"What now--what now, boys?" cried the old sinner, no whit disconcerted
by the general mirth against him. "I say, by gin! I killed him, and I
say so yet. Which on ye all--which on ye all daared to go in on him,
without a knife nor nothen. I killed him, I say, anyhow, and so let's
drink!"
"Well, I believe we must wet him," Harry answered, "so get out another
flask of whiskey, Tim; and you Jem and Garry lend me a hand to lift this
fine chap into the wagon. By Jove! but this will make the Teachmans open
their eyes; and now look sharp! You sent the Teachmans word that we were
coming, Tom?"
"Sartin! and they've got breakfast ready long enough before this,
anyways."
With no more of delay, but with lots more of merriment and shouting, on
we drove; and in five minutes' space, just as the sun was rising,
reached the small rude enclosure around two or three log huts, lying
just on the verge of the beautiful clear lake. Two long sharp boats, and
a canoe scooped out of a whole tree, were drawn up on the sandy beach; a
fishing net of many yards in length was drying on the rails; a brace of
large, strong, black and tan foxhounds were lying on the step before the
door; a dozen mongrel geese, with one wing-tipped wild one among them,
were sauntering and gabbling about the narrow yard; and a glorious
white-headed fishing eagle, with a clipped wing, but otherwise at large,
was perched upon the roof hard by the chimney.
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