“And you have been allowing your men to do that which will put us in the power of every Northern mudsill of an abolitionist, and eventually turn the tide which is now in our favor, against us!” The Colonel wheeled about and faced Thomson. “Was this the understanding when you started on the expedition?”
Bill still stood sullen-faced and silent before his accuser.
“Have we not jails strong enough to hold prisoners?” Titus asked, significantly.
“Dead men tell no tales,” declared Thomson, with a long look into his questioner’s eyes.
“True,” returned the Colonel with an answering glance. “But let all things be done in decency and order and according to the process of law. This man ain’t no army. There warn’t no need of your raisin’ and chasin’ and burnin’ him like a parcel of idiots.”
“’Pears to me you’re d——d finicky ’bout law an’ all that jes’ this particular time,” sneered Bill, with an evil leer on his face.
The Colonel eyed him keenly while a look of disgust spread slowly over his speaking face.
“Thomson, I gave you credit for having more sense. This man is a British subject. How are we to impress the world with our fair and impartial dealing with all mankind, and the slavery question in particular, if you and a lot more hot-headed galoots go to work and call us liars by breaking the slate?”
There were murmurs of approval from the crowd.
“Fac’ is thar’s nothin’ fer us to do but to light out, ain’t that the idee, Colonel?” asked Jim Murphy.