"I think you are mistaken," he replied very promptly.
"How could I be mistaken when the ball whistled by my head?" I demanded.
"It might not have been within ten feet of your head, though it sounded as though it were within a few inches. I shot a wild turkey as I came up, and I fired in the direction of the steamer. It occurred to me that the ball might have gone through her, and I confess that I was very careless," replied Cornwood.
"I think you were, extremely careless," I added coldly.
"But I am sure the ball could not have gone within ten feet of you, or I should have seen you," protested the guide.
"Where is the turkey you shot?" asked Ben, who appeared to have some doubts in regard to the truth of the story.
"I threw him down on the forecastle as I came on board," answered Cornwood.
We walked to that part of the steamer, and there lay the wild turkey, as handsome a bird as I had ever seen. This evidence satisfied me, for as the Floridian had never failed to do anything he promised, or disappointed the party in regard to fish and game, he was in high favor with all on board, at least with those in the cabin.
"Colonel Shepard and Mr. Garningham have shot no end of deer and wild turkey, and they have stacked the game about two miles from the landing," continued the guide. "They have more than we could bring, and I volunteered to come up for a mule team."
"Buck and Hop are taking care of the pair we used this afternoon; you can take the others," I replied.