“I swow!” he exclaimed, opening his eyes as wide as he could.
“What’s the matter?” asked Hannah, a little startled.
“Cotch a ’tarnal great musquash this forenoon.”
“Ah!” said Hannah, “how big was it?”
“Big as all out-doors!”
“Lawful heart!” exclaimed Hannah.
Josh now felt a little more at his ease, finding the musquash helped him on so bravely. He hitched his chair about seven feet at a single jerk, nearer to Hannah, and exclaimed:
“Tell ye what, Hannah, I’m all creation for catching musquashes.”
“Well, I want to know!” replied Hannah.
Josh twisted his eyes into a squint, and gave her a look of melting tenderness. Hannah perceived it, and did not know whether to laugh or be scared; so, to compromise the matter, she pretended to be taken with a fit of coughing. Josh felt his heart begin to beat, and was fully convinced he was courting, or something very like it; but what to do next was the question.