Several flocks of geese and ducks yet flew round above, and gradually drew nearer to the earth, but still fearful of danger and cautiously reconnoitering the premises.

“Suppose I pink one of them on the wing?” said Joe, looking up.

“I don’t believe you kin,” said Sneak, as he tugged at the panther’s hide.

“Wait till they come round the next time, and I’ll show you—­so look out,” said Joe.

“I’ll not look—­there’s no occasion for my seeing—­I’m not after a muskrat,” responded Sneak, stripping the skin from the animal, and laughing at his own remark.  When the ducks came round again, Joe fired, and sure enough one of them fell—­descending in a curve which brought it directly on Sneak’s cap, knocking it over his eyes.

“Dod rot it! hands off, or I’ll walk into you!” exclaimed Sneak, rising up in a hostile attitude.

“Good! that’s tit for tat,” cried Joe, laughing, as he loaded his gun.

“You didn’t do it a purpose,” said Sneak, “nor I won’t jump into the water nother.”

“Yes I did!” continued Joe, much pleased at the occurrence.

“You didn’t do any sich thing—­or we’d have to fight; but nobody could do sich a thing only by accident.  You’d better load your gun, and be ready by the time the next comes,” added Sneak, again tearing asunder the panther’s skin.

“I thought I had loaded,” said Joe, forgetting he had performed that operation, and depositing another charge in his old musket.

Presently Glenn’s gun was heard, and in a few minutes an immense flock of geese and ducks, mingled together, flew over the bushes and covered the face of the lake.  Joe very deliberately fired in the midst of them, and the rebound of his gun throwing him against Sneak, who was still in a stooping posture, they both fell to the ground.

“I did that on purpose, I’ll take my oath—­I knew you had put in two loads,” said Sneak, rising up.

“Yes, but I ain’t hurt—­falling over you saved me, or else I’d a thrashed you or got a thrashing,” replied Joe, his good humour recovered on beholding some fifteen or twenty dead and wounded ducks and geese on the surface of the water.  By the time he had collected his birds, by means of Sneak’s canoe, Glenn, who had met with the like success, emerged from the bushes on the opposite verge of the lake, bearing with him his game.  Being well satisfied with the sport, he and Joe retraced their steps homeward.

CHAPTER XVII.

The bright morning—­Sneak’s visit—­Glenn’s heart—­The snake hunt—­Love and raspberries—­Joe is bitten—­His terror and sufferings—­Arrival of Boone—­Joe’s abrupt recovery—­Preparations to leave the west —­Conclusion.