“No, sir; but I want him so as to be ready to go with the men when they capture another wagon-train,” said Newman.
“Why, you didn’t go with the men the other day. I saw you around here the whole time. Your father was with you, and so was Dan.”
Dan was Newman’s oldest brother. All we can say about him is that he was Cale Newman over again. Dan was the one that stole the bacon and sweet potatoes that the family lived on. He had courage to go where Cale wouldn’t dare show his head.
“But we would a-had to go afoot,” said Newman, in an injured tone. “I couldn’t walk so fur.”
“It seems the others did it without any trouble. You could have gone there and showed your good-will, if you had been a-mind to. I reckon you will find it better to do without a mule.”
“You gave Tom Howe one and said nothing about it,” said Newman, growing angry again.
“I did?” said the quartermaster.
“Old Sprague done it, and it amounts to the same thing.”
“Look here, Newman, you want to be careful how you talk about that man. He ain’t a common civilian any more.”
“What is he, then, I would like to know?”