So he said,
"Yes, you may have it all at ten and a half dollars."
"I thought you said I might have what I wanted at ten."
"Well, I have changed my mind," said he, "it is too low."
"And so have I," sais I, "I won't trade with a man that acts that
way," and I went on board, and the men cast off and began to warp the
vessel again up to her anchor.
Lewis took off his cap and began scratching his head again, he had
over-reached himself. Expecting an immense profit on his wood, he had
sold his fish very low; he saw I was in earnest, and jumped on board.
"Capitaine, you will have him at ten, so much as you want of him."
"Well, measure me off half a cord."
"What!" said he, opening both eyes to their full extent.
"Measure me off half a cord."
"Didn't you say you wanted twenty or thirty cord?"
"No," sais I, "I said I must have that much if I wanted it, but I
don't want it, it is only worth three dollars, and you have had the
modesty to ask ten, and then ten and a half, but I will take half a
cord to please you, so measure it off."
He stormed, and raved, and swore, and threw his cap down on the deck
and jumped on it, and stretched out his arm as if he was going to
fight, and stretched out his wizzened face, as if it made halloing
easier, and foamed at the mouth like a hoss that has eat lobelia in
his hay.
"Be gar," he said, "I shall sue you before the common scoundrels
(council) at Halifax, I shall take it before the sperm (supreme)
court, and try it out.
Pages:
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384