"
The early dawn saw the two cousins busily engaged chopping at a tree of
suitable dimensions, and they worked hard all that day, and the next, and
the next, before the canoe was hollowed out, and then, owing to their
inexperience and the bluntness of their tools, their first attempt proved
abortive; it was too heavy at one end, and did not balance well in the
water.
Louis, who had been quite sure of success, was disheartened; not so Hector.
"Do not let us give it up; my maxim is perseverance; let us try again, and
again--aye! and a third and a fourth time. I say, never give it up, that is
the way to succeed at last."
"You have ten times my patience, Hec." "Yes! but you are more ingenious
than I, and are excellent at starting an idea."
"We are a good pair then for partnership."
"We will begin anew; and this time I hope we shall profit by our past
blunders."
"Who would imagine that it is now more than a month since we lost
Catharine!"
"I know it, a long, long, weary month," replied Louis, and he struck his
axe sharply into the bark of the pine as he spoke, and remained silent for
some minutes.
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