"You fellers are not invited to this picnic, an' there'll be somethin' doin' if you push along any higher." The little bunch halted instantly just without the edge of the heavy timber, turning their faces up toward the speaker.

Evidently they expected to be hailed, but not quite so soon.
"Now, see here, Buck," answered one, taking a single step ahead of the others, and hollowing his hand as a trumpet to speak through, "it don't look to us fellers as if this affair was any of your funeral, nohow, and we 've come 'long ahead of the others just on purpose to give you a fair show to pull out of it afore the real trouble begins.

_Sabe_ ?" "Is thet so ?" The little marshal was too far away for them to perceive how his teeth set beneath the bristly mustache.
"You bet! The boys don't consider thet it's hardly the square deal your takin' up agin 'em in this way.

They 'lected you marshal of this yere camp, but it war n't expected you'd ever take no sides 'long with murderers.

Thet's too stiff fer us to abide by.