directed his gallant
little band to enjoy their wonted repose.

Ere long Mary slumbered quietly beside her father, while Boone and
Glenn occupied the remaining couch. Sneak was seated on a low stool,
near the blazing fire, and Joe sat in Glenn's large arm chair, on the
opposite side of the hearth. The fawn and the kitten were coiled close
together in the centre of the room.

Save the grinding jaws of Sneak and Joe, a death-like silence reigned.
Occasionally, when Sneak lifted his eyes from the pewter platter that
lay upon his knees, and glanced at the bandages on his companion's
head, his jaws would cease to move for a few moments, during which he
gazed in astonishment at the ravenous propensity of the invalid. But
not being inclined to converse or remonstrate, he endeavoured to get
through with his supper with as much expedition as possible, that he
might enjoy all the comforts of refreshing sleep. Yet he was often on
the eve of picking a quarrel with Joe, when he suffered a sudden
twinge from his broken tooth, while striving to tear the firmer
portion of the venison from the bone. But when he reflected upon his
peculiar participation in the occurrence which had caused him so
justly to suffer, he repressed his rising anger and proceeded with his
labour of eating.

Joe, on the other hand, discussed his savoury dish with unalloyed
satisfaction; yet he, too, paused occasionally, and fixing his eyes
upon the glaring fire, seemed plunged in the deepest thought. But he
did not glance at his companion. At these brief intervals he was
apparently reflecting upon the incidents of the night. One thing in
particular puzzled him; he could not, for the life of him, conceive
how his musket rebounded with such violence, when he was positively
certain that he had put but one charge in it, and that only a moderate
one. He was sometimes inclined to think the blow he received on the
head was dealt by Sneak; but when he reflected it would be unnatural
for one man to strike another with his _teeth_, and that Sneak had
likewise sustained a serious injury at the same time, conjectures were
entirely at fault.

"What are you a thinking about so hard?" asked Sneak.

"I'm trying to think how I got that blow on the back of my head," said
Joe, turning half abstractedly to Sneak.

"Yes, and I'd like to know how you come to mash my mouth so
dod-rottedly," said Sneak, in well-affected ill nature.

"Hang it, Sneak, you know well enough that I