to us, you are at
liberty to do so," said Glenn.

"Here comes Sneak," said Mary; "he will assist you."

Sneak readily agreed to the proposition, and he and Joe set out, each
with a large bucket, while the rest of the party, with the exception
of Boone (who desired to be left alone,) retired within the house.

When Sneak and Joe were filling their buckets at the spring the second
time, the hounds (which attended them at Joe's special request)
commenced barking.

"What's that?" cried Joe, dashing his bucket, water and all, in
Sneak's lap, and running ten or fifteen feet up the hill.

"Dod rot your cowardly heart!" exclaimed Sneak, rising up and shaking
the cold water from his clothes; "if I don't pay you for this, I wish
I may be shot!"

"I thought it was the Indians," said Joe, still staring at the small
thicket of briers, where the hounds were yet growling and bounding
about in a singular manner.

"I'll see what it is and then pay you for this ducking," said Sneak,
walking briskly to the edge of the thicket, while the water trickled
down over his moccasins.

"What is it?" cried Joe, leaping farther up the ascent with great
trepidation, as he saw the hounds run out of the bushes as if pursued,
and even Sneak retreating a few paces. But what seemed very
unaccountable was a _smile_ on Sneak's elongated features.

"What in the world can it be?" repeated Joe.

"Ha! ha! ha! if that ain't a purty thing to skeer a full-grown man
into fits!" said Sneak, retreating yet farther from the thicket.

"What makes _you_ back out, then?" inquired Joe. The hounds now ran to
the men, and the next moment a small animal, not larger than a rabbit,
of a dark colour, with long white stripes from the nose to the tail,
made its appearance, and moved slowly toward the spring. Sneak ran up
the hill beyond the position occupied by Joe, maintaining all the time
a most provoking smile.

"Who's scared into fits now, I should like to know?" retorted Joe.

"I wish I had my gun," said Sneak.

"Hang me, if I'm afraid of that little thing," said Joe. Still the
hounds ran round, yelping, but never venturing within thirty feet of
the animal.

"I'll be whipped if I understand all this!" said Joe, in utter
astonishment, looking at Sneak, and then at the hounds.

"Why don't you _run_?" cried Sneak, as the animal continued to
advance.

"I believe you're making fun of me," said Joe; "that little thing
can't hurt anybody. Its a pretty little