Passing out to the extremity, he was afforded a comfortable resting-place where he could sit hour after hour smoking his pipe and engage in fishing.

Had he noticed the large branch of the tree upon which he seated himself, he would have hesitated before trusting the weight of his body upon it, but his nature was too unsuspicious to be attracted by anything trivial in its appearance, and he made his way out upon it, as he had done scores of times before.
Ensconcing himself in his seat, he gave his whole attention to his line and his pipe, not noticing the interested glances which the Shawnees along the bank bestowed upon his operations.

After the space of a few minutes, he felt something pull at his line, and doing the same, he hauled a fine plump fish out of the water, casting it upon the land.
"Dat is purty goot," he mused, "and I will soon got a lot more, and my Keewaygooshturkumkankangewock will feel goot too, when I takes 'em home.

She won't-- Dunder and Blixen!" The limb upon which he was seated suddenly broke short off, and Hans dropped into the river out of sight.

But such a ponderous body as his could not sink, and upon coming to the surface, he paddled hurriedly to the shore.
"Dem little Dutchmen, Quanonshet and Madokawandock, will be de death of deir old fader afore long.