You've got to learn 'em a good deal, or they'll learn you.
Them Dennison boys is pretty slow at learnin'." The young man intimated that he thought he was equal to it.
"Well, we'll see," grunted the old fellow, with something very like a twinkle in his deep eyes.

"Not as they'll do you any harm without you undertake to interfere with them," he drawled.

"But you're pretty young to manage 'em jest so; you ain't quite big enough either, and you're too big to git in through the cat-hole.

And I allow that you don't stand no particular show after the first week or so of gittin' into the house any other way." "I'll get in, though, and I won't go in through the cat-hole either.
I'll promise you that, if you'll sustain me." "Oh, I'll sustain you," drawled the squire.

"I'll sustain you in anything you do, except to pizon 'em with _slow_ pizon, and I ain't altogether sure that wouldn' be jest manslaughter." "All right." Keith's eyes snapped, and presently, as the outer man's gaze rested on him, his snapped also.
So the compact was struck, and the trustee went on to give further information.
"Your hours will be as usual," said he: "from seven to two and fo' to six in summer, and half-past seven to two and three to five in winter, and you'll find all the books necessary in the book-chist.