The mere mention of that word seemed to irritate Godfrey. He jumped up from the bench, spread out his feet, and taking his pipe from his mouth with one hand, extended the other toward his wife.
“Now, ole woman, jest look at ye!” he began; and then he bounded into the air, knocked his heels together, and came down on his feet again with a jar that must have shaken him all over. “An’ now jest look at me!”
“I was talking with Mrs. Gordon about it not more than an hour ago,” said Mrs. Evans, not at all alarmed by her husband’s words or actions. “She says the general wants to do something for David, and will use his influence to put him where he can make a man of himself. He has aspirations, and I believe will be of some use in the world if he ever has the chance.”
Godfrey put his pipe back into his mouth and sat down again.
“What did you say them things is that Dave’s got?” he asked.
“Aspirations,” replied Mrs. Evans.
“What’s them, an’ whar did he get ’em?” inquired Godfrey, who thought they might be something of value which David carried in his pockets, and which might be stolen after the boy had gone to bed.
“I mean that he doesn’t want to live in this way all his life. He wants to do and be something better.”
“Oh!” said Godfrey, somewhat disappointed. “Wal, I can take keer of him, an’ without no help from the gen’ral, who can jest watch his own boys an’ let mine be. That bar’l will fix things all right!”
Mrs. Evans, seeing that nothing was to be gained by talking to her husband, passed on into the cabin; and just then David came up. He carried his old single-barrel shot gun over his shoulder, a bunch of quails in his hand, and Don Gordon’s pointer followed close at his heels, his appearance indicating that he had been doing some work since he left the cabin.