( 1 1 AFTER XT V. 



At length, however, our i'aitli in the proverbial good sense 



o!' the Maunder- to say nothing of our belief in .love's care 

 of wandering beirpirs gradually dispelled our anxieties; 

 \\c smoked and smoked. ;md slept. Hut our slumbers were 

 not undisturbed. The owl saw our watch-fire and told 

 other owls, and such an alarming chorus of inquiries fol- 

 lowed 88 to "Who? Who? WhoooV" we were, that one 

 reckless person, slurtlcd from sleep, responded in a very 

 improper manner, " None of yur - business!" It was 

 the general sentiment of the party, although, as we raised 



on our elbows, wide awake, we did not all endorse the 

 emplia-i- of the phraseology in which it was uttered. 



\Ye settled down to sleej) ai;-ain, resol\-ed to make a 

 busine-- of it. whoever mi.u'lit question our identity r our 

 r'mht to be there The life burned low, and the heavy 

 brfathinu; of tired men in Clumber ;md the occasional snap 

 pinu 'of the tire, were all the sounds that broke the deep 

 stillness of the niu'ht in the forest. Suddejdy a voice-broke 

 out, "Snakes! I fell a snake run across me! " 



"Take your boots off," responded an aiujry sleeper, 

 whose n;i|) was thus rudely broken" take your boots off, 

 and you won't feel any snakes." 



"Don't Insinuate anything of thai sort, my dear fellow, 

 it's snakes in dead earnest this time." 



