I'll trouble you to tell me why you stole my horse on the way out here." "Let me get at him," said the Pike man in a terrible voice, but not offering to get up from the log.
"Nobody henders your gettin' at me," said Mr.Bickford composedly.
"But that ain't answerin' my question." "If I didn't respect them two gentlemen too much, I'd shoot you where you stand," said the Pike man.
"I've got a shootin'-iron myself, old Rip-tail, and I'm goin' to use it if necessary." "What have you to say in answer to this man's charge ?" asked one of the miners, a large man who was looked upon as the leader of the company.

"He charges you with taking his horse." "He lies!" said the man from Pike.
"Be keerful, old Rip-tail," said Mr.Bickford in a warning tone.

"I don't take sass any more than you do." "I didn't steal your horse." "No, you didn't exactly steal it, but you took it without leave and left your own bag of bones in his place.

But that wasn't so bad as stealin' all our provisions and leavin' us without a bite, out in the wilderness.

That's what I call tarnation mean." "What have you to say to these charges ?" asked the mining leader gravely.
"Say?
I say that man is mistaken.