to
obtain relative to the course of his travel.

"It was natural enough that you should have mistaken my object,"
continued the stranger, heedless of Horse Shoe's abrupt question, "and
have suspected me for wanting to hear some of your rigmarole; but there
you did me wrong. I forgive you for that, and, to tell you the truth, I
hate your----?"

"That's not to the purpose," said Horse Shoe; "I axed you a civil
question, and maybe, that's more than you have a right to. You can
answer it or let it alone. I want to know where mought you be from?"

"Since you are bent upon it, then," replied the other, suddenly changing
his tone, and speaking with a saucy emphasis, "I'll answer your
question, when you tell me what _mought_ be your right to know."

"It's the custom of our country," rejoined Horse Shoe, "I don't know
what it may be in yourn, to larn a little about the business of every
man we meet; but we do it by fair, out-and-out question and answer--all
above board, and we hold in despise all sorts of contwistifications,
either by laying of tongue-traps, or listening under eaves of houses."

"Well, most wise and shrewd master, what do you call my country? Ha! ha!
ha! I would be sworn you think you have found some mare's nest! If it
were not that your clown pate is somewhat addled by over feeding, I
would hold your speech to be impertinent. My country, I'd have your
sagacity to understand----"

"Tut, man, it arn't worth the trouble of talking about it! I never saw
one of your people that I didn't know him by the first word that came
out of his lips. You are an Englishman, and a red coat into the bargain,
as we call them in these parts. You have been a sodger. Now, never
bounce at that, man! There's no great harm in belonging to that craft.
They listed you, as likely as not, when you was flusticated with liquor,
and you took your pay; there was a bargain, and it was your business to
stand to it. But I have got a piece of wisdom to whisper to you,
insomuch as you are not in the most agreeablest part of the world to men
of your colors, it would be best to be a little more shy against giving
offence. You said some saucy things to me just now, but I don't grudge
your talking, because you see, I am an onaccountable hard sort of person
to be instigated by speeching."

"Verily, you are a most comical piece of dulness," said the other, in a
spirit of raillery. "In what school did you learn your philosophy,
friend? You have bee