form while he tried again and again to make her hear his whispered
words.

"Maw! Maw! Wake up; hit'l be day purty soon an' we can go and git some
greens; an' I'll take the gig an' kill some fish fer you; the's a big
channel cat in the hole jes' above the riffles; I seed 'im ter day
when I crost in the john boat. Say Maw, I done set a dead fall
yester'd', d' reckon I'll ketch anythin'? Wish't it 'ud be a coon,
don't you?--Maw! O Maw, the meal's most gone. I only made a little
pone las' night; thar's some left fer you. Shant I fix ye some 'fore
dad wakes up?"

But there was no answer to his pleading, and, ceasing his efforts, the
lad sank on his knees by the rude bed, not daring even to give open
expression to his grief lest he arouse the drunken sleeper by the
fireplace. For a long time he knelt there, clasping the cold hand of
his lifeless mother, until the lean hound crept again to his side, and
thrusting that cold muzzle against his cheek, licked the salt tears,
that fell so hot.

At last, just as the first flush of day stained the eastern sky, and
the light tipped the old pine tree on the hill with glory, the boy
rose to his feet. Placing his hand on the head of his only comforter,
he whispered, "Come on, Smoke, we've gotter go now." And together boy
and dog crept softly across the room and stole out of the cabin
door--out of the cabin door, into the beautiful light of the new day.
And the drunken brute still slept on the floor by the open fire-place,
but the fire was dead upon the hearth.

"He can't hurt maw any more, Smoke," said the lad, when the two were