``Mart's a-gittin' ready fer a tourneyment.''

``A what?''

``That's whut Mart calls hit. He was
over to the Gap last Fourth o' July, an' he
says fellers over thar fix up like Kuklux and
go a-chargin' on hosses and takin' off them
rings with a ash-stick--`spear,' Mart
calls hit. He come back an' he says he's
a-goin' to win that ar tourneyment next
Fourth o' July. He's got the best hoss up
this river, and on Sundays him an' Dave
Branham goes a-chargin' along here a-picking
off these rings jus' a-flyin'; an' Mart
can do hit, I'm tellin' ye. Dave's mighty
good hisself, but he ain't nowhar 'longside
o' Mart.''

This was strange. I had told the Blight
about our Fourth of July, and how on the
Virginia side the ancient custom of the
tournament still survived. It was on the
last Fourth of July that she had meant to
come to the Gap. Truly civilization was
spreading throughout the hills.

``Who's Mart?''