204 WILD SCENES AND WILD HUNTERS. 



at the time. 'The simple way in which the young hunter now 

 recalled it, and the enthusiasm which lit his eye the moment 

 he saw our unwonted quarry, convinced me that Charlie had 

 been entirely mistaken, and that there must be some other 

 cause than the one he assigned for the evident alarm of a 

 man who had already, and with such coolness, killed a full- 

 grown bear with an axe only. I accordingly let Charlie have 

 his laugh out ; for he had no notion of listening to any but 

 his own version of the affair, while I determined to take ad- 

 vantage of the garrulous excitement, caused in the mind of 

 Jabe by the sight of this the most valued of all the game of 

 the country, to draw out from him the real cause of his 

 alarm. So we sat down on the ground to examine the bear 

 more at our leisure, and winking at Charlie, I at last got him 

 to comprehend something of my purpose. We drew him out 

 as to his hunting feats in general, — but most especially with 

 regard to those in this particular neighborhood. Gradually 

 he seemed to forget himself, and watching the moment, I 

 asked him, suddenly, if he had ever taken a " stand" here, 

 where he had placed us, himself! 



"I!" he exclaimed, with a look of amazement, — "I! — 

 great jingo — no ! — I wouldn't er tuck a ' stand' on this here 

 Pint, fer all the bar on the Tennessee and Cumberland put 

 together !" 



" But, why not, Jabe ? — we've seen nothing very wrong 

 here !" 



" 0, you're strangers ! but didn't he swar before he died 

 that the fust hunter, as ought'er know, that com'd near 

 enough that big black oak to see the little head-stone to his 

 grave — that he meant to haunt him to death ? Didn't he ? — 

 I tell you this aint the boy that would go in a hundred yards 

 of that big oak on no consideration in natur ?" 



"But," — said I, impatiently, — "Jabe, who was this per- 

 son?" 



*' Why, Old Bill Smith — to be sure ! — you never beam of 



