flying in
the air. Around the court-house was a familiar, buzzing scene,--the
backwoodsmen, lounging against the wall or brawling over their claims,
the sleek agents and attorneys, and half a dozen of a newer type. These
were adventurous young gentlemen of family, some of them lawyers and
some of them late officers in the Continental army who had been rewarded
with grants of land. These were the patrons of the log tavern which
stood near by with the blackened stumps around it, where there was much
card-playing and roistering, ay, and even duelling, of nights.

"Thar's Mac," cried a backwoodsman who was sitting on the court-house
steps as we rode up. "Howdy, Mac; be they tryin' to git your land, too?"

"Howdy, Mac," said a dozen more, paying a tribute to Tom's popularity.
And some of them greeted me.

"Is this whar they take a man's land away?" says Tom, jerking his thumb
at the open door.

Tom had no intention of uttering a witticism, but his words were
followed by loud guffaws from all sides, even the lawyers joining in.

"I reckon this is the place, Tom," came the answer.

"I reckon I'll take a peep in thar," said Tom, leaping off his horse and
shouldering his way to the door. I followed him, curious. The building
was half full. Two elderly gentlemen of grave demeanor sat on stools
behind a puncheon table, and near them a young man was writing. Behind
the young man was a young gentleman who was closing a speech as we
entered, and he had spoken with such vehemence that the perspiration
stood out on his brow. There was a murmur from those listening, and I
saw Tom pressing his way to the front.

"Hev any of ye seen a feller named Colfax?" cries Tom, in a loud voice.
"He says he owns the land I settled, and he ain't ever seed it."

There was a roar of laughter, and even the judges smiled.

"Whar is he?" cries Tom; "said he'd be here to-day."

Another gust of laughter drowned his words, and then one of the judges
got up and rapped on the table. The gentleman who had just made the
speech glared mightily, and I supposed he had lost the effect of it.

"What do you mean by interrupting the court?" cried the judge. "Get out,
sir, or I'll have you fined for contempt."

Tom looked dazed. But at that moment a hand was laid on his shoulder,
and Tom turned.

"Why," says he, "thar's no devil if it ain't the Colonel. Polly Ann told
me not to let 'em scar' me, Colonel."

"And quite right, Tom," Colonel Clark answered,