"I betche Andy jest wants to see us takin' up claims on that dry bench, and then set back and laugh at us fer bitin' on his josh." "Well, you'll have the claims, won't you.

And if you hang onto them there'll be money in the deal some day.

Why, darn your bomb-proof skull, can't you get it into your system that all this country's bound to settle up ?" Andy's eyes snapped angrily.

"Can't you see the difference between us owning the land between here and the mountains, and a bunch of outsiders that'll cut it all up into little fields and try to farm it.

If you can't see that, you better go hack a hole in your head with an axe, so an idea can squeeze in now and then when you ain't looking!" "Well, I betche there ain't no colony comin' to settle that there bench," Happy Jack persisted stubbornly.
"Yes there is, by cripes!" trumpeted Big Medicine behind him.