"I don't know as I know where the gun is," said Silas nervously.
"It's out in the woodshed behind the door."
"I don't know as it's loaded. Besides I wouldn't want to be took up for murder."
"Not much danger, Silas Wilson! Such men as you don't get into such scrapes as that."
Mrs. Wilson went out into the woodshed, and returned, holding the gun in such a way that it pointed directly at her husband.
"Don't you know no better than to p'int that gun at me, Sophia?" exclaimed Silas in no little terror. "Beats all what fools women are about firearms."
"They may be fools, but they ain't cowards," returned Mrs. Wilson. "Come, are you going up or not?"
"Hadn't I better go to the foot of the stairs and fire up?" asked Silas with a bright idea.
"And then he'd come down on you, when your gun was discharged, and run his bayonet into you," said Mrs. Wilson, who knew that at the battle of Bunker Hill the muskets had bayonets attached.
"I'll give him warnin'!" continued Silas. "It'll only be fair. He'll probably be frightened and climb down the ladder."