He don't want no one to live
but himself; and he's mighty handsum to me, sayin' my clocks are all
a cheat, and that we ruinate the country, a-drainin' every drop of
money out of it, a-callin' me a Yankee broom and what not. But it
ain't all jist Gospel that he says. Now I'll put a clock on him afore
he knows it, I'll go right into him as slick as a whistle, and play
him to the eend of my line like a trout. I'll have a hook in his
gills, while he's a-thinkin' he's only smellin' at the bait. There he
is now, I'll be darned if he ain't, standin' afore his shop door,
lookin' as strong as high proof Jamaiky; I guess I'll whip it out o'
the bung while he's a-lookin' arter the spicket, and p'r'aps he'll be
none o' the wiser till he finds it out, neither."
"Well, Squire, how do you do," said he, "how's all at home?"
"Reasonable well, I give you thanks, won't you alight?"
"Can't today," said Mr. Slick, "I'm in a considerable of a hurry to
katch the packet, have you any commands for Sou'west? I'm goin' to
the Island, and across the Bay to Windsor. Any word that way?"
"No," says Mr. Allen, "none that I can think on, unless it be to
enquire how butter's goin'; they tell me cheese is down, and proDUCE
of all kind particular dull this fall."
"Well, I'm glad I can tell you that question," said Slick, "for I
don't calculate to return to these parts; butter is risin' a cent or
two; I put mine off mind at tenpence.
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