“What now, monsieur?”

But I smiled at her with my conceit untroubled.  I had seen reeds close to the northern shore.  “Halt!” I cried to the canoes.

We lay quiet a moment, and the birds glancing back at us found us suddenly harmless.  The reeds under them were swarming with young fish.  The gulls looked down and squawked in a hungry chorus.  In a moment they lighted, balancing their great wings like reefing sails.

I laughed as I looked at the woman.  It was a small triumph, but intoxication breeds easy laughter.  I had been drinking deep that morning of a sparkling happiness more disturbing than any wine.

We sent the canoes shoreward into the curve where the reeds lay.  The stiff green withes rattled against our canoes like hail, and gave warning of our approach for a half mile distant.  I nodded my inner approval.

“The gulls are wise,” I said to the woman.  “We could not plan a better water defense to our camp.”

The grass came down to the water, and we pulled the canoes over short turf and into beds of white blossoms.  A cloud of butterflies rose to greet us; they too were satin-white, the color that a bride should wear, and they fluttered over us without fear.  The smell of the grasses rose like incense.  With all the light and perfume there was a sense of quiet, of deep content and peace.  Even the woods that fringed the meadow seemed kindly.  They did not have the sombre awe of the heavy timber, but looked sun-drenched and gay.

“We shall stay here,” I said.  “Unload the canoes.”

Five men with good sinews, some understanding, and well-sharpened axe blades, can make a great change in the forest in one day.  When the sunset found us I had a fortified house built for my wife.  It was framed of fragrant pine, and occupied the extremity of a spit of land that lay next the meadow.  Its door opened on the water, and I made the opening wide so that the stars might look in at night.  All about the sides and rear of the house were laid boughs, one upon another, and on the top of this barricade was stretched a long cord threaded with hawk’s bells.  The lodges for myself and the men we placed in the rear, and behind them we laid still another wall of brush to separate us from the forest.  I was satisfied with the defenses.  With the reeds in front and the brush behind, any intruder would sound his own alarm.

The woman took Singing Arrow and went to her house early that night, but I sat late over my charts and journal.  I had much to study and more to plan.

Yet I was abroad the next morning while the stars were still reflected in the bay.  Labarthe was with me, and we took Singing Arrow’s light canoe and packed it with supplies and merchandise.  Then we breakfasted on meal and jerked meat and were ready to start.

But the rest of the men were not yet astir, and the woman’s house was silent.  I walked to it and stood irresolute.  I disliked to wake her.  Yet I could not leave her without some message.  But while I pondered I heard her step behind me.  She came up from the water, and she looked all vigor and morning gladness.