“We do our campaignin' when we're a mind to.”
Bijah looked around.
“Well, that's funny. I could have took oath I seed Rias Richardson here.”
There was a deep silence.
“And Sam Price,” continued Bijah, in pretended astonishment, “wahn't he settin' on the edge of the stoop when I drove up?”
Another silence, broken only by the enraged breathing of Chester, who was unable to retort. Moses Hatch laughed. The discreet departure of these gentlemen certainly had its comical side.
“Rias as indoostrious as ever, Mose?” inquired Bijah.
“He has his busy times,” said Mose, grinning broadly.
“See you've got the boys with their backs up, Chester,” said Bijah.
“Some of us are sick of tyranny,” cried Chester; “you kin tell that to Jethro Bass when you go back, if he's got time to listen to you buyin' and sellin' out of railroads.”