"You couldn't do it if you'd fight fair!" he bellowed.
"Could I not?" I asked. And cast him free. "Come on again, then."
"I'm afraid of them kids," said he. "They'd stick me."
"No, they would not," said I; but still he would not come on. Then I
made a quick catch at his wrist, edgewise, and rolled my thumb along
it at a certain place where the nerves lie close to the edge of the
bone, as any policeman knows; and he would follow me, then. So I led
him to our little camp-fire.
"Now," said I to him, "be seated," and he sat. I asked him if he would
shake hands with me and my boys and make up. He was very sullen, but,
at last, did so, not cheerfully, I fear, for he was not of good blood.
"Tell me," I demanded then, seeing that the triumph of calm reason had
been sufficient in his case, "why did you come here, and why do you
try to drive us off, who are only on a peaceful journey as pirates,
seeking our fortune?"
"Pirates!" he exclaimed. "Just what I thought. What's the use my
leasin' the pearl fer a mile along here if anybody can come and camp,
and go to work, right alongside o' me? If old farmer Snider, that owns
this land, hadn't gone to town I'd have the law on ye. Me payin' my
money in and gettin' no protection. Fishin's rotten, too!"
I now perceived that we had encountered one of those half-nomad
characters, a fresh-water pearl fisherman, such as those who, for some
years, with varying fortune, have combed the sand-bars of our inland
river for the fresh-water mussels which sometimes, like oysters,
secrete valuable pearls or nacreous bits known as slugs. This
explained much to me.
"I know the law," said I. "Farmer Snider can not lease the highway of
yonder river where the Sea Rover passes. But I know also the law of
the wilderness. One trapper does not intrude on another who has first
located his country. We will pass on to-morrow. Meantime, if you don't
mind, we will go with you to your camp and see how you do your work.
Please forget that we have had any trouble. Had you but spoken thus at
first, and not borne war against these bold pirates, all would have
been well."
He looked at me oddly, evidently thinking my mind touched.
"Come!" I said, wiping the blood from my face, and passing him also a
basin of water, "you fought well and the wonder is you did not kill me
with one of those swings or swipes of yours. They were crooked and
awkward, but they came hard."
He grinned and saved his face further by saying: "Well, you was three
to one ag'in me." I smiled and let it stand so: and after a while, he
arose stiffly and we all passed back into the wood.