"And I wish this custard pie was the size o' Bonnie Eagle Pond,"
said Ike Billings. "I'd like to fall into the middle of it and
eat my way out!"

"Look at that bunch o' Chiny asters tied on t' the bail o' that
biscuit-pail!" said Ivory Dunn. "That's the girl's doin's, you
bet women-folks don't seem to make no bo'quets after they git
married. Let's divide 'em up an' wear 'em drivin' this
afternoon; mebbe they'll ketch the eye so't our rags won't show
so bad. Land! it's lucky my hundred days is about up! If I
don't git home soon, I shall be arrested for goin' without
clo'es. I set up'bout all night puttin' these blue patches in my
pants an' tryin' to piece together a couple of old red-flannel
shirts to make one whole one. That's the worst o' drivin' in
these places where the pretty girls make a habit of comin' down
to the bridge to see the fun. You hev to keep rigged up jest so
stylish; you can't git no chance at the rum bottle, an' you even
hev to go a leetle mite light on swearin'."



"BLASPHEMIOUS SWEARIN'"

"Steve Waterman's an awful nice feller," exclaimed Ivory Dunn just
then. Stephen had been looking intently across the river,
watching the Shapleys' side door, from which Rose might issue at
any moment; and at this point in the discussion he had lounged
away from the group, and, moving toward the bridge, began to
throw pebbles idly into the water.