United States or Bermuda ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"Don't wink, Dan'l McCoy," said Sally, in a voice which was meant to be very stern, but was laughably sweet. "P'ease, Missis, Toc's vinkin' too." Thus had Dan learned to express Thursday's name by his initials. There was a touch of McCoy senior in this barefaced attempt to divert attention from himself by criminating another.
Already, before they got back to the village, part of the roof of one of the oldest huts had been stripped off, and the women were beginning to look anxiously upwards as they heard the clattering overhead. "Now, lads, all hands to work. Not a moment too soon either. Out wi' the old tacklin' o' the Bounty. Get the tarpaulins up. Lash one over Toc's hut. Clap some big stones on Quintal's.
"Well, Charlie," said Dan, as they came in view of the knoll on which Adams and the girls were seated, "we will pluck up courage and make a dash at it together." "Ye-es," said Charlie, with hesitation. "And shall we break the ice by referring to Toc's condition, eh?" said Dan. "Well, it seems to me the easiest plan; perhaps I should say the least difficult," returned Charlie, with a faint smile.
The powerful youth got hold of the tooth a second time, and gave it a terrible wrench. Adams roared like a bull of Bashan, but Toc's heart was hardened now; he wrenched again a long, strong, and steady pull. The martyr howled as if his spinal marrow were being extracted. Toc suddenly staggered back; his arm flew up, displaying a bloody tooth with three enormous fangs.
"There's only one staggerer and one sprawler now," said Dan, with a laugh; "your own George and Toc's Dumplin'." "Just so, but ain't these a host in themselves? You keep your tongue under hatches, Dan, or I'll have to lash it to your jaw with a bit o' rope-yarn." "Oh, what a yarn I'd spin with it if you did!" retorted the incorrigible Dan. "But how are the jumpers to go, and where are they?"
Without uttering a word he sprang into the hut. "What's wrong, Thursday?" asked his wife, in some alarm. "Never mind. Hold your tongue, an' hold tight to Dumplin'." The baby had been named Charles, after Toc's young brother, and the inelegant name of "Dumplin'" had been given him to prevent his being confounded with Charlie, senior.
Word Of The Day