"I'm not squibbing; I 'honked' to it from behind some rocks, and then
knocked it over with a stone."

"Ye did? Waal, purty good! purty good! Goin' to hev it fer dinner, I
s'pose?"

"N--no, I sold it to Mrs. Norris."

"Did, hey? What'd she giv ye?"

Morton told him, and the old man ruminated a while, as he industriously
cleaned, primed, and loaded his gun, while Morton waited, watching a
long, plume-like line of smoke along the distant horizon, which he knew
was from a Portland steamer. Finally Adam set down the gun with a
contented air, and observed,--

"Haow airly kin ye git up?"

"At three, if you say so."

"Waal, come along abaout four ter-morrer mornin', an' I'll take ye 'long
o' me."

"But I haven't any gun, Uncle Adam."

"Don't need none! I'm a-goin' to show ye what guns Is _fer_. When
you've got that idee bagged, it'll be time enough fer the weepon. I
ain't no patience," he went on, putting his hands on his knees and
bending forward impressively, "with these fellers what mangles their