Captain Norton, putting
out his hand. "We Americans are always glad to meet with relatives from
the other side of the Atlantic. I shall be truly glad if, after you
have seen something of the country, you make up your mind to remain with
us."

Rochford, who was warm-hearted in the extreme, cordially shook his
cousin's hand. Of course they each had numerous questions to ask and
answer.

The remainder of the day was happily spent, in spite of the judge's
anxiety as to what had become of his Indian guest. Captain Norton,
however, assured him that he was confident the chief had gone off of his
own accord some time during the night, fearing that it might be
discovered who he was, and that he might again be made prisoner.

The young captain would gladly have accompanied us to Castle Kearney,
but his duties prevented him from doing so. He undertook, however, to
come over in the course of a few days, and to bring our ponies, with a
sufficient escort. He expressed himself very glad that we had arranged
to return by water.

Our friend Lejoillie had not been idle, but had been constantly employed
in searching for objects of natural history, of which he found no lack
even in the judge's garden. He had been watching, with great attention,
the nest of a humming-bird, which he had discovered a short distance
from the house, and invited me to come and see it. No parents could be
more attentive to the wants of their young than were those bright little
gems, the smallest of the feathered tribe. They were constantly flying
hither and thither, bringing insects too minute even to be seen, which
they put into the gaping beaks of their young ones, each scarcely larger
than a humble-bee. As we were looking, we saw a spider, one of the
largest I had ever seen, crawl up the branch to which the nest was
attached. Slowly and cautiously it made its way upward, with the fell
intent, I felt sure, of seizing the young birds, and perhaps the parents
also, in its embrace.

"Stay," whispered Lejoillie, holding my arm, "it is a question I have
long desired to have settled, whether these spiders really do feed on
birds."

"But there is no doubt about it!" I exclaimed, trembling for the fate
of the beautiful little creatures.

"It is not yet an accomplished fact," answered Lejoillie; "the creature
may have some other object in view. Overcome your humanity this once
for the sake of science;" and he held me back.

On crawled the horr