kill one."

We were not long in finding some thick bushes behind which we could
kneel and take good aim at the passing deer.

"Do not let us be greedy," said Uncle Jeff; "you and Manley, Ralph,
select one animal, and I will take another."

In half an hour or less the deer came trotting back towards their former
feeding-ground, and we all three fired; Uncle Jeff knocked over a buck,
and we killed a doe.

It took us some time to cut them up, and it was nearly dark before we
reached the spot where I had shot the panther. Anxious to know whether
it was still alive, I made my way through the wood to the place, but
could nowhere find the animal. Had it escaped, notwithstanding its
wound? It was too dark, however, to search for it; so we hurried on as
fast as we could with our load of venison to the camp, where Clarice was
eagerly looking out for us. The huts were erected by this time, and a
blazing fire lighted; and I noticed that Clarice's tent had been
carefully staked round by the sergeant, so that no wild beast could
break suddenly into it.

"I am afraid, Miss Middlemore, that you will grow very weary of the
rough life we are compelled to lead," observed Manley.

"Oh no! I enjoy it very much indeed," she answered, looking up in his
face, "and shall be really sorry when it comes to an end."

"I doubt that very much, young lady," said Uncle Jeff. "We have only
just commenced the passage of the mountains, and I have made up my mind
not to let you go on unless some tolerably easy path can be found over
them. I am very much afraid, however, that we shall not discover one fit
for you to travel on."

"Then what are we to do, Uncle Jeff?" asked Clarice.

"I will tell you," he answered. "I propose remaining here with one of
the men, while Lieutenant Broadstreet, the other man, and Ralph, try to
make their way across the mountains. They may manage to do it; but if
they had you with them, they would probably fail--no disrespect to your
prowess, so don't pout your lips."

"What do you say to my plan, lieutenant?"

"Although I would rather have Miss Middlemore's company, yet I confess
that I should be often very anxious about her and her servant venturing
into places through which I should not hesitate to penetrate alone. I
consider your plan, therefore, under the circumstances, the best that
could be adopted; and as you promise me the assistance of Ralph, I will
leave Pat Sperry to attend on you--and Pat is a trustworth