"Why don't we chase him off the Point?" Peter asked.
"Or have the law on him?" suggested Gus.
"I'll shoot him if I ever get a chance," Early Ann cried passionately.
"Leave him to me," Stud told the rest of the family. "He ain't harmful. He's got a right to live the same as we have. We ain't going to shoot him or have the law on him, or run him off the Point. But if he comes across our line again I'll give him a real licking."
"Give him a couple of extra punches for me," said Early Ann. "I wish I was a man. I'll bet I could lick him."
"And meanwhile," said Stud, "it's almost Christmas day. We'll have to take him some victuals for his Christmas dinner,—something for the Olesons and the Widow Morrison, too. We'll do it tonight."
"Drive over to Lake House Point at night?" Gus asked in dismay.
"Scared cat," taunted Early Ann.
"I wasn't thinking of myself," said Gus, "I was just worrying about the womenfolks."
Early Ann tittered.