backwoodsmen with whom
he had to deal.

I was tired with my ride, and took a chair. The squire apparently did
not deem me worthy of notice, or else he reserved me for a later
scrutiny; but he fixed a long, searching look upon Bob, who remained
standing, with his head sunk on his breast.

The judge at last broke silence.

"So here you are again, Bob. It's long since we've seen you, and I
thought you had clean forgotten us. Well, Bob, we shouldn't have broke
our hearts, I reckon; for I hate gamblers--ay, that I do--worse than
skunks. It's a vile thing is play, and has ruined many a man in this
world, and the next. It's ruined you too, Bob."

Bob said nothing.

"You'd have been mighty useful here last week; there was plenty for you
to do. My step-daughter arrived; but as you weren't to be found, we had
to send to Joel to shoot us a buck and a couple of dozen snipes. Ah,
Bob! one might still make a good citizen of you, if you'd only leave off
that cursed play!"

Bob still remained silent.

"Now go into the kitchen and get some breakfast."

Bob neither answered nor moved.

"D'ye hear? Go into the kitchen and get something to eat. And,
Ptoly"--added he to the negro--"tell Veny to give him a pint of rum."

"Don't want yer rum--ain't thirsty"--growled Bob.

"Very like, very like," said the judge sharply. "Reckon you've taken too
much already. Look as if you could swallow a wild cat, claws and all.
And you," added he, turning to me--"What the devil are you at, Ptoly?
Don't you see the man wants his breakfast? Where's the coffee? Or would
you rather have tea?"

"Thank you, Alcalde, I have breakfasted already."

"Don't look as if. Ain't sick, are you? Where do you come from? What's
happened to you? What are you doing with Bob?"

He looked keenly and searchingly at me, and then again at Bob. My
appearance was certainly not very prepossessing, unshaven as I was, and
with my clothes and linen soiled and torn. He was evidently considering
what could be the motive of our visit, and what had brought me into
Bob's society. The result of his physiognomical observations did not
appear very favourable either to me or my companion. I hastened to
explain.

"You shall hear how it was, judge. I am indebted to Bob for my life."

"Your life! Indebted to Bob for your life!" repeated the judge, shaking
his head incredulously.

I related how I had lost my way in the prairie; been carried into the
Jacinto by my horse; and how I