180 WILD SPORTS IN THE SOUTH. 



A keen glance and an impatient look proclaimed how much the 

 Seminole was averse to this polite offer. His eye roved around the 

 bayou as though expecting some treachery, and then rested on 

 Scipio's face and his musket that lay beside him. There seemed to 

 be no help for him, and if he had any suspicion as to Mike's inten- 

 tions, he could not confirm them from anything he saw in the sun- 

 browned face that confronted him. His hand left his gun, and the 

 ill-assorted couple commenced paddling down the lagoon, while 

 Scipio followed behind, his white teeth glistening as he laughed at 

 intervals a low laugh, with a chorus of words and pectoral chuckles. 



The surprise of our party was most unqualified as the strange 

 boat paddled out from the winding lagoon to the open water, and 

 took its place in the rear of the little squadron. The negroes' eyes 

 opened with a language of ejaculation that was louder than words, 

 and Jackson eyed it as a mallard drake would stare at a cormorant 

 who should dare to sail in among his brood. Nothing, however, 

 was said to our visitor, though from front to rear were passed many 

 covert jokes at his expense. We kept on our course industriously, 

 and by noon were all in the mouth of the river, and stopped for 

 our lunch and a little rest on an island, the smallest of a group of 

 three that lay side by side. Jackson wanted to stop at a larger 

 island that we had just passed, but Mike said that a little island 

 with good company was better than a large one with bad company, 

 and so we complied with his wishes. 



The important feature in our lunch was the pumpkin that had 

 been cooking all the previous night, and that had been carefully 

 carried in Jackson's canoe. As Kose brought it up from the boat 

 on her head, the Doctor smiled, I laughed, and Lou looked eagerly 

 forward, as a child looks at an unopened Christmas box. 



" Take off the cover of Pandora's Box, Lou," said the Doctor. 



" It won't come off, it 's glued fast," said Lou, tugging at the 

 stem. 



 Give me a chance," said Jackson, aiming a blow at it with 

 his hunting-knife, which did not produce any impression on the 

 shining surface. 



At length, by the aid of a hatchet, it was split open, and the 

 interior revealed itself to our admiring eyes. The pumpkin had 



