FORDING. 19

«Shall we have any other stream to ford be-
fore we get there?”

*No,” said the man, “no other stream; but
you'll have to cross this same one again about four
miles from here.”

“ Ah!” said her father. —“ Is it a pretty good
place to cross?”

Yes, very good,” said the teamster.

“Better than it is down here, where we just
came across?” said Lucy’s mother.

*No,” said the man, “not better than that;
we don’t call it any thing crossing there, when the
water is as low as it is now.”

Lucy’s mother said no more, and her father
was just about driving on, when he reined up
his horse again a moment to say, —

“Then there’s no place nearer than five miles,
where we can put up to-night.”

“Why, yes,” replied the man, “there’s the
General’s. I presume you could get accommo-
dated up here at the General’s.”

“ How far is it to the General’s ?”

“O, about a mile and a half,” replied the
man. ' :

“Does he make a practice of entertaining.
travellers?” said Lucy’s father.

“Why, no,” replied the man, “he does not