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Glover, fearful lest he had offended, doubled the gravity of his expression and tacked over to a fresh subject. "Shouldn't know whether to feel proud 'f myself or not, 'f I'd made this country, Capm. Depends on what 'twas meant for. If 'twas meant to live in, it's the poorest outfit I ever did see. If 'twas meant to scare folks, it's jest up to the mark. 'Nuff to frighten a crow into fits.
"Let him yawp, Capm," interposed Glover. "It's a way they hev, as he says. Never see two Paddies together but what they got to fightin' or pokin' fun at each other. Me an' Sweeny won't quarrel. I take his clickatyclack for what it's worth by the cart-load. 'Twon't hurt me. Dunno but what it's good for me." "Bedad, it's betther for ye nor yer own gruntin'," added the irrepressible Irishman.
"We can't launch by this light," said Thurstane. "We will sleep here." "It'll be a longish night," commented Glover. "But don't see's we can shorten it by growlin'. When fellahs travel in the bowels 'f th' earth, they've got to follow the customs 'f th' country. Puts me in mind of Jonah in the whale's belly. Putty short tacks, Capm. Nine hours a day won't git us along; any too fast.
Capm, it fairly seems more than airthly; puts me in mind 'f things in the Pilgrim's Progress only worse. Sh'd say it was like five thousin' Valleys 'f the Shadow 'f Death tangled together. Tell ye, believe Christian 'd 'a' backed out 'f he'd had to travel through here. Think Mr. Coronado 's all right in his top hamper, Capm? Do, hey? Wal, then I'm all wrong; guess I'm 's crazy's a bedbug.
He was a profuse talker; ran a stream every time you looked at him; it was like turning on a mill-race. "Yes, capm, out of Fair Haven," he said. "Been in the coastin' 'n' Wes' Injy trade. Had 'n unlucky time out las' few years. Had a schuner burnt in port, 'n' lost a brig at sea. Pooty much broke me up. Wife 'n' dahter gone into th' oyster-openin' business.
"Do just what you've got in hand. Take care of the lady. See that she gets into the biggest boat if we try the boats." Clara overheard, gave the skipper a kind look, and said, "Thank you, captain." "You're fit to be capm of a liner, miss," returned the sailor. "You're one of the best sort." For some time longer, while waiting for the final catastrophe, nothing was done but to hold fast and gaze.
After some further riding, shaking his sandy head, staring about him and whistling, he broke out again. "Tell ye, Capm, this beats my imagination. Used to think I c'd yarn it pooty consid'able. But never can tell this. Never can do no manner 'f jestice to it. Look a there now. There's a nateral bridge, or 'n unnateral one.
Thurstane took the lariat, inspected the breakage carefully, and scowled with helpless rage. "That infernal Texan!" he muttered. "Sho!" said Glover. "That feller? Anythin' agin ye? Wal, Capm, then all I've got to say is, you come off easy. That feller 'd cut a sleepin' man's throat. I sh'd say thank God for the riddance. Tell ye I've watched that cuss. Been blastedly afeard 'f him.
"Capm, where d'ye think we're bound?" he presently inquired. "Whereabouts doos this river come out?" "It runs into the Colorado of the West, and that runs into the head of the Gulf of California." "Californy! Reckon I'll git to the diggins quicker 'n I expected. Goin' at this rate, we'll make about a hundred 'n' twenty knots a day. What's the distance to Californy?"
"Because I could have you set up by my sergeant and executed by my privates," continued Thurstane. "Capm, I reckon you're sound there," admitted Texas, with a slight flinch in his manner. "Now, then, do you want to fight a duel?" broke out the angry youngster, his pugnacity thoroughly getting the better of his wisdom. "We both have pistols."
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