some four or five hundred feet sheer down,--it was known to be a resort of
those creatures; and a party of us went out,--it's many years ago now,--to
see if we couldn't destroy the nest--exterminate the whole horde. We had
one dog with us,--a little dog, a kind of spaniel; a little white and
yellow fellow,--and he did the work! Well, sir,--how many of those vermin
do you guess that little creature made a finish of that day?--of large and
small, sir, there were two hundred and twelve."

"He must have been a gallant little fellow."

"You never saw a creature, sir, take to a sport better; he just dashed in
among them, from one to another,--he would catch a snake by the neck and
give it a shake, and throw it down and rush at another;--poor fellow, it
was his last day's sport,--he died almost as soon as it was over; he must
have received a great many bites. The place is known as the rattlesnakes'
den to this day, though there are none there now, I believe."

"My little cousin is well, I hope," said Mr. Rossitur.

"She? yes, bless her I she is always well. Where is she? Fairy, where are
you?--Cynthy, just call Elfieda here."

"She's just in the thick of the muffins, Mr. Ringgan."

"Let the muffins burn! Call her."

Miss Cynthia accordingly opened a little way the door of the passage, from
which a blue stifling smoke immediately made its way into the room, and
called out to Fleda. whose little voice was heard faintly responding from
the distance.