e had grown unbearable, the barrel of the
firelock made a low scraping noise, for my father was drawing it back.

"A false alarm, George," he said, gently.

"No, no," I whispered; "look--look!" for I could see both figures
crawling along slowly, flat on their breasts.

"Yes, I see them, my boy," he said; "and I was deceived too, for the
moment, but we must not waste shot on creatures like these."

"Why, if it arn't a pair o' 'gators," said Morgan, with a suppressed
laugh. "Well, they did look just like Injins, and no mistake."

I felt so vexed at making so absurd a mistake, that I remained silent
till my father passed the gun to me.

"Take hold," he said, gently. "It was a mistake that deceived us all.
Better be too particular than not particular enough."

He lowered himself down into the room below, and I passed him the gun
before going back to where Morgan leaned against the window.

"There they go, Master George," he said, laughing. "You and me must
have a new pair o' spectacles apiece from the old country if we have to
do much of this sort of thing."

"I did not think I could have been so stupid," I said, angrily; and
going away to the other window, so that I should not have to listen to
my companion's bantering, which I felt pretty sure would come, I stood
gazing at the beautiful scene without, the moon making the dark green
leaves glisten like silver, while the shades grew to be of a velvety
black. Every here and there patches of light shone on the great trunks
of the trees, while their tops ran up like great spires into the
softly-illumined sky.

The excitement had driven away all desire for sleep, and we watched on
listening to every sound and cry that came from the forest surrounding,
wonderfully plain in the silence of the night, which magnified croak,
bellow, or faint rustling among the leaves or bushes, as some nocturnal
creature made its way through the trees.

At times the watching seemed to be insufferably dreary and wearisome;
then something startling would send the blood thrilling through my veins
again; and so on and on, till the moon began to grow pale, the light to
appear of a pearly grey in the east, golden flecks glistened high all
above the trees, and once more it was new day, with the birds singing,
and a feeling of wonder impressing me, it appeared so impossible that I
could have been up and watching all night.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

"Master George!--Master George!"

The call