The mother and daughter were a little anxious when the rosy-cheeked boy
donned his heavy boots, pushed his trousers down the legs, and taking
the long-barreled rifle from where it rested in the corner turned to
kiss them good-by.
Mr. Ribsam seemed as cool and stolid as ever; but any one looking
closely at him would have observed that he puffed his pipe a little
oftener than was his wont, while his eye beamed more kindly upon his
brave little boy.
"Look out, Nick, and don't be too venturesome," said the mother, as she
pressed her lips to those of her only son.
"And remember that the bear is an awful big animal," said Nellie, "for
I _seen_ him."
The brother, who was in the act of leaning over his sister to kiss her,
drew back with a reproving look.
"Why is it a girl can't talk without saying 'awful' in every sentence? I
wish for variety's sake, Nellie, you and the rest of the girls would
leave 'awful' out of one sentence in a hundred, and don't say 'I _seen_
him,' for you know better than that, sister."
She hung her head and her eyes were growing misty, when Nick took the
kiss with a laugh and moved to the door.
"There, there, good-by; you all act as if I was going to Africa to hunt
lions and tigers."
Nellie snapped him up in a flash:
"There ain't any tigers in Africa, smarty!"
"You got me that time," laughed Nick; "where is father?"
"He went out of the door a minute ago; he is standing by the gate," said
the mother, after a quick glance through the window.
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