“I haven’t met any of them yet,” replied Vane.
“Nor you don’t want to. Leave ’em lay, stranger, leave ’em lay. Run home quick an’ go to bed, an’ don’t tell a word of what happened to-night to Jard Hassock nor nobody.”
“What do you mean by what happened to-night?”
“Well, you got a scare, didn’t you? You didn’t come home the same way you went.”
“I’m not afraid of them.”
“But you took to the woods. You was scart enough for that—an’ smart enough. Leave ’em lay, stranger; an’ if I was you I’d get out of this here Forkville to-morrow an’ try somewheres else.”
“Try what somewhere else?”
Pete winked and asked for a match. He tucked the match away in his pocket.
“What is it you want of Goose Crick?” he asked. “Whatever you want, it’s nothin’ only trouble you’ll get—but jist tell me, an’ I’ll tell if you’re lyin’ or not.”
“That’s very good of you. I’ll think it over. Now I’m off for bed.”