THE GREAT MASSACRE 113 



but for folk like me an ' mine. I don 't break no law 

 around my cabin, 'cause round my cabin, I'm the 

 law. An ' I don 't reckon to be held to consequences 

 for a duck or two. I don't make no promises, 

 mind yo', but I'll say this — that I'll do nothin' to 

 hinder yo' in yo' game law work. Only — " and 

 his face darkened, ' ' yo 'd better keep Ned Thomp- 

 son away from here, or I'll be apt to take him for a 

 duck an' forget it's close season." 



The other heaved a disappointed sigh. He had 

 hoped to enlist Bull Adam in his campaign against 

 the indiscriminate killing of birds, but he reflected 

 that, probably, he had gained as much advantage 

 as was possible. 



^'All right," he said, cheerfully, ^'I suppose I'll 

 have to be satisfied with that. I'd just like to say, 

 though," he added, ''that, if you've been setting 

 Shan against the game laws, you'll let me tell him 

 the other side of the story, so that he won't grow 

 up with the wrong ideas." 



The pot-hunter glanced sternly across the table. 



*'I ain't never agreed they were the wrong 

 ideas," he said, ''but the boy has a right to hear 

 both sides, there's no denyin'. I'll tell him, 

 square enough, but in my own time an' my own 



