"

"Be you really the leader of the Riflemen?" queried Zeke Hunt, not
noticing the warning which had just been uttered.

"I've told you once, so let's hear no more about it."

"My gracious! you don't look much like one. 'Pears to me you and I look
a good deal alike. Don't you think so?"

"Heaven save me, _I hope_ not."

"Oh, I'm willing that it should be so. I ain't offended."

The impudence of the countryman was so consummate that Dernor could not
restrain a laugh at it.

"They always considered me good-looking down hum," he added; "and there
wasn't a gal I wasn't able to get if I wanted her."

"I should think you would be anxious to get back again."

"Would be, if it wasn't for the old man. He was _awful_ on me. Didn't
appear to be proud of me at all."

"Queer, sure. I don't see how he could help it."

"Me neither. Dad was always mad, though, and used to aboose me
shameful. The fust thing in my life that I can remember was of gettin'
a lickin'."

"What was it for?"

"Nothin' worth tellin'. I was a little feller then, and one day heated
the poker red-hot, and run it down grandmother's back. But there!
didn't he lam me for that! Always was whippin' me. School-teacher was
just as bad. Licked me like blazes the fust day."

"Did he lick you for nothin'?"

"Purty near. Didn't do any thing except to put a handful of gunpowder
in a dry inkstand, and then touch it off under his chair. Haw! haw!
haw! didn't he jump? and oh gracious!" he added, in a solemn tone,
"didn't I jump, too, when he fell on me."

"You seem to have been about the biggest scamp in the country. Why did
he whip you this last time when you run away?"

"Hadn't any more reason than he had at other times. I tried to take Ann
Parsons home from singing-school, and she wouldn't let me. That was the
reason."

"He couldn't have whipped you for that."

"Well, it all come from that. I followed her home, and jest give her my
opinion of her, and when her old man undertook to say any thing, I jest
pitched in and walloped him."

"You had a sensible father, and it's a pity he hasn't got you now, for
I don't care any thing about your company."

"You going to turn me off? You said you wouldn't."

"And I shan't, I tell you agin, as long as you behave yourself. If you
cac'late to go with me to the settlement, you must not have too much to
say. Remember that we are still in dangerous territory, and a little
foolishness by either of us may bring a pac