Dick was constitutionally and habitually pugnacious, but he had such a cordial way of forgiving everybody he injured that people couldn't stay mad with him. Indeed, he was quite a favorite.
"I'm the other side of the 'ouse," Bob answered Dick. "You can't carry this hidee through without my 'elp."
"We hired you to take us to the woods."
"You 'ired me and my wagin and them harticles—whoa!" (Bob's "harticles" stopped)—"to take you to Crow Roost. You didn't 'ire me for 'Awley's, and I haint goin' ther' without a new contract."
"What difference is it to you where we go?"[Page 516] Dick demanded. "You belong to us for the day."
"Four miles further and back,—height miles makes a difference to the harticles."
Murmurs of disapproval rendered Dick bold.
"Suppose we say you've got to take us to Hawley's," he said, warmly.
"Suppose you do," said Bob, coolly.
"I'd like to know what you'd say about it," said Dick, warmly.