he had at times drunk nothing but river water. The term hog appeared
singularly inappropriate as applied to him.

"Well," replied Carroll, "you'll no doubt get used to the new conditions
by and by; and in regard to your latest exploit, there's a motto on your
insignia of the Garter which might meet the case. But hadn't we better
heave her over her anchor?"

They seized the chain, and a sharp, musical rattle rang out as it ran
below, for the hollow hull flung back the metallic clinking like a
sounding-board. When the cable was short-up, they grasped the halyards
and the big gaff-mainsail rose flapping up the mast. They set it and
turned to the head-sails, for though, strictly speaking, a sloop carries
only one, the term is loosely applied in places, and as Vane had changed
her rig, there were two of them to be hoisted.

"It's a fair wind, and I dare say we'll find more weight in it lower
down," commented Carroll. "We'll let the staysail lie and run her
with the jib."

When they set the jib and broke out the anchor, Vane took the helm, and
the sloop, slanting over until her deck on one side dipped close to the
frothing brine, drove away into the darkness. The lights of the
settlement faded among the trees, and the black hills and the climbing
firs on either side slipped by, streaked by sliding vapors. A crisp,
splashing sound made by the curling ripples followed the vessel; the
canoe surged along noisily astern; and the frothing and gurgling grew
louder at the bows. They were running down one of the deep,
forest-shrouded inlets which, resembling the Norwegian fiords, pierce the
Pacific littoral of Canada; though there are no Scandinavian pines to