"I don't give no explanations," said the Pike man haughtily, "and I
allow no man to doubt my word."

"Look here, my friend," said Joshua, "ain't you rather cantankerous?"

"What's that?" demanded the other suspiciously.

"No offense," said Joshua, "but you take a feller up so we don't know
exactly how to talk to you."

"I take no insults," said the Pike man. "Insults must be washed out
in blood."

"Soap-suds is better than blood for washin' purposes," said Joshua
practically. "Seems to me you're spoilin' for a fight all the time."

"I allow I am," said the Pike man, who regarded this as a compliment.
"I was brought up on fightin'. When I was a boy I could whip any boy
in school."

"That's why they called you a rip-tail roarer, I guess," said Joshua.

"You're right, stranger," said the Pike man complacently.

"What did you do when the teacher give you a lickin'?" asked Mr.
Bickford.

"What did I do?" yelled the Pike County man, with a demoniac frown.

"Exactly so."