RAIL SHOOTING. 149 



" It'll cost you ten dollars, at least, treating 

 the house, when we come in ; but in course you 

 won't mind that," says the pusher. 



" The devil !" exclaims the shooter. 



" I'll go a quart of Davy Hunter's best on it, 

 myself. Lay it up in the bow, sir, where it'll 

 have a chance to dry. If old Mr. Peale were 

 alive now, he'd ring down dollars for that ere 

 spissimin." 



" I'll tell you what, my man," says the gentle- 

 man, " d 11 the birds ! I dare say that I 



shouldn't kill many just put me quietly ashore 

 at the ferry, and say nothing of this to no 

 one ; I'll pay you your charge, but, mind ye, 

 do you keep mum until I'm on my way to the 

 city." 



" But they'll never believe me, sir; they'se a 

 mighty suspicious set at that 'ere ferry : they'll 

 swear I'm a bigger liar than Tom Pepper," says 

 the pusher. 



" But you forget the papers," says the fat 

 gentleman, chuckling. 



" Right, sir, my name is Shoemaker ; I should 

 like to go in with you, if you've no express 

 rejection. I'm not 'zactly a candydate for fame, 

 but seeing my name in print, may put an extra 

 job in my way." 

 10 



