crik
by which I can get home. 'Twan't to bid you good-night, that I stopped
here."

"What, then?" thought I, endeavouring to conjecture his purpose, while
he was pausing in his speech.

"Stranger!" continued he in an altered tone, "I hope you won't take
offence if I ask you a question?"

"Not much fear of that, I fancy. Ask it freely."

"Are ye sure o' a bed at Holt's?"

"Well, upon my word, to say the truth, I am by no means sure of one. It
don't signify, however. I have my old cloak and my saddle; and it
wouldn't be the first time, by hundreds, I've slept in the open air."

"My reezuns for askin' you air, that if you ain't sure o' one, an' don't
mind stretching' yourself on a bar-skin, thar's such a thing in my
shanty entirely at your sarvice."

"It is very kind of you. Perhaps I may have occasion to avail myself of
your offer. In truth, I am not very confident of meeting with a
friendly reception at the hands of your neighbour Holt--much less being
asked to partake of his hospitality."

"D'ye say so?"

"Indeed, yes. From what I have heard, I have reason to anticipate
rather a cold welcome."

"I'deed? But,"--My companion hesitated his his speech--as if meditating
some observation which he felt a delicacy about making. "I'm a'most
ashamed," continued he, at length, "to put another question, that war on
the top o' my tongue."

"I shall take pleasure in answering any question you may think proper to
ask me."

"I shedn't ask it, if it wa'n't for what you've jest now said: for I
heerd the same question put to you this night afore, an' I heerd your
answer to it. But I reckon 'twar the _way_ in which it war asked that
offended you; an' on that account your answer war jest as it should a
been."

"To what question to you refer?"

"To your bisness out here wi' Hick Holt. I don't want to know it, out
o' any curiosity o' my own--that's sartin, stranger."

"You are welcome to know all about it. Indeed, it was my intention to
have told you before we parted--at the same time to ask you for some
advice about the matter."

Without further parley, I communicated the object of my visit to Mud
Creek--concealing nothing that I deemed necessary for the elucidation of
the subject. Without a word of interruption, the young hunter heard my
story to the end. From the play of his features, as I revealed the more
salient points, I could perceive that my chances of an amicable
adjustment of my claim were far f