"But you'd rather belong to me than to your Mars. George, wouldn't you?" he asked, meaning the doctor.
"I wouldn't belong to him," I replied. "He ain't worth the powder and lead to kill him. I'd fight before I'd belong to him."
"You musn't say that, Dan—but, so would I." And, after a silence, he said: "If anybody starts to whip you, don't make any difference who it is, come and tell me, won't you?"
"Yes, and we will both fight him, won't we?"
"Yes, but I can whip you when I want to, can't I?"
"Yes, but nobody else shall."
"I know that, but I can, can't I?"
"Sometimes, but not all the time."
"Yes, I can."