72 A LITTLE SUPERSTITIOUS. 



Pierre and Gaultier had listened with breathless in- 

 terest to the old hunter's story. They now proposed 

 an immediate visit to the cave. To their surprise old 

 Jake seemed embarrassed, and hesitated in a manner 

 very unusual with him. The boys misconstrued the 

 trapper's manner. 



" 'Tain't no use fightin' agin natur," they heard him 

 muttering; "but yet this coon don't b'lieve in sich things." 



" What things, Jake ?" asked Gaultier. 



" Wagh ! young fellur, how d'ye know what I wur 

 a-thinkin' of ?" exclaimed the hunter. " Wai, I wur jest 

 a-sayin' to myself that I didn't b'lieve in spooks walk- 

 in', an' all sich sort o' rubbish. That's what this nigger 

 wur a-thinking." 



"What spooks, Jake ?" inquired Pierre. 



" Ye see," said Jake, " it's gettin' latish, an' the place 

 is better 'n four mile away from hyur; an' agin we 

 got there, what with the nat'ral darkness o' the cave an* 

 the evenin', I guess we mout jest run agin that thur 

 Injun's spook. I've heerd tell they're mighty fond o' 

 hangin' round whur their plunder's cached, or whur 

 they've gone under ; an' I guess this location matches 

 both them p'ints." 



The boys, who had been better educated than Jake, 

 smiled and interchanged looks, but so covertly that it 

 escaped the notice of the odd old hunter. They said 

 nothing more on the subject; but it was resolved to 

 visit the cave early on the following morning, and to 

 bring away all the treasures it contained. 



