nough o' my meemores
fer one sittin'."

"No, really," John protested, "don't go yet. I have a little proposal to
make to you," and he got up and brought a bottle from the bottom of the
washstand.

"Wa'al," said David, "fire it out."

"That you take another cigar and a little of this," holding up the
bottle.

"Got any glasses?" asked David with practical mind.

"One and a tooth mug," replied John, laughing. "Glass for you, tooth
mug for me. Tastes just as good out of a tooth mug."

"Wa'al," said David, with a comical air of yielding as he took the glass
and held it out to John, "under protest, stric'ly under protest--sooner
than have my clo'es torn. I shall tell Polly--if I should happen to
mention it--that you threatened me with vi'lence. Wa'al, here's lookin'
at ye," which toast was drunk with the solemnity which befitted it.

CHAPTER XXVI.

The two men sat for a while smoking in silence, John taking an
occasional sip of his grog. Mr. Harum had swallowed his own liquor
"raw," as was the custom in Homeville and vicinity, following the
potation with a mouthful of water. Presently he settled a little farther
down in his chair and his face took on a look of amused recollection.

He looked up and gave a short laugh. "Speakin' of canals," he said, as
if the subject had only been casually mentioned, "I was thinkin' of
somethin'."

"Yes?" said John.

"E-up," said David. "That old ditch f'm Albany to Buffalo was an
almighty big enterprise in them days, an' a great thing fer the
prosperity of the State, an' a good many better men 'n I be walked the
ole towpath when they was young. Yes, sir, that's a fact. Wa'al, some
years ago I had somethin' of a deal on with a New York man by the name
of Price. He had a place in Newport where his fam'ly spent the summer,
an' where he went as much as he could git away. I was down to New York
to see him, an' we hadn't got things quite straightened out, an' he says
to me, 'I'm goin' over to Newport, where my wife an' fam'ly is, fer
Sunday, an' why can't you come with me,' he says, 'an' stay over till
Monday? an' we c'n have the day to ourselves over this matter?' 'Wa'al,'
I says, 'I'm only down here on this bus'nis, an' as I left a hen on, up
home, I'm willin' to save the time 'stid of waitin' here fer you to git
back, if you don't think,' I says, 'that it'll put Mis' Price out any to
bring home a stranger without no notice.'

"'Wa'al,' he says, laughin', 'I guess she c'n