74 WILD SPOKTS IN THE SOUTH. 



come up with her then, but she growled so fiercely that 

 he was afraid, and made a fool of himself." 



" 'Specs anybody make a fool of hisself, when painter 

 want to climb in his boat !" replied a self-conscious voice 

 in the background. 



" "We had Mike here last year to hunt the same pan- 

 ther, I think, but I believe he got whipped ; at all events, 

 he went out one day, and didn't come back since." 



" Mike smiled his peculiar smile, which meant, Hke the 

 German *Yah wohl,' anything according to the speaker's 

 intent, but said not a word. 



*' Tell us of that hunt, old father of Dinah," said the 

 Doctor. 



" "Where is my panther skin you promised ?" said 

 Jackson. 



"Painter is an oncommon onsartin varmint," was 

 Mike's musing rely, as he put his brawny arms around 

 his knees, and rocked himself backward and forward like 

 a China Mandarin. 



" I should think that he was oyikimin sartin^ for he 

 comes here regularly once a year." 



" Wall, you see. Colonel, this war the way I was done 

 for that time, and when yer heern it, you'll say that it 

 was skeery, and no mistake." 



" A story — a story !" exclaimed Miss Jackson. I leaned 

 forward to see the speaker, and he began his tale. 



