human
Guess we don't need to hurry a heap, ma'm, he said.
gpt
Y' see, in these hills you never can tell. Now we're headin' fer that yer canyon. Maybe the trail ends right ther'.
human
Good gracious, man, then what are we going to do?
gpt
Do? Why, y' see, ma'm, we'll have to break a fresh trail--if that dogone holler ain't one o' them bottomless muskegs,
human
Then for goodness' sake why go on?
gpt
Wal, y' see, you can't never tell till you get ther' in these hills. Maybe that canyon is a river, an' if so the entrance to it's nigh sure a muskeg. A bottomless muskeg. You seen 'em, ain't you? No? Wal, they're swamps, an' if we get into one, why, I guess ther's jest Hail Columby, or some other fool thing waitin' for us at the bottom. Still ther' mayn't be no muskeg. As I sez, you never can tell, tho' ther' most gener'ly is. Mebbe that's jest a blank wall without no trail. Mebbe this trail ends at a sheer drop of a few hundred feet an' more. Mebbe agin the trail peters out 'fore we get ther'. That's the way in these yer hills, ma'm; you never can tell if you get lost. An' gittin' lost is so mighty easy. Course we ain't likely to starve till we've eat up these yer dogone ol' hosses. Never eaten hoss? No? 'Tain't so bad. Course water's easy, if you don't light on one o' them fever swamps. Mountain fever's pretty bad. Still, I don't guess we'll git worried that way, ma'm. I'd sure say you're pretty tough fer mountain fever to git a holt of. It's the time that's the wust. It might take us weeks gittin' out,--once you git lost proper. But even so I don't guess ther's nothin' wuss than timber wolves to worry us. They're mean. Y' see they're nigh allus starvin'--or guess they are. B'ars don't count a heap, less you kind o' run into 'em at breedin' season. Le's see, this is August. No, 'tain't breedin' season. He sighed as if relieved. Then he stirred quickly and glanced round, his face perfectly serious.
human
Guess you got a gun? It's allus good to hev a gun round. You never ken tell in these yer hills--when you git lost proper.
gpt
Oh, you're a perfect fool. Go on with your driving.
human
Mebbe you're right, ma'm, he said amiably.
gpt
These dogone hills makes fools o' most fellers, when they git lost proper--as I'd sure say we are now.