The other two grumbled incoherently.
"But I tell you what would make a difference: if you two would quit eatin' on the sly—out o' meal-times."
"Be the Siven!"
"You lie!" A movement, a stool overturned, and the two men in the bunks were struck broad awake by the smart concussion of a gun-shot. Nobody was hurt, and between them they disarmed Potts, and turned the Irishman out to cool off in his own cabin. It was all over in a minute. Kaviak, reassured, curled down to sleep again. Mac and Potts stretched themselves on the buffalo-robe half under the table, and speedily fell to snoring. The Boy put on some logs. He and the Colonel sat and watched the sparks.
"It's a bad business."
"It can't go on," says the Colonel; "but Mac's right: Kaviak's being here isn't to blame. They—we, too—are like a lot of powder-cans."
The Boy nodded. "Any day a spark, and biff! some of us are in a blaze, and wh-tt! bang! and some of us are in Kingdom Come."
"I begin to be afraid to open my lips," said the Colonel. "We all are; don't you notice?"
"Yes. I wonder why we came."
"You had no excuse," said the elder man almost angrily.