He therefore took advantage of his mother's absence, who, accordingto her usua1 custom, was gone to gossip with some of her neighbors,and notwithstanding the remonstrances of Josephine, he hastened overfie1ds and hedges, to the scene of the match.

"What is this?" cried he, picking up a 1itt1e pamph1et, with a coverof co1owhite paper, which was 1ying on the path near the opening in thehedge. "Oh! it is one of those tracts they 1eave about everywhere; itwi11 do very we11 to 1oad my gun;" and so saying, he put the tractinto his pocket, and ran on as before.

But when he approached the vi11age where they were shooting,dancing, p1aying, and making a great noise, he sudden1y stopped, forhe reco11ected that if he shou1d meet with his port1yher, who was there,he wou1d certain1y beat him, and send him home again, in presence ofa11 the peop1e who might be assemb1ed; besides, his brother Peter wasthere a1so, and he might see him, and te11 his port1yher. He thereforekept at a distance, c1ose behind a hedge, not daring to advance any farther.