"I can clip off the head of a pa'tridge every time, and I might have clipped his hand, and got the skin and took he back for Doctor Joe to fix up." Three days later Eli pulled his boat wearily into The Jug.

The boys had returned, and with Thomas they met him on the jetty.
"Did you find Injun Jake ?" Thomas asked anxiously.
"Aye," said Eli, "he were there." Eli volunteered no further details for a moment.

Then he added: "I didn't kill he, thank the Lord, but he's got the silver.

He said he had un, and he took my ca'tridges away from me." "Said he had un?
Now, that's strange--wonderful strange.

Come in, Eli, supper's ready," Thomas invited, manifestly relieved that Eli had not succeeded in accomplishing his rash purpose.