Bates declared "he must stay over another night."
Squire Longbow said but little. He sat and shook his sides. "It was as good as anything he ever see'd down on-ter the Susquehannas. He was so glad the man had come so far jist to amuse 'em a little."
But when the man began deliberately to light up the tow, and to set his mouth all in a blaze, the screams commenced again.
"He will blow up—he will blow up!" said one.
"He's all-on-a fire!" another.
"How the sparks do fly out of his mouth!"
"'Tis fire! 'Tis raal fire!"
"O—d-e-a-r!"
"Take him some wa-ter!"
"I say, mister—mister," exclaimed Mr. Longbow, who had become really frightened, and who could sit still no longer, when he saw the man positively burning up—"Did you really mean to set that tow on fire? Don't it burn, mister? Don't you want some help? I say, sir, mis-ter!"