“Wish I knew how the mill was gettin’ along,” says I to Tallow. “Maybe it’s busted by this time.”
“Bet it hain’t,” says he.
“Anyhow, I wisht we had this thing over and was back to work. I kind of liked workin’ around that mill.”
“Huh!” says he. “Only ones of us four I ever see workin’ was Binney and me.”
“Oh, that!” says I. “Anybody can do what you was doin’, but it takes brains to work the way Mark and me did.”
“If it does,” says he, “then neither of you done anything.”
“Let’s walk around,” says I.
We started off around the edge of the island, and I noticed we didn’t see anything of Mr. Man. He wasn’t in sight any place, and it kind of worried me. Then I happened to look across the river, and down-stream, maybe a hundred yards, was our boat stranded on a bar. I made up my mind I’d remember that and tell Mark. It might come in handy. We fussed around maybe an hour and went back, but Mark was still pulling at his cheeks and thinking. Just as we got there he started in to whittle, and says I to myself something or other’s going to happen now perty quick.
“Seen Mr. Man?” says I to Mark.
“No,” says he.