, to follow Hendrick and his friends through that wilderness, as
it was at the beginning of the sixteenth century.

Deer-tracks, as we have said, were innumerable, and along one of those
tracks a herd of deer were seen trotting one day about two bow-shots
from the party. With characteristic eagerness Oliver Trench hastily let
fly an arrow at them. He might as well have let it fly at the
pole-star. The only effect it had was to startle the deer and send them
galloping into the shelter of the woods.

"_What_ a pity!" exclaimed Oliver.

"Not so, my boy," remarked his father. "Experience, they say, teaches
fools; and if experience has now taught you that it is foolish to shoot
at game out of range, you are no fool, which is not a pity, but matter
for congratulation."

"But what about practice, daddy? Did you not say only last night that
there is nothing like practice to make perfect?"

"True, lad, but I did not recommend practising at deer beyond range.
Besides, you can practise at stumps and stones."

"But stumps and stones don't afford _running_ shots," objected Olly.

"Yes they do, boy. You can run past the stumps while you shoot, and as
to stones, you can roll them down hill and let fly at them as they roll.
Now clap the hatches on your mouth; you're too fond of argument."

"I'm only a chip of the ancient tree, father," retorted the boy, with a
quiet laugh.

How much further this little skirmish might have proceeded we cannot
tell, for it was brought to an abrupt close by the sudden appearance of
a black bear. It was on turning a cliff which bordered the edge of a
stream that they came upon the monster--so close to it that they had
barely time to get ready their weapons when it rose on its hind legs to
attack them.

"Look out!" yelled Oliver, who, being in advance, was the first to see
the bear.

A stone from his sling was well though hastily aimed, for it hit the
animal fairly on the nose, thereby rendering it particularly angry.
Almost at the same moment a bol