us where we're standin', an' is at that time mentionin' Freighter's
Stew, as a good thing to eat, to Dave Tutt.

"'Who be you-all admirin' now?' asks Toothpick of the Red Dog party,
who's glarin' towards him. It's then I notes the lights begin to
dance in Toothpick's eyes; with that impulsive sperit of his, he's
doo to become abrupt with our visitor at the drop of the hat.

"That Red Dog gent don't make no retort, but stands thar with his
eyes picketed on Toothpick like he's found a victim. Toothpick is
fidgetin' on his feet, with his thumbs stuck in his belt; which this
last is a bad symptom, as it leaves a gent's artillery easy to
reach.

"It strikes me at the time that it's even money thar's goin' to be
some shootin'. I don't then nor now know why none. But that
ignorance is common about shootin's; two times in three nobody ever
does know why.

"I reckons now it's Toothpick's fidgetin' makes me suspicious he's
on the brink of rousin' the o'casion with his six-shooter. Which if
he's cool an' ca'm, it would never come to me that a-way; a cool
gent never pulls the first gun, leastways never when the pretext is
friv'lous an' don't come onder the head of 'Must'.

"'Well.' savs Toothpick ag'in, 'whatever be you-all gloatin' over, I
asks? Or, mebby you're thinkin' of 'doptin' me as a son or
somethin'?' says Toothpick.

"Still the party from Red Dog don't say nothin'. As Toothpick