Jeb grinned, weakly, however, and Marvin continued:—
“Ter go ’way at all.”
“Well,” said Harshaw, easily, with another demonstration of somnolence, “I’ll stay just as long as you like; you’re a clever lot of fellows, and I’ll be contented enough, I’ll be bound. Your sitting up all night is the only fault I’ve got to find with you.”
They apparently submitted this answer from one to the other, and each silently canvassed it.
“Ye know too much,” said “hongry Jeb.”
“I’ll know more if I stay. I’ll find out whether you are moonshining now, sure enough, and where the still is.”
“That’s jes’ what I hev been tellin’ ye!” cried Mrs. Marvin’s shrill voice from the ladder.
“Shet up, M’ria!” exclaimed Marvin, before “hongry Jeb” could interpose his pacifying “Shet up, Sam.”
“Waal,” resumed Marvin, in angry perturbation, “it’s mighty ill-convenient, yer nosin’ us out this way, up hyar, an’ many a man fixed like me an’ Jeb would fling ye off’n a bluff, ez ef ye hed fell thar, an’ turn yer mare loose.”
Once more Harshaw’s rich, round laughter jarred the room.