158 THE ADIRONDACK. 



his head resting across a stick of wood for a pillow, 

 and his heavy breathing telling of the profoundest 

 slumber, I saw a rabbit steal from the bushes and 

 cautiously approach him. With his nose close to the 

 ground, he smelt around until he came to the sleeper's 

 brawny hand outstretched upon the leaves. Some 

 fragments of the johnny-cake still clinging to his 

 thumb, deceived the rabbit into the belief that the 

 whole digit was edible, and he put his teeth into it. 

 This wakened the backwoodsman, who, rising to a 

 sitting posture, looked wildly around him and then 

 examined his thumb. All was quiet there ; and im- 

 agining he had, in his dreams, thrashed his hand 

 about and struck a splinter, he fell back, and was 

 soon fast asleep. After waiting a proper time, the 

 rabbit stole forth again, and creeping cautiously up to 

 the large greasy hand, made his teeth meet through it. 

 This roused the poor fellow with a start, and he 

 caught a glimpse of his assailant as, with his long ears 

 laid flat on his back, he scampered into the bushes. 



K g looked a moment at the place where he had 



disappeared, and then at his bleeding thumb, mutter- 

 ing in the mean while, " There, I've ketched you at it 

 — now — vou had better be off." The serious tone in 



