“Why, who told you so?”
“Hamble—not a minute ago. He’s good authority isn’t he? About his own son-in-law, too?”
“Why, yes—he’s the best kind of authority, considering whom he tells it of.”
“Well it’s true, no doubt of it. However, don’t say I told you that Hamble told me. It might get me into trouble.”
“Of course not. I shant bring your name in. But who would have thought it? However, I am glad of it on the whole. That dog was the perfect horror of the whole village with his yowling and yelling. I declare, on the whole, I’m rejoiced at it. We’ll have some peace nights and stand a chance of sleeping some. I vow to you, the other moonlight night he made such a noise I couldn’t close my eyes. I got up and opened the window, and what should I see (you know it was as bright as day) but that infernal creature, planted on his four legs with his tail as stiff as a mackerel, yowling at the moon, as if he was in the last stages of the hydrophobia. I was so mad that I took one of my old boots, and may I be hanged, if I didn’t hit him slap, right on his head. He had just opened his great mouth for another yowl, but it changed to a yell double quick time, I tell you, and the way he streaked it round the corner was nothing to nobody. Ha! ha! ha! Well, I’m glad he’s dead, any way.”
“He! he! he! so am I. Well, good morning.”
Opposite walks he, straight as a bee-line, to Nate’s store.
“Well, Nate, how are you?”
“Pretty well, how is it with yourself?”
“So as to be stirring, though I’m sleepy as the deuce. Have you heard the news this morning, Nate?”