ADVENTURES IN LOUISIANA. 171 



" I told you a'ready," replied the man with some 

 degree of pride, "we ain't your friends; but if 

 you choose to accept American hospitality, you're 

 welcome." 



"We glanced at the Acadians, who were still firing, 

 and dragging the beasts they slaughtered into their 

 boat and to the shore. They appeared perfect 

 savages, and there was little temptation to seek 

 guidance or assistance at their hands. 



"If it is agreeable to you, we will accompany you," 

 said I to the American, making a step towards 

 the boat. We were eager to be off, for the heat 

 and smoke were unbearable. The Yankee answered 

 neither yes nor no. His attention seemed taken up 

 by the proceedings of the Acadians. 



" They're worse than Injuns," said he to a young 

 man standing by him. " They shoot more in an hour 

 than they could eat in a year, in their tarnation 

 French wastefulness." 



" I've a notion o' makin' 'em leave off," replied the 

 young man. 



" The country's theirs, or their masters' at least," 

 rejoined the other. "I reckon it's no business of 

 ours." 



This dialogue was carried on with the greatest pos- 

 sible degree of drawling deliberation, and under cir- 

 cumstances in which, certainly, none but a Yankee 

 would have thought of wasting time in words. A 

 prairie twenty miles long and ten broad, and a couple 



