POKE EECEIVES A CHR'OSITY AND TELLS A YARN. 34:7 



"That's the hand we are after. How soon do you 

 think we will come up to them ?" The boats getting 

 further off all the time. 



" Never !" responded Mike, paddling down stream at 

 full speed. "Ketch a fish-hawk jist as soon," he con- 

 tinued in an undertone. 



The boats had resumed their course, when the offi- 

 cer, who seemed to know our hunter, hailed us once 

 more. 



" Hulloa !" 



" Hulloa !' said Mike. 



" Come and guide us, and you will be well paid." 



" No ; you're too many of you, 'taint no use ;" and a 

 turn of the river carried us out of eight. 



That night we camped early, perfectly secure from an- 

 noyance, for the passage of the troops up the river had, 

 we judged, driven away any lurking Indians. Indeed, 

 the only band in the St. Johns which we were approach- 

 ing had been Tiger Tail's, the rest being occupied with 

 the treaties and negotiations that had been in progress 

 on the west coast. So AVC kindled our fires and cooked 

 our meal, and laid down to talk and dream of old adven- 

 tures, or half-forgotten hopes. 



Mike assured us that he had no tales to tell, mumbled 

 about Tiger Tail, and wondered where he was leading 

 his band, then ventured some remark about Lou Jack- 

 son, half to himself and half to his hound, and then fell 

 asleep. The Doctor being called on for a story, gave u? 

 an account of a fire-hunt in the woods of the 



