his rifle between his knees.

"Your servant, sir," said Mr. Campbell; "I hope you are well."

"What on earth makes you come here?" said Bone, looking round him. "You
are not fit for the wilderness! Winter will arrive soon; and then you go
back, I reckon."

"No, we shall not," replied Alfred, "for we have nowhere to go back to;
besides, the people are too crowded where we came from, so we came here
for more room."

"I reckon you'll crowd _me_," replied the hunter, "so I'll go further."

"Well, Malachi, the gentleman will pay you for your clearing."

"I told you so," said Martin.

"Yes, you did; but I'd rather not have seen him or his goods."

"By goods, I suppose you mean us about you?" said Emma.

"No, girl, I didn't mean you. I meant gunpowder and the like."

"I think, Emma, you are comprehended in the last word," said Alfred.

"That is more than you are, then, for he did not mention lead," retorted
Emma.

"Martin Super, you know I did specify lead on the paper," said Malachi
Bone.

"You did, and you shall have it," said Mr. Campbell. "Say what your
terms are now, and I will close with you."

"Well, I'll leave that to Martin and you, stranger. I clear out
to-morrow."

"To-morrow; and where do you go to?"

Malachi Bone pointed to the westward.

"You'll not hear my rifle," said the old hunter, after a pause; "but I'm
thinking you'll never stay here. You don't know what an Ingen's life is;
it ain't fit for the like of you. No, there's not one of you, 'cept this
boy," continued Malachi, putting his hand on John's head, "that's fit
for the woods. Let him come to me. I'll make a hunter of him; won't I,
Martin?"

"That you will, if they'll spare him to you."

"We can not spare him altogether," replied Mr. Campbell, "but he shall
visit you, if you wish it."

"Well, that's a promise; and I won't go so far as I thought I would. He
has a good eye; I'll come for him."

The old man then rose up, and walked away, John following him, without
exchanging a word with any of the party.

"My dear Campbell," said his wife, "what do you intend to do about John?
You do not intend that the hunter should take him with him?"

"No, certainly not," replied Mr. Campbell; "but I see no reason why he
should not be with him occasionally."

"It will be a very good thing for him to be so," said Martin. "If I may
advise, let the boy come and go. The old man has taken a fancy to him,
and will teach him his woodcraft. It's a