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Page 10
"I rather think he came from Yankee land,--from your part of the
country, sir", said Ad�le, mischievously.
"Ah, well", said Mr. Norton, with another peal of laughter, "we _do_
have some curious names in our parts".
"Micah Mummychog!" exclaimed Mr. Dubois, "what are you thinking of,
Ad�le? Why, the fellow drinks and swears as hard as the rest of them".
"Not quite", persisted the child, "and besides, he has some good about
him, I know".
"What have you seen good about him, pray?" said her father.
"Why, you remember that when I discovered the little girl floating
down the river, Micah took his boat and went out to bring her ashore.
He took the body, dripping, in his arms, carried it to his house, and
laid it down as tenderly as if it had been his own sister. He asked me
to please go and get Mrs. McNab to come and prepare it for burial. The
little thing, he said, was entirely dead and gone. I started to go, as
he wished, but happened to think I would just step back and look at
the sweet face once more. When I opened the door, Micah was bending
over it, with his eyes full of tears. When I asked, what is the
matter, Micah? he said he was thinking of a little sister of his that
was drowned just so in the Kennebec River, many years ago".
"That showed some feeling, certainly", said Mrs. Dubois.
"Then, too, I know", continued Ad�le, "that the people here like him.
If any one can get them together, Micah can".
"Well!" said Mr. Dubois looking at his child with a fond pride, yet as
if doubting whether she were not already half spoiled, "it seems you
are the wiseacre of the family. I know Micah has always been a
favorite of yours. Perhaps the gentleman will give your views some
consideration".
"Father", replied Ad�le, "I have only said what I think about it".
"I'll try what I can do with Micah Mummychog", said Mr. Norton
decidedly, and the conversation ended.
CHAPTER IV.
MICAH MUMMYCHOG.
About ten years before the period when this narrative begins, Micah
Mummychog had come to this country from the Kennebec River, in the
State of Maine.
He soon purchased a dozen acres of land, partially cleared them, and
built a large-sized, comfortable log house. It was situated not far
from the Dubois house, at a short distance from the bank of the river,
and on the edge of a grove of forest trees.
Micah inhabited his house usually only a few months during the year,
as he was a cordial lover of the unbroken wilderness, and was as
migratory in his habits as the native Indian. On the morning after the
events related in the last chapter, he happened to be at home. While
Ad�le was guiding the missionary to his cottage, he was sitting in his
kitchen, which also served for a general reception room, burnishing up
an old Dutch fowling-piece.
The apartment was furnished with cooking utensils, and coarse wooden
furniture; the walls hung around with fishing tackle, moose-horns,
skins of wild animals and a variety of firearms.
Micah was no common, stupid, bumpkin-looking person. Belonging to the
genus Yankee, he had yet a few peculiar traits of his own. He had a
smallish, bullet-shaped head, set, with dignified poise, on a pair of
wide, flat shoulders. His chest was broad and swelling, his limbs
straight, muscular, and strong. His eyes were large, round, and blue.
When his mind was in a state of repose and his countenance at rest,
they had a solemn, owl-like expression. But when in an excited,
observant mood, they were keen and searching; and human orbs surely
never expressed more rollicking fun than did his, in his hours of
recreation. He had a habit of darting them around a wide circle of
objects, without turning his head a hairsbreadth. This, together with
another peculiarity of turning his head, occasionally, at a sharp
angle, with the quick and sudden motion of a cat, probably was
acquired in his hunting life.
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