“Now,” said he, “I’m all ready. Go on.”
“Go on with what?”
“I want to know jest everything that’s happened in this yere valley since I’ve b’en gone. An’ I say ag’in, go on.”
Oscar, who knew that it was of no use to oppose the guide when he had determined upon any particular course of action, began the story of his adventures, intending to hurry through with it as soon as he could, and make another demand on Big Thompson for the letters and papers he carried in his pocket; but, as he dwelt upon the exciting scenes through which he had so recently passed, he became interested, and, before he knew it, he was giving a spirited and graphic account of them.
Big Thompson kept his eyes fastened upon the boy’s face, listening so intently that he allowed his pipe to go out; and he almost jumped from his seat when Tom exclaimed, as Oscar was about winding up his story:
“You ought to have seen him, Thompson. He knocked Lish flatter than a pancake twice, and thrashed him until he wore a five-foot switch down to two. I lay there and saw it all.”
“Perfessor,” said the guide, whose astonishment and admiration knew no bounds, “did ye lick Lish in a fair rough an’ tumble?”
“I made him stop pounding my brother,” replied Oscar, “and I recovered everything he stole from us, into the bargain.”
“Perfessor,” repeated the guide, “put ’em thar! Put ’em both thar!”
But Oscar very wisely made all haste to put them somewhere else. He put them into his pockets, and the guide, not knowing any other way in which to express his hearty approval of his employer’s conduct, brought one of his huge hands down upon his knee with such force that the boy shook all over.