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"I'm just changing the air in these tires. The other air was worn out, you know." For a moment Walky's eyes bulged, and Janice giggled loudly. Then Mr. Dexter saw the point of the joke. He slapped his leg and laughed uproariously. "You'll do! By jinks! you surely will do," he declared. "I reckon you air smart enough, young feller, ter teach the Poketown school.
"Perhaps it will be just as well if he backs where he's looking," suggested the young engineer, having removed his coat and aided very practically in the straightening out of Walky's affairs. This greatly pleased Janice, who had remained to watch proceedings. "Come, naow, tell the truth, Walky Dexter," drawled another of the expressman's helpers. "Was ye seein' double when ye did that trick?"
Cross Moore, shrewdly. "Trace it all back to one 'live wire' that's what! If that Day gal didn't put the idee into Walky's head for a new dock, I'll eat my hat!" And nobody asked Mr. Moore to try that gastronomic feat. The selectman, himself, seemed to get into line during that winter.
"Isuckles is aout o' season he! he!" chuckled another, frankly doubtful of Walky's generosity. "Lock up your freight house, Sam, and ye shall have it," declared Walky, with sudden briskness. "That's the ticket!" exclaimed the Doubting Thomas, with a quick change of tone. "Spoke like a soldier, Walky. I hope Joe's jest tapped a fresh kaig."
"You be gittin' to be a smart young chap, Marty," proclaimed Walky, coming slowly up the steps with a package for Mrs. Day and his book to be signed. The odor of spirits was wafted before him. Walky's face was as round and red as an August full moon. "How-do, Janice," he said. "What d'yeou think of them fule committeemen startin' this yarn abeout Nelson Haley?"
"I'm afraid there is some consternation under Walky's talk," said Bowman, seriously. "He likes a dram himself and would be sorry to see the bar chased out of Polktown. I hope you can do it, Janice." "Me me, Frank Bowman! You are just as bad as any of them. Putting it all on my shoulders." "The time is ripe," went on the engineer, seriously. "You won't be alone in this.
I don't suppose there's a man there that don't own his own house. There's Mel Parraday, who owns the ho-tel; and Lem Pinney that owns stock in this very steamboat comp'ny; and Walkworthy Dexter Walky's done expressin' and stage-drivin' since before my 'Rill come here to Poketown to teach." "But but they look so ragged and unshaven," gasped Janice.
But despite his laughter Janice saw that Walky Dexter was much in earnest. She said to Nelson that evening, in Hopewell Drugg's store: "I consider Walky's conversion is the best thing that's happened yet in our campaign for prohibition." "A greater conquest than mine?" laughed the schoolmaster.
I had a snack down to the tavern, Marthy's gone to see her folks terday and I didn't 'spect no supper to hum. I'm what ye call a grass-widderer. Haw! haw! haw!" explained the local expressman. Walky's voice seemed louder than usual, his face was more beaming, and he was more prone to laugh at his own jokes.
Haley; but "different men, different minds." "Ye'd oughter come over to our graduation exercises, Janice," said Marty, with a grin. "We're goin' to do ourselves proud. Hi tunket! that Adams is so green that I wonder Walky's old Josephus ain't bit him yet, thinkin' he was a wisp of grass." "Now Marty!" said his mother, admonishingly. "Fact," said her son.
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