"What do you think?"
"I've two opinions. They balance. I'll hold with neither 'til I'm sure o' the one."
"Not ashamed of his name!" says the skipper. "Ha! 'Twas a queer boast t' make. He'll be ashamed of his name soon enough. 'Tis a wonder they've not told un the truth afore this. What you think, Tumm? How have they managed t' keep the truth from un until now?"
"They think un comical," says I; "they keeps un ignorant t' rouse their laughter with."
"Ay," says the skipper; "he've been fattened like a goose in a cage. They've made a sad fool of un these last few years. What boastin'! 'Tis stupid. He've growed old enough t' know better, Tumm. 'Tis jus' disgustin' t' hear a big boy like he mouth such a shoal o' foolish yarns. An' he've not the least notion that they're not as true as Gospel an' twice as entertainin'."
"So?" says I. "Where's my flute?"
"There'll come a time afore long when he'll find out all of a sudden about his pa. Whew!"
I found my flute an' stretched myself out on the counter t' draw comfort from tootin' it.
"Somebody'll blunder," says the skipper. "Some poor damn' fool."
"Is I ever played you Nellie was a Lady?"