"After you!" I called, always willing to oblige—"after you. Shoot first, and hear me afterwards, eh? That's right, boys. You see, I pack no gun, 'cause I'm yo' guest."
The guns were put away.
"You've heard," says I, "from Misteh Crazy Hoss how I subdued this Ryan and got a quittance for Jim du Chesnay from the charge of murder. I'm his guardian, boys. Furthermore, you heard from Misteh Crazy Hoss a plumb truthful account of how I saved this whole crowd from being wolf-bait fed to us for our supper—the same being considered unwholesome. Now, as to this pore little felon, he put up the only play he knew to save hisself from being murdered. He ain't a lion to fight with teeth, or a man to distribute gunfire on his enemies; but his back's to the wall and he puts up the best little fight he knows about. He, bein' a sure snake, uses poison, whereat, having drawn his fangs, I takes his side, and begs the critter's life. I want to have him for a curio to put in my collection, and I offers ten cents for the same—which is more'n he's worth."
"Boys," said McCalmont, "if this yere Chalkeye didn't allus take the weaker side, he'd be a rich man still, instead of an outlaw herdin' with our gang as his last refuge."
The robbers seemed to like me some better now, and a feeling of popularity began to glow on my skin.
"But," says McCalmont, "in the matter of this yere snake, he acts plumb erroneous. If the snake escapes to give evidence, he can identify the entire gang, Chalkeye included. Go—kill that snake!"
Crazy Hoss rushed to the kitchen. "Gawn!" he yelled. "Escaped! So this is yo' game, Mr. Chalkeye!"
"Kill him! kill him!"
"Halt!" McCalmont faced the rush against me—outroared the shouting. "Back, or I fire! Back, you curs! Deal with this business afterwards—we want the snake first! Whar's them smell-dawgs? Here, Powder! Powder! Here, you Rip; come on, lil' dawg! Crazy Hoss, you put on them dawgs to the scent, track down this Ryan, and kill him. Then come back."
The dogs were put on Ryan's trail. "Go, get 'im, Rip! Sick 'im, Powder! Tear 'im and eat 'im! Come along, boys!" So the whole crowd poured away to track Ryan.