The restoration of the shanty was but the work of a few hours, and was performed by Amidab Peters, the guide, and the two boys; for, being eager to be doing something, I entered next day on my office as boss on the road, to gang number five. For several days nothing particular occurred; but the weather was unsettled, and less work was obtained from the labourers than usual at that season of the year, which made the agent peevish, as the speculators for whom he acted often grumbled most when they ought to have been best pleased; not that any party who have to pay for out-of-door work are ever otherwise than dissatisfied with bad weather.

But the rainy, do-nothing days, which increased the agent's bills, were holidays to the settlers. On those occasions, they were wont to assemble in the large shed, to tell stories and sing songs for pastime, the rain forbidding every kind of active sport. This, as the season was uncommonly wet, came round so often that the songs and tales at last began to grow stale, and we had recourse to different devices to raise fresh supplies. It was to me they were indebted for the suggestion, that every one should tell a story either of himself or some adventure that had taken place within his own knowledge; and as encouragement to begin, I opened the ball by a full, true, and particular account of some of the adventures herein related. This led on others; till at last the turn came to an old man, who, for his mild and genteel manners, was jocularly known in the settlement as Mr. Gentleman. Nobody, however, ventured to address him so familiarly.

I had frequently noticed him with curiosity; but somehow was restrained, without knowing wherefore, from making his acquaintance.

I saw him first in the woods alone. He was sitting on the trunk of a tree which he had newly felled, caressing a little dog: his axe rested against the stump; at a short distance, on the ground, lay his coat and straw hat, and near them a dead snake recently killed.