"I couldn't imagine what was coming upon me," said Mr. Ringgan, cheerfully, "for you weren't anywhere very near my thoughts; and I don't often see much of the gay world that is passing by me. You have grown since I saw you last, Mr. Rossitur. You are studying at West Point, I believe."
"No sir; I _was_ studying there, but I had the pleasure of bringing that to an end last June."
"Ah!--Well, what are you now? Not a cadet any longer, I suppose."
"No sir--we hatch out of that shell lieutenants."
"Hum.--And do you intend to remain in the army?"
"Certainly sir, that is my purpose and hope."
"Your mother would not like that, I should judge. I do not understand how she ever made up her mind to let you become that thing which hatches out into a lieutenant. Gentle creatures she and her sister both were.--How was it, Mr. Rossitur? were you a wild young gentleman that wanted training?"
"I have had it sir, whether I wanted it or no."
"Hum!--How is he, Mr. Carleton?--sober enough to command men?"
"I have not seen him tried, sir," said this gentleman smiling; "but from tho inconsistency of the orders he issues to his dogs I doubt it exceedingly."
"Why Carleton would have no orders issued to them at all, I believe," said young Rossitur; "he has been saying 'hush' to me all day."
The old gentleman laughed in a way that indicated intelligence with one of the speakers,--which, appeared not.
"So you've been following the dogs to-day," said he. "Been successful?"
"Not a bit of it," said Rossitur. "Whether we got on the wrong grounds, or didn't get on the right ones, or the dogs didn't mind their business, or there was nothing to fire at, I don't know; but we lost our patience and got nothing in exchange."
"Speak for yourself," said the other. "I assure you I was sensible of no ground of impatience while going over such a superb country as this."
"It _is_ a fine country," said Mr. Ringgan,--"all this tract; and I ought to know it, for I have hunted every mile of it for many a mile around. There used to be more game than partridges in these hills when I was a young man;--bears and wolves, and deer, and now and then a panther, to say nothing of rattlesnakes."
"That last mentioned is an irregular sort of game, is it not?" said Mr. Carleton smiling.