mule, hove a shy with his
heels at your woolly pate next time," said Seth in his customary grim
way. "I don't think you'd kinder feel a kick thaar! But, I say,
giniral," he added, turning to Mr Rawlings, "I don't see why we
couldn't go a huntin' on hossback as well as afoot. It would be easier
nor walkin', I guess, hey?"

"Certainly it would if we had any horses, which we haven't," said Mr
Rawlings with a smile; "and mules--which are the only quadrupeds which
we possess--are not exactly fitted for hunting purposes--at least I
wouldn't like to try them. Besides, Seth, if I remember rightly, you do
not shine quite so well on horseback as you do on a ship's quarter-deck,
eh, old man? ha, ha, ha!"

And Mr Rawlings's smile expanded into a laugh at the reminiscence of
one of the ex-mate's performances en cavalier soon after they came to
Minturne Creek, causing Master Jasper to guffaw in sympathy with a
heartiness that Seth did not at all relish, especially after Mr
Rawlings's allusion to a matter which was rather a tender subject with
him.

"You jest stow that, old ebony face," he said angrily to the negro, in a
manner which proved that his equanimity was considerably disturbed.
"You jest stow that, and hold your rampagious cacklin', or I'll soon
make you rattle your ivories to another toon, I reckon, you ugly cuss!"

However, his passion had spent itself by the time he got out these
words, for he said to Mr Rawlings a moment afterwards, allowing a smile
to extend over his grim features to show that he was himself again, the
usual easy-going Seth, and that his natural good temper had now quite
got the better of its temporary attack of spleen,--"But I guess you're
jist about right, Rawlings. I arn't quite fit fur to go saddlewise on
them outlandish brutes; I ain't bred up to it like as I am hitched to
the sea! When I spoke of riding, howsomedever, I warn't thinkin' o'
myself, though, giniral, mind that; I thought as how you and our noo
fren' here could kinder ride the deer down better if you wer mounted,
that's all, I reckon."

"Very thoughtful of you," said Ernest Wilton drily; "but you see, old
man, elk and wapiti--which are the only species of deer we are likely to
meet with here, I think--can be better stalked than run down, as you
suggest. However, the mules may come in handy for you, Mr Seth, to run
down the buffalo, when they arrive from the southern plains here, as
they'll probably do now in a week or two