"I've nothing to do with that; settle it in court. And what's more,
you'll have something yourself to settle with the State! About,
face! Forward, march!"
The men faded into the gray light as though dissolved by it.
A deep and respectful silence fell upon the men, which was broken by
Orde's solemn and dramatic declamation.
"The King of France and twice ten thousand men
Marched up the hill, and then marched down again,"
he recited; then burst into his deep roar of laughter.
"Now you see, boys," he said, digging his fists into his eyes, "if
you'd put up a row, what we'd have got into. No blue-coats in mine,
thank you. Well, push the grub pile, and then get at those logs.
It's a case of flood-water now."
But Reed, having recovered from his astonishment, had still his say.
"I tell ye, I'm not done with ye yet," he threatened, shaking his
bony forefinger in Orde's face. "I'll sue ye for damages, and I'll
GIT 'em, too."
"See here, you old mossback," said Orde, thrusting his bulky form to
the fore, "you sue just as soon as you want to. You can't get at it
any too quick to suit us. But just now you get out of this camp,
and you stay out. You're an old man, and we don't want to be rough
with you, but you're biting off more than you can chew.
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