Dick's Desertion: A Boy's Adventures in Canadian Forests / A Tale of the Early Settlement of Ontario

oods Ch

ad spent a night and the best part of two eventful days in the woods with Peter Many-Names. An

at first, owing to the fact that he had had to do all Dick's work as well as his own, during the younger boy's abse

f sorrowful determination which Mr. Collinson regarded doubtfully, considering it too good to continue. But if Dick grew weary of his resolute toil, he gave no sign. Outwardly, he was again contented with his lot, and seemed to desire no ot

to December. The wheat lay warm beneath

nglish fashion. Dick and Stephanie, used to all sorts of privation, thou

o us. The silent William Charles, who was always called by his full name, seemed to chop wood incessantly. Mr. Collinson, who always worked so hard that it was scarcely possible that he could work any harder, found time to interfere jovially with everything, t

Mrs. Collinson and Stephanie accomplished wonders. So vast were the preparations that even the dogs seemed infected with the stir of excitement; and everyone looked forward to sumptuous

as astonished at the way in which the eatables disappeared. The silent William Charles especially

read aloud the story of Bethlehem. Stephanie, leaning back in her chair, could see a great star, cold and silver-pure, around the edge of the curtain;

rt and merriment, Stephanie felt her own griefs and troubles slipping further and further away. She lost herself in happy dreams for the future, wh

which he had learned no one knew how. Then Mr. Collinson began a long account of an incident in the war of 1

nie wrapped a big shawl about her, and then they both hurried out at the kitchen door, and so round to the front of the house again. It was intensely cold and still, so cold that the motionless air seemed to be heavy and painful to breathe, and stepping from the warm house was like entering icy water. Th

d taught them long before. They had good voices, and their hearts were in the words, so the old, old tunes went sweetly enough

TO SING TH

AD TAUGHT THEM

so still that their voices sounded far-off and yet clear. She glanced nervously at the black ring of forest encircl

away, Stephanie was glad that the great silence would be no longer disturbed. It seemed more fitting

ed his sister's hand in his, for, however often one may hear that sound, it never fails to move the nerves. It rose, and sank, and almo

singing. It was as if the surrounding wilderness had chosen to remind them of its presence by that sad, cruel, awe-inspiring howl-as if their hearts were to be rendered more in

-time. But it recalled also his past freedom, his wood-running, his neglected skill in shot and snare. The very note of the howl suggested the idea of untiring, relentless speed; and he suddenly remembered all the old delight of those long snow-shoe runs he had been wont to take whenever it so pleased him-

it, and the grey squirrels store their nuts in the corners, and the birds build under the eaves and on the window ledges. Soon the woods would creep nearer and nearer, reclaiming the worthless fields which had been wrested from them, and even filling up the natural clearing with small bushes and thimble-berry vines. At last there would remain nothing

ddenly. And when he shyly told her, in part, what they had

," she found opportunity of whispe

s. C., I don't know," and they were silent, as once mor

etired again to a bro

lexities. But that avoidance was not always possible, and he knew that, at any time, his love of roaming might descend upon him, as it were, in irresistible force. Since that day of the fox-hunt, he had become more fully alive to his own wild hopes and longings; and

t, if he yielded to his love of a wild life, that life would soon grow necessary to his happiness. He thought how cruel it would be if he left Stephanie and all other ties behind him, and struck out into the vast space and freedom of the north. He shunned the very idea, and was ashamed of it, yet there was an attraction in it which made him dwell upon it again and again. The great plains and the fr

ed against the wall. The figure rose to its feet, and just then Roger pulled aside the curtain. In the sudden gleam of light Dick saw a keen, dark face, in which were unexpectedly set two hard, green-grey eyes. He heard the sound of some ceremonial greeting in a stra