He reaches fur his long rifle, an' he draws a bead on the foremost uv them sailors, the feller that speaks fur 'em all, an' he says, droppin' that fatherly manner an' speakin' up sharp an' snappy: 'I reckin we're either goin' to discover Ameriky, or go right back to Spain, which is it ?' "An' that foremost sailor, the one that speaks fur 'em all, sees the funny look in Chris's eye, an' he thinks, too, he kin see clean down the barrel uv that long rifle to whar the bullet is layin', an' he answers right off: 'We're goin' to discover Ameriky'; an' shore enough they did, this fine, big continent, full uv big lakes an' big rivers an' big mountains an' red Injuns that fight with bows an' arrers an' b'ars and buffalers an' deer an' panthers an' all things fine." "I didn't know Tom Ross had sech a gift o' gab," said Shif'less Sol.

"He stirs me all up, he makes me want to hev some lady buy a ship fur me an' start me out to discoverin' continents.

Do you think, Paul, thar's any lady who would sell her earrings an' finger rings fur me ez that Spanish one did fur Columbus ?" "But think, Sol, what a chance you've got whether there is or not," said Henry Ware.

"America is discovered but not much of it is explored.

There's enough here to keep you roaming about for the next fifty or sixty years." "That's so," said the shiftless one brightening up.