refore struck through the firs,
following a cattle track, which doubtless led to another grazing ground.
This ran parallel with the shore, and when he judged himself about level
with the canoe he left it, and entered the wood itself. For a little way
he could walk, but the thick fir branches soon blocked his progress, and
he could progress only on hands and knees, creeping beneath them. There
was a hollow space under the lower branches free from brushwood.

Thus he painfully approached the Lake, and descending the hill, after an
hour's weary work emerged among the rushes and reeds. He was within two
hundred yards of the canoe, for he recognised the island opposite it. In
ten minutes he found it undisturbed and exactly as he had left it,
except that the breeze had strewn the dry reeds with which it was
covered with willow leaves, yellow and dead (they fall while all the
rest are green), which had been whirled from the branches. Throwing
himself upon the reeds beside the canoe, he dropped asleep as if he had
been dead.

He awoke as the sun was sinking and sat up, hungry in the extreme, but
much refreshed. There were still some stores in the canoe, of which he
ate ravenously. But he felt better now; he felt at home beside his boat.
He could hardly believe in the reality of the hideous dream through
which he had passed. But when he tried to stand, his feet, cut and
blistered, only too painfully assured him of its reality. He took out
his hunter's hide and cloak and spread himself a comfortable bed. Though
he had slept so long he was still weary. He reclined in a
semi-unconscious state, his frame slowly recovering from the strain it
had endured, till by degrees he fell asleep again. Sleep, nothing but
sleep, restores the overtaxed mind and body.

CHAPTER XXI

A VOYAGE

The sun was up when Felix awoke, and as he raised himself the beauty of
the Lake before him filled him with pleasure. By the shore it was so
calm that the trees were perfectly reflected, and the few willow leaves
that had fallen floated without drifting one way or the other. Farther
out the islands were lit up with the sunlight, and the swallows skimmed
the water, following the outline of their shores. In the Lake beyond
them, glimpses of which he could see through the channel or passage
between, there was a ripple where the faint south-western breeze touched
the surface. His mind went out to the beauty of it. He did not question
or analyse his f