"Dogs," echoes the old one.
"Why, yes, daddy, we are talking about dogs."
"What do you know about dogs?" says a full-blown Jakey, looking sharply at the old fellow.
"Know about dogs?"
"A' yes-s," says Jakey. "I bet dis five dollars, ole feller, you don't know a Spaniel from a butcher's cur!"
"Well," responds the old one, transposing his legs, "may be I don't, but it's my 'pinion you'd make a sorry fiste at best, if you had tail and ears a little longer!"
This sally amused all but the young gentleman who "run wid de machine," and attracted general attention towards the old man, in whose eyes and wrinkles lurked a goodly share of mother wit and shrewdness. Jakey backing down, another of the by-standers put in.
"Poppy, I expect you know what a good dog is?"
"I reckon, boys, I orter. But I'm plaguy dry listening to your dog talk—confounded dry!"
"What'll you drink, daddy?" said half a dozen of the dog fanciers, thinking to wet the old man's whistle to get some fun out of him. "What'll you drink?—come up, daddy."