’Oh,’ said she, ’there’s no doing anything with Carry, ever since we came to Fort George. Nothing’s good enough for her; the hills are not high enough; and the place is not wild enough; and there’s no catching of salmon in drenching rain—so there’s no amusement for her. Amusement? I know where the trouble is; I know what amusement she wants; I know what makes her grumble at the big hotels, and the decent clothes that people prefer to wear, and the rattlesnakes, and all the rest. Of course this lake can’t be like the Scotch lake; there isn’t a handsome young gamekeeper here for her to flirt with. Flirtation, was it? Well, I suppose it was, and no more. I don’t understand the manners and customs of savage nations. Look at her now. Look at that thing on her head. I’ve heard of girls wearing true-love knots, and rings, and things of that kind, to remind them of their sweethearts; but I never heard of their going about wearing a yellow Tam-o’-Shanter.’ Miss Carry smiled a superior smile; she would pay no heed to these ribald remarks; apparently she was wholly engrossed with _’I’m in love, sweet Mistress Prue.’_ ’It isn’t fair of you to tell tales out of school, Em,’ the young matron said. ’But I wasn’t there. If I had been, there would have been a little better behaviour. Why, I never! Do you know how they teach girls to use a salmon-rod in that country?’ The question was addressed to Mr. Huysen; but Miss Kerfoot’s eyes were fixed on Miss Carry. ’No, I don’t,’ he answered. ’Oh, you don’t know,’ she said. ’You don’t know. Really. Well, I’ll tell you. The gamekeeper—and the handsomer the better—stands overlooking the girl’s shoulder; and she holds the rod; and he grips her hand and the rod at the same time.’ ’But I know how,’ the young Doctor interposed. ’See here—give me your hand—I’ll show you in a minute.’ ’Oh no, you shan’t,’ said she, instantly disengaging herself; ’this is a respectable country. We don’t do such things in New York State. Of course, over there it’s different. Oh yes; if I were there myself—and—and if the gamekeeper was handsome enough—and if he asked me to have a lesson in salmon-fishing—don’t you think I would go? Why, I should smile!’ But here Miss Carry burst out laughing; for her friend had been caught. These two girls were in the habit of talking the direst slang between themselves (and occasionally Miss Carry practised a little of it on her papa), but this wickedness they did in secret; outsiders were not supposed to know anything of that. And now Dr. Tilley did not seem very much pleased at hearing Miss Kerfoot say ’I should smile’; and Miss Kerfoot looked self-conscious and amused and a little embarrassed; and Carry kept on laughing. However, it all blew over; for now they were down at the landing stage; and presently the Doctor was handing them into the spick and span new cat-boat that he had just had sent through from New York that autumn.