"They're a set of curs. I did believe some of the things we heard yesterday; but now soft words won't go down with me, no matter how the property turns out."
"It can't make any difference what is done or said, all I ask is that we get Sam out of his troubles."
"You an' me are about as deep in the mire as he is if the case goes agin us. We'll try not to borrer trouble till there's better reason. Where do you s'pose Skip is keepin' himself all this time?"
"I wish I knew. Nobody can make me believe he went off with Gus."
"He's got a different game than that, an' I'm thinkin' we'll hear from him mighty soon."
"Why?"
"No partic'lar reason, I only jest think so."
Having changed the topic of conversation, which was the sole cause of his mentioning Skip's name, Joe relapsed into a silence which was not broken until the two arrived at the newly-discovered vein.
Here a party of surveyors were running imaginary lines and measuring distances, as they referred from time to time to several formidable looking documents, and Joe said, bitterly:
"Wright is gettin' ready for the fight. If we had plenty of money I wouldn't feel so bad; but unless the lawyer can borrow some for us, we're likely to come out the little end of the horn."