But the pedler was
wary, and knew his man. The lurking smile and sneer of the speaker had
enough in them for the purposes of warning, and he replied evasively:--
"Well, colonel, you shall see them by next Tuesday or Wednesday. I
should be glad to have a trade with you--the money's no object--and if
you have furs, or skins, or anything that you like to get off your
hands, there's no difficulty, that I can see, to a long bargain."
"But why not trade now, Bunce?--what's to hinder us now? I sha'n't be in
the village after Monday."
"Well, then, colonel, that'll just suit me, for I did calkilate to call
on you at the farm, on my way into the nation where I'm going looking
out for furs."
"Yes, and live on the best for a week, under some pretence that your nag
is sick, or you sick, or something in the way of a start--then go off,
cheat, and laugh at me in the bargain. I reckon, old boy, you don't come
over me in that way again; and I'm not half done with you yet about the
kettles.
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