"You-uns has been lettin' this critter lead ye inter somethin'! An' it's fair warnin' I gave him ter keep clear o' meddlin' with my business."
The boys gazed at the moonshiner chief in amazement, for Muriel looked no more than a boy as he sat there on his black horse, and his voice seemed the voice of a boy instead of that of a man. Yet it was plain that he governed these desperate ruffians of the mountains with a hand of iron, and they feared him.
"We-uns war 'bout ter hang two revernues," explained Miller.
Muriel looked at the boys.
"Revernues?" he said, doubtfully. "How long sence ther gover'ment has been sendin' boys hyar ter spy on us?"
"They know what happens ter ther men they send," muttered Miller.
"Wal, 'tain't like they'd be sendin' boys arter men failed."
"That's ther way they hope ter fool us."
"An' how do you know them-uns is revernues?"
"We jest s'picions it."