"Wal-l, I can't exactly say as ter that, but it was some more'n twenty feet, 'cause he was going inter his hole an' I only saw the last thirty feet or so."
Bob winked at his brother again and Jack said without a trace of doubt in his voice:
"That must have been some snake."
For a few moments there was silence, then Bob, thinking it would be a good plan to change the subject, said:
"Is the soil rich out here?"
"Soil rich! I 'spect we've 'bout the richest soil in th' world out here. All yer have ter do is ter stick something in the ground and it'll grow, all right. Yer can raise anything out here, that is, most anything 'cept pumpkins."
"And what's the matter with them?" Jack asked soberly.
"Wal-l, yer see, the soil's so rich that the vines grow so almighty fast that it wears the pumpkins all out draggin' 'em over the ground."
"That's too bad," Jack declared, "but can't they hitch an anchor or something of the sort to them and slow up their speed a bit?"
Slim gave Jack a searching glance as he asked the question. He was still a trifle uncertain as to just how far he was getting away with his yarns. But the glance evidently reassured him, for he went on: