Mebbe the' 'll be some papers to fill out or witniss or somethin'; an' have that skeezicks of a boy make up the fires so'st the place'll be warm." "Very good, sir," said John, hoping that the interview was at an end.
But the elder man sat for some minutes apparently in a brown study, and occasionally a smile of sardonic cunning wrinkled his face.

At last he said: "I've told ye so much that I may as well tell ye how I come by that morgidge.

'Twont take but a minute, an' then you can run an' play," he added with a chuckle.
"I trust I have not betrayed any impatience," said John, and instantly conscious of his infelicitous expression, added hastily, "I have really been very much interested." "Oh, no," was the reply, "you hain't _betrayed_ none, but I know old fellers like me gen'rally tell a thing twice over while they're at it.
Wa'al," he went on, "it was like this.

After Charley Cullom got to be some grown he helped to keep the pot a-bilin', 'n they got on some better.

'Bout seven year ago, though, he up an' got married, an' then the fat ketched fire.