ting repast set before him. "I
know you're at some of your tricks," he added, and sitting down at the
table, commenced in no indifferent manner to discuss the savoury
venison and potatoes.

"I'm only up stairs," cried Sneak, in the darkness above; and throwing
down a rope made of hides, the upper end of which was fastened to the
tree within, he soon followed, slipping briskly down, and without
delay sprang to Joe's assistance.

When the meal was finished, or rather, when every thing set before
them had vanished, Sneak rose up and thrust his long neck out of the
aperture.

"What are you looking at?" asked Joe.

"I'm looking at the warm sun shining agin yonder side of the hill,"
said Sneak; "how'd you like to go a bee-hunting?"

"A bee-hunting!" iterated Joe. "I wonder if you think we could find a
bee at this season of the year? and I should like to know what it'd be
worth when we found it."

"Plague take the bee--I mean the _honey_--don't you like wild honey?"
continued Sneak.

"Yes," said Joe; "but how can you find any when there's such a snow as
this on the ground?"

"When there's a snow, that's the time to find 'em," said Sneak;
"peticuly when the sun shines warm. Jest come out here and look," he
continued, stepping along, and followed by Joe; "don't you see yander
big stooping limb?"

"Yes," replied Joe, gazing at the bough pointed out.

"Well," continued Sneak, "there's a bee's nest in that. Look here," he
added, picking from the snow several dead bees that had been thrown
from the hive; "now this is the way with all wild bees (but these are
tame, for they live in my house), for when there comes a warm day
they're sartin as fate to throw out the dead ones, and we can find
where they are as easy as any thing in the world."

"Sneak, my mouth's watering--suppose we take the axe and go and hunt
for some honey."

"Let's be off, then," said Sneak, getting his axe, and preparing to
place the stone against the tree.

"Stop, Sneak," said Joe; "let me get my gun before you shut the
_door_."

"I guess we'd better leave our guns, and then we won't be so apt to
break through," replied Sneak, closing up the aperture.

"The bees won't sting us, will they?" asked Joe, turning to his
companion when they had attained the high-timbered ridge that ran
parallel with the valley.

"If you chaw 'em in your mouth they will," replied Sneak, striding
along under the trees with his head bent down, and minutely examining