THE PLANTATION HOUSE OP " FAR AWAY." 73 



his son was kicking and screaming about on the ground. 

 He picked him up by the coat collar, shaking him into 

 silence, and then said, " now look here, if you say one 

 word about this at home, as sure as I'm your father, you 

 shall never fire a gun as long as you live." 



As the laughter and comments on Jackson's story 

 subsided, one of the negro boys said ; 



" Wish maussa hunt dat are varmint what's takin' off 

 de lambs so ; 'specs as him hab no lamb 'tall soon." 



" Lost any to-day ?" 



" 'Spec a los' two, and two afore yesterday, and gwine 

 to lose two to-night, kase all sheep come m airly, bein' 

 wild : sure sign dat." 



" What is it, do you think ?" 



" Painter, for true ! I'se seen his tracks !" 



"Why don't you let your boys sleep by the sheep- 

 pen ?" I asked of Jackson. 



" I am afraid I would have to pen them in," he 

 replied ; " and then, if it was a panther, he might take 

 the negro, and he is worth more than the sheep." 



" Then why don't you shoot the beast ?" 



•' I have hmited her till I am tired, and it only ends in 

 her killing my dogs, and keeping out of shot herself. 

 She will get tired here by and by, and then will go 

 further down the coast. She has raised a yoimg one 

 here this season, for in the summer one of the boys, 

 while coming up the river in a canoe, saw her swimmiug 

 across with her kitten in her mouth. He could have 



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