"And if you should get a bite, Marm," added Mr. Jones, "the very best
thing you can do is to take a live chicken, split it in two, and lay it
on to the wound: it's a sartain sure cure."

"Why, Annie, if there are many rattlesnakes," cried Tom, laughing, "it
will be worse for your chickens than the hawks!"

"Annie will dream to-night of you, and snakes, and chickens, all in a
jumble, Mr. Jones; but don't you think it is time to prepare our
sleeping-place? It is past eight o'clock, and we must be stirring
early."

After packing up the remains of the supper, Mrs. Lee and the children
retired to their mattresses in the wagon, and the men having put
together a kind of wigwam of branches for themselves, and piled up the
fire, were soon resting from the labors of the day.

The sun had scarcely risen the next morning when our travellers were
prepared for their last day's journey. All was bustle and excitement
with Uncle John and Tom; and Mr. and Mrs. Lee, though quiet, felt an
eager impatience for a sight of their future dwelling-place. And fast
and hard was the beating of their hearts, when after a few hours they
beheld before them their own little possession! Some thirty acres of
rich pasture-land, sloped gently to the margin of a broad stream, which
flowed with a smooth and rapid current, and whose opposite shore gave a
view of a lovely undulating country, bounded by distant mountains, robed
in misty blue. The grand primeval forest nearly enclosed the other three
sides of this vast meadow. It was a beautiful scene, and to Mr. Lee it
almost seemed that he must be dreaming, to look upon it as his own. Deep
and heartfelt was the thanksgiving he silently breathed to the Giver of