"How do you make that out?"
"If he was so sure of provin' we had no claim to the land, he wouldn't have a word to say. Now he's tryin' to make a trade."
"He can't with me. Unless you, Fred an' Sam insist, it'll be the whole or nothing."
"Now that's the way to talk," Bill replied. "If we can raise the money to fight there won't be any bargain made."
"Don't you intend to call upon the superintendent?" Mrs. Byram asked.
"Not a bit of it, ma'am. Tell whoever he sends that Fred an' Joe are too busy just now, but if he wants to make a 'pointment some time next week, they'll try to see him."
"But it can't do any harm to talk with Mr. Wright."
"It won't do any good, an' they'd better see the lawyer first."
Mrs. Byram left the room to deliver the message, and Bill delayed his partners that they might know exactly how he felt regarding the matter before starting on the journey.