“Air you a-goin’ t’ scribble that there three thou-san’ on a piece o’ paper?” inquired Uncle Billy, sitting bolt upright. “Ef you air a-figgerin’ on that, Mr. Kamp, jis’ you save yore time. I give a man four dollars fer one o’ them check things oncet, an’ I owe myself them four dollars yit.” Mr. Van Kamp retired in disorder, but the thought of his wife and daughter waiting confidently on the porch stopped him. Moreover, the thing had resolved itself rather into a contest between Ellsworth and himself, and he had done a little making and breaking of men and things in his own time. He did some gatling-gun thinking out by the newel-post, and presently rejoined Uncle Billy. “Mr. Tutt, tell me just exactly what Mr. Ellsworth rented, please,” he requested. “Th’ hull house,” replied Billy, and then he somewhat sternly added: “Paid me spot cash fer it, too.” Mr. Van Kamp took a wad of loose bills from his trousers pocket, straightened them out leisurely, and placed them in his bill book, along with some smooth yellowbacks of eye-bulging denominations. Uncle Billy sat up and stopped twiddling his thumbs. “Nothing was said about the furniture, was there?” suavely inquired Van Kamp. Uncle Billy leaned blankly back in his chair. Little by little the light dawned on the ex-horse-trader. The crow’s feet reappeared about his eyes, his mouth twitched, he smiled, he grinned, then he slapped his thigh and haw-hawed. “No!” roared Uncle Billy. “No, there wasn’t, by gum!” “Nothing but the house?” “His very own words!” chuckled Uncle Billy. “‘‘Jis’ th’ mere house,’ says he, an’ he gits it. A bargain’s a bargain, an’ I allus stick to one I make.” “How much for the furniture for the week?” “Fifty dollars!” Mr. Tutt knew how to do business with this kind of people now, you bet. Mr. Van Kamp promptly counted out the money. “Drat it!” commented Uncle Billy to himself. “I could ’a’ got more!” “Now where can we make ourselves comfortable with this furniture?” Uncle Billy chirked up. All was not yet lost. “Waal,” he reflectively drawled, “there’s th’ new barn. It hain’t been used for nothin’ yit, senct I built it two years ago. I jis’ hadn’t th’ heart t’ put th’ critters in it as long as th’ ole one stood up.” The other smiled at this flashlight on Uncle Billy’s character, and they went out to look at the barn. VII Uncle Billy came back from the “Tutt House Annex,” as Mr. Van Kamp dubbed the barn, with enough more money to make him love all the world until he got used to having it. Uncle Billy belongs to a large family. Mr. Van Kamp joined the women on the porch, and explained the attractively novel situation to them. They were chatting gaily when the Ellsworths came down the stairs. Mr. Ellsworth paused for a moment to exchange a word with Uncle Billy. “Mr. Tutt,” said he, laughing, “if we go for a bit of exercise will you guarantee us the possession of our rooms when we come back?”