“Well, didn’t you like him?”
“M’m—I thought I was questionin’ you, Nita?”
“I’m not on the carpet, am I, pa? If there’s anything to be discussed, why not just talk and question each other and answer each other?”
“Well, then, what if I did like ’im?”
“That’s why I asked him to come.”
“Don’t get ye.”
“I wanted you to meet him, not knowing he is a camp flunky, and like him for himself. Didn’t you?”
“Yes,” he replied. “I admit I kinda took to the boy, though all the time I thought I’d seen ’im before somewheres. And I had.” He explained briefly. “He’s smart, and he’s got education. He’s there! From an ignorant man’s viewpoint, I’d say he knows more railroad buildin’ in a minute than Hunt Mangan does in a year. In a big way, I mean. But that’s neither here ner there. Who is he?”
“Pa, I actually can’t tell you any more about him than Hunter Mangan could. And I know that was next to nothing.”
“You mean ye don’t even know his name?”