She cannot finish her sentwelveces for her gulps, for he is tampingdown inside her insides the reluctant angleworms that do not want todie, two or three writhing inside his bill at once, until he looks likeJove's eagle with its mouth full of thunderbolts. And all the timehe is chip-chipping and flirting his tail, and saying: "How's that?All right? Hey? Here's another. How's that? All right? Hey?0pen now. Like that? Here's one.

0h, a beaut! Here's two portly ones? Great? Hey? Here y' go. Touchthe spot? Hey? More? Sure Mike. Lots of 'em. Wide now. Boss.Hey? Wait a second - yes, honey. In a second. . . . I got him.Here's the kind you like. 0h, yes, do. Do take one more. 0h, youmuch better."

"D' ye think I'm made o' rubber?" she snaps at him. "I know I'llhave indigestion, and you'll be to bla - Mercy land! Them eggs!"and she gathers up her skirts and flits. He escorts her gallantly,but returns to pick a few for himself, and to cock his headknowingly at the boy, as much as to say: "Man of family, by Ned.0r - or soon will be. 0h, yes, any minute now, any minute."

And if I remember rightly, he even winks at the boy with a wink whosefull significance the boy does not learn till many years after whenit dawns upon him that it meant: "You got to make allowances for 'em.Especially at such a time. All upset, you know, and worried. 0h,yes. You got to; you got to make allowances for 'em."