The way that he set about cutting wood
was characteristic. We were at that moment patching up and
unpacking in the kitchen. Down he sat on one side, and down sat
his sister on the other. Both were chewing pine-tree gum, and he,
to my annoyance, accompanied that simple pleasure with profuse
expectoration. She rattled away, talking up hill and down dale,
laughing, tossing her head, showing her brilliant teeth. He looked
on in silence, now spitting heavily on the floor, now putting his
head back and uttering a loud, discordant, joyless laugh. He had a
tangle of shock hair, the colour of wool; his mouth was a grin;
although as strong as a horse, he looked neither heavy nor yet
adroit, only leggy, coltish, and in the road. But it was plain he
was in high spirits, thoroughly enjoying his visit; and he laughed
frankly whenever we failed to accomplish what we were about. This
was scarcely helpful: it was even, to amateur carpenters,
embarrassing; but it lasted until we knocked off work and began to
get dinner. Then Mrs. Hanson remembered she should have been gone
an hour ago; and the pair retired, and the lady's laughter died
away among the nutmegs down the path. That was Irvine's first
day's work in my employment--the devil take him!
The next morning he returned and, as he was this time alone, he
bestowed his conversation upon us with great liberality.
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