"Yes; thought I was rather meddlin' with his business; but I don't see how that is."
"Now look here, Carrots; I'm a friend of yours, an' don't want ter see any trouble come out er this thing. Skip's jest wild 'bout what you've told the other fellers, an' I reckon he'll do as he says if you try to help that feller what got 'rested."
"You 'lowed you was a friend of mine, didn't you, Reddy?"
"That's what I said."
"Well, then, why don't you show it by helpin' me stand up 'gainst sich a bully as Skip Jellison is, 'stead of comin' here and tellin' me what he's goin' to do? To hear some of you fellers talk, anybody'd think he was a reg'lar rhinoceros huntin' 'round to eat folks. Now, it's jest like this: I've got to help that feller, 'cause I promised him."
"But you don't even know who he is."
"I didn't ask him to write out a history 'bout hisself, an' swear to it, so's I could tell you fellers; but he's like all the rest of us, got to hustle for a livin', an' has come down here to do it. Now what business is that of Skip Jellison's? He doesn't own this town—ain't even got a mortgage on it—yet he makes out this feller can't stay, an' tries to lick him. Now, I s'pose you think it's mighty smart to try an' shove that country feller down?"
"You don't know anything 'bout it, Carrots. He put on more frills this mornin' than you ever saw in a circus procession. We ain't goin' to stand that; of course not."
"I s'pose it broke your heart 'cause his face was clean, didn't it?" And it was apparent from Carrots's tone that he was losing his temper.
"Oh, well, go ahead, an' see how you'll come out, that's all. I jest thought I'd tell you so's you wouldn't get into a fuss with Skip; but if this is the way you're goin' on, why, let her flicker, for all I care."