“I heard a noise in the fowlhouse,” said Tom, speciously, “jist as I wuz comin’ along. I knowed it wuz a native cat after the fowls. So I went in——”
“An’ you found the cat ’ad killed two of ’em,” interrupted the farmer.
“Yes,” said Tom; “I did.”
“An’ you thought you’d bring ’em along an’ show ’em to me.”
“That’s jist what I did think.”
“So you picked ’em up, an’ wuz goin’ out when I stopped yer?”
“Yes, I wuz goin’ straight up to your house with ’em.”
“Maria!” cried the farmer, loudly; “fetch a lantern; I’ve ketched somethink!”
“What have you ketched, Jacob?” called back a woman’s voice from the kitchen of the farmhouse; “a tiger cat?”
“No!” hollered the farmer; “I’ve ketched the infernallest liar thet ever wuz on the Clarence River! I doubt if there’s sich another infernal liar in the world.”