human
Listen to the innocent, would you? shouted Giraffe;
gpt
Hey, answer that, Mr. Bear, please; let the poor boy know whether he tickled your tough old hide with one of his buckshot. Because, who knows, fellows, but what it might a glanced off the top of the water, and landed,
human
I don't hear any answer floating back, remarked Thad;
gpt
Cannon! burst out Giraffe at this moment, for he had managed to possess himself of the new gun by pointing to it, and having Eli Crooks pass it along.
human
Cannon! well, I should smile! What d'ye think he did, fellers? Just exactly what I warned him to beware of, when he saw game, and got excited; pulled both triggers at the same time! Gee! no wonder it knocked him over! I'd hate to have been behind that charge myself; and I've stood a good many heavy ones.
gpt
Ain't we going ashore to see if I did just happen to bowl that old bear over? whined Bumpus, looking appealingly at Thad.
human
I'd never forgive myself, you see, if I found out that he _had_ died, and no one even got a steak off him. A scout never wants to waste the good things of life like that, does he, Thad?
gpt
I guess there's no chance of that happening, Bumpus, he remarked.
human
By now your bear is a quarter of a mile away from here, and running yet.
gpt
Don't blame him, said Step Hen.
human
That new gun makes enough noise to burst your ear drums, Bumpus. And let's hope you won't ever pull both triggers again. Just practice putting one finger at a time in action. After you've shot the first barrel, let it just slip back to catch the second trigger. It's as easy as tumbling off a log.
gpt
Or going over backward, when you do bang away with both barrels at once,