Beadle's Dime Novels No. 96: Little Moccasin — page 51: what you’re looking at

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

BEWITCHED. 53 snow after the fashion we see, the major wants you to ack- nowledge that the trick was worthy of an experienced hunter.” “ow so? I do not understand.” . “Hear me through, and you will. MHaving®reached the ledge, and covered up most of the traces, the hunter uses his rifle for a leaping-pole, and setting the muzzle in the snow, springs upon the rock, where the footprints will be lost on the smooth ice, and then runs along the top for two or three rods, and goes off down the other side, where, without a dog, nobody would éver think of following.” | | “ Capital 1” exclaimed Gage; “but my faith is unshaken. The short steps, the springing arch, and the daintily-embroi- dered moccasins, are conclusive with me.” | The Old Forester smiled, and bit his lips. “ But why,” said he, “ why continue the chase? What have we to hope, my young friends, though we should follow the trail beyond the Madawaska? Why not go back to the bear I have treed for you ?—dished, I: might say, for there he hangs, half-way out of the hollow tree, where I shot him, ready to fall either way; and take what we want to the boys, leaving them to cut bim up and peel him at their leisure; ‘and go back to camp, where they will soon be looking foW us? What say you ?” | “ Couldn’t think of it!’ said Gage. “ Our friend here hates mystery, he tells us; but I am free to confess that I love mys- tery; and I am so cartied away—so bewitched, I believe— by the Little Moccasin———by the way, Fletcher, why not call her so ?-—that I am ready to follow her to the ends of the earth.” « Or into the sea, perhaps,” added the major, with a sort of sneer, which tle captain was half inclined to resent. : “ Yes, anywhere !” said he. “One word with you, Mr. Fletcher,” said the major, ‘step- ping a little aside, where they might confer together without being overheard. Fletcher consented, and the conference lasted till Gage erew neryous and fidgety, and went a step or two nearer—— so near, indeed, that without intending to listen, he gathered enotigh to satisfy him as to the drift of the major’s expostitlation. He was evidently trying to persuade Fletcher to abandon - Son