THE WATCH. 305 



scarecrow to the British a sort of notice that 'twas 

 an onhealthy climate for 'em about there. 



" Well. Gabe got down the old musket and scoured 

 it up and cleaned out its insides, and jput in a new 

 flint, and iled up the lock so 'twould go, and then 

 loaded it about half full of powder, and buckshot, and 

 slugs, and sich distructives, and started about sun- 

 down, with his match and little torch, to watch his 

 deerlick, and raise thunder generally with his big 

 buck that made a track like a two year old. He got 

 behind his blind, and poked the long barrel of his old 

 Queen Anner through the brush, and laid down be- 

 hind it with the breech to his shoulder, waitin' for the 

 game. The musquitos poked their long bills into 

 him, and the black flies gnawed away at his face and 

 bare legs, in a way that made him kick and thrash 

 about like a horse tormented by a million of gadflies. 



By and bye, after the dark had come down, Gabe 

 heard somethin' walkin' towards his lick, and his 

 heart beat like a trip-hammer against his sides, and he 

 lay still, lettin' the musquitos and flies bite him and 

 be darned. Presently, whatever it was he heard 

 walkin' in the bush, stepped up to the log and began 

 to lick at the salt, and gnaw the old wood in earnest, 



