"
"Harkee, old gentleman trapper," interrupted Paul, with a little
bitterness in his manner; "do you tell us these matters for our
amusement, or for your own? If for ours, you may keep your breath for
the next race you run, as I am tickled nearly to suffocation, already,
with my part of the fun."
"Hist"--said the trapper, cutting with great dexterity and rapidity
the thong, which bound one of the arms of Paul to his body, and
dropping his knife at the same time within reach of the liberated
hand. "Hist, boy, hist; that was a lucky moment! The yell from the
bottom drew the eyes of these blood-suckers in another quarter, and so
far we are safe. Now make a proper use of your advantages; but be
careful, that what you do, is done without being seen."
"Thank you for this small favour, old deliberation," muttered the bee-
hunter, "though it comes like a snow in May, somewhat out of season."
"Foolish boy!" reproachfully exclaimed the other, who had moved to a
little distance from his friends, and appeared to be attentively
regarding the movements of the hostile parties, "will you never learn
to know the wisdom of patience? And you, too, Captain; though a man
myself, that seldom ruffles his temper by vain feelings, I see that
you are silent, because you scorn to ask favours any longer from one
you think too slow to grant them.
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