Yet he wavered, one time openly reproaching himself for enduring such a life of inaction and ignominy, and at another deriding Felix and his visionary schemes.

The canoe was now completed; it was tried on the pool and found to float exactly as it should.

It had now to be conveyed to Heron Bay.
The original intention was to put it on a cart, but the rude carts used on the estate could not very well carry it, and a sledge was substituted.

Several times, during the journey through the forest, the sledge had to be halted while the underwood was cut away to permit of its passing; and once a slough had to be filled up with branches hewn from fir trees, and bundles of fern.

These delays made it evening before the shore of the creek was reached.
It was but a little inlet, scarce a bowshot wide at the entrance and coming to a point inland.