But besides tea, he brought dried almonds, pickled watermelon rinds, candied quince, and "China nuts." Travis cut the cheese into cubes with Condy's penknife, and arranged the cubes in geometric figures upon the crackers.
"But, Condy," she complained, "why in the world did you get so many crackers?
There's hundreds of them here--enough to feed a regiment.
Why didn't you ask me ?" "Huh! what?
what?
I don't know.

What's the matter with the crackers?
You were dickering with the cheese, and the man said, 'How many crackers ?' I didn't know.

I said, 'Oh, give me a quarter's worth!'" "And we couldn't possibly have eaten ten cents' worth! Oh, Condy, you are--you are--But never mind, here's your tea.

I wonder if this green, pasty stuff is good." They found that it was, but so sweet that it made their tea taste bitter.

The watermelon rinds were flat to their Western palates, but the dried almonds were a great success.