Besides Hugh and Tom were suspicious; they did not believe that the presence of the superintendent was accidental; there was a sinister meaning in it which boded ill for Hugh and his friends, and the former, therefore, was in a vicious mood.
With the conditions named, a wrangle may be set down as one of the certainties.

But Harvey Bradley had defied the fury of half a hundred men, and he meant to teach this marplot his proper place.

There was a threatening gleam in his eye, but he puffed a few seconds at his pipe, and then, glaring through the rank smoke that curled upward from his face said: "There are a good many ways by which Hugh O'Hara's cabin can be found, but those who come on honest errands stick to the path." "Which explains why the path is so little worn," was the reply of Harvey.
"Aye, and your feet have done mighty little to help the wearing of the same." "If those who live in the cabin were honest themselves, they would not tremble every time the latch-string is pulled, nor would they be scared if they saw a visitor stop to snuff the air in this neighborhood." This was an ill-timed remark, and Harvey regretted the words the moment they passed his lips.

He saw Hugh and Tom glance at each other; but the words, having been spoken, could not be recalled, nor did the superintendent make any attempt to modify them.

Before the others could answer, he added: "I have heard it said that Hugh O'Hara held this place in such strong disfavor that nothing could lead him to spend a night here, yet he smokes his pipe and plots mischief as if the cabin is the one place in the world with which he is content." These words were not soothing in their effect, nor did the speaker mean that they should be.