TIME."]

So, as I say, it didn't surprise me a mite to have 'em say they couldn't
help us, for I knew jest how these jobs of theirn devoured their time.

And when my Josiah had made his excuse, it wuzn't any more than I had
looked out for, to hear Deacon Henzy say he had got to git home to ile
his threshin' machine. One of the cogs wuz out of gear in some way.

He wanted to help us, so it didn't seem as if he could tear himself
away, but that steam threshin' machine stood in the way. And then on
his way down to Jonesville that very mornin' a new idee had come to him
about that travellin' rat trap, and he wanted to get home jest as quick
as he could, to try it.

And Deacon Bobbet said that three of them mustangs he had took in to
break had got to be rid that day, they wuz a gettin' so wild he didn't
hardly dast to go nigh 'em.

And Deacon Sypher said that he must hasten back, for a man wuz a-comin'
to see him from way up on the State road, to try to get a agency under
him for "The Leaping Cow Boy of the Plain." And he wanted to show the
"Leaping Cow Boy" to some agents to the tavern in Jonesville on his way
home, and to some wimmen on the old Plank road. Two or three of the
wimmen had gin hopes that they would take the "Leaping Cow Boy."

And then they said--the hull three of the deacons did--that any minute
them other deacons who wuz goin' into partnership with 'em in the buzz
saw business wuz liable to drive down to see 'em about it.