198 BOONEVTLLE TO SARATOGA. 



tion. Occasionally, too, the smoke rose, around the point, 

 above the trees, from the cabin of old Alvah Dunning. 

 He had built his rude hut at the foot of a big tree, at the 

 edge of a clearing Avhere Mr. Muri-ay rormerly camped, 

 and cultivated potatoes and a few other vegetables after a 

 very rudimentary fashion. His only companion was his 

 deer-hound. 1 want to speak very respectfully of Alvah, for 

 he lent us a board for a table ; but Ned Buntline thought 

 he was "an old scamp " and drove him out of this part of 

 of the wilderness, a few^ years ago, liy some remarkably 

 close rifle-shooiing. When Ned ceased returning to his 

 "Eagle's Nest," Alvah came back again, and now lives his 

 hermit life without fear of the avenging w rath w hich was 

 kindled by the theft of a boat, committed by somebody. 



Of a sunny afternoon, as we lay on the grassy shore, we 

 occasionally saw^ new parties going to camp at the north 

 end of the lake. The gay flotillas sometimes gave the stars 

 and stripes to the breeze, and as the}" passed camp after 

 camp, a lusty voice called out in resonant tones for all 

 within hearing, ' ' United States jMail ! Letters and papers ! 

 Who are you?" Responding, to the call with our names, 

 "No mail!" or "Letters!" as the case might be, would 

 be answered back. 



Sometimes, parties of two or three came to our landing a1 

 the foot of the old and deserted "Wood's Place," to pick 

 berries on the hill, and Ave had pleasant c;hats with them. 

 Two young fellows left their gun, which they apparently 

 alw^ays took with them, standing by our favorite big tree. 

 The next day they returned for it. 



