idea crossed my mind, that even
upon the morrow I might not be missed!

"I might perish with hunger, with thirst--I was suffering from both at
the moment--or even if I kept alive, I might become so weak as not to be
able to hold on to the tree. My seat was far from being an easy one.
The tree was small--the branch was slender. It was already cutting into
my thighs. I might, in my feebleness, be compelled to let it go, and
then--.

"These reflections were terrible; and as they came across my mind, I
shouted to the highest pitch of my voice, hoping I should be heard.

"Up to this time I had not thought of using my gun, although clinging to
it instinctively. I had brought it with me into the tree. It now
occurred to me to fire it, in hopes that my friend or some one might
hear the report.

"I balanced myself on the branch as well as I could, and loaded it with
powder. I was about to fire it off in the air, when it appeared to me
that I might just as well reduce the number of my enemies. I therefore
rammed down a ball, took aim at the forehead of one, and knocked him
over.

"Another idea now arose in my mind, and that was, that I might serve the
whole gang as I had done this one. His fall had not frightened them in
the least; they only came nearer, throwing up their snouts and uttering
their shrill notes--thus giving me a better chance of hitting them.

"I repeated the loading and firing. Another enemy the less.

"Hope began to return. I counted my bullets, and held my horn up to the
sun. There were over twenty bullets, and powder sufficient. I counted
the peccaries. Sixteen still lived, with three that I had done for.

"I again loaded and fired--loaded and fired--loaded and fired. I aimed
so carefully each time, that out of all I missed only one shot.

"When the firing ceased, I dropped down from my perch in the midst of a
scene that resembled a great slaughter-yard. Nineteen of the creatures
lay dead around the tree, and the ground was saturated with their blood!

"The voice of my friend at this moment sounded in my ears, and turning,
I beheld him standing, with hands uplifted and eyes as large as saucers.

"The `feat' was soon reported through the settlement, and I was looked
upon for the time as the greatest hunter in the `Trinity Bottom.'"

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

A DUCK-SHOOTING ADVENTURE.

During our next day's journey we again fell in with flocks of the wild
pigeon, and our stock was re