Sam continued as if he had not heard the interruption.
"And I believe it was you two who killed that wretch, Tom Edwards, in order to get us into a scrape—yes, to get us out of the way. Now get back, or come on, just as you please."
Sam said this in a way that convinced the man below that his resolution could not be shaken, and that any attempt to oust him from his stronghold by force would be met with resistance to the death.
"That young devil up thar's a chip of the old block," hissed Badger. "Why, cuss him, he talks jist like his father. Do you know what my opinion of them two is, Mr. Shirley?"
"What?"
"That they're the hardest, toughest cases I've met up with in my five-and-forty years of mixin' among all classes. Sich people hadn't ought to be let live among decent folks."
"I've seed boys in my time, hundreds and thousands of 'em," said the disgusted landlord, "but that young feller up on top of that rock, for downright gall and bitterness, and bull-headedness, lays over anything I ever saw, heard or red of."
"It is evident to me that Sam Willett will fight; now what are we to do?" asked Shirley in despair, for all prospect of succeeding by "strategy" was gone.
"We must carry out my plan," said Badger.
"What's that?"