owy pinions of many flocks of
water-fowl were seen exploring its course, and the neighboring geese,
one by one, took flight, and, with clamorous calls, winged their way to
its borders.

"I give it up," said Creamer.

"Never mind, Hughie," said Ben, "I'll pay the wager; for, with open
water so close to us, the first good storm will soon sweep the bay clear
to the bar."

"Yes, a sharp north-easter would soon do that for you; but all the heavy
winds may be northerly and westerly for three weeks to come yet," said
Lund; "I've known the ice to hold here until the first week of May."

"Well," returned La Salle, "I'm sure I hope it won't be so late this
year, for the stock of flour on the island is very small, and many of
the poor folks can't afford to buy any, and are living on potatoes
almost altogether. They say, too, that there is much suffering among the
farmers at the North Point."

"Yes," said Ben; "I saw a man from Lot Ten last week, and he said that
the French were eating their seed-grain, and feeding their cattle, or
such as were left alive, on birch and beech tops."

"That has happened often, since I can remember," said Lund, "and I
suppose is likely to after I am gone; but it seems to me that those
stupids might learn something by this time."

"It will occur to a greater or less degree, just as long as the island
is shut out from the rest of the world for nearly half the year. There
are few men who have any just estimate of the amount of provisions and
fodder necessary for the sustenance of a family and its cattle for so
long a period as a half year, and when accident, or the unwonted
backwardness of the season, increases the number of mouths, or the
length of the cold term, it is hard for the farmer to decide on
sacrificing the life of even a superannuated horse, or weakly yearling,
in time to benefit the more valuable survivors."

"You're right, Charley," said Creamer; "that's what my father's uncle
said, when he was a mate on board the Semyramsis, in the Ingy Ocean. The
ship was lost in a harricane, sir, and only seven was saved in the
captain's gig--six able-bodied seamen and one passenger, a fat little
army ossifer. So my great-uncle, who were bosin, made an observation,
and says he, 'There's just ten days' provision for seven men, and we're
twenty days to looard of Silly Bes (Celebes), if we only row ten miles a
day. Now, we must row twenty miles a day; an' to do that, we must have
full rations an'