72 WARWICK WOODLANDS. 



clotli, beside a sparkling fire of wood, which our drive 

 through the brisk mountain air had rendered by no means 

 unacceptable. 



We breakfasted like hungry men and hunters, both 

 rapidly and well; and before half an hour elapsed, Archer, 

 with Jem and one of our bold hosts, started away, well 

 provided with powder and ball, and whiskey, and accom- 

 panied by all the hounds, to make a circuit of the western 

 hill, on the summit of which they expected to be joined 

 by two or three more of the neighbors, whence they pro- 

 posed to drive the whole sweep of the forest-clad descent 

 down to the water's edge. 



Tim was enjoined to see the provisions, and to provide 

 as good a dinner as his best gastronomic skill and the 

 contents of our portable larder might afford, and I was 

 put under the charge of Tom, who seemed, for about an 

 hour, disposed to do nothing but to lie dozing, with a 

 cigar in his mouth, stretched upon the broad of his back, 

 on a bank facing the early sunshine just without the 

 door; while our hosts were collecting bait, preparing fish- 

 ing tackle, and cleaning or repairing their huge clumsy 

 muskets. At length, when the drivers had been gone al- 

 ready for considerably more than an hour, he got up and 

 shook himself. 



"Now, then, boys," he exclaimed, "we'll be a movin. 

 You Joe Teachman, what are you lazin there about, cuss 

 you? You go with Mr. Forester and Garry in the big 

 boat, and pull as fast as you can put your oars to water, 

 till you git opposite the white-stone pint — and there lie 

 still as fishes! You may fish, though, if you will, Forest- 

 er," he added, turning to me, "and I do reck on. the big 

 yellow perch will bite the darndest, this cold morning, 

 arter the sun erits fairly up — but soon as ever you hear 

 the hounds holler, or one of them chaps shoot, then look 

 you out right stret away for business! Cale, here, and 

 I'll take the small boat, and keep in sight of you; and so 

 we can kiver all this eend of the pond like, if the deer 

 tries to cross hereaways. How long is't, Cale, since we 

 had six on them all at once in the water — six — seven — 

 eight! well, T swon, it's ten years asone now! But come, 

 we mus'nt stand here talkin, else we'll get a dammin when 

 they drives on a bvick into the pond, and none of us in 

 there to tackle with him!" 



