"Cheerful for us! Do you think they will make the effort?"
"Smoothbore seems to take them seriously, and I think Herbert is coming to think the same way."
"What will Smoothbore do?"
"Stand pat! What else would he do? What would you or I do?" and Constable Hope looked at his companion in a manner not complimentary.
"The outfit would surely get licked in the end."
"To be sure they would!—but in the meantime, two years: how much could you graft in two years?"
This query admitted of no reply, and lacking a further word from his companion, Constable Hope continued,
"Fifty miles, ten hours on the river—and you are in the land of Uncle Sam! See?"
"Yes, I see."
"If you think over it a bit you will see more."