226 WILD SCENES AND SONG-BIRDS. 



host, and determined to make him the first target of its aim 

 in the event of contingencies. Assuming at once an impera- 

 tive tone, I demanded of the fellow, with his own rifle lying 

 across my knees, cocked my finger in the guard and the 

 barrel levelled at his bosom 



" Where did you get that whiskey from ?" 



" Got it up here in the woods," he answered sulkily. 



" Where, up in the woods, my good fellow ? Did you not 

 represent, when we landed here, that there were no persons 

 living within ten miles of your cabin, and that therefore it 

 was a needless precaution for us to bring our baggage in ? 

 Where do all these fellows come from up in the woods, I 

 suppose, where the whiskey came from ?" 



" Yes, the boys have got a shanty up there." 



" Well, it must be precious liquor you sell among you ! 

 Look at that man there who has been fool enough to drink 

 of your poisoned whiskey !" I pointed to Yankee, who had 

 by this time fallen helplessly across his ill-fated cherry-wood 

 boxes, with all the relaxed expression of the abandon of re- 

 pose peculiar to those suffering under the effect of strong 

 narcotics. The fellow only grunted out 



" The fool is drunk ! The whiskey is good enough I" and 

 sundry mutterings and murmurings ran around the circle. 

 I had noticed a slight stir of my friend's body during this 

 conversation, and suddenly there was a faint jingling the 

 heavy sleeper had fallen upon his knees before his trunk 

 the lock snapped, and in a twinkling a pair of nine-inch bar- 

 rel ounce-ball pistols were exhumed, clicking as they came 

 forth, and shutting down the lid of his trunk, with a pistol 

 in each hand, the drowsy gentleman assumed the old atti- 

 tude of profound sleep, with his fingers cautiously resting on 

 the outside of the hair-trigger guard. This was too rich. I 

 laughed outright. 



" You can't come it, my boys," said I, as I threw myself 

 back in a guarded ecstasy of mirth. 



" Can't come what ?" said the beetle-browed ruffian. 



