THE BURIAL. 289 



to become of her ? She seems very calm ; I was afraid 

 she would feel it more. She has not shed a tear or made 

 a sob since it happened." 



" A hound don't yowl much when he's hard hurt," re- 

 plied Mike. 



"What of the body, Mike?" I asked. -"We must 

 bury it some time, and where." 



" Them sarpents won't let it stay buried long ; they 

 want his hayar." 



"You don't mean to say they would despoil his grave 

 for his scalp ?" 



" I mean they are 'bout among the islands, nosing us 

 out this minute like wolves." 



" Oh, Mike !" said the Doctor, looking around anx- 

 iously. 



" 'Taint likely they'll find us to-night, though they 

 know pretty much where we be ; but their spies'll be in 

 all the passes at light to see where we go, and what we 

 take with us, and they'll dog us to Tampa, and ef they 

 can't get our hayar, they'll try to get his'n. We can't 

 carry him four days' journey to the fort." 



" We could bury him in the sea," said the Doctor, 

 " and there he would remain undisturbed." 



" His darter wouldn't give in to that," said Mike. 



" How do you know ?" 



" Wall, I reckon." 



" Then how can we bury him, and when ?" 



"The sooner the better," I replied. " Bring him hero 

 to-night 'twould be least suspected." 



13 



