Page:1880. A Tramp Abroad.djvu/204

 "Say, didn't I put you up right?"

"O, yes."

"Sho! I spotted you for my kind the minute I heard your clack. You been over here long?"

"About four months. Have you been over long?"



"Long? Well I should say so! Going on two years, by geeminy! Say, are you homesick?"

"No, I can't say that I am. Are you?"

"O, hell yes!" This with immense enthusiasm.

The Reverend shrunk a little, in his clothes, and we were aware, rather by instinct than otherwise, that he was throwing out signals of distress to us; but we did not interfere or try to succor him, for we were quite happy.

The young fellow hooked his arm into the Reverend's, now, with the confiding and grateful air of a waif who has been longing for a friend, and a sympathetic ear, and a chance to lisp once more the sweet accents of the mother tongue,—and then he limbered up the muscles of his mouth and turned himself loose,—and with such a relish! Some of his words were not Sunday school words, so I am obliged to put blanks where they occur.

"Yes indeedy! If I ain't an American there ain't any Americans, that's all. And when I heard you fellows gassing away in the good old American language, I'mif it