w why, but it's just so."

Each time, after giving his answer, and while Sprigg would be pausing to
consider it, Ben would fill up the interval with another wag-tail shake
of the hand he still held in his own, thereby lengthening out his answer
with something he had omitted to express in words. Now, after two or
three of the supplementary shakes, he did bethink him to put the
something else in words.

"But, Sprigg, you are looking a great deal better than I expected to
find you. Though I needn't wonder so much at that, either, for they
wanted to feed you on trash--squirrels and birds, and I wouldn't let
'em. Tell us--me and Pow-wow--how you liked the buffalo we brought
home for you yesterday?"

"Oh, very much, I am sure."

"And the fat, young bear we brought you the day before yesterday?"

"Better still, I am certain."

"And the fat, young buck we brought you the day before that?"

"Best of all; and if I didn't tell you so at the time it was because I
was asleep and thinking about something else. And now I am beginning to
find out what my heart has been trying to tell me all this while. I see
it in Bertha's face. I see it in Ben's face--in the face of every one
here--how good and kind you have been to me since I have been lying
here; and I so undeserving. I should be thankful you had kept me alive,
were it but to tell you how I love you all as I have never loved any one
before."

Now were the tears in his eyes, which, up to this moment, had been so
bright and clear--tears that went on telling the gratitude and love
which the lips had left but half expressed. Ben had already had some two
or three little spells of filling up and choking down; of feeling soft
and breathing hard, so touching was it, so touching is it always to
witness the gratitude of the poor human heart to poor human love for
poor human life; and this was just more than the good fellow could bear
without some noise. Abruptly checking himself in the midst of another
wag-tail shake, he laid the little hand on the bed as carefully as you
would a glass of water on the table, right side up, and hurried out of
the house like one who had overstayed his time and must rush to make
ends meet. He went no farther, however, than just out of doors, where,
finding room for his heart to expand in, roared out in a voice perfectly
tremendous for one of his age:

"Hurrah for General Washington! Hurrah for Colonel Boone! Hurrah for
Sprigg!" And bang! went his gun.