"
"Aren't you hurt?" gasped Alan. "Your back is full of arrows."
"Don't feel nothing, Major," he answered, "best cork mattress, 25/3 at
Stores, very good for poisoned arrow, but leave him behind now, because
perhaps points work through as I run, one scratch do trick," and as
he spoke Jeekie untied a string or several strings, letting the little
mattress fall to the ground.
"Great pity leave all those goods," said Jeekie, surveying the loads
that the porters had cast away, "but what says Book? Life more than
raiment. Also take no thought for morrow. Dwarf people do that for us.
Come, Major, make tracks," and dashing at a bag of cartridges which he
cast about his neck, a trifling addition to his other impedimenta, and
a small case of potted meats that he hitched under his arm, he poked his
master in the back with the muzzle of his full-cocked gun as a signal
that it was time to start.
"Keep that cursed thing off me," said Alan furiously. "How often have I
told you never to carry firearms at full cock?"
"About one thousand times, Major," answered Jeekie imperturbably, "but
on such occasion forget discreetness. My ma just same, it run in family,
but story too long tell you now.
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