The Young Emigrants; Madelaine Tube; the Boy and the Book; and Crystal Palace | Page 6

the provisions for supper, the men and Tom fed and
tethered the horses and oxen close by. When Mr. Jones had done his
part in these duties, he brought from his private stores in the wagon a
large bag and a saucepan.
"I reckon I'll have a mess of hominy to-night," said he. "It's going on
five days since I've had any."
"A mess of hominy," cried Tom; "that does not sound very nice."
"I guess if you tasted it you'd find it nice," answered the wagoner. "You
British don't know anything of the vartues of our corn."
He poured into the saucepan as he spoke a quantity of the Indian corn
grains, coarsely broken, and covering it with water, put it on the fire. It
was soon swelled to twice its former bulk, and looked and smelt very
good. With the addition of a little butter and salt, it made such a "mess
of hominy," as Mr. Jones called it, that few persons would not have
relished. Tom certainly did, as he proved at supper, when the

good-natured wagoner invited all to try it.
The meal was a merry one, notwithstanding the fatigue they had all
experienced during the hard travel of that day--the merrier because of
their anticipated arrival on the morrow at their future home. They all
talked of it, wondering where they should build their house--by the
river (for Uncle John had told them there was one near) or by the wood?
Tom wished for the first, as he thought what fine fishing he might have
at any hour; but Annie preferred the shade of the trees.
"Oh! father," cried she, "I hope there will be as many flowers as I saw
to-day on the road. Such beautiful Rhododendrons! a whole hill
covered with them, all in blossom! And did you see the yellow
butterflies? Mother and I first noticed them when they were resting on a
green bank, and we thought they were primroses until they rose and
fluttered off."
"I tell you what, Annie," said Tom, "you'll have to keep a good
look-out after your chickens. There are plenty of hawks about here. I
saw one this afternoon pounce down on a squirrel, and he was carrying
it off, when I shouted with all my might, and he let it drop."
"Oh, Tom! was it hurt?"
"Not it! but hopped away as if nothing had happened."
"You must learn to use your rifle, Tom," remarked Uncle John; "you'll
find it very necessary, as well as useful, in the woods."
"Well, uncle, I'll promise you a dish of broiled squirrels before October
of my own shooting! I intend to practice constantly, if father will let
me."
"If, by 'constantly,' you mean at fitting times," replied Mr. Lee, "I
certainly shall not object. I, too, must endeavor to become somewhat
expert, for in this wild country, where bears and wolves are still known,
it is absolutely necessary to be able to defend oneself and others."

"I never think of savage animals," said Mrs. Lee, "but of snakes, I must
confess I am very much afraid of them, particularly of rattlesnakes."
"You needn't mind them a bit, Marm," answered Mr. Jones; "they none
of them will strike you, if you don't meddle with them; and as for the
rattlesnake, why, as folks call the lion the king of beasts, I say the
rattlesnake is king of creeping things; he don't come slyly twisting and
crawling, but if you get in his way, gives you sorter warning before he
bites."
"Indeed, sister," said Uncle John, "Mr. Jones is right when he tells you
you need not be afraid of them--they are more afraid of us, and besides
are wonderfully easy to kill; a blow with a stick, in the hand of a child,
on or about the head, will render them powerless to do hurt."
"And if you should get a bite, Marm," added Mr. Jones, "the very best
thing you can do is to take a live chicken, split it in two, and lay it on to
the wound: it's a sartain sure cure."
"Why, Annie, if there are many rattlesnakes," cried Tom, laughing, "it
will be worse for your chickens than the hawks!"
"Annie will dream to-night of you, and snakes, and chickens, all in a
jumble, Mr. Jones; but don't you think it is time to prepare our
sleeping-place? It is past eight o'clock, and we must be stirring early."
After packing up the remains of the supper, Mrs. Lee and the children
retired to their mattresses in the wagon, and the men having put
together a kind of wigwam of branches for themselves, and piled up the
fire, were soon resting from the labors of the day.
The sun had scarcely risen the next morning when