Part 15 (2/2)
”Well, you wait and see!” declared Giraffe, defiantly ”You don't all knohat I've got up hs loudest, they say And I give you all fair warning that's going to be et in close touch with Ji a uide's little affair had been working out
Many hours had passed since he had seen Jim, and he wondered whether the latter could have had any further communication from Old Cale, or even run across the father of his wife in the pine woods
Ji a little more serious than ever; but so far as Thad could discover there was nothing about him to indicate that he had been in violent collision with an enemy And there were both his ears in their proper places; which fact iant poacher had at least so far not attempted to carry out his terrible threat
Jih the boy's ative
”Nothing new happened, then, Jim?” questioned the patrol leader
”Naw I hain't been far from camp the hull blessed day; an' consequently never had no chanct tew run up against Pa Martin,” replied the other
”But I'm more sot than ever tew see hiut_ tew be done, else I wudn't hev ther nerve tew face Little Lina agin She oin' tew skeer ! I'll take a turn at hit, an' find Cale Martin otter tramp all the way tew his shack, wich I knows on'y teell”
”Good for you, Jily; ”but I suppose you understand what risk you're taking in trying that game? From all I've heard about Cale Martin, he's surely a terror; and then the threat he h to scarebreath as he answered this
”Lot's o' people doan't know Ole Cale like I does He hain't so black nor they jes' paints hias on his shoulders thet he hain't no business to kerry”
”Yes, I've heard before about giving a dog a bad nahborhood,” re Tray is the guilty one And so you think Cale isn't altogether so bad as we've heard?”
”He's a big ut an' _orful_ teoes with thet's the wust cases They jest draw hiames, Cale, he'd never think o' tryin', left by hisself But we heerd as haow he's struck a new thing, if so be he on'y knows enuff ter keep it agoin', an' shakes them other fellers An' if anybody kin uess Cale is ther man, 'cause he knows all erbout the slick little var?” exclaimed Thad, at once deeply interested ”Tell ht to be worth while listening to”
”Why,” said Ji in favor of the big and reckless parent of his little wife; ”yer see, thar's a co, tew raise foxes o' all kinds, jest tew git the pelts I s'pose yes as haow theittin' more valerable every blessed year More people teear furs, an' less aniive 'em Why, thar elve hundred dollars paid fur a black fox pelt jest last Spring; an' I seen the check with my own eyes”
”Yes,” Thad went on, deeply interested ”I've understood that tre paid out for that scarce skin; but is Caleto try and raise black or silver foxes for the market? I was told by several people that they considered the silver fox only a freak, and that they would never breed true to species How about that, Jim?”
”I've allers hed an ijee thet wayhis head in a reflective manner; ”but Cale, he thinks the other way; an' Cale, he sure knows more about foxes in a day than I wud in a year Wall, we done heard as haow he hed made a contrack with this coer o' ther farm It's in another part o' ther State; an' when Cale, he leaves here arter a leetle while, he never 'spects tew coain Wouldn't be surprised naow if he hed a few foxes over tew ther old shack as he means tew kerry aith him when he quits up here”
”But do you suppose he'll stick to those two tough characters, and keep theame with the company, Jim?”
”Wall, I doan't know, of course, what his plans be, but Cale, he's a great feller tew keep his word; an' if so be he's told this coht jest believe oin' tew be no place for them two poachers around _his_ fox farhty quick Yes, Cale keeps his word; an' thet's what makes me a leetle bit shy 'bout bein' able tew convince his But Lina, bless her, sez as haow he jest cain't hold aout, when he hears what I gotter tell him; an' Lina, she orter know”
Thad admired the man more than ever Just because of his faith in Lina, here was Jim ready to put his head in the lion's ht be carrying soiant of the pine woods; but whatever it was, Jihten him; and Thad did not really think he had any business to ask
After that Ji that he did not appear anxious to continue the talk along lines that concerned his personal ain
The hour was now getting rather late, and while those who had reht not be unusually tired, Step Hen gave signs of falling asleep by the fire Several tiave a lurch to one side, so that presently Giraffe caught hihly by the arm
”See here, d'ye want to take a header square into the blaze, Step Hen?”
he demanded, as the other opened his eyes, and looked sleepily at him