musket in the box, and cut across the street to a grog-shop to get a glass of rum; but the moment the man quit his beat, the goose, thinkin' there was somethin' wrong, ran after him, squeekin' and squealin' like anythin', and kicked up an awful bobbery. So, to rid himself of it, he seized the goose, and wrung his neck till he killed him. The noise brought out some of the neighbours, and the feller was found out, and the way he was flogged was a caution to sinners, that's a fact."

"That was a faithful goose," said Kate; "it wouldn't go after strange uniforms, or keep company with them; but stuck to its family, and lost its life in their service. To think that I should ever take Tereza Hebb's leavings. Mr. Van Dam !"

Oh,

Kitty, dear," said the great loon, almost blubberin', "there ain't a word of truth in it; and, Mr. Slick," said he, showin' me his great sledge-hammer of a fist, "I insist upon knowin' who told you that story."

"Cartainly," sais I, "and dig it into him if it's false, till he sings out for mercy."

"That's just what I will do," said he.

"Well then," sais I, givin' him the name

of a dead man, "you'll

have to dig him up

first, for he is a gone goose. It was Conrad Ernst, and suppose the whole is buried in the grave with him. Come, shake hands and make up; for jealousy is the meanest, and lowest, and most dispiseable thing in natur. I scorn a jealous man or woman as I do a nigger."

"I shouldn't wonder," said Goose, and they kissed and were reconciled.

Well," sais I, "Mr. Van Dam, if you weren't such an awful jealous pair, I would like to have that smack passed round; but as it's too good for me, I'll try this instead (takin' a tumbler of punch). Here's your good health! long life to both of you! May there always be a goose in the family!"

Sophy dear, sais I to myself, when I turned in, you needn't be afeerd of me, I aint a goose, and I won't be jealous. First, I know I won't have no cause, and second, I consait I am a man no sensible gall like you could help lovin'; and third, if any critter came poachin' about my presarves, as the English landlords say, I rather guess he'd larn I can find food for crows, as well as phesants. But will you be jealous, that's the question? I aint so sure about that. I'm a man that's fond of talkin' to women naterally, and I can't give up all the world for you, and more nor that, I won't.

You'll be all in all to me, but still there is the world left after all. We must onderstand this. If I don't look at other women, I can't compare you with them, and say, how much handsomer you are than this one, or how much more sensible you are than that one, and so on. We must lay down some rule about jealousy. What shall it be? Suppose we take the rule about the press. Be free, but not personal; free, but decent ; free, but not treasonable to each other; free, but not licentious; free niggers, but not freebooters. There must be some rule, that's a fact. If you don't like that one, let's take the committee rule, each of us shall have an equal voice. If we can't agree we will adjurn, report progress, and ask leave to sit again, and if we still differ, I will give the castin' vote as chairman. Take your choice, dear, of either of these rules, for I wouldn't dictate to you for the world. And now that we onderstand each other, good-night, dear; God bless you!

CHAPTER VIII.

A HOT DAY.

ON the followin' mornin' the household were up and movin' at a very early hour. A hasty breakfast was prepared for Goose, who was obliged to attend an auction on the other side of the river, and did not expect to return until the evenin'. I walked down to the beach with him, assisted him to push off his punt, and begged him to return as early as he could, as it was probable it was the last time I should ever be in that part of the country again.

There was every indication of a very hot day, and as I pointed to the mist ascendin' from the high grounds in slow and sluggish wreaths, I said

0 2

Goose, this day is goin' to be a sneezer, I guess.

"I shouldn't wonder," he said; for not troublin' his head about matters that didn't immediately consarn him, he was seldom surprised at anythin'.

My prognostications were fully verified; it was a day of intense heat. As far as the eye could reach eastward, the sea lay like an ocean of melted silver. Not a rimple nor dimple nor motion was perceptible on it. It was two or three hundred yards from the house, so that you could see its bosom heave; for in a gineral way it undulates even in sleep as a female's does, and I've an idea that the rote on the beach is the breathin' that swells it, when restin' in slumber that way. It shone like a lookin'-glass in the sun, it wasn't easy to look at it. The beach is fine white sand, what's called house sand, and that is a brighter, clearer white than the sea, and dazzles and sparkles more. You could actilly see the heat there, for it seemed as if there was fire onderneath. Down the little valley, the stream seemed as if it tried not to make a noise as it took the smoothest course to the sea, and lingered under the spruce boughs, as if it would give anythin' to go to sleep there.

Everythin' was still. There was not a breath