410 WILD 8POKT8 IN THE SOUTH. 



" Six agin one," said Mike, smiling to himself, " that's 

 hardly fair play." 



Then straightening himself up under some heavy 

 foliage he looked long up into the lantern. There was 

 no sound or motion from there, only the light burned on 

 tranquilly, falling aslant on the heavy waves that crum- 

 bled over and hurried up the beach, simmering with the 

 phosphoric fire that made them blue and white. 



" Wall, wall, them folks are roostin' higher 'en turkey 

 cocks ; I wonder ef I could crawl up thar." 



He crept along the house and found it sacked, and 

 finally reached the foot of the tower. Drawing his hunt- 

 ing -Tcnife he stepped inside, and felt around with his 

 hands. Nothing but ashes and cinders met his hand. 

 " Burned out the hollow tree," said he, and then looking 

 up at the little glimmer of light that came down through 

 the trap door, he continued, " but didn't smoke out the 

 coons." 



Turning to go, his foot encountered something soft. 

 He leaned down and felt it with his hands. It felt like 

 a human body, and a taint of corruption emanated from 

 it that burdened the heavy air. A fearful idea seized 

 the hunter ; he grasped the body with both hands and 

 carried it into the light. There was just light enough to 

 see that it was the- body of a man. The hunter felt the 

 head and it was scalped. He stood up for a moment 

 and drew a long breath, repeating his favorite prayer of 

 thanksgiving and praise, " God is good, God is good to 

 sinful creeturs," 



