'd
find him busted at the end of it. If there was a dog-fight, he'd bet
on it; if there was a cat-fight, he'd bet on it; if there was a
chicken-fight, he'd bet on it. Why, if there was two birds setting on
a fence, he would bet you which one would fly first. Or if there was a
camp-meeting, he would be there reg'lar to bet on Parson Walker, which
he judged to be the best exhorter about here, and so he was, too, and a
good man. If he even see a straddle-bug start to go anywheres he would
bet you how long it would take him to get to--to wherever he was going
to; and if you took him up he would follow that straddle-bug to Mexico
but what he would find out where he was bound for and how long he was
on the road. Lots of the boys here has seen that Smiley, and can tell
you about him. Why, it never made no difference to _him_, he'd bet
_any_ thing--the dangdest feller. Parson Walker's wife laid very sick
once for a good while, and it seemed as if they warn't going to save
her; but one morning he come in and Smiley up and asked him how she
was, and he said she was consid'able better--thank the Lord for his
inf'nit mercy!--and coming on so smart that, with the blessing of
Providence, she'd get well yet; and Smiley, before he thought, says,
'Well, I'll resk two-and-a-half she don't, any way.'"

* * * * * * * *

"Well, this yer Smiley had rat-terriers, and chicken-cocks, and
tom-cats, and all them kind of things till you couldn't rest, and you
couldn't fetch nothing for him to bet on but he'd match you. He
ketched a frog one day and look him home, and said he cal'lated to
educate him, and so he never done nothing for three months but set in
his back-yard and learn that frog to jump. And you bet you he _did_
learn him, too. He'd give him a little punch behind, and the next
minute you'd see that frog whirling in the air like a doughnut--see him
turn one summerset, or may be a couple, if he got a good start, and
come down flat-footed and all right, like a cat. He got him up so in
the matter of ketching flies, and kep' him in practice so constant,
that he'd nail a fly every time as fur as he could see him. Smiley
said all a frog wanted was education and he could do 'most any thing,
and I believe him. Why, I've seen him set Dan'l Webster down here on
this floor--Dan'l Webster was the name of the frog--and sing out,
'Flies, Dan'l, flies!' and quicker'n you could wink he'd spring
straight up