leg-pulling, that mountain-style April-foolery that seems all the more delicious the hoarier the device by which the victim is taken in. He could take it and come back for more, had a bottomless fund of trust, and did not harbor any resentment. But instead of being let off because of his spirit, being such an unwearying suckerâirresistible, with those big credulous black eyes and solemn faceâhe was put through the whole bag of tricks, the entire accumulated tradition. And so one day on the square we began to talk about snipe hunting. God help us now, him dead at nineteen and not even at rest in his grave, but when he rose to the bait that day we looked at each other in unbelieving delight: Lord God, he hadnât even heard of that one!
Dick began it. âBeen snipe hunting any time lately, Bob?â
âSnipe hunting! I golly!â exclaimed Bob. âNaw, Dick, I havenât, Iâm sorry to say. You?â
âI been thinking of going. Just havenât got around to it somehow or other.â
âMy, I havenât been on a good snipe hunt in I donât know how long!â said Bob, while his eyes clouded over with fond memories.
Then Dick, with a squint at the weather, said, âGood snipe day today if you ast me.â
âWhy, yeah. This is snipe weather.â
Said Dick, âYou âmember the time weââ
âHaw! Do I! That was a time!â
Then after a little silence, Dick said, âWell, what do you say to it?â
Bob looked around at the men, not seeming to see the eager, hopeful boy near him, and said, âAny you fellows be interested in going on a snipe hunt?â
âWhy,â said Joe, âI was hoping you wouldnât leave me out.â And George, âCount me in!â And Ben, âIâm game.â And Hank, âCan I come, fellows? I ainât been snipe hunting in years.â
âWell, I donât know, Hank. Thatâs five already.â
âAw, let me, Bob. One more wonât hurt.â
âWell, what do you say, Dick? Can we let old Hank in?â
âWell, I donât know. Theyâs five already.â
âAw, come on, Dick. You know me.â
âWell, all right. But no more now.â
And then we waited for the fish to nibble. But we had overdone it; he was so impressed he did not dare. So George said, âOh, tarnation!â We had learned to use innocent cuss words in his presence and now thought it was just killing sport to utter them with much force, as if conscious of using a mighty hard word. âTar- nation! â said George. âI canât. I forgot, I got to see a man about a dog.â
So then Theron worked up his courage and said, âMr. Macaulay, you donât supposeââ And then he gave up, conscious of all the eyes upon him and overcome with awe at his own presumptionâor perhaps stung in advance at the prospect of being denied.
âWhatâs that, son?â said Dick Macaulay.
âOh, never mind.â
But he wanted to go too bad not to give it another try. âI was going to ask if you would please let me come along, Mr. Macaulay. Iâd just watch and keep out of the way, and with Mr. Stradum not going after all it wouldnât be any more than you had meant to take. But I donât suppose you all would want ⦠just a boy ⦠tagging along. Would you?â
For the longest time Mr. Macaulay said nothing. As a matter of fact, Dick himself said afterwardsâbut that was afterwardsâthat he had been considering calling the whole thing off. But to Theron he looked as if he was trying, with difficulty because it was such a shock, to find a kind way of saying no.
He turned to Bob. âMr. Edsall, would you mind very much if I was to come along?â
Mr. Edsall said it was all right as far as he was concerned, and interceded with Mr. Macaulay for him. âLet the boy come along, Dick. He wonât take up any
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