Oak Openings or the Bee Hunter

One of his lesser known works, Oak Openings or The Bee Hunter is one of Cooper's last novels. The book opens with the meeting of four men, Elksfoot, Pigeonswing, Benjamin Boden, and Gershom Waring. Boden is a bee-hunter, who searches for natural bee hives and harvests the honey. Waring is a down-on-his-luck alcohol trader. And the lives of the two Indians are a source of intrigue. As the four settle into Boden's house for dinner and conversation, they begin talking about the politics of the...