After a long, meditative pause, Micah said, "Neow Captin', I want yeou to answer me one question, honestly. I aint a goin' to ask any thing sarcy. Did ye ever in yer life see a harnsumer, witchiner critter than Miss Adèle is?"
Micah fixed his keen eye triumphantly upon our hero, as if he was aware beforehand that but one response could be made. John surprised by the suddenness of the question, and somewhat confused, for the moment, by a vague consciousness that his companion had found the key to his thoughts, hesitated a little, but soon recovered sufficiently to parry the stroke.
"You don't mean to say, Micah, that there's any person for beauty and bewitchingness to be compared with Mrs. McNab?"
"Whew-ew", uttered Micah, while every line and feature in his countenance expressed ineffable scorn. He gave several extra strokes of the paddle with great energy. Suddenly, his grim features broke into a genial smile.
"Well, Captin'", he said, "ef yeou choose to play 'possum that way, ye ken. But ye needn't expect me to believe in them tricks, cos I'm an old 'un".
John laughed and replied, "Mummychog, Miss Adèle Dubois is a perfect beauty. I can't deny it".
"And a parfeck angel tew", said Micah.
"I don't doubt it", said John, energetically. "When shall we reach the settlement, Micah?"
"Abeout three hours arter moonrise".
And just at that time our voyagers touched the spot they had started from the day before, and unloaded their cargo. They were received at the Dubois house with the compliments due to successful hunters.