“Thar be friends o’ his heur as won’t hear a word said agin’ him.”
“Bah! I have heard that he is hated here by all who know him.”
“You hes heerd a darned lie, ef yer mother told it to yer.”
“What?”
“I say it are a lie, fer Buffalo Bill hev done more fer this town than any other man, an’ thar ain’t no one in trouble as he don’t help out, while he sometimes are on hand ter clean out them as come heur fer a fight. I wants ter be friendly with yer, stranger pard, but don’t yer say nothin’ agin’ Buffalo Bill, fer he are my friend.”
“Well, I don’t wish trouble with you, or any other man in Border City, for we came here to have a good time, and are not quarrelsome. We’ll spend our money free, and do the square thing all around; but I have met Buffalo Bill, and I owe him a grudge I hope one day to settle.”
“Pard, yer talks squar’; but onless yer keeps yer tongue atween yer teeth, ther fust thing yer know, up will go yer toes to ther moonlight, an’ Buffalo Bill will be payin’ ther expenses o’ buryin’ yer.”
“I do not fear him!”
It was evident that the potations he had indulged in were making Captain Corduroy very reckless of consequences.
“I don’t say yer is skeert; but onless yer wants deadly trouble, don’t say nothin’ as will bring yer ter drawin’ agin’ Buffalo Bill.”