God be
praised! there is the chiente at any rate; and there's a smoke
comin' out of it, if my eyes don't deceive me! Look, Bourdon, for I
can scarcely see at all."
"There is the house; and, as you say, there is certainly a smoke
rising from it"
"There's comfort in that!" exclaimed the truant husband and brother,
with a sigh that seemed to relieve a very loaded breast. "Yes,
there's comfort in that! If there's a fire, there must be them that
lighted it; and a fire at this season, too, says that there's
somethin' to eat, I should be sorry, Bourdon, to think I'd left the
women folks without food; though, to own the truth, I don't remember
whether I did or not"
"The man who drinks, Gershom, has commonly but a very poor memory."
"That's true--yes, I'll own that; and I wish it warn't as true as it
is; but reason and strong drink do NOT travel far in company--"
Gershom suddenly ceased speaking; dropping his paddle like one beset
by a powerless weakness. The bee-hunter saw that he was overcome by
some unexpected occurrence, and that the man's feelings were keenly
connected with the cause, whatever that might be. Looking eagerly
around in quest of the explanation, le Bourdon saw a female standing
on a point of land that commanded a view of the river and its banks
for a considerable distance, unequivocally watching the approach of
the canoe.
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