noon
They decided on the last . The canoe was launched and loaded , and they set out to look for what they hoped they would not find , a trapper 's shanty on the lake . After skirting the shore for four or five miles and disturbing one or two deer , as well as hosts of ducks , the voyagers landed and there still they found that fateful bootmark steadily tramping southward . By noon they had reached the south end of the west inlet that leads to another lake , and again an examination of the shore showed the footmarks , here leaving the lake and going southerly . Now the travellers retired to the main lake and by noon had reached the south end . At no point had they seen any sign of a cabin , though both sides of the lake were in plain view all day . The travelling stranger was a mystery , but he did not live here and there was no good reason why they should not settle .