nough one of them fell--descending in a curve which
brought it directly on Sneak's cap, knocking it over his eyes.

"Dod rot it! hands off, or I'll walk into you!" exclaimed Sneak,
rising up in a hostile attitude.

"Good! that's tit for tat," cried Joe, laughing, as he loaded his gun.

"You didn't do it a purpose," said Sneak, "nor I won't jump into the
water nother."

"Yes I did!" continued Joe, much pleased at the occurrence.

"You didn't do any sich thing--or we'd have to fight; but nobody could
do sich a thing only by accident. You'd better load your gun, and be
ready by the time the next comes," added Sneak, again tearing asunder
the panther's skin.

"I thought I _had_ loaded," said Joe, forgetting he had performed that
operation, and depositing another charge in his old musket.

Presently Glenn's gun was heard, and in a few minutes an immense flock
of geese and ducks, mingled together, flew over the bushes and covered
the face of the lake. Joe very deliberately fired in the midst of
them, and the rebound of his gun throwing him against Sneak, who was
still in a stooping posture, they both fell to the ground.

"I did that on purpose, I'll take my oath--I knew you had put in two
loads," said Sneak, rising up.

"Yes, but I ain't hurt--falling over you saved me, or else I'd a
thrashed you or got a thrashing," replied Joe, his good humour
recovered on beholding some fifteen or twenty dead and wounded ducks
and geese on the surface of the water. By the time he had collected
his birds, by means of Sneak's canoe, Glenn, who had met with the like
success, emerged from the bushes on the opposite verge of the lake,
bearing with him his game. Being well satisfied with the sport, he and
Joe retraced their steps homeward.

CHAPTER XVII.

The bright morning--Sneak's visit--Glenn's heart--The snake hunt--Love
and raspberries--Joe is bitten--His terror and sufferings--Arrival
of Boone--Joe's abrupt recovery--Preparations to leave the west
--Conclusion.

The sun rose the next morning in unusual glory. Not a breath of air
stirred the entranced foliage of the dark green trees in the valleys,
and the fresh flowers around exhaled a sweet perfume that remained
stationary over them. The fawn stood perfectly still in the grassy
yard, and seemed to contemplate the grandeur of the enchanting scene.
The atmosphere was as translucent as fancy paints the realms of the
blest, and quite minute objects could be distinctly s