"Got struck by a cannon-ball dis arternoon—but I recovered from dat slight inconwenience, and I strained and broke it in two or three places a little while ago."
"How?"
"In flingin' Injins ober de rocks, I wrenched it."
The explanation was not very clear to Golcher, but he was satisfied the limb was badly sprained, and he cared nothing further. It rendered what might have been a dangerous prisoner comparatively harmless, which was a good thing while the main party of Indians were away, engaged in entrapping the fugitives, whose possession was so much more valuable.
"All you folks got into the cavern, down among the rocks over there, thinkin' you was safe, didn't you?"
"We crept in dar not 'cause we thought it war safe, but 'cause it war the bestest thing we could do."
"Do you know anything about Fred Godfrey?"
"Yes; he hab de honor ob my 'quaintance."
"That isn't what I mean: do you know where he is?"
"I tink he am ober on de oder side ob de riber slewing Injins and Tories."