Then he held out the little buckskin sack to Joe.
"Hev' a chaw," he said.
To offer tobacco to anyone was absolutely a borderman's guarantee of friendliness toward that person.
Jeff expectorated half a dozen times, each time coming a little nearer the stone he was aiming at, some five yards distant.

Possibly this was the borderman's way of oiling up his conversational machinery.

At all events, he commenced to talk.
"Yer brother's goin' to preach out here, ain't he?
Preachin' is all right, I'll allow; but I'm kinder doubtful about preachin' to redskins.

Howsumever, I've knowed Injuns who are good fellows, and there's no tellin'.

What are ye goin' in fer--farmin' ?" "No, I wouldn't make a good farmer." "Jest cum out kinder wild like, eh ?" rejoined Jeff, knowingly.
"I wanted to come West because I was tired of tame life.