Ah, it is the hardness of the laws which drives men to be freebooters on the road! The rich may fatten and batten, rob, cheat, bleed their fellows to death; but let one of us lesser men dare to lay hands upon their fat purses, full of other men's gold, and we are branded as felons, and pay the ransom with our lives! That is not justice.

That is not to be borne patiently.

I tell you, Tom, that I have seen enough of the injustice of the law to turn my heart to molten metal and my blood to gall.

We want fellows of your mould to wage the war and win the victory.

The day may come when you will win for yourself a great name, and shine forth upon the world admired, courted, feared--even like Lord Claud!" A thrill of gratified vanity ran through Tom's frame.