It was Jake Dunlap his own self, and it's Jake Dunlap
now. He's been and got his hair cropped, the way he
said he would, and he's playing himself for a stranger,
just the same as he said he would. Ghost? Hum! --
he's as sound as a nut."
Then I see it all, and how we had took too much for
granted. I was powerful glad he didn't get killed, and
so was Tom, and we wondered which he would like the
best -- for us to never let on to know him, or how?
Tom reckoned the best way would be to go and ask
him. So he started; but I kept a little behind, because
I didn't know but it might be a ghost, after all. When
Tom got to where he was, he says:
"Me and Huck's mighty glad to see you again,
and you needn't be afeared we'll tell. And if you
think it'll be safer for you if we don't let on to know
you when we run across you, say the word and you'll
see you can depend on us, and would ruther cut our
hands off than get you into the least little bit of
danger."
First off he looked surprised to see us, and not very
glad, either; but as Tom went on he looked pleasanter,
and when he was done he smiled, and nodded his head
several times, and made signs with his hands, and says:
"Goo-goo -- goo-goo," the way deef and dummies
does.
Just then we see some of Steve Nickerson's people
coming that lived t'other side of the prairie, so Tom
says:
"You do it elegant; I never see anybody do it
better.
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