Читать книгу The Boy Miners; Or, The Enchanted Island, A Tale of the Yellowstone Country онлайн

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“What does yer want?”

When a person has reason to believe that the one whom he is addressing has difficulty in understanding his words, he seems to think the trouble can be overcome by increasing the loudness of his tone. Jim repeated his question each time with greater force, until the last demand partook more of the nature of a screech than anything else.

By this time, the aborigines had obtained a good view of the black face, cautiously presenting itself at the opening made by the partial withdrawing of the stone, and one of them, laying down his gun and knife, as an earnest of his pacific intention, deliberately advanced to the entrance of the cave, and reached out his hand.

“Take it, Jim,” whispered Inwood, “he means that as an offering of good will.”

“I hope yer am well,” remarked Jim, as he thrust his immense digits through the opening. “I is purty well, an’ so am all ob us—gorry nation! what am yer at?”

The Mohave had suddenly seized the hand of the negro in both his own with tremendous force, and was now pulling with such astonishing power as slowly to drag the unsuspicious African forward.