Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 28, 2025
As they leaned over the bridge-rail they saw Mr. Wiley driving down the river road. When he caught sight of them he hitched the old white horse at the corner and walked toward them, filling his pipe the while in his usual leisurely manner. "We're not busy this forenoon," said Lije Dennett. "S'pose we stand right here and let Old Kennebec have his say out for once.
Oddly enough, no one except the two most interested ever knew of this encounter. Albert, of course, did not tell. He was rather ashamed of it. For the son of Miguel Carlos Speranza to conquer dragons was a worthy and heroic business, but there seemed to be mighty little heroism in licking Sam Thatcher behind 'Lije Doane's cranberry shack. And Sam did not tell.
"That's true." "Starbuck, ain't yo' eyes wide enough open to see that I kin ruin you?" "Yes, Lije, with his eyes half shet a man kin see a rattlesnake." "Then with both of 'em wide open he ought to see a panther." "I'm a lookin' at you." "That's all right, Starbuck. But we've passed the time fur beatin' about the bush." "I ain't a beatin', Lije." "Starbuck, do you want to be ruined?" "Stop!"
He knew Lije Peters, neighborhood bully without being a coward, a born black-mailer, a ruffian with the touch of humor, ignorant with sometimes an allegorical cast of speech. As he entered the room he looked about and seeing no one else, spoke to Kintchin: "Whar's Jasper Starbuck?"
The moose, meanwhile, having watched the men fairly indoors, turned aside and fell to browsing on the tiny poplar saplings which grew along the top of the field. Saying nothing to their people in the houses, after the reticent backwoods fashion, Sandy and Lije strolled carelessly down the road till the potato-field was hidden from sight by a stretch of young second-growth spruce and fir.
The river was full of logs, thousands upon thousands of them covering the surface of the water from the bridge almost up to the Brier Neighborhood. The Edgewood drive was late, owing to a long drought and low water; but it was to begin on the following Monday, and Lije Dennett and his under boss were looking over the situation and planning the campaign.
"An' he was sot on killin' me to-night, was he?" murmured MacPherson in deepest wonderment. "What might his name be, anyhow?" "'Lije Vandine," spoke up another of the hands. "An' that's his grandchild, Stevie. I reckon he must have a powerful grudge agin you, Sandy, or he'd never 'a' acted that way." MacPherson's face had grown suddenly serious and dignified.
The logs air ricked up jest like Rose's jack-straws; I never see 'em so turrible ricked up in all my exper'ence; an' Lije Dennett don' know no more 'bout pickin' a jam than Cooper's cow. Turrible sot in his ways, too; can't take a mite of advice.
Starbuck's voice was never softer than when he said: "Won't you sit down, Lije?" "Hardly wuth while. Did the folks tell you that I was over here earlier in the day?" "Nobody said anythin' about it, Lije. Couldn't have been very important what you said to 'em on that occasion." Peters cleared his rasp-like throat. "Mo' important than some folks mout think."
"You air still talkin' fust rate. But come to think of it, you an' me ain't been very much at outs." "That's so, Lije. I've slept all night many a time without dreamin' of you." "Yes. But I reckon I've been doin' a leetle mo' dreamin' than you have. Yo' daughter " "Only a dream so fur as you air consarned." "Do you mean to say she won't marry me if you tell her to?"
Word Of The Day
Others Looking