“I’m a going to cut a hole in the ice on the river, and push him under,” said Sneak.

“You shall do no such thing!” said Glenn, firmly; “he must be buried in the earth.”

“Just as you say,” said Sneak, submissively, throwing down the leg.

“Run home and bring the spades, Joe,” said Glenn, “and call for the ferrymen to assist us.”

“And I’ll take the sled along and leave it in the yard,” said Joe, starting in the direction of the deer and calling the hounds after him.

“Let the hounds remain,” said Glenn.  “I am resolved to have my fox-hunt.”  Joe soon disappeared.

“If you want to hunt, you can go on; Roughgrove and me will bury this robber,” said Sneak.

“Be it so,” said Glenn; “but remember that you are not to put him in the river, nor must you commit any indecent outrage upon his person.  Let his body return to the earth—­his soul is already in the hands of Him who created it.”

“That’s as true as gospel,” said Sneak; “and I would rather be froze in this snow than to have his hot berth in the t’other world.  I don’t feel a bit mad at him now—­he’s paying for his black dagiverous conduct hard enough by this time, I’ll be bound.  I say, Mr. Glenn, it’ll be rather late when we get through with this job—­will there be any vacant room at your fireside to-night?”

“Certainly, and something to eat—­you will be welcome, provided you don’t quarrel too much with Joe,” replied Glenn.

“Oh, Joe and me understand each other—­the more we quarrel the more we love one another.  We’ll never fight—­do you mind that—­for he’s a coward for one thing, and I won’t corner him too close, because he’s broad-shouldered enough to lick me, if he was to take it into his head to fight.”

Glenn called the hounds after him and set out in quest of the fox, and Sneak turned to the dead body and mused in silence.

CHAPTER VII.

Boone—­The interment—­Startling intelligence—­Indians about—­A skunk—­Thrilling fears—­Boone’s device.

Ere long Joe was on his way back to the cave-spring, with several spades on his shoulder, accompanied by Boone, (who had just crossed the river on a visit to Glenn,) and Roughgrove, with his two oarsmen.

“Is Glenn at the spring with Sneak?” asked Boone, in a very thoughtful and grave manner.

“Yes, sir, I left him there, and I now hear him with the hounds chasing a fox,” replied Joe, in true native style.

“If he is with the hounds, he is certainly not at the spring,” remarked Roughgrove.

“I meant that he was there, or thereabouts” replied Joe.

“Who found the dead man?” inquired Boone.

“I did—­that is, when the dogs scented him—­and it almost frightened me when I dug out his foot,” said Joe.

“No doubt!” observed Boone.

The party now moved along in silence, still permitting Joe to lead the way, until they suddenly emerged from the thicket in the immediate vicinity of the spring, when an unexpected scene attracted their notice.  Sneak was composedly seated on the body of the dead man, and very deliberately searching his pockets!