said the obdurate Byers. "Ye kin bide with the tanyard an' finish
this job yerse'f, of so minded. I'm goin' ter attend."

"I reckon half the kentry-side will be thar, an' _I_ wants ter see
the folks," said Jubal Perkins, cheerfully.

"Then Birt will hev ter bide with the tanyard, an' finish this job.
It don't lie with me ter gin him a day off. I don't keer ef he
never gits a day off," said Byers.

This was an unnecessarily unkind speech, and Birt's anger flamed
out.

"Ef we-uns war of a size, Andy Byers," he said, hotly, "I'd make ye
divide work a leetle more ekal than ye does."

Andy Byers dropped the hide in his hands, and looked steadily across
the pit at Birt, as if he were taking the boy's measure.

"Ye mean ter say ef ye hed the bone an' muscle ye'd knock me down,
do ye?" he sneered. "Waal, I'll take the will fur the deed. I'll
hold the grudge agin ye, jes' the same."

They were all three busied about the pit. The hides had been taken
out, and stratified anew, with layers of fresh tan, reversing the
original order,--those that had been at the bottom now being placed
at the top. The operation was almost complete before Jubal Perkins
received the news of his relative's precarious condition. He had no
doubt that Birt was able to finish it properly, and the boy's
conscientious habit of doing his best served to make the tanner's