“I don’t blame ye, Dave. And how is your father these days?”
“I can’t tell—for we haven’t heard.”
“Creation! Ain’t heard at all?”
“Not a word. And I am worried, because I hear the Indians are going on the warpath.”
“The war won’t amount to much, my way of thinking—the Six Nations ain’t in it, you see. They are fixing things with the French to pepper us fellows, that’s their game. But it’s too downright bad ye ain’t got no word from the Kinotah.”
“Where have you been, Sam?”
“Oh, jest knocking around, same as usual. Told you, didn’t I, about going to take Lord Fairfax and a lot of them grandees out fer a hunt? Wall, I took ’em—that is, all but Mr. Lawrence Washington. He was took sick and had to go back to Mount Vernon. After he got home they sent for his brother George, and he has taken Lawrence down to Barbadoes for his health. I opine he won’t git back alive.”
“Then Mr. George Washington has left Virginia? I helped him at surveying.”
“So I heard tell over to Winchester, and heard how both of you brought down a big black bear. Dave, it’s a feather in your cap, no two ways on ’t. Is that the hide?”
“Yes.”