rock, like lolloping reptiles in the spring, when the
heavens are beginning to be alive with birds, man. D'ye think mouths can
be filled, and hunger satisfied, by laziness and sleep!"

"You'll have your say, Eester," said the husband, using the provincial
pronunciation of America for the name, and regarding his noisy
companions, with a look of habitual tolerance rather than of affection.
"But the birds you shall have, if your own tongue don't frighten them to
take too high a flight. Ay, woman," he continued, standing on the very
spot whence he had so rudely banished Ellen, which he had by this time
gained, "and buffaloe too, if my eye can tell the animal at the distance
of a Spanish league."

"Come down; come down, and be doing, instead of talking. A talking man
is no better than a barking dog. I shall hang out the cloth, if any of
the red-skins show themselves, in time to give you notice. But, Ishmael,
what have you been killing, my man; for it was your rifle I heard a few
minutes agone, unless I have lost my skill in sounds."

"Poh! 'twas to frighten the hawk you see sailing above the rock."

"Hawk, indeed! at your time of day to be shooting at hawks and buzzards,
with eighteen open mouths to feed. Look at the bee, and at the beaver,
my good man, and learn to be a provider. Why, Ishmael! I believe my
soul," she continued, dropping the tow she was twisting on a distaff,
"the man is in that tent ag'in! More than half his time is spent about
the worthless, good-for-nothing--"

The sudden re-appearance of her husband closed the mouth of the wife;
and, as the former descended to the place where Esther had resumed
her employment, she was content to grumble forth her dissatisfaction,
instead of expressing it in more audible terms.

The dialogue that now took place between the affectionate pair was
sufficiently succinct and expressive. The woman was at first a little
brief and sullen in her answers, but care for her family soon rendered
her more complaisant. As the purport of the conversation was merely an
engagement to hunt during the remainder of the day, in order to provide
the chief necessary of life, we shall not stop to record it.

With this resolution, then, the squatter descended to the plain and
divided his forces into two parts, one of which was to remain as a
guard with the fortress, and the other to accompany him to the field.
He warily included Asa and Abiram in his own party, well knowing that
no authorit