"Not a cent more. It's all I got, and it's all they were worth."

For an instant the captain looked the storekeeper full in the face.
Then glancing quickly around the store, and seeing a telephone, he
moved toward it.

"You can't use my phone," McDuff cried, feeling sure that the captain
had some special object in view.

"I can't, eh? Well, if you say so, that settles it. I kin git one
next door. I only want to call up my lawyer, that's all. He knows me
pretty well. I'd like to use other means to settle this matter, but I
guess Lawyer Allen's advice might be the better way."

"What! you don't mean to go to law over this little matter, do you?"
McDuff anxiously enquired.

"Certainly I do. It isn't the amount so much as the principle. Ye're
tryin' to cheat a little boy, and I'm goin' to stand by him, I don't
care how much it costs. I'm scoutmaster, and he's patrol leader of the
Hillcrest troop, and if ye think ye kin do him a mean trick, then ye're
mighty much mistaken."

"But look here," McDuff angrily replied. "You seem to be making a big
fuss over nothing. And, besides, you've charged me with cheating that
boy, and I'll make you take back your words. Two can play at this
game."

"No doubt they kin," the captain reflectively answered as he moved