“And I’ve got three hooked lines,” added the lawyer, producing part of his Beaver River purchase from his breast pocket.  The dominie did not wish to trust himself in a doubtful craft with Coristine again, and he distrusted the Captain, save on the Susan Thomas.  His former success in fishing, and his present pleasant relations with Perrowne, prompted him to join that gentleman in practising the gentle art.  But what about bait?  The question having been put to Toner, who returned with three springy saplings, and worms having been suggested, that veteran fisherman told Mr. Perrowne that he might as well look for a gold mine as for worms in new land.  When, however, some envelopes were produced from various pockets, he proceeded to fill them with grasshoppers and locusts.  He also excavated a little pond near the shore, and gathered a collection of caddice worms from the shallow border of the lake, after which he found an old bait tin in the log shelter, that he filled with water, into which he transferred the pond’s inhabitants for transportation.  “Ef them baiuts don’t suit, they’s a heap o’ little frawgs in the grass of that there island,” he finally remarked, before unmooring the scow.  Then the dominie and Mr. Perrowne got on board with their rods, lines, and bait, and were poled and paddled by Ben over to their isle of beauty.  Their lines were in the water, and a bass was on each hook, before the scow returned to the shore.

Now the Captain took command of the craft, occupying the entire stern thwart; while Ben, with his gun resting on the floor and pointing its muzzles out over the bow, held that end of the vessel.  The commander would not allow the passengers who sat amidships to do any work, but said they might talk or sing if they had a mind to.  Then the lawyer sang:—­

     The floatin’ scow ob ole Virginny
     I’ve toiled for many a day,
     Workin’ among de oyster beds,
     To me it was but play.

When he ended, Mr. Errol gave the company “Flow gently, Sweet Afton, amang thy green braes,” and Coristine wondered much if “My Mary” that occurs in the song had any reference to a Marjorie, one who, as he said inwardly,

               Shall never be thine,
     But mine, but mine, so I fondly swear,
     For ever and ever mine!

After Mr. Errol’s effort, which won applause from the Captain, the lawyer waved his handkerchief as a farewell sign to the busy fishermen, for, just at that moment, the apparently land-locked shore opened, and a narrow channel between cliffs came into view.  The second lake, into which they soon glided, was more beautiful than the first.  A few jays and woodpeckers were flying about, and Toner was anxious to have a shot at a golden woodpecker, which he called a Highholder, and which sat unconcernedly on a limb within splendid range.  Mr. Errol dissuaded him, saying he had heard that the report of a gun was carried through all the channels to the very end by the echoes,