SUMMER RETREAT IN ARKANSAS. 35 



then.thar aint no cat-fish in the Mississip. I larnt that 

 nih twenty year ago, and, perhaps, you would like to 

 know about it." Signifying my assent, Bob Herring 

 got up on his bed — for as it was upon the bare ground, 

 he could not well get off of it, — and, approaching the fire, 

 he threw about a cord of wood upon it, in the form of a 

 few huge logs ; as they struck the blazing heap, the sparks 

 flew upwards in the clear cold air, like jets of stars ; 

 then, fixing himself most con)fortably, he detailed what 

 follows : 



" I had a knowin old sow on a time, that would have 

 made a better hunter than any dog ever heer'd on — 

 she had such a nose, — talk 'bout a dog following a cold 

 trail — she'd track a bar through running water. Well 

 — ^you see afor' I know'd her vartu', she came run- 

 ning into my cabin, bristles up, and fell on the floor, 

 from what I now believe, to have been a regular scear. 

 I thought she'd seen a bar, for nothing else could make 

 her run ; and, taking down my rifle, I went out sort a 

 carelessly, with only two dogs at my heels. I hadn't 

 gone far 'fore I saw a bar, sure enough, quietly standing 

 beside a small branch — it was an old He, and no mistake. 



'' I crawled up to him on my hands and knees, and 

 raised my rifle, but had I fired, I must have hit him so 

 far in front, that the ball would have ranged back and 

 not cut his mortals. I waited — and he turned tail to- 

 wards me, and started across the branch ; afeer'd I'd lose 

 him, T blazed away, and a sort of cut him slantingdicu- 



