“And me ’specting pork chops frizzled over that fire on the iron sheet,” he said. “Why it wouldn’t have been no good, my lad, going about with a pinch of lead snuff in your gun. You want something like small marbles out here, I can tell you, or good buck shot. You’ll mind that next time.”
“But I want to get some of the birds we see,” said Rob, in tones of remonstrance.
“That’s right, sir; but keep one barrel always for play and one for work. I don’t want to make too much of it, but in a country like this it must be dangerous sometimes.”
“He is quite right, Rob,” said Brazier. “He is giving you a lesson, but he means some of it for me. Don’t you, Naylor?”
“Well, sir,” said Shaddy grimly, “I s’pose you’d like the honest truth?”
“Of course.”
“Then I’ll tell you what I said to myself. How a gentleman at his time o’ life could leave his weepun, as ought to be ready for action, without a good bullet for wild beast or Indian, I can’t think.”
“I have learned my lesson, Naylor,” said Brazier, “and you shall not have an opportunity for reproaching me again.”
“And you ain’t offended, sir? In course I’m only like your servant.”
“Give me credit for more sense, my man.—You take it to heart, too, both of you, and keep a bullet in your left-hand barrel.”