Page:Hugh Pendexter--The young timber-cruisers.djvu/27

 stranger, “These men are sawing a log. The little fellow was crowding Louey pretty hard. They are great chums. I guess you don’t know much about lumbering.”

The stranger flushed to his ears. “Tell your Louey I am sorry to have misunderstood the situation, and give him this.” The “this” was a silver dollar. “And tell him I sincerely hope I did not hurt him.”

The stocky one gave way to a new burst of merriment, unable to speak for a moment. “He—he thanks you for the doller,” he finally managed to inform; “and he says you didn’t hurt him enough to make him take his bed. You hurt French Louey, Big Louey, Fighting Louey—the best natured giant that ever licked a whole drive of loggers into shape! Why, for a doller’n a quarter he’d let you punch him for three days and he’d never raise a hand. If he’d just closed those arms of his he’d broke every rib in your body. Lucky for you he’s good-natured.”

“I thank you for your information. I’ll be going now.”

“Say, you don’t talk like me. You’re city bred, I guess.”

“I have lived much in the city, yes. Good-day.”