They waited
for a night when their tracks would soon disappear. Then, having
made a cover of the sail-cloth sack in which they had brought the
boy, and stretched it on withes, and made it fast to the sleigh
box, they put the sleeping boy in the sleigh, with hot stones
wrapped in paper, and a robe of fur, to keep him warm, hitched the
dog to it, and came over hill and trail, to the little pond, a
while after midnight. Here they buckled a ring of bells on the
dog's neck and released him. He made for his home on the clear
ice; the bells and his bark sounding as he ran. They at the cabin
heard him coming and opened their door to dog and traveller. So
came my hero in a little red sleigh, and was adopted by the settler
and his wife, and reared by them with generous affection. Well, he
goes to school and learns rapidly, and comes to manhood. It's a
pretty story--that of his life in the big woods. But now for the
love tale. He meets a young lady--sweet, tender, graceful,
charming."
"A moment," said Darrel, raising his hand. "Prithee, boy, ring
down the curtain for a brief parley. Thou say'st they were
Syrians--they that stole the lad. Now, tell me, hast thou reason
for that?"
"Ample," said Trove.
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