Dan, who had not looked for anything like this, was not only overwhelmed with astonishment, but he was fighting mad in an instant.
"Whoop!" he yelled, jumping up and knocking his heels together. "Hold me on the ground, somebody, or I'll larrup this Joe of our'n till I put a little more sense into him nor he's got now. What you laughing at, you big fool?"
"Sit down and behave yourself," replied Joe, who was not at all alarmed by these hostile demonstrations. "Let me ask you a few questions, and then we'll find out who is the biggest fool, you or I."
"No, I won't," said Dan, shortly, "'cause why I know that already."
"All right," replied Joe; "then I'll get the watch and go back to my work."
"But you haven't heared all of my story yet," exclaimed Dan. "Wait till I tell you, and I'll bet that you won't never go back there no more."
"There are a few things about the story that I don't quite understand," began Joe.
"No more do I," interrupted Dan.
"But if you will answer a question or two I have in mind, I think we can get at the bottom of the matter."