"It's no good, I say," Levi continued, "and there's nothing left for us to do but bring the sneak back and have Parson Lawrence marry him and Lizzī. And if he won't come, why, settle with him, that's all."
"Yes, tar and feather and then burn him," suggested Matthi as his idea of settlement.
"No, lynch him," Cassi advised.
"Well, we must lose no time," said Levi.
"But Lizzī believes Gill is dead," Peter remarked.
"Dead nothin'," replied the stolid Matthi. "He's most likely foolin' another girl some place, and I'd like ter git a chance ter put a stop to his gallantin'."
Matthi made a gesture suggestive of wringing the neck of a chicken.
"Come, boys," Levi said, "let's swear. Join your right hands to mine above our father's head. Now say, we are three brothers whose sister has been deeply wronged, and we do swear in the presence of our aged father and upon our honor as men to seek John Gillfillan, our sister's betrayer, and compel him to return to her and make her his wife, and if he will not, to avenge our sister's honor by his blood."
"We swear," they all said solemnly, after the formula had been repeated.
Peter bowed his approval, and encouraged them by saying: