“A larrupin’.”
“A little one or a big one?”
“A big one—wusser than all the rest.”
“I’m powerful glad to see that ye hain’t forgot it. I’ll allers keep my promises, I told ye. Mind what ye are about, now.”
Having thus cautioned his young ally, Jack staggered to his feet and walked slowly toward the house, where he found Mr. Mortimer pacing the floor in great excitement. The captain of the flatboat had just left him, with the information that if Jack did not return in half an hour he would be obliged to start without him, for he could wait no longer.
“You have come at last, have you?” was Mr. Mortimer’s greeting.
“Hain’t you got a pair of good eyes? In course, I have.”
“I should say it was a high time. And you haven’t got your clothes, either.”
“Wal, that ain’t no fault of mine, is it? I forgot to ax ye fur some money to git ’em with, an’ the storekeeper wouldn’t trust me. I’m all ready now, if you are.”