uts, to confess
yourself a sodger of King George--let me tell you, that, being against
you, I am not the person to mislest you on that head, by spreading the
news abroad, or setting a few dozen of whigs upon your scent, which is a
thing easily done. If your business here is peaceable and lawful, and
you don't let your tongue brawl against quiet and orderly people, you
are free to come and go for me."

"Thank you, sir: but look you; it isn't my way to answer questions about
my own business, and I scorn to ask any man's leave to come and go where
and when my occasions call me."

"If it isn't your way to answer questions about your own business,"
replied Horse Shoe, "it oughtn't to be your way to ax them about other
people's; but that don't disturb me; it is the rule of the war to
question all comers and goers that we happen to fall in with, specially
now, when there's a set of your devils scampering and raging about in
Carolina, hardly a summer day's ride off this province, burning houses
and killing cattle, and turning everything topsy-turvy, with a pack of
rascally tories to back them. In such times all sorts of tricks are
played, such as putting on coats that don't belong to a man, and
deceiving honest people by lies, and what not."

"You are a stranger to me," said the other; "but let me tell you,
without circumlocution or periphrase, I am a free born subject of the
king, and I see no reason why, because some of his people have turned
rebels a true man, who travels his highway, should be obliged to give
an account of himself to every inquisitive fellow who chooses to
challenge it. Suppose I tell you that you meddle with matters that don't
concern you?"

"Then you mought chance to get your head in your hand, that's all. And,
hark you, if it wan't that I am rather good-natured, I mought happen to
handle you a little rough for that nicknaming of the friends of liberty,
by calling them rebels. It doesn't suit such six-pence-a-day fellows as
you, who march right or left at the bidding of your master, to rob a
church or root up an honest man's peaceful hearth, without so much as
daring to have a thought about the righteousness of the matter--it
doesn't suit such to be befouling them that fight for church and
fire-side both, with your scurvy, balderdash names."

"Well, egad! you are a fine bold fellow who speaks his thoughts, that's
not to be denied!" said the stranger, again suddenly changing his mood,
and resorting t