THE VIRGINIAN DEER 65 



smacked his lips and whispered in my ear : C I 

 wish they had come sooner, old man ! I could 

 eat the lot myself ' but oh ! with what a sickly 

 smile he spoke, and when he looked at me he 

 perceived a sicklier face. Then he frowned and 

 looked as though he would say : { I question if 

 he has ever eaten a frog's leg in his life.' Com- 

 plaining that the smoke got into his throat, and 

 with a cheery request to the Americans that he 

 did not care how soon the frogs were cooked, he 

 sat down by my side in silence. Suddenly he 

 turned to me and whispered : * Do you like frog's 

 legs, Poddy ? ' c Yes,' I replied, feeling very 

 uncomfortable as a sort of fishy, fowly odour 

 entered my nostrils. ' You don't seem very 

 keen,' he added. After this we fell into silence, 

 to be aroused by a jolly American bearing in 

 triumph toward us a crowded pan of the nauseous- 

 looking fry. How I wished inwardly he would 

 fall and sprain his ankle, and I thought I heard a 

 remark from Mac not too complimentary ; but 

 it may have been only fancy, as the leaves were 

 rustling in the trees overhead. Mac was helped 

 first, and for this I was devoutly thankful. I 

 made an excuse that my plate was dirty, thus 

 causing delay while I washed it in the lake, but I 



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