Of course I can! What am I a man for?
If I was a four-footed thing of the swamp, maybe I couldn't; but a man can do anything if he's the grit to work hard enough and stick at it, Mr.McLean is always saying, and here's the way I am to do it.

He said, too, that there were people that knew everything in the swamp.

Of course they have written books! The thing for me to be doing is to quit moping and be buying some.

Never bought a book in me life, or anything else of much account, for that matter.

Oh, ain't I glad I didn't waste me money! I'll surely be having enough to get a few.