"Halloo, whom have we here?" he said, reining in his horse abruptly.
"Who is there? Speak quick, or it may be the worse for you," cried impetuous Oleah, not receiving an immediate answer.
"It is I, Oleah," said Abner, stepping from under the branches of the old tree.
The two brothers had grown more and more estranged, but as yet there had been no open rupture between them.
"Well, I might inquire what you are doing there?" said Oleah.
"And I might ask what you are doing here, and where you are going, and a hundred other questions. If I were to tell you I was star-gazing you would not believe me."
"I don't know; I might," said Oleah. "You were sentimental at times when a boy, and the habit of looking at the moon and stars may have followed you into maturer years."
"I was just thinking," said Abner, "that this tree is very old, yet very hale."
"It is," answered Oleah; "it was a full grown tree when I first remember seeing it."
"Yes, and we have often climbed its branches or swung beneath them."