“How was it with them?” asked the man significantly.
“We got several who were too venturesome.”
Jethro could not restrain himself any longer.
“Yas, and de fust warmint dat got soaked, he done it—suah as you’s born!”
“I congratulate you on your success; doubtless it had much to do with repulsing your enemies.”
“Jethro told you the incident so as to force me to say that he picked off another of the redskins. Incredible as it may sound, it is true.”
The man in the saddle looked down with renewed interest upon the burly African, who had set the stock of his rifle on the ground, folded his arms over the muzzle, and assumed a lolling attitude, as if the matter was of no concern to any of them.
“Dat ain’t nuffin,” he said airily; “de sarpint furgot dat I was on de lookout fur him and as soon as he fired and missed, why, I plugged him; ’tain’t wuth speaking ’bout.”
“Fortunate is that company which has two such sentinels as you,” commented the man, with something like a chuckle; “if we run into danger from Indians, shall we be able to borrow you two, or if your friends cannot spare both, can we have one?”