law, an' 'bout folks too, than ye does. These hyar Griggs folks hev
always been misdoubted ez a fractious an' contrary-wise fambly. Ef
enny Griggs ain't aggervatin' an' captious, it air through bein'
plumb terrified by the t'others. They air powerful hard folks--an'
they'll land ye in the State Prison yet, I'm thinkin'. I wonder
they hain't started at ye a'ready. But thar's no countin' on 'em,
'ceptin' that they'll do all they kin that air ha'sh an' grindin'."

"That air a true word, Birt," said Andy Byers, speaking to the boy
for the first time in many days. "Ef they hev thar reason fur it,
they mought hold thar hand fur a time, but fust or las' they'll hev
all out'n ye ez the law will allow 'em."

Birt listened in desperation. All this was sharpened by the
certainty that the mineral was only valueless pyrites, and the
prescience of Nate's anger when this fact should come to his
knowledge, and prudence no longer restrain him. His rage would vent
itself on his luckless victim for every cent, every mill, that the
discovery of the "fools' gold" had cost him.

"They'll be takin' ye away from the mountings ter jail ye an' try
ye, an' mebbe ye'll go ter the pen'tiary arter that. An' how will
yer mother, an' brothers, an' sister, git thar vittles, an'
firewood, an' corn-crap an' clothes, an' sech--Rufe bein' the oldest
child, arter you-uns?" demanded the tanner. "An' even when ye git
back--I hate ter tell ye this word--nobody will want ye round.
They'll be feared ye'd be forever pickin' an' stealin'."

"But we-uns will stand up fur ye, bein' ez ye air the widder's son,"
said Byers eagerly. "We-uns will gin the Griggs tribe ter