"Good-morning, captain."

"Good-morning to your honors," said the captain, affecting the Hibernian
accent; but at that instant, as he stooped to enter the tent, he tripped
upon the cords at the entrance, and pitched forward against the guns
which were strapped around the pole in the center.

"You are nice men, you are!" said he, after an ejaculation not necessary
to be recorded, "to set a man-trap before your door every morning to
catch your visitors."

Then he sat down upon Henry Chatillon's saddle. We tossed a piece of
buffalo robe to Jack, who was looking about in some embarrassment. He
spread it on the ground, and took his seat, with a stolid countenance,
at his brother's side.

"Exhilarating weather, captain!"

"Oh, delightful, delightful!" replied the captain. "I knew it would be
so; so much for starting yesterday at noon! I knew how it would turn
out; and I said so at the time."

"You said just the contrary to us. We were in no hurry, and only moved
because you insisted on it."

"Gentlemen," said the captain, taking his pipe from his mouth with an
air of extreme gravity, "it was no plan of mine. There is a man among us
who is determined to have everything his own way. You may express your
opinion; but don't expect him to listen. You may be as reasonable as