ll autumn
on walnuts, hickory-nuts, grapes, sweet acorns, and pinons, at--or
rather I suspect without--discretion.

We had a long trudge home, the turkeys getting apparently heavier every
mile. As we tramped along my companion related his day's experience.
About noon he had come upon the fresh tracks of some turkeys feeding
along one of the ridges, and had followed the birds until within about
three hours of sunset, when, on peeping into an open glade, he saw
fourteen of them scattered over it, picking up seeds and strutting
about. As the turkeys seemed to be approaching him, he lay quite still,
watching them through the thicket which concealed him. Ultimately they
got quite close, giving many fair opportunities to shoot one. But he was
determined not to fire unless necessary, preferring to wait for an
occasion to present itself enabling him to kill two at one shot,--a very
rare chance to obtain. He said it was most interesting to lie there at
his ease and watch the motions and movements of the birds as they fed
about and spread themselves in fancied security. At last his opportunity
came, and firing without a moment's delay, he floored his birds, taking
the head of the nearest clean off, and shooting the farther one through
the body at the butt of his wings. This was the shot I had heard. I then
told him what I had seen, and what had befallen me, and we got home
quite done up, but rejoicing at our good luck.

Supper was waiting, and this meal, a blazing fire, and the pipe of
peace, recruited us after our fatigues.

We had been very careful and sparing in the use of our spirits, not
knowing how long it might be before we should be able to get a fresh
supply, or what necessity might arise for their use; but this was
considered an occasion when the flowing bowl ought to be indulged in, so
grogs all round were mixed and our success celebrated. When this
interesting ceremony had been concluded, my companion remarked to me,
"Our luck has evidently turned, and, as gamblers always do, we ought to
press our good fortune while it lasts. We have got our Christmas
turkeys; no doubt the buck you followed is destined to grace our
Christmas dinner. I am the man to kill it. Daylight shall see me on his
track. You will behold my face no more until I return with the haunches
of the big buck." Then he turned in and I quickly followed his example.
At the time I had not the remotest idea that my comrade really intended
to put his threat