"He's putty strong," John replied, "but there air some things he can't pull. He couldn't pull the truth out of you, for instance." "Oh, you air gettin' mighty high up sense you been 'sociatin' with that ole nigger an' that big red-headed feller. I've hearn all erbout you." "I expect you have hearn more about us than anybody cares to hear about you." "Keep on that er way," Bob replied, "an' you'll be sharp ernuff ter drive in the ground airter while." "Juckels, go on erway now and leave me alone. I don't like you, and I don't want to have anything to do with you." "How do you know whuther you like me ur not, when you don't know much erbout me?" "I know enough about you. I've seen you a number of times. Alf knows you, too." "Alf's er ole fool." "Go on away, now." "Say," said Juckels, "what made you go over thar ter the wider's?" "None of your business." "Fine-lookin' gal they've got over thar, ain't she? Ken make er putty fair article uv pie, too, I tell you. Say, I bet I ken outrassle you fur that coat you've got on." "I told you to go away." "Wall, then, I ken outbox you fur that ar hat." John had mended the girth and was trimming a switch that he had cut from a hickory sapling. "Did you hear whut I said?" Juckels remarked. John, without replying, was preparing to mount his horse, when Juckels took hold of his arm. John wheeled about, and with the switch gave the intruder so sharp a cut across the face that he roared with pain. "Never mind," he yelled as John rode away, "this ain't the last day in the world. You'll hear frum me one uv these days in a way that'll make you squeal." John, upon arriving home, found his uncle and aunt. Old Jeff was wheezy with a cold which he had caught some time before, while tying fodder at night in the dew. He and his wife had met Alf, who was on his way to take them a piece of bear meat, had faced him about and compelled him to go back with them, declaring that they could take the meat home themselves. "I never was mo' s'prized in my life than when I found you folks had suthin' ter eat over here," said Mrs. Lucas. "My consceounce alive, I wush I may never stir agin, ef I didn't 'spect ter find you all starved ter death." Potter looked up with a broad smile, and attempted to make some sort of a pleasant reply, but had no sooner said "madam" than the old woman, using an illustration afterward employed by Alf, "fairly fluttered." "Oh don't call me er madam," she exclaimed. "Gracious knows I didn't come all the way over here ter be madamed. When a man calls a woman madam, he thinks he's done the biggest sorter day's work. Now thar's Jeff grinnin' jest like er 'possum. Do b'le've in my soul he would grin ef the woods was afire." "I mout ef I had ter go through 'em" old Jeff replied.