"You are surely mad," said I, "to think of such an attempt."
"If the bare thought fills you with _fear_," he answered, "I have no desire for your company. The _dance_ within, I see, is more to your mind."
Without regarding his sneer, I remarked that if he was disposed to play the madman, I was not afraid to become his keeper, it mattered not how far the fit took him.
"Come on, then," said he; and we started on our mad jaunt.
"Sam, have you a couple of saplings?" inquired Victor of the eldest negro boy.
"Yes, massa Victor, I got dem ar fixins; but what de lor you gemmen want wid such tings at de ball?"
"It is too hot in the ball-room," answered Victor; "myself and friend, therefore, wish to try a waltz on the ice."
"Yah, yah, h-e-a-h!" shouted the negro, wonderfully tickled at the novelty of the idea, "well, dat is a high kick, please goodness--guess you can't git any ob de ladies to try dat shine wid you, _h-e-a-h_!"
"We shall not _invite_ them," said Victor, through his teeth.
"Well, dar is de poles, massa," said the negro, handing him a couple of saplings about twelve feet long. "You better hab a lantern wid you, too, else you can't see dat dance berry well."
"A good thought," said Victor; "give us the lantern."
[Footnote 2: The Indians cut holes in the ice, and holding a torch over the opening, spear the salmon-trout which are attracted to the surface by the blaze.]
It was procured, lighted, and together we descended the steep bluff to the lake's brink. He paused for a moment to listen--revelry sounded clearly out upon the air of night, nimble feet were treading gayly to the strains of sweet music, and high above both, yet mingling with them, was heard the merry laughter of the joyous guests. Ah, Victor, thought I, trout are not the only fish captured by brilliant lights; there is a pair dancing above, yonder, which even now is driving you to madness. I shrunk from the folly we were about to perpetrate, yet had not courage enough to dare my companion's sneer, and turn boldly back; vainly hoping he would soon tire of the exploit I followed on.
Running one pole through the ring of our lantern, and placing ourselves at each end, we took up our line of march for the light ahead. Victor seizing the end of the other sapling slid it before him to feel our way. At times the beacon would blaze up as if but an hundred yards ahead, and again it would sink to a spark, far away in the distance. The night wind was now sweeping down the lake in a tornado, sighing and laboring in its course as if pregnant with evil--afar off, at one moment, heard in a low whistle, and anon rushing around us like an army of invisible spirits, bearing us along with the whirl of their advance, and yelling a fearful war-cry in our ears. The beacon-light still beckoned us on. My companion, as if rejoicing in the fury of the tempest which roared around us, burst into a derisive laugh.