"He! he! he! really, gentleman, what jokers you are! I know you are very funny, but I don't understand your jokes; indeed, I don't."
"You don't, eh?"
"No, no; he! he! he!"
"Is it a joke to go to jail?"
"He! he! he! how funny! now I see you want to scare us; but see here, I don't scare. I can prove that to you, and if you do not go away I shall be compelled to thrash you."
"What!" ejaculated the three men, giving utterance to real laughter. It really did sound comical for that apparently slender dude to threaten to thrash three burly men.
"So you'll thrash us, eh?"
"He! he! he! yes, you will compel me to thrash you if you don't go away. Why, this lady is very much annoyed. I cannot see her annoyed; certainly not, so go away and I'll not harm you."
"Hear him—hear him!" cried one of the rogues, and he added: "We'll have to duck him for insultin' us."
"Yes, we'll have to duck him."