Elisha was quite willing to forego the honor.
No longer did he desire to see his picture emblazoned on the front pages of the papers or behold his name in print. If he could shrink back into being merely a humble, insignificant citizen of Cape Cod, it was all he asked.
As he turned to reënter the house, Eleazer hailed him.
"I've had the devil of a time with this revolver," announced he, puffing into the yard and jauntily flourishing the weapon.
"Take care, Eleazer! Don't you go pointin' that thing at me!" Elisha yelled.
"I ain't pointin' it at you. Even if I was, there'd be no chance of it hurtin' you. 'Tain't loaded."
"That's the kind that always goes off," the sheriff insisted. "For Heaven's sake, wheel it the other way, can't you? Or else aim it at the ground."
"Wal, since you're so 'fraid of it, I will. But for all that, there ain't an atom of danger." Then regarding his comrade's greenish countenance, he remarked abruptly, "Say, what's the matter with you, 'Lish? You ain't got on your other suit, nor your badge, nor nothin'. What in thunder have you been doin' all this time? I've been gone 'most an hour."
Elisha told his story.