how long; he was drowned, or drowned himself in the Kentucky."

Phillis screamed. "Ah! den him must be him's spook. I tought he no eat like Christian."

Pshaw, who ever heard of a spook eating?" "Huh! I guess dem eat well as udder folks. I see spooks eat when I was in my own country. I see plenty dare. All black, jus like

me.'

22

"A black ghost!" cried Bushfield, breaking into a loud laugh. "I'd as soon think of a white nigger. But what are you talking about seeing poor Rainsford's ghost. Come tell me all about it."

By dint of questioning he drew from her the following details. It appears she was occupied in eating her breakfast, very intently, when on a sudden a man, who she persisted was Rainsford, bolted into the house, seized some of the victuals, and began to devour them, as she said, like a hungry wolf. He soon cleared the table, and then helped himself to all the eatables he could find, which he was carrying away, when he seemed suddenly to recollect himself, put his hand in his pocket and threw her some money, exclaiming at the same time, with a laugh, "There-there's the reckoning, the price of a priest's religion, a lawyer's conscience, and a patriot's vote. There, you angel of darkness, go buy a white skin, and then you may bear false witness against your neighbour, as well as your betters."

Phillis further stated that he was very ragged; had a long beard; a bloodshot eye;

or creature!" said Bushfield, drawing the of his hunting shirt across his eyes. shall tree him to-morrow."

mat, tree spook?" chuckled old Phillis. I believe massa tink he tree any ting." field went to bed, that is to say, laid n his bearskin, outside the house, under ling tree, and slept as well without his as with it, for he did not mind such trifour-and-twenty hours' abstinence. In ning, bright and early, before the dew the ground, he called unto him old and bade her show him, if she knew, way the spook went. She did so, and tled his dogs, placed them on the scent, lowed with his rifle on his shoulder. gs pursued a devious winding course, the most difficult passes of the forest, ey reached a rocky eminence, which the dividing line between two neigh- streams. It was a wild savage scene, from the usual haunts of the hunters. 1 from the hounds at a distance, indihat they discovered something, caused ld to hasten to the spot, where he beheld ck Warrior, standing at bay, with his nted at one of the dogs, which was the amorous and troublesome.

n't hurt the sweet varmints," cried he, likely I may hurt you, anyhow."

field "hated an Ingen mightily;" and, to justice, he had tolerable good reasons But he would not have harmed one, ex

cept in self-defence, as he called defending his dogs, on any account. He called them off, and they commenced a parley.

wok his fist would lau

moment c

"Game very scarce now," said the Blackh sticks c Warrior. "Indian must soon go cross thee to the fo great river." "Yes, and white man too, if he wants to fol-e he look low the track of the deer. Have you seen any game?" "No, only squirrel, he no worth powder and Has the white man seen any?"

shot.

"O, I'm on another track. I'm hunting a white man."

"Eh! I reckoned white man only hunted Indian that way."

Bushfield explained to him his object; and the Black Warrior offered his aid.

"I like Misser Rainford, he sometime fill my pouch wid tobacco."

en shouted in, laughin

at bo-peep his legs H making Bushfield ca

"We shall only be in each other's way, like a couple of fellers in the same track." "Room enough here for white man and red skin. White man want all room to himself," muttered the Indian. "But I must help find Misser Rainford."

dis

of

They proceeded in different directions, after agreeing to fire their guns in case of any covery; and had pursued their search for some time, when the forest echoed with the report the Black Warrior's rifle. Bushfield hastened in the direction, and found the Indian standing guard at the foot of a high rock, on the very verge of which was a figure scarcely human, capering, and shouting, and looking down, as if in scorn of the intruder. Sometimes he

to come d

Ah hah! C

"I kno

me; yo

and set wa thing w and he in. "Here

nature. Ic

ease, withou awyer, the ho would kill

ke speeches think if I cou bring him t his associate. They consult securing the ally agreed o

e could not be

VOL. II.-E

shook his fist at him, and grinned. Sometimes he would laugh aloud; and at others pelt him with sticks or stones. Bushfield approached

close to the foot of the rock, and he seemed for a moment confused with some recollection, while he looked wistfully down upon him. He then shouted and disappeared; then returned again, laughing and capering like a child playing at bo-peep; and finally, sat himself down, with his legs hanging over the edge of the high rock, making faces at them.

Bushfield called him by name, and entreated him to come down to his friends.

"Ah hah! catch me at that," cried he, laughing. "I know what you want; you want to chain me; you want to clap me up in a dungeon, and set a tiger to watch me. No, no, I know a thing worth two of that. Whiz ! look here," and he cut a huge caper, and sat down again. "Here I am, a gentleman commoner of nature. I can go where I please, and do as I please, without asking leave of the parson, the lawyer, the justice, or of those good people who would kill me with kindness to save my life."

"I'll be shot if he don't talk more like common sense than many roarers I have heard make speeches in court, in my time, anyhow. I think if I could only get a fight out of him, I'd bring him to, pretty quick," said Bushfield

to his associate.

They consulted together on the best method of securing the wretched outcast, and at length finally agreed on a plan. It was obvious that he could not be secured where he was by any

mode of attack or approach; for the side of the rock nearest them was inaccessible, and, if assailed in the rear, there was great reason to fear he would dash himself down, and perish.

"Somehow or other,” said Bushfield, “I don't think it a matter worth crying for if he did, anyhow. But who knows, after all, but the poor feller has some kind of pleasure in this sort of out-door life that I don't know any thing about? He's a free man, and that's something. He can lay down and drink of the branch without a cup, which is what I call being independent, anyhow."

As neither had any food with them, it was determined to go home, and return the next day with a supply, which they were to leave in a conspicuous spot near the haunt of Rainsford, in the expectation he would be compelled by the wants of nature to come and take it. Each was to hide himself in some convenient nook for intercepting a retreat to his stronghold.

Accordingly they took leave of the maniac, who told them to go and catch birds with fresh salt, and saluted them with a volley of stones, and returned to their respective homes. The next day they put their plan into execution, and awaited the result in their hiding-places. Some hours elapsed, and the poor wanderer did not appear. But about midday they heard his laugh, and presently after saw him approach the place where the food had been placed, which he seized and devoured with the eager avidity of a famished tiger. When he had done, he laid himself down quietly, and fell asleep at the foot of a tree.