account of the work at all, but the folks ain't just
as well as I'd like to see them, and I'll stay here till
they're better. Next time I'll try and be ready for
you. Going to take Tommy, of course?"

"Of course! Got to have 'The Wild Irishman'
with us! I'm going around to find him now." Then
turning to me the Major continued, "Suppose you
get on your coat and hat and come along? It's the
best chance you'll ever have to meet Tommy. It's
late anyhow, and Stockford'll get along without you.
Come on."

"Certainly," said Stockford; "go ahead. And you
can take him ducking, too, if he wants to go."

"But he doesn't want to go--and won't go,"
replied the Major with a commiserative glance at me.
"Says he doesn't know a duck from a poll-parrot--
nor how to load a shotgun--and couldn't hit a house
if he were inside of it and the door shut. Admits
that he nearly killed his uncle once, on the other side
of a tree, with a squirrel runnin' down it. Don't
want him along!"

When I reached the street with the genial Major,
he gave me this advice: "Now, when you meet Tommy, you mustn't
take all he says for dead earnest,
and you mustn't believe, because he talks loud, and
in italics every other word, that he wants to do all