human
There was three of 'em! he gloated.
gpt
They was goin' to jump old Mike an' they didn't even see me! The other two cootered off like scared rabbits when I shot this one! Plunked him right in the ear!
human
Was he runnin'?
gpt
Nah! Tad said scornfully.
human
He was just trottin'.
gpt
Did you aim at his ear?
human
Sure. Figgered that'd put him down to stay.
gpt
Well, don't be shootin' at my ear no matter if I'm walkin' or gallopin'. You'll be a right handy man with a rifle after you've growed a mite.
human
You should have hunted something we could eat,
gpt
Don't be preachin' thataway, Snedeker protested.
human
Meat's to be had for the takin', but wolf pelts ain't. Pelt that critter, cure the pelt, an' some Oregon-bound emmy-grant will pay fancy for it.
gpt
Do they buy such things?
human
They spend money for what takes their eye. An' what takes their eye is ever'thing. You could sell 'em a full-sized steamboat if you had one to sell. They couldn't haul it along, an' even if they could they wouldn't know what to do with it in Oregon. But they'd buy it. Young'un, you mind that short rifle in my rack?
gpt
Yes.
human
Want to swap your wolf pelt for it?
gpt
Gee!
human
Pelt this critter out an' the rifle's your'n, long with the horn an' bullet mold. Bullets you got to mold yourself.
gpt
Oh! Tad was walking on clouds.
human
Can I have it, Pa?
gpt
Mr. Snedeker says so.
human
I'll pelt the wolf right away, just as soon as I've looked at the rifle!
gpt
No pelt's worth a rifle.
human
Not usually it ain't. But any sprout that size who can aim at a trottin' wolf's ear an' hit thar can swap the pelt for a rifle with me any time. It's wuth it.