The two women clutched at each other in fear until a voice came to them—
“Pardner, you’re harder t’ handle than a salamander, and yuh weigh a ton.”
“Skeeter!” called Mary wildly. “Skeeter Bill!”
“Huh!” grunted Skeeter and turned to meet Mary, who was stumbling down the track to him.
“You!” he panted. “You!”
And then wonderingly—
“Don’t we meet in the dangdest places, ma’am?”
“You’re not drowned?” asked Mary half-hysterically.
“No’m, I don’t reckon so—not yet. Howdy, Mrs. Porter.”
“Well, Bill Sarg!”