"Holloa! old Eester;" shouted the well-known voice of her husband,
from the plain beneath; "ar' you keeping your junkets, while we are
finding you in venison and buffaloe beef? Come down--come down, old
girl, with all your young; and lend us a hand to carry up the meat;--
why, what a frolic you ar' in, woman! Come down, come down, for the
boys are at hand, and we have work here for double your number."
Ishmael might have spared his lungs more than a moiety of the effort
they were compelled to make in order that he should be heard. He had
hardly uttered the name of his wife, before the whole of the crouching
circle rose in a body, and tumbling over each other, they precipitated
themselves down the dangerous passes of the rock with ungovernable
impatience. Esther followed the young fry with a more measured gait;
nor did Ellen deem it wise, or rather discreet, to remain behind.
Consequently, the whole were soon assembled at the base of the
citadel, on the open plain.
Here the squatter was found, staggering under the weight of a fine fat
buck, attended by one or two of his younger sons.
Pages:
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261