"Oh, a heap of them, Colonel," said Levi.
"I'll see about that."
"Hodge and me ain't quittin'. We won't go home till we've killed us some Injun trash." Levi lovingly stroked the handles of his six holstered pistols, three on each side of his belt.
But Levi and Hodge made no move to get up and join Raoul. They would go with him across the river, he saw, but they were not about to help him discipline the other men. He thought of ordering them to come with him, but decided not to test their loyalty that far. Eli had walked out on him. He didn't know who he could trust.
Hell, he could do it without these two, anyway.
For reassurance Raoul took a grip on the handle of his Bowie knife as he approached the crowd. Could he cow dozens of men if they were determined not to obey him?
Sure. Might have to carve a few bellies, but the rest will fall into line.
That was how he ran Smith County.
The man standing on the barrel was saying, "You know what the Injuns call that country up there? The Trembling Lands. It's all swamp, water and quicksand. You take a horse out on what looks like solid ground, before you can blink, he sinks belly deep."
That kind of talk made Raoul want to use his knife. But that would probably only rile these rebellious bastards all the more.