Beadle's Dime Novels No. 96: Little Moccasin — page 48: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

50 LITTLE MOCCASIN. “The footprint of a girl.” “ Of a girl !—pshaw !” “Well, major, you may pooh! and pshaw! as much as you like ; but I have my reasons.” “Your reasons, have you—indeed! Perhaps you would be so obliging as to tell us about how old the girl is ?” “ Certainly,” said Gage, with a good-natured-laugh, stoop- ing down and pointing to the arch made by a springing step —‘not over fifteen or sixteen at the most, I should say.” The major’s brow darkened. <A swarthy glow settled upon his high cheek-bones for a moment, like the light of a black- smith’s forge—a sort of angry flush, as if he didn’t half like the captain’s boyish trifling. ' | “But,” continued Gage, without appearing to notice the change of countenance which startled Fletcher, “ what say you, Fletcher? You are deeper in woodcraft than either of us.” “ Doubted!” was the reply; and then glancing at the major, and seeing how much in earnest he was, Fletcher gave a flat denial, declaring, in so many words, that he was no match for the Old Forester in woodcraft, though he would not deny that he was a pretty fair shot on the wing—if not on the leap,”—winking at Gage, and then looking mischieyously at the major, as if expecting him to own up. But no—the major’s thoughts were evidently on quite another track, and he seemed resolute in withstanding all temptations to step aside. | | “Well, Mr. Fletcher,” said he, after waiting a reasonable time, “you do not answer. What say you to the captain’s question? Is that the footprint of a boy or girl?” “Of a girl, I should say, beyond all question.” “ And why not of a woman ?” “Because your Indian women are always heavily bur- dened, if not with pappooses and other household appendages, almost always with the rattle-traps wanted for hunting or camping out, and sometimes with the provisions; and this, you see, is the light, springy step of an unburthened female.” “But why a female ?” — | ‘Oh, nonsense, major! How childish for you and me to be arguing such a question seriously, after all our experience comicbooks.com