Page 8 - A Hero of Ticonderoga

ways reasonable that sech a creatur’ could come all the way up the St.
Lawrence, an’ the Iriquois River, an’ most the len’th o’ this lake. My idee is,

it’s a fresh-water maremaid, an’ nat’ral to this lake."

If Seth had any doubt of this theory, he gave it no expression, and the
hunter went on:

"An ol’ Injin told me that there’s always ben one o’ these cretur’s seen in this
lake a spell afore every war that’s ever ben. But I hope the sign’ll fail this

time. I’ve seen enough o’ war an’ I don’t see no chance of another, all
Canady bein’ took an’ the Injins in these parts bein’ quilled."

The johnny-cake, having been baking for some time in its last turn on the
board, was now pronounced done. The mixed contents of the frying-pan

were turned out on a wooden trencher, and conversation was suspended for
the more important matter of supper. Not long after this was disposed of,
the host and his guests betook themselves to sleep in quilts and blankets on

the puncheon floor, with their feet to the blazing backlog and glowing bed
of coals.