e of the numerous camp-fires
which, by this time burning low, shone like great glow-worms along the
side of the valley.

The dim light of another hazy October day was creeping chillily over
those forest wilds, when a heavy hand shaking him roughly by the
shoulder roused Big Black Burl from his slumbers. Scrambling to his
feet, and drowsily looking around him through that foggy confusion of
thought and perception through which sons of ebony after a sound sleep
needs must pass in getting back to their waking senses, the black hunter
caught a broad, vague view of something which made him fancy that he was
still flat of his back on the ground and dreaming of the giant warrior
who had led in the night-march. The moment after, more at himself, yet
lingering still on the misty borders of nod-land, he fancied that what
he saw just there before him must surely be a ghost; and at this
horrible thought the negro gave a big start, which brought him by a
shorter cut than usual out of his sleepy fog into the clear light of his
wide-awake senses. All but within reach of his hand, there stood before
him in bodily form that terrible Wyandot giant Black Thunder--that
redoubtable warrior whom the Fighting Nigger had so long and fondly
fancied he had slain in valiant fight, and his victory over whom he had
ever since held up and trumpeted abroad as the crowning glory of all his
martial exploits. The recognition was mutual, for never had either seen
the other's like but once before, and that, too, under circumstances
which neither was ever likely to forget. If the recognition was mutual,
so was the surprise.

"Ugh!" exclaimed the Indian, as he bent his wild, panther-like eye on
the black giant with a look of undisguised astonishment, which gradually
darkened into a smile of ferocious joy and triumph.

"U-gooh!" exclaimed the negro, as he fixed his wild, ox-like eye
unflinchingly on the red giant, but with a look of unspeakable
amazement, which gradually vanished, leaving his face with a cast as
impenetrable as black marble.

Having surveyed his captive from top to toe in exulting silence for some
moments, Black Thunder turned abruptly on his heel and strode away, to
be seen no more that morning. Burl was still staring after his old
acquaintance when his young master, who had with some surprise witnessed
the dumb-show of mutual recognition, came up and inquired what it meant.
Burl explained, and having noticed the ugly smile with which h