“Ex-ex-exactly!” rejoined the latter worthy. “My tongue kine-kine-kinder hitches when I talk, an’ that’s wha-wha-whar I git time ter th-th-think whuther an objict’s a b’ar or an In-In-Injun.”
None seemed disposed to interrupt Joe. They enjoyed the badinage too well. The Irishman especially fatted at the idea of bringing Hulet into contempt, and encouraged Joe to keep it up. But Hulet disarmed the latter by joining slightly in the laugh, and then addressing Will Revel:
“I don’t understand why Brown should resk himself to visit the fort, now,” he said. “The major won’t care ter make a sally afore the reinforcements come.”
“Old Rhodan knows what he sent ’em for,” answered Revel. “That’s all I kin tell ye.”
“Ye mean him that’s called Scarred Eagle. He an’ Brown seem to think oncommon of each other. Relashuns, ain’t they?”
“Not by blood; though father and son couldn’t think more of each other than they. Rhodan saved ’im, when he war a striplin’, from the Hurons. They’ve stuck to one another ever sence, as it’s nat’ral they should.”
“In course. Strikes me that Scarred Eagle himself orter be among us, ef he’s comin’ to-night. Mebbe he won’t. It’s goin’ to be dark’s a pocket.”
The Irishman here nudged Joe Hill.
“Yis; dar-dark-darker’n the outside of a black b-b-ba’r,” assented Joe, giving his face a comical twist.
“It’s comin’ on fast, too,” said Revel. “We must betake ourselves to the lake-shore and watch for Scarred Eagle. Ef he don’t come by dark we kin come back an’ wait.”