Wild Western Scenes Part 43

"I will leave you here, Joe. When you hear me fire at the other lake, you may expect the ducks that escape me to visit you," observed Glenn, and immediately after disappeared in the bushes.

"And I'll take the painter's hide off," said Sneak, going with Joe to the blind, where he quietly commenced his labour, that Joe's sport might not be interrupted.

Several flocks of geese and ducks yet flew round above, and gradually drew nearer to the earth, but still fearful of danger and cautiously reconnoitering the premises.

"Suppose I pink one of them on the wing?" said Joe, looking up.

"I don't believe you _kin_," said Sneak, as he tugged at the panther's hide.

"Wait till they come round the next time, and I'll show you--so look out," said Joe.

"I'll not look--there's no occasion for my seeing--_I'm_ not after a muskrat," responded Sneak, stripping the skin from the animal, and laughing at his own remark. When the ducks came round again, Joe fired, and sure enough 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 att.i.tude.

"Good! that's t.i.t 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 n.o.body 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 gra.s.sy 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 seen far over the river many miles eastward. Nor were any sounds heard save the occasional chattering of the paroquet in the dense forest across the river, a mile distant, and yet they appeared to be in the immediate vicinity. The hounds lay extended on the ground with their eyes open, more in a listless than a watchful att.i.tude. The kitten was couched on the threshold (the door having been left open to admit the pure air,) and looked thoughtfully at the rising sun. The large blue chanticleer was balanced on one foot with an eye turned upwards as if scanning the heavens to guard against the sudden attack of the far-seeing eagle.

Nature seemed to be indulging in a last sweet morning slumber, if indeed not over-sleeping herself, while the sun rose stealthily up and smiled at all her charms exposed!

"Hillo! ain't you all up yit? Git up, Joe, and feed your hosses,"

cried Sneak, approaching the gate on the outside, and thus most unceremoniously dispelling the charm that enwrapped the premises.

"Who's there?" cried Joe, springing up and rubbing his eyes.

"It's me--dod, you know who I am. Come, open the gate and let me in."

"What's the matter, Sneak? Are the Indians after you?" said Joe, running out, but pausing at the gate for an answer before he drew back the bolt.

"No--I thought-you had sense enough by this time to know no Indians ain't going to come this time a-year. Let me in!" added he, impatiently.

"What are you doing with them long sticks?" asked Joe, opening the gate and observing two hickory poles in Sneak's hand. "Are you going to try your luck fishing?"

"No, nor _ducking_ nother," replied he, sarcastically.

"Plague it, Sneak," said Joe, deprecatingly, "never mind that affair; you were mistaken about my being frightened. The next chance I get I'll let you see that I'm not afraid of any thing."

"Well, I want you to go with me on a spree this morning that'll try you."

"What are you going to do?" asked Joe, with some curiosity in his looks.

"I'm going a _snaking_," said Sneak.

At this juncture the dialogue was arrested by the appearance of Glenn, whose brow was somewhat paler than usual, and wore an absent and thoughtful cast; yet his abstract meditations did not seem altogether of a painful nature.

"Joe," said he, "I want you to exercise the horses more in the prairie. They are getting too fat and lazy. If they cannot be got on the boat when we leave here, we will have to send them by land to St.

Louis."

"Dod--you ain't a going to leave us?" cried Sneak.

"Well, I thought something was in the wind," said Joe, pondering, "but it'll break Miss Mary's--"

"Pshaw!" replied Glenn, quickly interrupting him; "you don't know what you are talking about."

"Well, I can't say I do exactly," said Joe; "but I know its a very mysterious matter."

"_What_ is such a mysterious matter?" asked Glenn, smiling.

"Why, you--Miss Mary"--stammered Joe.

"Well, what is there mysterious about us?"

"Hang it, _you_ know!" replied Joe.

"Pshaw!" repeated Glenn, striding out of the inclosure, and descending the path leading to Roughgrove's house, whither he directed Joe to follow when he had galloped the horses.

"Have you got any licker in the house?" asked Sneak, staring at the retreating form of Glenn.

"No--its all gone. Why do you ask?" returned Joe.

"Becaise that feller's drunk," said Sneak, with a peculiar nod.

"No he ain't--he hasn't drunk a drop for a month."

"Then he's going crazy, and you'd better keep a sharp look-out."