“Did he lift his head ten feet from the sea?” asked Long Jim.
“I see what it is,” said Abe; “you fellows been listening to my exper’ences so long that you think I’m lying; and I’m not gwine to sacrifice my self-respeck by telling you things you don’t believe. That’s so!”
There was a long pause, as no one felt disposed to make the needed sacrifice to Abe’s exacting honour.
“Was it a big snake?” asked Long Jim presently.
“Pretty big,” said Abe, shortly.
“Twenty feet?” asked Jim, anxiously.
Mr Pike smiled.
“Not so much?” said Jim.
“About a quarter of a mile long,” said Abe, rising. “Well, I guess I’ll go. So long.”
“Stay a moment,” said Jim, firmly; “I can’t let you go without saying that Abe Pike’s word’s as true as steel. A quarter of a mile, you said?”