“Tell ’bout it, Rufe,” said the tanner, suppressing all appearance of excitement.

“Ye ain’t goin’ ter do nuthin’ ter Pig-wigs fur foolin’ with yer pit, ef I tell ye?” asked Rufe, quickly.

“Naw, bub, naw. Which Griggs do ye call ‘Pig-wigs?’”

“Why -

Pig-wigs

,” Rufe reiterated obviously.

Then he explained. “He air Nate’s nevy. He air Nate’s oldest brother’s biggest boy, - though he ain’t sizable much. He air ’bout haffen ez big ez me - ef that,” he added reflectively, thinking that even thus divided he had represented Pig-wigs as more massive than the facts justified.

“Ye see,” he continued, “one day when his uncle Tim war over hyar ter the tanyard, I gin him one o’ my game deedies; an’ ez soon ez he got home he showed ’em all that thar deedie - powerful, spryest poultry ye ever see!”

Rufe smiled ecstatically as only a chicken fancier can.

“An’ Pig-wigs war plumb