"Thought I'd jest speak an' tell dem dey needn't be ser 'fraid on me."
"Shut up, Wade!" interposed Kit. "Let him tell his story. What did the women do?"
"Dey turned an' haked it, an' hollered as loud as dey cud squawk."
Wade and the captain began to laugh.
"A black man with a black dog was too much for them!" exclaimed Raed. "Well, what next, Palmleaf?"
"Dey run'd; an' twan't a minit 'fore a whole gang ob de men cum runnin' up, wid dere picked bone tings in dere han's."
"That'll do," said Kit. "We know the rest."
"What became of my musket?" I asked.
"I dunno. I tink I mus' ha' dropped it."
"It does look like that," Kit remarked.