“Who told ye that story, pard?”
“I will begin at the beginning and tell you all about it,” was Tom’s reply. “You met a boy on horseback up there in the sage-brush, didn’t you? Well, that fellow was my brother, whom I supposed to be a long way from——Don’t interrupt me now,” he exclaimed, when he saw his companion’s eyes growing larger and his mouth open as if he were about to speak. “Let me tell my story in my own way, and then I will answer all the questions you can ask. That was my brother, as I told you, and he is——”
Here Tom went on to tell, in language the wolfer could easily comprehend, all about the unexpected meeting between himself and Oscar, and to repeat, as nearly as he could, the conversation that passed between them.
He described how his brother happened to be there, told what he intended to do, how much money he had, and wound up with the remark that he was soon to start for the hills, with Big Thompson for a companion.
Then he exhibited the new clothes and blankets that Oscar had purchased for him, and finally he came to the note, which he read to suit himself, not forgetting to put in something about the theft Lish had committed, and going into the particulars of that terrible fight he was suspected of being engaged in during the previous summer.
It may have been all imagination on Tom’s part, but he really thought that his companion seemed to grow taller and swell out considerably when he read that imaginary part of the letter that related to the fight. He certainly did grow bigger in feeling, if not in person, for he had never before been suspected of “severely injuring” anybody, and he regarded it as a high honor. He forgot the strange story to which he had listened, and became lost in admiration of himself.
“Mebbe thar’s sunthin’ in that thar account, arter all,” said he, looking reflectively at the ground. “I’ve had so many of them triflin’ skrimmages, an’ tumbled over so many fellers that I don’t seem to rightly know which one that thar letter tells on. Don’t amount to nothin’ when ye gits used to ’em.”
As the wolfer said this he drew himself up to his full height and looked formidable indeed.
CHAPTER XXXII.
THE WOLFER’S PLAN.
“If folks don’t want to git hurt they mustn’t come within reach of this yere,” continued Lish, tapping the handle of the knife he wore in his belt.