es! Ah! you are in your prime, and in your
vigour and happiness, if honesty lies in your path." Then the expression
of his rugged features suddenly changed to a look of seriousness and
thought. "Come hither, lad," he said, leading the bee-hunter by a button
to the land, and speaking apart in a tone of admonition and confidence;
"much has passed atween us on the pleasures and respectableness of a
life in the woods, or on the borders. I do not now mean to say that all
you have heard is not true, but different tempers call for different
employments. You have taken to your bosom, there, a good and kind child,
and it has become your duty to consider her, as well as yourself,
in setting forth in life. You are a little given to skirting the
settlements but, to my poor judgment, the girl would be more like a
flourishing flower in the sun of a clearing, than in the winds of a
prairie. Therefore forget any thing you may have heard from me, which is
nevertheless true, and turn your mind on the ways of the inner country."

Paul could only answer with a squeeze, that would have brought tears
from the eyes of most men, but which produced no other effect on the
indurated muscles of the other, than to make him laugh and nod, as if
he received the same as a pledge that the bee-hunter would remember his
advice. The trapper then turned away from his rough but warm-hearted
companion; and, having called Hector from the boat, he seemed anxious
still to utter a few words more.

"Captain," he at length resumed, "I know when a poor man talks of
credit, he deals in a delicate word, according to the fashions of the
world; and when an old man talks of life, he speaks of that which he may
never see; nevertheless there is one thing I will say, and that is not
so much on my own behalf as on that of another person. Here is Hector,
a good and faithful pup, that has long outlived the time of a dog; and,
like his master, he looks more to comfort now, than to any deeds in
running. But the creatur' has his feelings as well as a Christian. He
has consorted latterly with his kinsman, there, in such a sort as to
find great pleasure in his company, and I will acknowledge that it
touches my feelings to part the pair so soon. If you will set a value
on your hound, I will endeavour to send it to you in the spring, more
especially should them same traps come safe to hand; or, if you dislike
parting with the animal altogether, I will just ask you for his loan
thro