"My house is only ten miles away," continued Mr. Lawrence, "and I have sent word to your driver not to outspan until he gets there. I confess that I am very greatly surprised at your—your—I was going to say foolhardiness; but no one can be called foolhardy who goes coolly and deliberately about a thing after he has counted well the cost, so I will say your courage and perseverance. I supposed, of course, that you had some person of years and experience with you to superintend matters. Young man, you have already done wonders, and if you keep on as you have begun there is no telling what you may not accomplish before you pass along this track again on your way to the coast. There is plenty of game about here belonging to the order Ruminantia. I suppose you know what I mean by that?"
"Certainly, sir. You mean animals that chew the cud."
"Exactly. You can see for yourself that there are plenty of them, and you must stay with me as my guest until you learn how to hunt them. It will give me great pleasure to assist you in any way I can. You will find that I am something of a naturalist as well as a hunter. Of the Carnivora——"
"They are the flesh-eaters," said Oscar when his companion paused and looked at him.
"Well, we don't have many of them here, and you will have to take your chances with them when you find them, for it is little that I can tell you about them."
Oscar was soon on the best of terms with his new friend, who chatted away as familiarly as though he had known the boy all his life.
In about three hours they reached Mr. Lawrence's house; and if we were to say that Oscar was surprised at the sight of it we should but feebly express his feelings.
Here, in the midst of a wilderness more than fifty miles from any neighbor, the English gentleman had created a perfect little paradise.
The road led through an extensive orchard of orange, apple, plum, peach, and walnut trees, and after that came a vineyard that was fairly purple with grapes.