"Mamma and old Hagar are scrappin' over Good Injun again," and
told with glee the tale of his misdeeds as recounted by the
squaw.

Phoebe in her earnestness forgot to keep within the limitations
of their dialect.

"Grant's a good boy, and a smart boy. There isn't a
better-hearted fellow in the country, if I have got five boys of
my own. You think I like him better than I like Wally, is all
ails you, Hagar. You're jealous of Grant, and you always have
been, ever since his father left him with me. I hope my heart's
big enough to hold them all." She remembered then that they
could not understand half she was saying, and appealed to Viney.
Viney liked Grant.

"Viney, you tell me. Grant no come Hartley, no drunk, no yell,
no catchum you dog, no ride in Hagar's wikiup? You tell me,
Viney."

Viney and Lucy bobbed their heads rapidly up and down. Viney,
with a sidelong glance at Hagar, spoke softly.

"Good Injun Grant, mebbyso home Hartley," she admitted
reluctantly, as if she would have been pleased to prove Hagar a
liar in all things. "Me thinkum no drunk. Mebbyso ketchum
dog--dog kay bueno, mebbyso me killing. Good Injun Grant no heap
yell, no shoot all time--mebbyso no drunk. No breakum wikiup.
Horse all time kay bueno, Hagar--"