n' think gold
dust wuz made to save instid uv to buy drinks an' play keards fur.
_That's_ what it'll come to."

"Beggin' ev'rybody's pardon," interposed a deserter from the army, "but
these here perceedin's is irreg'lar. 'Tain't the square thing to take
evidence till the pris'ner's in court."

Boston Ben immediately detailed a special officer to summon Old
Scrabblegrab, declared a recess of five minutes, and invited the boys to
drink with him.

Those who took sugar in theirs had the cup dashed from their lips just
as they were draining the delicious dregs, for the officer and culprit
appeared, and the chairman rapped the assembly to order.

Boston Ben had been an interested attendant at certain law-courts in the
States, so in the calm consciousness of his acquaintance with legal
procedure he rapidly arraigned Scrabblegrab.

"Scrabblegrab, you're complained uv for goin' back on bitters, coaxin'
Curly to give up keards, thus spoilin' his fun, an' knockin'
appreciatin' observers out of their amusement; uv insultin' the judge,
uv not cussin' when you stumble into the river, uv not havin' any good
p'ints, an' not showin' yer bad ones; uv bein' a set-back on the tone uv
the place--lookin' like a green-apple-fed, vinegar-watered corkscrew, or
words to that effect; an', finally, in savin' yer money. What hev you
got to say agin' sentence bein' passed on yer?"

The old man flushed as the chairman proceeded, and when the indictment
reached its end, he replied, in a tone which indicated anything but
respect for the court:

"I've got just this to say, that I paid my way here, I've asked no
odds of any man sence I've ben here, an' that anybody that takes pains
to meddle with my affairs is an impudent scoundrel!"

Saying which, the old man turned to go, while the court was paralyzed
into silence.

But Tom Dosser, a new arrival, and a famous shot, now stepped in front
of the old man.

"I ax yer parding," said Tom, in the blandest of tones, "but, uv course,
yer didn't mean me when yer mentioned impudent scoundrels?"

"Yes, I did--I meant you, and ev'rybody like yer," replied the old man.

Tom's hand moved toward his pistol. The chairman expeditiously got out
of range. Stumpy Flukes promptly retired to the extreme end of the bar,
and groaned audibly.

The old man _was_ in the wrong; but, then, wasn't it _too_ mean, when
blood was so hard to get out, that these difficulties _always_ took
place just after he'd got the flo