"Well, as soon as we had left here this morning Tom got busy, and gathered most of the men together, and told them in his own quaint way about what had happened to The Twins."
"Were they present?" Martin asked.
"Indeed they were not. They kept pretty close to themselves all through the day, and didn't show their mean faces in public once. Tom was the orator, and the impression that he left upon his hearers was wonderful. He told in a most graphic manner how The Twins had pulled up the stakes at the point of a rifle, and how back of the rifle was a woman. You should have heard the miners laugh and jeer. Some were for stringing The Twins up to the nearest tree; while others wished to drive them out of the place at once. But Tom thought it best for all to agree to ask The Twins whenever they met them about the claims they had staked, and when they intended to begin work upon them. He suggested that they might mention as well about the beautiful moonlight nights, what shy creatures women are, and so on. He certainly did set it off in glowing colours, and the men were wildly excited over the idea. They agreed that it would be greater fun for themselves, and a severer punishment for the two rascals than driving them away from Quaska."
"But will it be safe, do you think?" Nance asked. "The Twins might be so angry that they might do some harm."
"Where are their revolvers?" and Dick's eyes twinkled.
"Oh, they are safe," Martin laughed.
"No; they won't shoot," Dick continued; "they are too cowardly for that. They are not only cowards but idiots as well to do what they did last night. Now, if some men had been in their place I doubt whether you would have got off as easily as you did. They would have done some mischief. But The Twins were too much afraid of their skins after you got the rifle levelled upon them."
"Where did they stay while the meeting was going on?" Nance asked.
"In their own tents. They must have known that something was astir, and that it was better for them to keep close."
"And they didn't venture out for the rest of the day?"