THE AMERICANS AND THE ABORIGINES. 379 



just come up with an air of peculiar haste and im- 

 portance. 



" A Britisher ! " repeated the gentleman in green ; 

 "that's not your only recommendation, is it?" 



The person addressed glanced slightly at the speaker, 

 who was measuring him with a pair of lobster-eyes 

 of no very friendly expression, and then carelessly 

 replied 



"For the present, it is my only one." 



" And d n it, what has brought you to Opelousas ?" 

 demanded the green man. 



"My legs!" replied Hodges. But the joke was 

 not well taken. 



" Young man," said an elderly American, " you are 

 in Louisiana state, and see before you citizens of the 

 United States of America. That man there" he 

 pointed to green-coat "is the constable. Jokin' is 

 out of place here." 



" I come from on board my ship, if you must 

 know." 



" From on board his ship ! " repeated everybody, 

 and every brow visibly knit, and a low murmur ran 

 through the crowd. 



The news^of the landing of British troops had just 

 reached the town, and the same courier had brought 

 the unwelcome intelligence of the capture of the 

 American gunboats on the Mississippi. Trifling as 

 this disaster Avas, compared with the brilliant vic- 

 tories achieved on Lakes Champlain and Erie, and 



