t one caught the force of the Hebraic
simile about the crackling of thorns under a pot.

Jud laughed, and the hunchback piped a higher cackle and dangled his
bridle rein. "Humph," he said, "maybe you don't like that song."

"It ain't the song," replied Jud.

"Maybe you don't like the way I sing it," said he.

"It might be different," said Jud.

"Well," said he, "it wouldn't mean different."

Here I took a hand in the dialogue. "What does it mean anyhow?" I said.
"It's about the foolest song I ever heard."

"Quiller," replied the hunchback, propping his fist under his bony jaw,
"you've heard tell of whistlin' to keep up your courage. Well, that song
was made for them as can't whistle."

Jud turned in astonishment. "Afraid?" he said; "what are you afraid of?"

The hunchback leaned over as if about to impart a secret. "Ghosts!" he
whispered. I laughed at the discomfiture of the giant, but Ump went on
counterfeiting a deep and weird seriousness which, next to his singing,
was about the most ludicrous thing in the world. "Ghosts, my laddiebuck.
But not the white-sheeted lady that comes an' says, 'Foller me,' nor the
spook that carries his head under his arm tied up in a tablecloth, but
ghosts, my laddiebuck, that make tracks while they walk."

"I thought ghosts rode broomsticks," said Jud.

"Nary a broomstick," replied the hunchback. "When they are a-follerin'
Mister Ward's drovers, it's a little too peaked for long ridin'."

Then he broke off suddenly and called to the ferryman. "Danel," he said,
"how many cattle will this boat hold?"

"Big cattle or stockers?" inquired the man.

"Exporters," said Ump.

"Mart," called the brother, "can we carry thirty exporters?"

"Are they dehorned?" inquired Mart.

"Muley," said Ump.

"We can carry thirty muleys if they ain't nervous," replied the brother
called Mart. "Are you gatherin' up some cattle for Mister Ward?"

"Yes," said Ump. "We'll be here early in the morning with six hundred,
an' we want to git 'em set over as quick as you can. How long will it
take?"

"Well," said Danel, "mighty nigh up till noon, I reckon. Do you mind,
Mart, how long we were settin' over them Alkire cattle?"

"We begun in the morning, and we stopp'd for an afternoon bite. It took
the butt end of the day," replied the brother.

We had now reached the south bank of the Valley River, and when the boat
slipped up on the wet sod, we rode ashore, and turned into the pike that
runs by t