done for me: I felt 'em a
dropping, a dropping inside, all night. And so, father, if you'll jist
say I've done as much as my duty, I'll not make no fuss about going."

"Going, you brute!" iterated the father, clasping the hand of his son,
while the others, startled by the young man's sudden fall, gathered
around, to offer help, or to gaze with alarm on his fast changing
countenance; "why, Tom, my boy, you don't mean to make a die of it?"

"If--if you think I've done my duty to the strannger and the young lady,"
said the young man; and added, feebly pressing the father's hand,--"and
to _you_, dad, to you, and mother, and the rest of 'em."

"You have, Tom," said the colonel, with somewhat a husky voice--"to the
travelling strannger, to mother, father, and all--"

"And to Kentucky?" murmured the dying youth,

"To Kentucky," replied the father.

"Well, then, it's no great matter--You'll jist put Dick in my place: he's
the true grit; thar'll be no mistake in Dick, for all he's only a young
blubbering boy; and then it'll be jist all right, as before. And it's my
notion, father--"

"Well, Tom, what is it?" demanded Bruce, as the young man paused as if
from mingled exhaustion and hesitation.

"I don't mean no offence, father," said he,--"but it's my notion, if
you'll never let a poor traveller go into the woods without some
dependable body to take care of him--"

"You're right, Tom; and I an't mad at you for saying so; and I won't."

"And don't let the boys abuse Nathan,--for, I reckon he'll fight, if you
let him take it in his own way. And,--and, father, don't mind Captain
Ralph's stealing a hoss or two out of our pound!"

"He may steal the lot of 'em, the villain!" said Bruce, shaking his head
to dislodge the tears that were starting in his eyes; "and he shall be
none the wuss of it."

"Well, father,--" the young man spoke with greater animation, and with
apparently reviving strength,--"and you think we have pretty considerably
licked the Injuns h'yar, jist now?"

"We have, Tom,--thar's no doubting it. And we'll lick 'em over and over
again, till they've had enough of it."

"Hurrah for Kentucky!" cried the young man, exerting his remaining
strength to give energy to the cry, so often uplifted, in succeeding
years, among the wild woodlands around. It was the last effort of his
sinking powers. He fell back, pressed his father's and his brother's
hands, and almost immediately expired,--a victim not so much of hi