"I say, what happened after I left you?"
"We took a few pot shots at each other from the bushes. The bullets got rather thick, so I decided upon a retreat. Came near having another set-to with Jed. We both were stalking each other down the trail a piece, but Jed got the drop on me and, when he found out who I was, he told me that he had come after me and why."
The doctor chuckled and returned to his patients, whereupon Hippy nodded to the mountaineer, and the latter led the way to the rear of the barn where they found Emma sunning herself and "con-centrating" on something. Hippy waved her away and turned to Thompson.
"What's the big idea, Jed?" he asked jovially.
"That's what Ah wants t' know, Jim Townsend."
"Eh? Townsend! I don't get you."
"We uns up here ain't no fools even if we hain't got edication. We uns knowed you-all was comin'. If I'd seen ye before ye did this fer Liz an' Sue, I'd a plugged ye shore."
"Just a moment, please. Let me get this straight. Who is it you think I am?"
"Yer Jim Townsend. Ah knows you-all, cause you-all was pinted out t' me one time down t' Henderson, 'cept ye didn't have on them togs you-all is wearin' now."
"Who is Townsend?" questioned Hippy. "If he looks like me, he is a very fortunate man."