"
Jimmy turned in at his own gate, while Dannie passed to the
cabin beyond. He entered, set the dripping rat bag in a tub,
raked open the buried fire and threw on a log. He always ate at
Jimmy's when Jimmy was at home, so there was no supper to get. He
went out to the barn, wading mud ankle deep, fed and bedded his
horses, and then went over to Jimmy's barn, and completed his
work up to milking. Jimmy came out with the pail, and a very
large hole in the bottom of it was covered with dried dough.
Jimmy looked at it disapprovingly.
"I bought a new milk pail the other night. I know I did," he
said. "Mary was kicking for one a month ago, and I went after it
the night I met Ruben O'Khayam. Now what the nation did I do with
that pail?"
"I have wondered mysel'," answered Dannie, as he leaned over and
lifted a strange looking object from a barrel. "This is what ye
brought home, Jimmy."
Jimmy stared at the shining, battered, bullet-punctured pail in
amazement. Slowly he turned it over and around, and then he
lifted bewildered eyes to Dannie.
"Are you foolin'?" he asked. "Did I bring that thing home in that
shape?"
"Honest!" said Dannie.
"I remember buyin' it," said Jimmy slowly. "I remember hanging on
to it like grim death, for it was the wan excuse I had for goin',
but I don't just know how--!" Slowly he revolved the pail, and
then he rolled over in the hay and laughed until he was tired.
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