“You are allowed considerable liberty, it seems, after all.”
“Well, I have considerable, though it hain’t done me much good so fur.”
“You wish to return to the States, I presume.”
“I guess I do; I am about as homesick a dog as you ever laid eyes on, and there’s a gal home that I want to see amazingly.”
At this remark I was compelled to cough several times, to prevent bursting into a loud, boisterous laugh. I felt like dropping upon the grass and rolling over and over, and yelling like an Indian. But I restrained myself, and determined to carry the deception further.
“She most likely has given you up as dead by this time.”
“I’m a little afraid she has, and that’s the reason I want to go down and tell her her mistake. But I don’t know as it would be any use, by gracious!” he added, in a desponding tone.
“And why not, pray?”
“Oh, there’s a chap named Bill Hawkins, who thinks he’s mighty smart, all the time flourishing round there. I’d just like to lay hands on him once,” and Nat clinched his hands and shook his head menacingly. Then resuming his natural manner, he added, quickly, and with a sort of desperation, “I don’t care though. If Sal wants him, she can have him.”
“That’s it. Take things philosophically is my motto, when you are compelled to.”