Silver Lake

It was on a cold winter morning long ago, that Robin Gore, a bold hunter of the backwoods of America, entered his parlour and sat him down to breakfast.

Robin’s parlour was also his dining-room, and his drawing-room, besides being his bedroom and his kitchen.  In fact, it was the only room in his wooden hut, except a small apartment, opening off it, which was a workshop and lumber-room.

Robin’s family consisted of himself, and his wife, and his son Roy, who was twelve years of age ­and his daughter Nelly, who was eight, or thereabout.  In addition to these, his household comprised a nephew, Walter and an Irishman, Larry O’Dowd.  The former was tall, strong, fearless, and twenty.  The latter was stout, short, powerful, and forty. (Illustrated)