They'll only prowl around
and steal a little beef, and shoot at a fellar unaware, from under
kiver--that's all they'll venter on--you can depend on that!" Then he
took down his rifle, cleaned and loaded it, and saying, "I guess I'll
go along a piece; perhaps Allen'll come across the varmints afore he's
aware," with a quick step he was soon hidden from view.

The news of the accident that had happened to Tom, and that Mr. Jones
had been shot at by the Indians, spread rapidly, with many
exaggerations; for the inhabitants of a new country, being mutually
dependent, feel a special personal interest in whatever befalls each
other. Besides, there are not such distinctions as obtain in the old,
settled portions of the country, and they become well acquainted with
one another's affairs. Moreover, the doctor, as he went his rounds,
gave a flaming account of the injury that his patient at the cabin had
sustained, and painted in glowing colors the magical effects of his
professional services. If he did not assert in so many words that
Tom's head was actually blown from his body, and that he replaced it
so that it was on better than before, he gave the impression that
something as extraordinary had been achieved by his medical and
surgical skill. And through the day quite a number called to satisfy
their curiosity, or show their sympathy. It proved, therefore, quite
an occasion for the Jones children, and they feasted their eyes and
ears to their hearts' content. As for the mother, weary of the
unwonted interruptions, and wishing to commune with her own heart, she
willingly bade the last visitor "good by," and, calling Robert, she
directed him to bring in some wood and make a fire, that she might fry
some cakes for tea. Robert proceeded with alacrity to do this, the
other children helping him in the task, the prospect of the cakes
being the quickening principle. Robert filled the grate with dry wood,
and, proceeding to light it, the room was soon dense with smoke. This,
however, was no new experience, as the blackened walls of the cabin
testified. But soon the smoke had measurably cleared away, and the
tea-kettle sent up volumes of steam, and Mrs. Jones, taking some meal
from her frugal stock, poured boiling water upon it, and added some
salt. Then putting on the griddle some deer fat, she put the dough in
large iron spoonfuls into the sputtering grease.

"Your father will relish these," said she to the children, who stood
in so