hich, you must allow, is clearly in the teeth of all the practices
prevailing among the people of the frontier. At the beginning, and
before any of us knew the value of this or that spot, you chose your
ground, and we chose ours. If you leave yours or we ours, then either of
us may take possession--not without. Is not this the custom?"

"I tell you what, Munro, I have not lived so long in the woods to listen
to wind-guns, and if such is the kind of argument you bring us, your
dumpy lawyer--what do you call him?--little Pippin, ought to have been
head of your party. He will do it all day long--I've heard him myself,
at the sessions, from mid-day till clean dark, and after all he said
nothing."

"If you mean to persuade yourself, George, that we shall do no more than
_talk_ for our lands and improvements, you are likely to suffer
something for your mistake."

"Your 'lands and improvements!' Well, now, I like that--that's very
good, and just like you. Now, Wat, not to put you to too much trouble,
I'd like to look a little into your title to the lands; as to the
improvements, they're at your service whenever you think proper to send
for them. There's the old lumber-house--there's the squatter's
house--there's where the cow keeps, and there's the hogsty, and half a
dozen more, all of which you're quite welcome to. I'm sure none of you
want 'em, boys--do you?"

A hearty laugh, and cries in the negative, followed this somewhat
technical retort and reply of the speaker--since, in trespass, according
to the received forms of law, the first duty of the plaintiff is to
establish his own title.

"Then, George, you are absolutely bent on having us show our title? You
won't deliver up peaceably, and do justice?"

"Can't think of such a thing--we find the quarters here quite too
comfortable, and have come too far to be in a hurry to return. We are
tired, too, Wat; and it's not civil in you to make such a request. When
you can say 'must' to us, we shall hear you, but not till then; so, my
old fellow, if you be not satisfied, why, the sooner we come to short
sixes the better," was the response of the desperado.

The indifferent composure with which he uttered a response which was in
fact the signal for bloodshed, not less than the savage ferocity of his
preparations generally, amply sustained his pretension to this
appellative. Munro knew his man too well not to perceive that to this
"fashion must they come at last;" and simply