His air was that of quiet indifference, bordering on contempt, as if he knew his duties, or his man, and was resolved upon the course he was appointed to pursue.

When men meet thus, if they are persons of even ordinary intelligence, the instincts are quick to conceive and act, and the youth was now more assured than ever, that the contest awaited him which should try his strength.

This called up all his resources, and we may infer that he possessed them in large degree, from his quiet forbearance and deliberation, even when he became fully sensible of the insolence of the person with whom he felt about to grapple.
As yet, however, judging from other appearances, there was no violence meditated by the stranger.

He was simply insolent, and he was in the way.

He carried no weapons--none which met the sight, at least, and there was nothing in his personal appearance calculated to occasion apprehension.