“‘Thar ain’t many men as kin say that Old Hal the Guide took a likin’ to ’em, kid,’ he continued, watching the trail where his horses stepped.
“I had overheard the men at the town talking about a guide called ‘Old Hal,’ and the conjectures as to how much the swell outfit had to pay him to get him to take charge of their expedition.
“I felt unduly elated at hearing the man address me so comradely, and I decided to be as friendly as I could.
“‘What’s the great hulk under this canvas?’ I asked, nodding my head toward the load back of us.
“‘Hulk! You’re right, sonny, it is a great big hulk. These men from the East think they know a lot about goin’ on a expedition like this—they git their learnin’ from the books. But I could have saved ’em heaps of money hed they consulted me fust. Now, this pertickler hulk is dead trash! They call ’em canoes, but the fust little jolt one of ’em gits in the end of its nose—down she goes!’
“‘Canoes, eh?’ I said wonderingly.
“‘How many did yeh bring in yer outfit?’ asked Hal, nudging me in the ribs.
“‘I may have all of those to take care of if you don’t watch the horses,’ I growled.
“‘Right choo are, kid! Did yeh ever hear the verse, “From the mouths of babes, etc.”? Guess yeh didn’t know I ever read Scripter, did yeh?’ laughed the old man.
“‘Guess you don’t or you wouldn’t joke that way about such a good Book,’ I replied.