we halted, and having lighted our fire in a nice
spot surrounded by giant trees, sat down by the
side of it, and, lulled by its cheerful crackling,
alternately dozed and chatted tUl I forgot my
disappointment at failing in pan-hunting, and
composed myself to sleep. My companion, how-
ever, having killed his deer was in great spirits and
talkative ; so finding it quite impossible to baulk Ms
communicative humour I roused myself by filling
and lighting my pipe, and made up my mind to
listen. " WeU, now ; I vow," said he, " this pan-
hunting is an almighty dangerous sort of thing,'
only to think on what happened the Major about
this time two years." (My readers must know that
the Major in question had that morning breakfaste'4
with us.) " It's not forgotten yet ; we rile him still
about it." " Well," I replied, " I remember yOU
alluded to something this morning which had
happened to him that seemed to me to amuse yoil
much more than it amused the Major." "Amused
him ! " he exclaimed, " well now, I'll tell you the
whole perticklers, and if you think it ought to have
amused him I'll eat my hat, and that's a fact. Well,
now; here goes. About this time two years the
Major takes it into his head to go out pan-hunting;
now, he never was at no time anything of a hunter,
in no-ways : but away he goes one dark night, and
as soon as he sees glaring before him the eyes- of a



CHAP, n.] SUNDAY IN ARKANSAS. 45

fine tarnation big buck, he draws his bead {anglici
sight of rifle) upon him, and downs him. Up gets
another, and off a Httle way. ' That must be the
doe,' thinks the Major, so he loads up, and away he
goes after her, and soon comes up facing her again :
crack goes his rifle again, and he downs her too.
