of one bird, and brought
it fluttering heavily to the ground. At the same instant the echoes
around answered to the father's gun, and another goose lay dead upon the
sward.

"Waugh!" exclaimed both Indians as they stepped forth and picked up
their game.

These sons of the wilderness were not, however, very communicative, for
they spake never a word more. Perhaps they were hungry, and it is
well-known that hungry men are not sociable. At all events they
maintained a profound silence while they cut down a small decayed tree,
made a good fire, and prepared dinner, or--as the sun was beginning to
decline at the time--I may call it supper.

The mode of preparation was simple. Of course they plucked the geese;
an operation which revealed the fact that both birds were plump and fat.
Next they split them open with their scalping-knives, and, going down
to the lake, cleaned them out with the same weapons. Then, transfixing
them on two pieces of stick, after the manner of red-men, they stuck
them up before the fire to roast. The roasting did not take long, for
they were either partial to underdone food or impatient, and began at
once upon such portions of the birds as were first ready, by cutting
them off and chewing away without removing the remainder of the roasts
from the fire. By degrees the solid parts were devoured. Then the
drumsticks and other extremities were picked; after that the
merry-thoughts and smaller bones were cleaned, and not until every
fragment of edible matter was consumed did father or son cease his toil
or utter a word.

"Waugh!" exclaimed the father at last, regarding the skeleton of his
meal with a sad look, as if grieved that all was over.

"Hough!" responded the son with a sigh of satisfaction, as he wiped his
fingers on the grass and sheathed his scalping-knife. Then, searching
in their little pouches, which contained flint steel, tinder, etcetera,
they drew forth two little stone pipes with wooden stems, which they
filled and began to smoke.

The first whiff seemed to break the magic spell which had hitherto kept
them silent. With another emphatic "Waugh!" the elder savage declared
that the goose was good; that it distended him pleasantly, and that it
warmed the cockles of his heart--or words to that effect. To which the
son replied with a not less emphatic "Hough!" that he was entirely of
the same opinion. Thus, whiffing gently, letting the smoke slowly out
of their mouths and t