Part 13 (1/2)
”Very well, don't forget. I've done some shootin', fur all I ain't used to Injins. But, I say, do you know the head feller of them Riflemen?”
”I'm very well acquainted with him.”
”What sort of a chap is he?”
”Good deal such a man as I am.”
”Haw! haw! great man to be the leader. Hope you're never taken for him, be you?”
”Very often--because _I am_ the leader of the Riflemen myself.”
”Get out,” said the countryman, as if he expected to be bitten. ”You can't make me believe that.”
”It makes no difference to me whether you believe it or not. If you make much more noise, like enough you'll find out who I am.”
”Be you really the leader of the Riflemen?” queried Zeke Hunt, not noticing the warning which had just been uttered.
”I've told you once, so let's hear no more about it.”
”My gracious! you don't look much like one. 'Pears to me you and I look a good deal alike. Don't you think so?”
”Heaven save me, _I hope_ not.”
”Oh, I'm willing that it should be so. I ain't offended.”
The impudence of the countryman was so consummate that Dernor could not restrain a laugh at it.
”They always considered me good-looking down hum,” he added; ”and there wasn't a gal I wasn't able to get if I wanted her.”
”I should think you would be anxious to get back again.”
”Would be, if it wasn't for the old man. He was _awful_ on me. Didn't appear to be proud of me at all.”
”Queer, sure. I don't see how he could help it.”
”Me neither. Dad was always mad, though, and used to aboose me shameful. The fust thing in my life that I can remember was of gettin'
a lickin'.”
”What was it for?”
”Nothin' worth tellin'. I was a little feller then, and one day heated the poker red-hot, and run it down grandmother's back. But there!
didn't he lam me for that! Always was whippin' me. School-teacher was just as bad. Licked me like blazes the fust day.”
”Did he lick you for nothin'?”
”Purty near. Didn't do any thing except to put a handful of gunpowder in a dry inkstand, and then touch it off under his chair. Haw! haw!
haw! didn't he jump? and oh gracious!” he added, in a solemn tone, ”didn't I jump, too, when he fell on me.”
”You seem to have been about the biggest scamp in the country. Why did he whip you this last time when you run away?”