ay, now aided by their canes, which,
in a long walk, are of no slight service to the pedestrian. As they
sauntered along, chatting, singing, and whistling, as merrily as the
birds around them, Oscar remembered the cigars he bought at the store,
and soon the pure atmosphere of the fields was polluted with the vile
odor of bad tobacco. Oscar had been in the habit of smoking
occasionally for some time; but though he considered it a manly
accomplishment, he was very careful not to let his parents know that he
was addicted to it. He prevailed upon his cousin to take a cigar; but
Jerry was not very partial to tobacco, and a few whiffs satisfied him
for that occasion.

They had now reached the foot of the long, steep hills, over which they
must climb. These hills were thickly wooded most of the way, forming
beautiful groves, cool, dark, fragrant with resinous odors, and softly
carpeted with moss and decayed leaves. Oscar and Jerry concluded to
rest a few minutes before scaling the hills. Selecting a favorable
spot, they stretched themselves at full length upon the ground, and
looked up towards the distant tree-tops. It was a pine forest, and the
trees were as straight as an arrow, and so tall that their tops almost
seemed among the clouds. The moaning of the wind among the topmost
branches sounded like the distant roar of the sea. Birds were skipping
merrily among the "tasselled boughs," and curiously eying the young
strangers who had invaded their solitude.

"O, how I wish I had that gun now!" said Oscar, as a fine plump robin
lit on one of the lower branches of a tree right over his head.

In repay for this generous wish, Signor Robin executed one of his
choicest songs in his handsomest style, and, without waiting for an
encore from his audience, darted off and was quickly out of sight. But
it is probable the audience thought more of the "good shot" he
presented, than of the sweet strains he poured forth for their
entertainment.

"There's better game than that in these woods," said Jerry, after the
robin had taken his departure.

"Is there anything besides birds?" inquired Oscar.

"Yes," replied Jerry, "there are rabbits, and woodchucks, and weasels,
and skunks, and squirrels; and some folks say there are wild-cats here,
but I don't know about that. Jim Oakley, a fellow who lives about a
mile from our house, comes over here gunning very often; and he says he
saw a real savage-looking creature here, a few we