mountaineer trapper argued.

"'Sides all that," interposed the suave Southern gentleman, "it's too
early in the spring. Freightin's bound to be delayed by rains--and a
nice little gal with only a nigger--" He was not quite himself, and he
did not try to say more.

"Seems like some of these gentlemen consider you are some sort of a
fool," a tall, lean Yankee youth observed, as he listened to the babble.

I had climbed back on the barrel again to see the crowd better, and I
stared at the last speaker. His voice was not unpleasant, but he
appeared pale and weak and spiritless in that company of tanned, rugged
men. Evidently he was an invalid in search of health. We children had
seen many invalids, from time to time, at the fort harmless folk, who
came to fuss, and stayed to flourish, in our gracious land of the open
air.

"You are a dam' fool," roared a big drunken loafer from the edge of the
crowd. "An' I'd lick you in a minnit if you das step into the middle of
the street onct. Ornery sneak, to take innocent children into such
perils. Come on out here, I tell ye!"

A growl followed these words. Many men in that company were less than
half sober, and utterly irresponsible.

"Le's jes' hang the fool storekeepin' gent right now; an' make a
free-fur-all holiday. I'll begin," the drunken ruffian bawled. He was of
the sort that always leads a mob.