under that spur, George, and so I
believe thought all about us; and when you put off the finishing stroke
so suddenly, I took it for granted that you had seen the devil, or some
other matter equally frightful," was the reply of Munro, in a spirit and
style equally unique and philosophical with that which preceded it.

"Why, it was something, though not the devil, bad enough for us in all
conscience, as you know just as well as I. The Georgia guard won't give
much time for a move."

"Bad enough, indeed, though I certainly ought not to complain of their
appearance," was the reply of Munro, whose recent escape seemed to run
more in his mind than any other subject. He proceeded:--

"But this isn't the first time I've had a chance so narrow for my neck;
and more than once it has been said to me, that the man born for one
fate can't be killed by another; but when you had me down and your knife
over me, I began to despair of my charm."

"You should have double security for it now, Wat, and so keep your
prayers till you see the cross timbers, and the twisted trouble. There's
something more like business in hand now, and seeing that we shan't be
able to fight one another, as we intended, all that we can do now is to
make friends as fast as possible, and prepare to fight somebody else."

"You think just as I should in this matter, and that certainly is the
wisest policy left us. It's a common cause we have to take care of, for
I happen to know that Captain Fullam--and this I take to be his
troop--has orders from the governor to see to us all, and clear the
lands in no time. The state, it appears, thinks the land quite too good
for such as we, and takes this mode of telling us so. Now, as I care
very little about the state--it has never done me any good, and I have
always been able to take care of myself without it--I feel just in the
humor, if all parties are willing, to have a tug in the matter before I
draw stakes."

"That's just my notion, Wat; and d--n 'em, if the boys are only true to
the hub, we can row this guard up salt river in no time and less. Look
you now--let's put the thing on a good footing, and have no further
disturbance. Put all the boys on shares--equal shares--in the diggings,
and we'll club strength, and can easily manage these chaps. There's no
reason, indeed, why we shouldn't; for if we don't fix them, we are done
up, every man of us. We have, as you see and have tried, a pretty strong
fence round us