A SUDDEN WAKE-UP.

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head, while the glimmer of the dying embers of our camp-fire through the trees rendered the scene doubly lonely. I returned, and seizing the axe, soon had a bright and crackling fire sending its light over the sleepers. The sparks, borne higher and higher by the wind, danced about in the forest, and shed a clear light on a noble white hound that lay sleeping in careless ease at the foot of a tree. Tall trunks stood column-like and still, on every side-gradually growing dimmer and dimmer, till lost in a mass of blackness, and contrasting strangely with the motion and roar of the tops, through which the wind swept in fitful gusts. Again I stretched myself on the ground, and woke no more till light was dawning in the east, and then with a shudder and start as though a tomahawk were gleaming over my head. The Indian's dog had crawled upon me, and lay heavily along my body, his head resting on my bosom, his mouth to my mouth, while a low growl which issued from his chest, startled the Indian by my side. I never was so struck with the alertness of an Indian. I am not slow to wake myself, especially in a case like this; but before I opened my eyes, Mitchell was on his feet; and as I looked up, I saw him standing over me with

his piercing black eye fixed on the dog. "Be still!" he exclaimed, and then, as if talking to himself, added, "it is strange, but he is watching you, he smelt danger." His keen nose probably winded some wild animal prowling about our camp attracted thither by the savory smell of venison. I gently caressed the noble fellow, and rose from my hard couch. The whole group were standing listlessly around the fire, yawning and stretching, while the few jokes that were cracked created only a mockery of laughter.

Yours truly.

A CAMP SCENE IN THE MORNING-A SHOT AT AN EAGLE

-A DEER CHASE.

DEAR H

:

LONG LAKE, August 1.

My last left us yawning and stretching around our camp fire a little after daylight in the morning, looking and feeling stupid and heavy-but a fresh wash in a mountain rill near by restored us to life, while the answers to the inquiries how each other had slept, brought back the merriment that seldom flags in the woods. "Well, R-ffe, how did you sleep?" "Pretty well, only H- kept punching me to keep me off from him." "And how did you sleep, H-?" "As I'll never sleep again. I was on the lower hillside, and served as a block to the whole of you. You rolled down against me and wedged me in so tight that I couldn't, with my utmost effort, turn over, to

"I

save my life." "Mr. W―d, was you broke of your rest?" "No: I slept pretty well, considering the circumstances." Turning to Mr. P-, I remarked, “Well, Mr. P—, I saw you get up once when I rose to put some wood upon the fire. You lay rolled up in your blanket like a mummy, while the sparks from the fire fell in a shower upon you. I thought you would find it rather too hot before morning." don't remember getting up at all," he replied; "probably the roaring fire you made did cause the smoke to choke me. I never waked but once, and then I was startled by the sound of an axe; I opened my eyes, and saw you splitting down the stump-the root of which I had made my pillow-directly over my head.” This, of course, I stoutly denied, amidst the uproarious laugh of the company. I then remembered the frightened look he gave me, as I was cutting into a stump near by him, and in the next moment roll rapidly in his blanket down the hill. The suddenness and oddity of the movement surprised me at the time, but now it was all explained. In his half-wakened state, he saw the bit of my axe gleaming in the fire light, and thought it was descending directly on

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his skull. No wonder he performed those sudden evolutions!

At length Mitchell having finished his pipe, called to the hounds, "Come, Rover, come Maj," and with shouldered rifle moved down to the shore. The night before, as we sat around the camp fire, we bid for the first fire at the deer we should start in the morning. I outbid the rest, when Mitchell dryly remarked, "I'll take you in my boat." He had not forgotten his promise, or rather the reward, and so beckoning to me, we started off. After rowing a mile or two, we landed the old hunter and the dogs, who soon disappeared in the forest. Just then, Mitchell pointed to a lofty pine tree, towering above the surrounding forest, on an upper limb of which sat a grey eagle in her nest. "I believe I'll try to get a shot at her," said he, and started off. With the stealthiness of his race, he crept and dodged through the woods till I thought he never would shoot. I watched the noble bird through my glass, and could see her head ever and anon turn quickly as she heard the snapping of a stick, or rustling of a leaf, which Mitchell with all his care could not prevent, till, at length, rising on her