The surveyor, observing the expression upon his face, surmised its meaning, and his eyes twinkled.
"But where do I come in?" Abner questioned.
"Like the toad in the swill-pail, it seems to me. Not there by choice. But what am I to git out of it? That’s what I want to know."
"Get out of it! Why, man, you’ll be lucky to get out of it alive, same as the toad."
"Simply because you’ve allowed that hill of gravel to remain there to endanger the world. That’s about the first thing they’ll tell you, and they’ll put up such a big talk that you’ll be glad to pay out your bottom dollar to help them take the gravel away."
"De ye think I’m a fool?" Abner roared, and again his eyes blazed.
"Not exactly, though you acted like one a few minutes ago. But I imagine you’ll feel like one when that government bunch gets after you. They’re past masters at the art of getting what they want. They will come here in autos, parade around the place, puff their expensive cigars, and hand out such talk that you’ll feel small enough to crawl through a rat-hole. Oh, I’ve seen such cases before, and I know just what they’ll do."
"H’m, I guess ye don’t know Abner Andrews, then, not by a jugfull, skiddy-me-shins, if ye do. There’ll be no crawlin’, mind ye, to them big bugs. An’ what’s more, they’ll never set foot on this place without my consent."
"They won’t wait for your consent. They didn’t send word, I suppose, asking if I might make this survey?"
"Neither will they ask permission to tramp over your land. They’ll come unexpectedly, the same as I have."
"An’ they’ll go as unexpectedly as they’ll come," and Abner stamped upon the ground. "So will you go, young man. I ain’t got nuthin’ agin you personally, but ye represent that bunch of grafters, so out ye go at once, an’ don’t ye dare to put ye’r foot upon this place agin without my permission."
But the surveyor never moved. With his right arm resting lightly on the theodolite he fixed his eyes steadily upon the farmer.
"Ye ain’t! Well, I guess ye’ll change ye’r tune, me hearty, before I’m through with ye."
Suddenly raising the gun by the barrel with both hands, he drew it back over his left shoulder in a most threatening manner.
"Git," he roared, "or I’ll knock out ye’r brains, providin’ ye’ve got any."