ye take him for a michanic, who
goes to work as soon as he swallows his bread and mate?" said the
Irishman, with official dignity.

"Why you not stay with squaw?"

"That's the raison," replied Teddy, imbibing from the vessel beside
him. "But you will plaise not call Miss Cora a _shquaw_ any more. If
ye does, it will be at the imminent risk of havin' this jug smashed
over yer head, afther the whisky is all gone, which it very soon will
be if a plug isn't put into your mouth."

"Nice woman--_much_ good."

"You may well say that, Mister Copperskin, and say nothing else. And
it's a fine man is Mister Harvey, barring he runs me purty close once
in a while on the moral quishtion. I'm afeard I shall have to knock
under soon. If I could but slay that thaif of a hunter that has been
poking around here, I think I could go the Christian aisy; but whin I
thinks of _that_ man, I faals like the divil himself. They's no use
tryin' to be pious whin _he's_ around; so pass the jug if ye don't
mane to fight meself."

"He bad man--much bad," said the savage, who had received an account
of him from his companion.

"I promised Master Harvey not to shoot the villain, excipt it might be
to save his life or me own; but I belave if I had the chance, I'd jist
conveniently _forgit_ me promise, and let me gun go off by accident.
St. Pathrick! _wouldn't_ I like to have a shindy wid the sn'akin,
mean, skulkin' assassin!"

"Does he want kill you?"

"Arrah, be aisy now; isn't it me master he's after, and what's the
difference? Barring I would rather it was meself, that I might sittle
it gintaaly wid him;" and Teddy, "squaring" himself, began to make
threatening motions at the Indian's head.

"Bad man--why not like Mr. Harvey?" said the savage, paying no
attention to Teddy's demonstrations.

"There yees has me. There's something atween 'em, though what it
might be none but Mr. Harvey himself knows, less it mought be the
misthress, that I don't belave knows a word on it. But what is it yer
business, Mr. Mahogany?"

"Mebbe Mr. Harvey hurt him some time--do bad with him," added the
Indian, betraying an evident interest in the subject.

"Begorrah, if yees can't talk better sinse nor that, ye'd bist put a
stopper on yer blab. The idaa of me master harming any one is too
imposterous to be intertained by a fraa and inlightened people--a fraa
and inlightened people, as I used to spell out in the newspapers at
home. But whisht! Ye are a savage,