You know--after dressing Silas's hand--that John Jago is ready with his knife.

He comes from out West, where they are always ready with one weapon or another handy in their pockets.

It's likely enough he didn't mean to harm me, either; but how could I be sure of that?
When he stepped up to me, and showed his weapon, I dropped the stick, and closed with him.

With one hand I wrenched the knife away from him; and with the other I caught him by the collar of his rotten old coat, and gave him a shaking that made his bones rattle in his skin.

A big piece of the cloth came away in my hand.