No one knew me, barring a few of the bucks I'd met
over Sitka way, but I'd got most of their histories from Happy Jack.
"Everybody talking Chinook, not guessing that I could spit it better than
most; and principally two girls who'd run away from Haine's Mission up
the Lynn Canal. They were trim creatures, good to the eye, and I kind of
thought of casting that way; but they were fresh as fresh-caught cod. Too
much edge, you see. Being a new-comer, they started to twist me, not
knowing I gathered in every word of Chinook they uttered.
"I never let on, but set to dancing with Tilly, and the more we danced
the more our hearts warmed to each other. 'Looking for a woman,' one of
the girls says, and the other tosses her head and answers, 'Small chance
he'll get one when the women are looking for men.' And the bucks and
squaws standing around began to grin and giggle and repeat what had been
said. 'Quite a pretty boy,' says the first one. I'll not deny I was
rather smooth-faced and youngish, but I'd been a man amongst men many's
the day, and it rankled me. 'Dancing with Chief George's girl,' pipes
the second.
Pages:
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92