"Some folk's talk," said Abe slowly, "is like burrs--never wanted and allus spoilin' good material, with this difference on the side of the burr-weed--that you can root up the weed when you find it." "It would take a better man than you to dig me up," said Amos, shaking himself. "We ain't discussin' weeds," said Abe, looking his lanky opponent up and down; "we're discussin' the points o' traps--especially teeth. I bin caught, an' that's why I'm sot against teeth." "When did it happen, Abe?" "Well, I'll tell you. You know ole Hill's garden, which held more different kinds o' fruit-trees than I have seed in the whole country. There were a thick quince hedge down one side, and the wild pigs had made a path through it big enough to let a stoopin' man through. Well, I were going short cut to the house one night, and I remembered this yer pig-track." "You always had a weakness for fruit, Abe!" remarked Amos. "I remembered this yer track, and, follering the hedge down, I felt where the path had been worn, and, parting the quince _luikeys_ with my hand, made a stoop forrard. My gum!--there were a click, and a yell which I ripped out, and nex' thing I knowed somethin' got me sore fast by the right leg in the thin of the ankle. It were a tiger trap--that's what, and sot with teeth. Lor' love yer! I can feel the pain of it in my leg now when I think of it, though it were over twenty-seven year ago. One iron fang scramped my shin-bone, and the back one druv clean through the flesh, while the sides of the mouth pressed in so that the blood were stopped, and the foot seemed to belong to someone else. I tell you all the blood in my body jes' run down to the tight place to find out what the trouble was, and came rushing back with the news up to my head with a touch of fire all along. Then that held-fast leg began to throb and throb, and a hundred thousand little hammers began a-hammering all up my backbone, while cold spasms went quivering through me and outer the top of my head. I jes' let go yell on yell, until a faintness came over me, and the sound leg which had been all on a tremble gave way, and I sot down. The wrench were terrible, and I jes' grit my teeth, and held on till the weakness went off, when I shifted the trap a bit." "Why didn't you ease the spring?"