136 The Wild-Fowlers 



th' hull bay an* all 'bout guns an* rods 

 an* th' fish an' th' birds an' am'nision, 

 w'en they by certain don* know which 

 en' th' shot comes out o' th' shell ? " 



" I guess you are n't bothered much in 

 this respect, Captain/' said Doctor Brad- 

 ley. " You don't often have these 

 blockheads to contend with." 



" Why, I does, Dr. Bradley, es sure es 

 I 'm a-tellin' ye; but I makes it a good 

 rule teh take care es not teh be troubled 

 a secon' time by th' same feller. By Lor' 

 they be th' worstes' fools es ever yer 

 seed, an' no bayman ever helps 'em learn, 

 w'en, if they wer a hones' sort we 'd 

 show 'em th' same service es we give th' 

 bes' 'sper'enced man. No, no," con- 

 tinued the old man with a great earnest- 

 ness, " I don' want enythin' teh do wi' 

 th' pretender chap, though ther' beant 

 enythin' I would n't do fer th' hones' 

 greenhorn. I beant supercisious ef eny- 

 thin' 'cept th' pretender feller. I beant 

 erfraid o' th' number thirteen, er a-doin' 



