"The English do not own this land," put in Jean Bevoir. "It has always belonged to the French and the Indians, and it belongs to them still. No army has been sent out here to take possession, and how can the English claim that which they have not even seen or marked out?"
"I won't discuss the old quarrel with you, Bevoir," said James Morris briefly. "We are here to stay, and that is the end of the matter, so far as I am concerned. You can do as you please, but I warn you not to interfere with me. If you do, you will get your fingers burnt."
"The place is burnt down," said the third Frenchman, whose name was Hector
Bergerac. He too was a hunter, but of a better sort than Bevoir or Valette.
"Shall you build again?"
"Not here," answered James Morris. "I have located a new post on the Ohio."
"The Ohio!" came from the three Frenchmen simultaneously, and the others looked at Jean Bevoir.
"Where upon the Ohio have you placed the new post?" demanded the French trader.
His manner was so insolent that James Morris grew nettled.
"Had you asked me civilly, I would have answered you, Bevoir," he returned.
"But now you can find out for yourself."
"We were going to erect a post upon the Ohio," put in Bergerac. "Our pack-train is but a day behind us."
"It will be a loss of time and money for you Frenchmen to do that," came quickly from James Morris. "I tell you that the English are in control, and they mean to keep control. In the end you will lose all you possess."