I don't have no such times as I'm havin' here to-night, with purty gals 'round me.
Well, one night I hearn a loon, or thought I hearn one.

It sounded 'way off on the lake, and bimeby it come nigher, and then I thought it was a painter, but it didn't sound 'zactly like a painter.

My dog Turk he don't mind such things, but he knowed it wa'r'n't a loon and wa'r'n't a painter.

So he got up and went to the door, and then the yell come agin, and he set up the most un'arthly howl I ever hearn.

I flung one o' my boots at 'im, but he didn't mind any thing more about it than if it had been a feather.