“Oh, certainly not!” smiled Frank; “but do you think you gave it a thorough test? What kind of an opportunity did you have to shoot it?”
“Well, it was not entirely satisfactowy,” said Archie, slowly.
“Perhaps if you gave it another trial, it might show up all right.”
“Waugh!” grunted a rough-looking man, whose face was clean-shaven, with the exception of a bunch of reddish-brown whiskers on his chin. “Let somebody try it who kin shoot an’ she may show up all right. I’d like ter have her. I’ll give forty dollars cold cash for her now, an’ take my chances.”
“Thir!” exclaimed Elmer, haughtily, “I paid two hundred and fifty dollars faw that wifle.”
“That may be; but, ef she won’t shoot, you can’t expect to git much for her. I dunno w’at ye’re goin’ inter ther woods this season with a rifle for, anyhow. You can’t shoot deer or moose, for this is close time.”
“My fawther is thending me into the woods faw my health,” explained Archie, frigidly; “and I expect to remain there till late in the awtumn. I shall have a chawnce to use a wifle before I weturn, thir.”
“Waal, ye want ter be dern careful not ter use it in close time ter shoot at deer with, though I dunno’s it’d make any difference, fer you wouldn’t hit northing with it.”
“Don’t talk with him, Awchie, deah boy,” put in Cholly. “Such coarse, ordinary persons are verwy inthulting.”
“Ya-as,” agreed the owner of the rifle; “they are awfully wude. Give me a cigarwette, deah boy.”