Roy looked grave and sagacious. Boys as well as men like to be leant upon and trusted by the fair sex—at least in things masculine—and Nelly had such boundless faith in her brother’s capacity to protect her and guide her through the forest, that she unwittingly inspired him with an exuberant amount of courage and self-reliance. The lad was bold and fearless enough by nature. His sister’s confidence in him had the effect of inducing him to think himself fit for anything! He affected, therefore, at times, a look of grave sagacity, befitting, as he thought, so important and responsible a character.
“I’ve just been thinking,” said he—
“Oh! don’t think, but say yes!” interrupted Nelly.
“Well, I’m going to say yes, but I meant to give you my reasons for sayin’ so. In the first place, my powder and shot is gettin’ low. You see I did not bring away very much from the Injun camp, and we’ve been using it for so many months now that it won’t last much longer, so I think it would not be a bad plan to stop here awhile and fish and shoot and feed up—for you need rest, Nelly—and then start fresh with a well-loaded sledge. I’ll save some powder by using the bow we made the other day.”
“But you forget it’s broken.”
“So it is—never mind, we can make another—there’s a tree that will make a first-rater down in the hollow, d’ye see it, Nell?”
“Where—oh yes—just by the grassy place where the rock juts out into the water with the sun shining on it? what a nice place to build a hut!”
“Just so,” said Roy, smiling at the girl’s enthusiasm, “that’s the spot, and that’s the very thought that jumped bang into my brain as you spoke. By the way, does a thought jump into a man’s brain or out of it, I wonder?”
“Out of it, of course,” cried Nelly, with a laugh.
“I’m not so sure of that, Nell. I send it rather slowly out through my mouth, but I think it jumps into my brain. I wonder how it gets in; whether by the eyes, or ears, or mouth—perhaps it goes up the nose.”