In this matter, at least, I could have no wish or intent to deceive him.
"Sir, I was taking a swimming lesson," I said with simple courtesy.
"A which?" he said as though not hearing me aright.
"A swimming lesson," I repeated plainly, or as plainly as I could considering my agitation and the fact that the cold in my head had noticeably thickened my utterance, making it well-nigh impossible for me to give the proper inflection to certain of the aspirates and penultimates.
"Oh, yes," he said; "I see--a--a--swimming lesson. Well, that certainly is a mighty cute idee."
"I am glad you agree with me," I said. "And now, my good fellows, if you have any business of your own to attend to--elsewhere--I should be more than pleased if you proceeded on your way and left me undisturbed. I have much to engage my mind at present, as you may have noted."
"Oh, there ain't no hurry," he said. "I figger we'll all be goin' away from here purty soon."
At this moment the son checked his advance and, stooping, raised aloft the same earthenware vessel of which repeated mention has heretofore been made.
"Here she is, all right, dad!" was his cryptic statement. "I guess we never made no mistake in comin' here."
"Mister," he said, "mout I enquire where you got that there crock?"
"That, my good sir," I informed him, "is not a crock. It is a Mound Builder's relic, unearthed but yesterday in the forest primeval."
"The forest primeval," I enunciated with all the distinctness of which I was capable.
"And whut, if anythin', have you been doin' with it beside anointin' them features of yourn in it?" Again it was the father who spoke.
"It formerly contained wild strawberries," I answered, "some of which were consumed for food, and the rest of which were carried away under cover of nightfall by a bear."
"Certainly," I said; "undoubtedly a bear--I myself saw it. A large, dark bear."
"And whut about this here?" he continued, now beholding for the first time the remaining woodcock, which hung from the limb of a low tree, and pointing toward it. "Is that there a Mound Builder's chicken?"
"Assuredly not," I said. "That is a white woodcock. There was also a black woodcock, presumably a mate of this one; but it--it has been disposed of. The pair were slain yesterday with bow and arrow in the adjacent depths of the woodland, which is their customary habitat."