“That's him,” says Thompson.
Now, I knew Adoniram Rogers. His house was old enough, Lord knows; but that a feller with a nose for a bargain like his should have hung on to a salable piece of dunnage so long as this seemed 'most too tough to believe.
“Well, I swan to man!” says I. “Adoniram Rogers! Have you seen the—the davenport thing?”
“Sure I've seen it!” says Milo. “I ain't much of a jedge, and of course I couldn't question Rogers too much for fear he'd stick on the price. But it's an old davenport, and it's got Sheriton lines and I've got the refusal of it till to-morrow, when Mrs. T's going up to inspect.”
“Told Small yet?” asked Peter T., winking on the side to me and Jonadab.
Milo looked scared. “Goodness! No,” says he. “And don't you tell him neither. His wife's davenport hunting too.”
“You say you've got the refusal of it?” says I. “Well, I know Adoniram Rogers, and if I was dickering with him I'd buy the thing first and get the refusal of it afterwards. You hear ME?”
“Is that so?” repeats Milo. “Slippery, is he? I'll take my wife up there first thing in the morning.”
He walked off looking worried, and his tops'ls hadn't much more'n sunk in the offing afore who should walk out of the billiard room behind us but Eddie Small.
“Brown,” says he to Peter T., “I want you to have a horse and buggy harnessed up for me right off. Mrs. Small and I are going for a little drive to—to—over to Orham,” he says.