“Vhy didt you not out loud say it?” demanded Duckelstein, giving Piper a look. “Vhy didt you vhisper dot fashions? I oxpect you haf enchoyed a great deal uf fun mit me already soon. Maype sometimes der laugh vill out come der other side your mouth of. I vill now home go.”
Overflowing with resentment, he started toward the old white horse, which, with head drooping and eyes closed, seemed, like Carl, to have the sleeping habit.
“Don’t hike away mad in that fashion,” entreated Grant, following. “You won’t forget the stuff you’re to bring us every morning, will you?”
“Oh, no,” assured Carl, “I vill not let it forget me. I vill aroundt come, as agreement, undt maype you vill some more fun haf py me—undt maype you von’t.”
Grasping the horse’s bit, he compelled the animal to back the heavy wagon round so that he might drive away. Climbing upon the wagon, he picked up the reins, but turned for a moment before departing to say:
“You vant to out look for dot gouger. If dot gouger shouldt aroundt come der night in, he might pite you.” Then he gave the reins a slap, chirped to the ancient nag and started.
“May I be eternally chawed up!” rasped Sleuth, glaring at Carl’s receding back. “Is it possible the fellow knows something about my terrible experience last night? He hauled our dunnage over here. You don’t suppose he found a way to plant those confounded ants in my sleeping bag, do you, comrades? If I thought so, I would unhesitatingly shed his gore.”
Springer choked and coughed in the attempt to suppress another shout of laughter, while Crane, with admirable soberness, made answer to Piper:
“I really don’t see haow he could have faound the chance, Sleuthy. Yeou’ve got jest as much reason to suspect that I done it myself, and yeou know there wa’n’t no chance for that. I tell yeou them sleepin’ bags always become infested if they ain’t used reg’ler.”
“It will be a long time before I use one again, regular or irregular,” asserted Piper. “I’ve had my lesson.” The manner in which he uttered these words made it impossible for Sile, even, to keep his face straight.