If you'd go up
there now, to-morrow, and take the dogs along, I know as you'll git
fifty."
"Well, if that's all your news, Jem, I won't give you much for it; and,
as for going into the mountains to look after partridges, you don't
catch me at it, that's all!" said Harry. "Is that all?"
"Not by a great shot!" answered Jem, grinning, "but the truth is, I know
you won't believe me; but I can tell you what, you can kill a big fat
buck, if you'll git up a little afore daylight!"
"A buck, Jem! a buck near here?" inquired Forester and Archer in a
breath.
"I told you, boys, the critter couldn't help it; he's stuck to truth
just so long, and he was forced to lie, or else he would have busted!"
"It's true, by thunder," answered Jem; "I wish I mayn't eat nor drink
nother, if there's one bit of lie in it; d--n the bit, Tom! I'm in
airnest, now, right down; and you knows as I wouldn't go to lie about
it!"
"Well! well! where was't, Jem?"
"Why, he lies, I guess, now, in that little thickest swamp of all, jist
in the eend of the swale atween Round Top and Rocky Hill, right in the
pines and laurels; leastways I druv him down there with the dogs, and I
swon that he never crossed into the open meadow; and I went round, and
made a circle like clean round about him, and darn the dog trailed on
him no how; and bein' as he's hard hot, I guess he'll stay there since
he harbored.
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