THE WILD TITEKBY. 39 



"That fellow is mocking me," said my companion; 

 " but if I knew where he was, I'd teach him better man- 

 ners, if a dose of lead would do it." 



" Why should he laugh at you?" 



" Because he and that gobbler seem to be in partner- 

 ship about laughing at me." 



The jocose seriousness of his manner would have made 

 me chuckle at another time, but just then my heart was 

 set bounding by the rapid and vehement gobble of a vet- 

 eran turkey. When the vocal roll died away, my com- 

 panion poked me in the side, and in earnest, though 

 hushed tones, exclaimed: '* That's him!" 



"Who?" 



" AVhy, that enchanted gobbler. You see now that he 

 and that owl are in partnership in mocking me." 



"I'll soon dissolve the partnership if I catch that tur- 

 key within range," I exclaimed in a mock heroic tone; 

 but my companion did not seem to think so, as he ex- 

 pressed his willingness to bet me any sum I pleased that 

 I w^ould run on seeing him. As I scorned to take any 

 notice of such an insinuation, the caller gave a low yelp, 

 and Avas answered by a throat-splitting gobble, which re- 

 sounded throughout the forest. 



"We have him sure this time," exclaimed the turkey 

 actor, "and if you miss him after he gets to that place," 

 — pointing to a certain spot — " you'll never again be 

 able to kill a turkey." 



" You need not fear about my missing him," I said, as 

 I peered cautiously about for the object of so much solici- 

 tude, but as it did not appear within the range of my 

 vision, I asked the yelper to yelp again. 



"Not I," was the response, "I'm the modest maiden, 

 and that gobbler must come to me; mark that." 



"A pretty maiden you are," I replied laughingly, 

 wiien I glanced at his brawny form and rude attire, but 

 instead of answering me he pointed to the right, and 



